So heres whats been happening with my motor the past couple months. I had all the work done to my 383 2 years ago. We traded the engine shop a worn block for a date correct 383 HP block, installed forged crank, forged diamond pistons, custom adjustable rocker arm shafts, comp cams hydraulic roller cam and lifters, reconditioned the control arms, hardend valves installed, heads ported and worked to get 10:1 compression. Supposed to be turn key. So per the engine shops request we have been turning the motor 1/4 of a turn every month to ensure that the valves and springs dont stick. Well a few months ago I went to turn the engine over as I normally do and I hit a spot where it just stuck. Tried to turn the motor the other direction and it stuck in the same spot. We figured it was a lifter that was stuck. So we unbolted the valve covers to find that 3 of the 8 push rods had slipped out of the rocker arms. Huge problem.... So it turns out that Comp cams sent us the wrong adjustment specs for the camshaft and the engine shop in turn did not adjust the tension correctly causing the rods to drop out. We decided to check things out a little further. We found that every rod that slipped out also had stuck lifters. All 3 pistons in the lifters were stuck in the dead low position. Tried to free them up and no luck. Another call to Comp cams and they sent us an RMA number and I just shipped them out to be replaced this week. Can you imagine if we had not been diligent about turning the motor over what could have happend?? All the money we paid to have this motor worked would be for nothing, we would have fired that block up and had some major problems. So in hindsight, guess I am glad it happend when it did and is something that we can fix with a USPS box sent out to comp cams and some new spec adjusted sheets. :chill:
Motor Problem
- Thread starter Collin
- Start date
69hemibeep
Sponge Bob Square Wheels
Lucky you didn't fire that baby :yesnod:
mcmopar
Well-Known Member
Wow! Firing her up would have been a :bricks: moment!
Roadcuda
Well-Known Member
Now that just sucks!!! But as you say it's a good thing you found the problem now instead of when you're trying to start it up! And it sounds like Comp is taking of you, That's a good thing!!
george68hemirr
I think you guys are full of shit.
they better be....and oh yeah you eat the labor too....yes you are very luckyCollin said:
cj69RR
Well-Known Member
Sounds like you need to do something about the engine builder. Good to hear it's all salvagable.
Basketcase
Keeper of the Green
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Roadcuda said:
Xs 2
sixgunrunner68
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Why wasn't that noticed when assembled?
:huh:
:huh:
george68hemirr
I think you guys are full of shit.
MAYBE THE LIFERS BLED DOWNsixgunrunner68 said:
The motor had been on the stand for 3 years, my old man seems to think faulty lifters. We supplied all the parts to the engine shop to save some money so any problems with the parts is on us. Hopefully the new lifters and cam specs will solve everything. Engine shop was great and said they would do anything we need. Motor was never ran because we supplied own parts it was a dyno at own risk deal, and we didn't see it worth it at the time. This is a typical set back with this project. Our 6 month project is on year 4 and going on. Rust, holes, bent frame, rotted frame, pop riveted quarters etc all set us back further each time. There is light at the end of the tunnel though As we are about to high build prime and wet sand
george68hemirr said:
That's a HELLUVA lot of bleeding...and valve lash doesn't vary that much regardless of the "spec sheet"...you don't get .015" lash for one cam and .150" for another...
Collin - make or get yourself an oil pump priming shaft. Attach it to a good low speed, high torque drill so you can ensure that the lifters are fully pressurized when you set the lash so you can avoid a repeat of this scenario. You'll need one to use anyway just before you install the dist and fire this puppy up once installed. This should be one of the last things you do prior to initial fire-up - especially considering how long this one has been on the stand.
http://www.summitracing.com/search/make ... /year/1969
george68hemirr
I think you guys are full of shit.
AND MAKE SURE THE DRILL IS ON COUNTERCLOCKWISE IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME RIGHTACME A12 said:
Roadcuda
Well-Known Member
Why wasn't that noticed when assembled?
:huh:[/quote]
MAYBE THE LIFERS BLED DOWN[/quote]
That's a HELLUVA lot of bleeding...and valve lash doesn't vary that much regardless of the "spec sheet"...you don't get .015" lash for one cam and .150" for another...
Collin - make or get yourself an oil pump priming shaft. Attach it to a good low speed, high torque drill so you can ensure that the lifters are fully pressurized when you set the lash so you can avoid a repeat of this scenario. You'll need one to use anyway just before you install the dist and fire this puppy up once installed. This should be one of the last things you do prior to initial fire-up - especially considering how long this one has been on the stand.
http://www.summitracing.com/search/make ... /year/1969[/quote]
AND MAKE SURE THE DRILL IS ON COUNTERCLOCKWISE IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME RIGHT[/quote]
You're right George, 383's run counterclockwise.
:huh:[/quote]
MAYBE THE LIFERS BLED DOWN[/quote]
That's a HELLUVA lot of bleeding...and valve lash doesn't vary that much regardless of the "spec sheet"...you don't get .015" lash for one cam and .150" for another...
Collin - make or get yourself an oil pump priming shaft. Attach it to a good low speed, high torque drill so you can ensure that the lifters are fully pressurized when you set the lash so you can avoid a repeat of this scenario. You'll need one to use anyway just before you install the dist and fire this puppy up once installed. This should be one of the last things you do prior to initial fire-up - especially considering how long this one has been on the stand.
http://www.summitracing.com/search/make ... /year/1969[/quote]
AND MAKE SURE THE DRILL IS ON COUNTERCLOCKWISE IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME RIGHT[/quote]
You're right George, 383's run counterclockwise.
Yes, make that a good low speed, high torque, reversible drill. Good catch guys. 
moparchris
Well-Known Member
I agree something is up. I have never had this experience where the pushrods fell out. The valves were either really misadjusted or some of the valves are stuck open. Look at the valve tips and lay a straight edge across them to check for open valves. Remove the rocker shafts to check this. If the lifters were stuck the motor will roll over just fine. You have something interfering with the pistons and its probably the valves.