Does anyone have a stick of dynamite?
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From: Wichita/Derby, KS
Does anyone have a stick of dynamite? Looks like my car isn't gonna make it to the shootout this year. 
I'll still be there though.
Just got my new combo together...and drove it around a little, then noticed the oil pressure getting lower and lower....judging by the trash in the oil filter, looks like it wiped out a cam bearing. No idea why, I took every precausion I could lubing everything and priming the motor before I started it. Dammit this sucks
I'll still be there though.
Just got my new combo together...and drove it around a little, then noticed the oil pressure getting lower and lower....judging by the trash in the oil filter, looks like it wiped out a cam bearing. No idea why, I took every precausion I could lubing everything and priming the motor before I started it. Dammit this sucks
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Not a full rebuild, I was re-using the same shortblock I built back in 2007 and had been running on my mild H/C LT1.
Standard bore, 350ci
Stock crank
Scat I-beam rods (7/16 rod bolts)
Probe pistons
Clevite P series bearings
Decided to have a new set of heads done, and while I was at it went to a solid-roller valvetrain. So, I removed the engine and did the swap on a stand rather than in the car, just got it running on Thurs, and on Sat the oil pressure dropped on my way to the track I was hoping it was just a crappy sending unit...no such luck. I'm baffled, I didn't even disassemble the short block this year, and it alway had fantastic oil pressure with the old heads/hyd cam combo. I dunno what went wrong, but I'm VERY disappointed that I can't run in the LTXshootout this year
Standard bore, 350ci
Stock crank
Scat I-beam rods (7/16 rod bolts)
Probe pistons
Clevite P series bearings
Decided to have a new set of heads done, and while I was at it went to a solid-roller valvetrain. So, I removed the engine and did the swap on a stand rather than in the car, just got it running on Thurs, and on Sat the oil pressure dropped on my way to the track
I was hoping it was just a crappy sending unit...no such luck. I'm baffled, I didn't even disassemble the short block this year, and it alway had fantastic oil pressure with the old heads/hyd cam combo. I dunno what went wrong, but I'm VERY disappointed that I can't run in the LTXshootout this year Last edited by Colin91Z; Sep 1, 2010 at 04:40 PM.
I prob in the same boat. Seems everyone that said they would tow the car down bailed on me. I got one last chance at borrowing a buds truck, but if that falls threw Ill be watching instead of racing
Did you get a mech gauge on it yet to verify its loosing pressure?
Did you get a mech gauge on it yet to verify its loosing pressure?
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I'm gonna verify with a mech gauge tonight just to be sure, but after seeing what was in the oil filter I doubt the stock gauge is lying.
I guess the car is tryin to tell me it wants more cubic inches to go with those new heads and cam
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No knocking. Just alot of valvetrain noise...but thats from the solid lifters not the cam bearing. I suspect a cam bearing because of the color of the metal in the filter. Plus that would explain the sudden loss of pressure without the knocking.
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From: Wichita/Derby, KS
CHS heads, Wellington KS. This is my second set of heads from him. These are 374 castings, 2.02/1.60 Ferrea valves, Bullet VS100 springs w/ti retainers (250lb on the seat), flowed 290/201 cfm @ .650 lift on a 4.00" bore 
Cam is a LE specd solid-roller 248/255 @ .050, .640/.651 (w/1.52 rockers) 106 lsa.
Cam is a LE specd solid-roller 248/255 @ .050, .640/.651 (w/1.52 rockers) 106 lsa.
damn it! I was almost out yesterday when I lost my ride, but now back in the game thanks to a good friend.
sucks to hear about the engine Colin after your heads/cam swap..maybe nicked a bearing going in?
well I'm glad to hear you are still coming to support the old school junks
sucks to hear about the engine Colin after your heads/cam swap..maybe nicked a bearing going in?
well I'm glad to hear you are still coming to support the old school junks
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I dunno for sure how quick it was, but I stood on it a couple of time before the oil pressure issue...it felt ALOT faster than the 118 mph trap speed the old combo did...
Dammit. I had some new goodies under the hood I wanted to show off too.
Guess I'll go out in the garage and snap a pic to post here shortly. Last edited by Colin91Z; Aug 30, 2010 at 05:36 PM.
The truck I had planned to use came up unavailable due to a death in the family and needing it to go out of town.
I was able to get a friends Excursion and Z8's enclosed for a better ride down now
thanks guys
get those pics up
I was able to get a friends Excursion and Z8's enclosed for a better ride down now
thanks guys
get those pics up
Same thing happened to me when I built my first shortblock myself. Drove it 10 miles and on the return pressure dropped and the knocking started. GD WTF!!!!!!!!!!
Upon teardown 3 out of 5 main bearing were destroyed with all the rods being good. I mic'd the main clearnaces at around .015" - .020" but that was using telescoping guages and a micrometer. Obviously not precision tools but I hoped it would do the trick.
I think there were two contributing factors. I did not clean the crank one it was ground cause I assumed the machinist did it. Not sure if he did or not but it was a bad assumption.
Other thing was the QC paint spots on my new Comp cam came off and got into the motor. Below is the purple and orange paint from the cam crammed into the tiny hole in the soft plugs in the front of the block as well as the goop from the oil pump pickup:
The blue piece is a broken pice of oil pan gasket.
Obviously this paint or dirty crank after meing ground could have clogged stuff up in the crank. Or I could have missed the main bearing clearance. Whichever, it really sucked.
Gave the motor to a real engine builder and things have been great for 10K miles.
Upon teardown 3 out of 5 main bearing were destroyed with all the rods being good. I mic'd the main clearnaces at around .015" - .020" but that was using telescoping guages and a micrometer. Obviously not precision tools but I hoped it would do the trick.
I think there were two contributing factors. I did not clean the crank one it was ground cause I assumed the machinist did it. Not sure if he did or not but it was a bad assumption.
Other thing was the QC paint spots on my new Comp cam came off and got into the motor. Below is the purple and orange paint from the cam crammed into the tiny hole in the soft plugs in the front of the block as well as the goop from the oil pump pickup:
The blue piece is a broken pice of oil pan gasket.
Obviously this paint or dirty crank after meing ground could have clogged stuff up in the crank. Or I could have missed the main bearing clearance. Whichever, it really sucked.
Gave the motor to a real engine builder and things have been great for 10K miles.
I can speak for colin that it sounded mean.. 3 of use for kansas were gonna go..mine might have bent a valve after a spring broke, a le2 setup colin put together for me..then colins problem and another car casey that has colins old setup...hes having pcm problems.They just didn't wanna go that far i guess to race haha
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we can always throw a set of rockers on my car and take it. just an idea. i can put the other seat in it tomorrow and throw calvins RR's on and it SHOULD be good to go. take it out wednesday and put a few miles on it, then race it friday lol.
hmmmm, 3 out of the 4 cars that are broken and wont be able to go now, were all touched by Colin.....hmmmm
jk lol
weren't you in this predicament last year? just throw another engine in in a couple days like the magician you are!
EDIT: this just in! make that 4 out of 5 cars touched by Colin broke down! there is no way im driving my car the rest of the week now
jk lol
weren't you in this predicament last year? just throw another engine in in a couple days like the magician you are!
EDIT: this just in! make that 4 out of 5 cars touched by Colin broke down! there is no way im driving my car the rest of the week now
Last edited by 67goatman455; Aug 30, 2010 at 11:02 PM.