[DeTomaso] Failure Analysis

[Will Kooiman]

Hi Guys,

For your enjoymentŠ

The last time I drove my car, it was running great.  How many stories start
like this?

I had a new 351C, 4² stroker crank, H-beam rods, forged pistons, old worn
out A3 heads, Webers with filters, 180 degree headers, hard blok to the
bottom of the freeze plugs.  Everything that I could find new had been
replaced with new.  I had about 200 miles on it.

I drove it to work, no drama, no overheating, and parked it.  I love this
car.  When I got in it to leave, it turned over, but the starter made an
ugly sound.  I thought the starter had failed to engage the ring gear
correctly.  I rocked it back and forth a bit, and the pinion popped out of
the ring gear.  I tried again, but the starter said, ³No.²  As any gear head
would do, I tried to push start it.  No dice.  It was locked up.  So, I flat
bedded it home.  I tipped the tow truck driver.  Always do this.  It¹s good
karma.

When I got some time, I drained the oil and found water in the oil.  Crap.

I suspected #7.  Several years ago I was working on the linkage on the
Webers and dropped 3 very small washers.  I found 2.  I looked for 1-2
hours, but couldn¹t find #3.  I convinced myself that it had rolled out of
site.  A few years later, I removed the heads.  I don¹t remember why.  I
probably did something stupid again.  It¹s genetic.  At any rate, I found
the third washer.  It was in #7 crammed into the head with a tiny dent in
the #7 piston.  I don¹t recall what I did next.  I can¹t imagine that I put
the engine together with a washer stuck in the head, but maybe I did.  Lots
of things on my mind the last 5 years.

When I saw the water in the oil, I pulled the driver¹s head.  The washer is
no longer stuck in the head, but there¹s a hole to the water jacket,
slightly larger than a washer.  Crap #2.

Naturally I figured I hydro locked the engine, and I suspected that I
windowed the #7 cylinder.  I didn¹t mess with the 351C anymore.  I was tired
of dealing with old parts, so I decided to build an all-new 351.

I bought a new Dart block, 9.2² deck, 4² crank, Scat H-beam rods, forged
pistons, etc., and found brand new A3 heads on e-bay.  It¹s in the car now.
I¹m finishing up the final pieces before I try to start it.

Off topic:  Dart blocks are car porn.  They look like they will handle 5,000
HP.  Holy crap are they nice.  I had to grind on the motor mounts because
Dart blocks have webbing around the motor mount bolts that interfere with
Pantera mounts.  Did I mention I love Dart blocks?

Way off topic:  I also recently bought a 427 SO block by BBM for my Cobra.
It¹s also car porn.  It is identical to a Ford 427 SO, with more thickness
where it matters, plus better mains.  It looks like it¹s designed for
Godzilla.  I stared at the bottom end for hours while I drank 2 glasses of
wine.  I saw colors.  Then, I smoked a cigarette.

Back on topic.

I decided to do failure analysis on the 351C tonight.  At this point, the
engine was right side up with the passenger¹s head still on the block.  I
didn¹t want to flip it over, because I hadn¹t removed the lifters.

To my surprise, #7 looks fine.  There¹s some grunge on the #7 cylinder, but
it will clean up.  The rod cap didn¹t want to come off, so I suspected
something wrong with #3.  I removed the passenger¹s head, and removed the #3
piston.  No problems there.  The bearings aren¹t blue.  Crank journals look
okay.  That¹s when I noticed the rod was bent on #4.  I would have noticed
earlier, but the engine was right side up.

My failure analysis is hydro-lock on #7, which bent the #4 rod when it tried
to compress the water.  Perhaps it was on the #4 power stroke when it bent
the rod.  And maybe it didn¹t window the block due to the hard blok, and due
to the fact that it wasn¹t running.  Remember, it happened when I was trying
to start it.

The block looks okay.  It will need a sleeve in #4.  It has a gouge about 2²
long that won¹t hone out.  Of course, everything needs to be checked, but I
was expecting way more carnage.

I may do some pics tomorrow.  It¹s 11pm in Florida, so I¹m not going back
out there tonight.

Don¹t try this at home.  Don¹t try it away from home either.

Will.




