Thread: Roger's LARS Mis-Adventure 2014

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Well.. I want to say that's good news.. but, not really HUH? At least "we" can explain most of it..

Have you put a torque wrench on the crank and done a torque reading? I am assuming Scott did originally... Your new value should be lower due to wear / break-in... it "may" give an indication of bearing condition..

Again, grasping for straws..

What head gaskets had been in use? Were they Fel-Pro?

Originally Posted by 34_40

What head gaskets had been in use? Were they Fel-Pro?

Head gaskets or intake gaskets? Intake gaskets are Edelbrock, which of course they recommend for use on their EFI intake. I'll get the best that they have at Star Performance.

Wow Roger just read the whole thread. Hope no fragments went anywhere else? Keep us posted on what you find. For my brother a lost washer to the aircleaner ruined his 350 in about 5 minutes!

Head Gaskets..

Stovens, thieves couldn't get my Mustang to start, so they tossed the air cleaner nut down the carb and pumped the throttle, that dropped the wingnut into the intake.

Next morning I find the car tampered with and after starting it, the carbs on a fast idle, about 1300 rpm, number 2 cylinder sucked the nut into the cylinder. broke the piston and cracked the cylinder, ruined the head. It all happened in a flash.

I used to have a picture of the "before" and "after" of that nut. It was almost an inch wide but pretty flat originally. I wouldn't have ever believed it could get past a valve.. but it did!

Originally Posted by 34_40

Head Gaskets..

Cometic head gaskets.

Originally Posted by rspears

Cometic head gaskets.

Thanks for the info. I considered using them, but the builder preferred Fel-Pro, o-ringed heads but we didn't install rings. I never tried that before so I am always thinking about it.

Roger, it is highly likely your brarings could still be fine because you had plenty of oil in the pan for splash lube to keep things going. It is a bad deal but it looks like you faired pretty good so far. That pump screen deal is not cool either. Is there any aftermarket pick up available you can get to try to prevent this again?

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

Roger, it is highly likely your brarings could still be fine because you had plenty of oil in the pan for splash lube to keep things going. It is a bad deal but it looks like you faired pretty good so far. That pump screen deal is not cool either. Is there any aftermarket pick up available you can get to try to prevent this again?

Yeah Ryan, I really think that it's going to be OK. It couldn't have run more than ten seconds or so after the lifters pumped down, which happens pretty quick with zero oil pressure. The way I understand the pump screen deal is that it's really designed to deal with the oil in extreme cold temperatures, when the viscosity is more like molasses than motor oil, to bypass the screen if the rpm's get too high and the oil cannot get past the screen. It also functions in a situation where the screen may be gunked up with sediment and junk to maintain oil pressure. My pickup is not the old strap across the screen type, but rather a solid bottom with about 10% to 15% open and screened - see the picture below. I cannot tell you what it looks like inside, but I'm pretty sure it's an OEM style pickup. Does this one bypass? I can't really say for sure, but it is what it is, and something managed to get into my pump and seize it.

DSC00797.JPG

BTW, I did put a dial indicator on the old pump, and the shaft was bent creating runout that bound it up against the cover.

Caught a break this morning which goes a long way to easing my mind on the debris. Before I started messing with getting the intake back on I blew HP air through all of the oil ports in the valley area. As I was picking stuff up I found the rest of the lifter clip on the floor. No more worries about where that other piece went any more.

DSC00800.JPG

Wow good catch Roger!

That is nice to find the rest of that clip. Now it won't be in the back of your mind eating at ya when you're driving around.

And another one solved, the little mystery "spacer". You know on FelPro cork rocker cover gaskets they have those little anti-crush washers..... Putting a new set on, and noticed that the anti-crush washers had embedded into the aluminum cover just a bit, and yep, one was gone....

At least you know where it came from. That'll have to be a place to look everytime you do a rocker cover gasket now huh?

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

At least you know where it came from. That'll have to be a place to look everytime you do a rocker cover gasket now huh?

Yeah, the thing is they're captured until the retaining bolt's removed, so it's a thing of not paying attention.

I thought about that ring being a gasket spacer, Roger, but when I saw your dimensions, I thought it was too small. I'm glad you found it all.