The 408w had a blowup :(

[moosetang408w]

So at the drag strip I noticed smoke out the back. Ran fine so I thought head gasket but when I pulled the plug to do a compression test the plug was hit. My spiral lock had let go. So my wrist pin was rubbing on my cylinder wall. Not huge damage but the block is no good. I will be stripping the car down this winter and decide whether to make it faster or back to where she was. Sigh. That is racing I guess.

 

[revhead347]

That sucks dude. Even if the block is cheap, the machine work sure isn't.

Kurt

 

[moosetang408w]

That sucks dude. Even if the block is cheap, the machine work sure isn't.

Kurt

It sucks. But....I like to take a bad situation and make it great. I had a second phase for my build which I was planning for 2013 but I will bump it up now to be done in 2012. Next phase:

custom sheetmetal intake with an air to water intercooler, 4L whipple charger, Dart block, and dish pistons to drop my compression a couple points. I think it is the responsible thing to do. When you get lemons you make 4 digit horsepower out of it.

 

[Venom351R]

damn that sucks sorry to hear that. Looks like it will be even better in the long run though.

 

[MysteryMachine]

It sucks. But....I like to take a bad situation and make it great. I had a second phase for my build which I was planning for 2013 but I will bump it up now to be done in 2012. Next phase:

custom sheetmetal intake with an air to water intercooler, 4L whipple charger, Dart block, and dish pistons to drop my compression a couple points. I think it is the responsible thing to do. When you get lemons you make 4 digit horsepower out of it.

that made me laugh a little.

This is my biggest fear with the car and still with the truck. Ya put all that $$ into it and it breaks again. I don't know what I'd do.

Sounds like your future setup will be sweet.

 

[moosetang408w]

I still have to find the root cause to this. My friend, who owns an engine shop, said the thing that can make those spiral locks pop out is detonation. I want to make sure something like a spiral lock doesn't crater my second build.

 

[95BlueStallion]

That sucks to hear man, you just got her going not too long ago! Nice attitude though, I would have cried a little.

 

[RIO5.0]

Ouch.... your correct though, wanna play, you pay.
Least you have plans so its not like your really pissed and wanna dump it.

 

[revhead347]

I hate to say it, but usually a spiral lock pops because it's installed incorrectly. I assume you had floating rods on this engine.

Kurt

 

[moosetang408w]

I hate to say it, but usually a spiral lock pops because it's installed incorrectly. I assume you had floating rods on this engine.

Kurt

I know....I just don't want to admit it. When I was building the engine I didn't think I would have valve clearance issues but when I the heads on and turned it over by hand I found I didn't have enought clearance. So I had to pull it apart to have the pistons machined. I think I should have got a new set of spiral locks because getting those things in and out are a pain. Might have weakened it.

 

[revhead347]

Yeah, those have to be replaced every single time you take them apart. Not to say I haven't done something like that out of cheapness.

Kurt

 

[moosetang408w]

Yeah, those have to be replaced every single time you take them apart. Not to say I haven't done something like that out of cheapness.

Kurt

I don't think cheapness was the thing that never made me replace it. Just inexperience. That was my first engine build by myself. I am just happy that my crank, heads, and rods are in good shape.

 

[ProKiller]

good thing its only the block like you said. yeah it sucks but if it detonated your whole setup that would have been a lot worse.

 

[revhead347]

I pray I didn't make any mistakes on the engine I just put together. Can't afford to blow another one.

Kurt

 

[moosetang408w]

I pray I didn't make any mistakes on the engine I just put together. Can't afford to blow another one.

Kurt

May the force by with you.