-------------- next part --------------
   Hi Guys,

   For your enjoyment...

   The last time I drove my car, it was running great.  How many stories
   start like this?

   I had a new 351C, 4" stroker crank, H-beam rods, forged pistons, old
   worn out A3 heads, Webers with filters, 180 degree headers, hard blok
   to the bottom of the freeze plugs.  Everything that I could find new
   had been replaced with new.  I had about 200 miles on it.

   I drove it to work, no drama, no overheating, and parked it.  I love
   this car.  When I got in it to leave, it turned over, but the starter
   made an ugly sound.  I thought the starter had failed to engage the
   ring gear correctly.  I rocked it back and forth a bit, and the pinion
   popped out of the ring gear.  I tried again, but the starter said,
   "No."  As any gear head would do, I tried to push start it.  No dice.
   It was locked up.  So, I flat bedded it home.  I tipped the tow truck
   driver.  Always do this.  It's good karma.

   When I got some time, I drained the oil and found water in the oil.
   Crap.

   I suspected #7.  Several years ago I was working on the linkage on the
   Webers and dropped 3 very small washers.  I found 2.  I looked for 1-2
   hours, but couldn't find #3.  I convinced myself that it had rolled out
   of site.  A few years later, I removed the heads.  I don't remember
   why.  I probably did something stupid again.  It's genetic.  At any
   rate, I found the third washer.  It was in #7 crammed into the head
   with a tiny dent in the #7 piston.  I don't recall what I did next.  I
   can't imagine that I put the engine together with a washer stuck in the
   head, but maybe I did.  Lots of things on my mind the last 5 years.

   When I saw the water in the oil, I pulled the driver's head.  The
   washer is no longer stuck in the head, but there's a hole to the water
   jacket, slightly larger than a washer.  Crap #2.

   Naturally I figured I hydro locked the engine, and I suspected that I
   windowed the #7 cylinder.  I didn't mess with the 351C anymore.  I was
   tired of dealing with old parts, so I decided to build an all-new 351.

   I bought a new Dart block, 9.2" deck, 4" crank, Scat H-beam rods,
   forged pistons, etc., and found brand new A3 heads on e-bay.  It's in
   the car now.  I'm finishing up the final pieces before I try to start
   it.

   Off topic:  Dart blocks are car porn.  They look like they will handle
   5,000 HP.  Holy crap are they nice.  I had to grind on the motor mounts
   because Dart blocks have webbing around the motor mount bolts that
   interfere with Pantera mounts.  Did I mention I love Dart blocks?

   Way off topic:  I also recently bought a 427 SO block by BBM for my
   Cobra.  It's also car porn.  It is identical to a Ford 427 SO, with
   more thickness where it matters, plus better mains.  It looks like it's
   designed for Godzilla.  I stared at the bottom end for hours while I
   drank 2 glasses of wine.  I saw colors.  Then, I smoked a cigarette.

   Back on topic.

   I decided to do failure analysis on the 351C tonight.  At this point,
   the engine was right side up with the passenger's head still on the
   block.  I didn't want to flip it over, because I hadn't removed the
   lifters.

   To my surprise, #7 looks fine.  There's some grunge on the #7 cylinder,
   but it will clean up.  The rod cap didn't want to come off, so I
   suspected something wrong with #3.  I removed the passenger's head, and
   removed the #3 piston.  No problems there.  The bearings aren't blue.
   Crank journals look okay.  That's when I noticed the rod was bent on
   #4.  I would have noticed earlier, but the engine was right side up.

   My failure analysis is hydro-lock on #7, which bent the #4 rod when it
   tried to compress the water.  Perhaps it was on the #4 power stroke
   when it bent the rod.  And maybe it didn't window the block due to the
   hard blok, and due to the fact that it wasn't running.  Remember, it
   happened when I was trying to start it.

   The block looks okay.  It will need a sleeve in #4.  It has a gouge
   about 2" long that won't hone out.  Of course, everything needs to be
   checked, but I was expecting way more carnage.

   I may do some pics tomorrow.  It's 11pm in Florida, so I'm not going
   back out there tonight.

   Don't try this at home.  Don't try it away from home either.

   Will.