Rod bolt torque? Engine broken!
OP you had said some/one of the rod bolts broke off with several threads showing and one/some with a couple of threads showing. If they both broke off flush or near flush with the rod then there's your proof the bolts were loose when everything went to ****.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2008
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Pics of two rod bolts that were in the pan are at the beginning of the thread. You can see one only has one or two threads on it and the other probably has 5 or so.
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I will say there are 2 sides to every story, everybody is jumping on the bandwagon with lightning 2, if everything he is saying is true then he is in the right, but no one here knows if he sold a damaged or hurt engine to off load it? I guarantee you the buyer of the engine has a completely different story to tell as to what was and wasn’t said. The one sentence where he says he always pulls a rod and or main cap to check condition is possible, I can see pulling a couple of rod caps and by then you pretty much have a good feel for the condition of the engine, you probably wouldn’t check all 8 rod caps and all the mains to inspect each and every single one for a engine you are planning to sale. Then the op also says he has the fancy snap on torque wrench, so why didn’t you take the extra 5 minutes and angle retorque and not leave it to chance for someone else to screw it up?
As they say if you want something done right do it yourself. Now days when selling something you almost have to imagine you are selling to the dumbest person on the block that can somehow screw up or break a rock. I sold a iPhone on eBay and 4 months later the idiot dropped it and broke the screen, guess what he filed a claim with PayPal wanting his money back saying my auction did not say the screen was shatter proof, after having had it 4 months, PayPal now gives them a 6 month window to return items since that is in line with credit card chargebacks. I eventually prevailed in the case afternoon dozens of emails and hours on the phone with PayPal. It’s like another poster said don’t risk going to court, you all remember the lady that got burnt by putting McDonald’s hot coffee between her legs, she won her case.
As they say if you want something done right do it yourself. Now days when selling something you almost have to imagine you are selling to the dumbest person on the block that can somehow screw up or break a rock. I sold a iPhone on eBay and 4 months later the idiot dropped it and broke the screen, guess what he filed a claim with PayPal wanting his money back saying my auction did not say the screen was shatter proof, after having had it 4 months, PayPal now gives them a 6 month window to return items since that is in line with credit card chargebacks. I eventually prevailed in the case afternoon dozens of emails and hours on the phone with PayPal. It’s like another poster said don’t risk going to court, you all remember the lady that got burnt by putting McDonald’s hot coffee between her legs, she won her case.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 24
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Yes, hindsight is 20/20. Guy told me he was good mechanically and he seemed to know his stuff. I remove a rod cap bare minimum. Not all 8. I don't always remove the same one. I would like to say next time I will just re torque the fasteners and sell the engine for a few hundred more. However, the only next time there will be is selling to friends that have proven track records with engine work. I bought this LS1 to put in my wife's Bravada/TBSS project. She decided she wanted a Magnuson supercharged LQ4 so I sold it.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2008
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Moved 350 miles and still have most of my tools at other house. We don't have a shop here like at our other house. Didn't have my torque angle wrench here. He asked to buy engine. I told him I would sell to him but he would need to check the rod and main bolts to be safe. He agreed it wouldn't be a problem and I sold a ~70,000 mile long block for $800 due to that needing done and me not having the means to do it.
TECH Addict
Joined: Mar 2013
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Sorry but I've been in the same boat, you take it apart to check it you put it back together. Personally I wouldn't touch a LS1 rod assembly without resizing it. The stock clearances are tight and after many heat cycles everything under pressure the rods change size.