[DeTomaso] This ought to be fun...

[jtaphorn at kingwoodcable.com]

Wow Gary, that's quite an acknowledgement.  Following your work on line, you remind me of Goran Malmberg.  I never thought anthing beyond the two of you.

JT
---- gow2 at rc-tech.net wrote: 

=============
Kirby,

There are times when I feel I am over my head with so many projects. When
I get that feeling I stop.....I stop and clean the shop. I forget about
what seems to be the problems at hand then drop back, re-organize and
re-group.

When I feel like starting again, I don't look to far into the future, I
just tackle what has to get done first.

Mind games I guess.

Gary

> Personally recovering from major depression and lack of motivation on the
> Pantera front in Magnolia...
>
> The Space City guys already know about this and we've discussed it a lot,
> but for some reason, I'm in the mood to throw it out to the rest of the
> collective.
>
> My new 377 Cleveland engine build with less than 400 miles on it spun the
> front main bearing.
> I have never seen this happen, ever... and I've run the same combination
> of
> block, crankshaft, rods, etc. for years and beat the crap out of it with
> no
> problems.
> Daily driver, track events, etc.
>
> Facts for your consideration follow. I can get more detailed, but I think
> the following is enough to start you thinking.
>
> 1) Two bolt main iron block, lifter bores bushed, line bored, J&E pistons,
> Eagle rods, nodular iron crankshaft from Quella, Moroso restrictors (I
> spent a lot of money on this block!)
> 2) Iron 4V heads, new valves, springs, etc. etc. etc.
> 3) Comp Cams solid roller cam, lifters, pushrods, rockers
> 4) Symptoms were that my oil pressure started dropping gradually when I
> was
> driving home from the annual SCP pig roast. By the time I got to the last
> stoplight before my house, I was down to 10 psi hot at idle. Oil pressure
> is taken from the port just above the filter. You know it was less at the
> back of the engine.
> 5) There were no knocking, banging or otherwise nasty noises. Main bearing
> problems make distinctive noises. I know. Been there, done that. Got the
> scars. But I did not hear anything this time.
> 6) I pulled the pan and found bearing material.
> 7) Pulled the oil pump and it had obviously done some trash pumping.
> 8) All the other rod bearings and main bearings look just fine.
> 9) The front one had not only spun (when I pulled the cap, both had
> rotated
> by about 40 degrees), but one half was actually partially canted out of
> the
> web towards the front of the engine. I have pictures if you're desperate.
> 10) Nothing is blue or shows signs of getting hot.
> 11) The main cap is worn badly and has to be replaced.
> 12) The machinist thinks he can salvage the block with another line bore.
> I
> hope so...
> 13) The crankshaft journal needs turning, obviously, and can be saved.
> 14) The machine shop put the short block together, I assembled the rest
> 15) I had an Accusump plumbed into the back of the block where the stock
> oil sender usually resides. Accusump was set at 30psi.
>
> Proposed failure modes
> a) The main bearing was put in upside down - The machine shop is adamant
> that is not the case. 'Hell, no! No way!' was the response to that one...
> b) The crankshaft is bent - He's checking this week, but that would have
> been very apparent during assembly, so he believes strongly this is not
> the
> case.
> c) Not enough oil pressure - On start up and later, 65psi hot at rpm,
> 30psi
> hot at idle.
> d) It ran fine while I was tuning the EFI. Other than running rich
> initially and some issues with the ECU, I had no problems.
>
> Fortunately, no other damage occurred.
>
> So..... my questions....
>
> Why did it fail?
> What do I do to make sure it doesn't happen again?
> Why me?
>
> Who am I and why am I here?
> :-)
>
> Let the fun begin.
> Regards,
> Kirby
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