Is it just me? Or is the spider retainer design the dumbest thing on the planet??

Backstory:

http://web.camaross.com/forums/showthread.php?t=437700

At this point I'm not sure what happened.

After the car was brought home from the track we pulled the valve cover and found one rocker loose enough to come up on the stud and actually fall off the valve. But it was actually "on" the pushrod and valve when disassembled. Probably b/c of the guideplates. We tightened those polylocks, I can't imagine within 72 hours they would have backed out to cause this but I'm no expert?

I'm trying to diagnose to avoid this happening again. I've learned a better way to tighten the polylocks from others now though.

My tranny was slipping 2-3 on my runs as I watched my tach go all the way past my shift point. As some saw from my videos you didn't even hear the rev limiter kick in until it finally shifted. Could an overrev on those missed shift have caused my spider retainer to fail?

Anywho, when I pulled the intake off there were metal shavings in the valley, pulled my lifters and they were all scored, so they took the cam out completely. The retainer ring was all chewed up, the lifter spider was bent way high. Drained the oil and metal sludge all over...

I know there are several options here, and of course I want to do things right.

I'm wonder if the cylinders are OK, if I could get away with fresh bearings all the way around, new cam of course, and maybe a hone and ring job? Of course I'm not sure what my lifter bores look like.

Opinions and thoughts?

 

Crap! Sorry to hear that. I have been sorta following your posts. The only real way to see what is still good is to disassemble the enging and look at all the parts. And take the block and or parts to the machine shop to see what they find.

Again, sorry to hear about that. You'll be back.

 

Dude I feel for you!

However, you won't know about the bores or condition of the rest of your components until you get it tore down. If the bores are good and your crank didn't get scored and if your lifter bores are good you should be able to get by with new bearings, rings and a quicky hone job. If something got roached thats a different story.

Good LUCK!

Mike

 

Yah, it's a bitch for sure. Gotta pay to play!

Engine didn't run long after so hopefully the crank didn't get scored. Didn't hear the typical spun bearing knock so maybe I'll be lucky? lol...

Does anyone think the Morel's with the connector design as opposed to the cage design would be the better choice here?

*edit* n/m, saw the morels use the stupid cage as well...

 

There are morels with cross bars, that are better than the stock setup. It replaces that crap that failed on yours. If the lifter bores are ok, you may get away with just a new cam. Probalby should pull the pan and clean things, and look up in the cylinder walls just to make sure, but I doubt there is any damage.

 

I think with close to 90k miles, I'm going to hope there's no damage to the crank and cylinder walls, and go ahead, disassemble, and throw fresh bearings in there, after all that's what usually fails on these....

I don't want to throw another cam in there and have it chewed up again either.

Engine isn't that tough to pull so...

 

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. If it turns out that your lifter bores are hurt, you can always have them bored and run larger diameter lifters. (They tend to be pricier than standard size lifters, but it'll still be cheaper than starting over with another block.) Let us know how it turns out.

 

I had my cam gear come loose on my motor and a lot of metal shavings went through the motor. I had to fix the problem and just run with it for about 6-8k miles. I eventually pulled the motor and checked it out. It just needed bearings and the crank polished. Maybe you'll be lucky also.

 

That doesn't sound too bad then... would be nice if I could get away with that.

 

I bet your engine is fine. Thats what the oil pump screne, and oil filter are for. If you do pull it to freshin it up, just be sure to replace the rod bolts, and put forged pistons in there in case you decide to use a little spray

 

Damn. Sorry to hear this. I hope it all works out.

 

Time to yank it if that much carnage went on. Stock crank with eagle I beams and a good forged piston. Hopefully the heads and everything else are alright.

As far as what the hell happened, I dunno. Sounds like maybe that one rocker was tightened down when the poly lock wasn't on the flat part of the pivot thingy. It's happened to all of us at one point or another. Don't know why the spider retainer gave up. You can always have the lifter bores bushed and reamed back out.

 

Wow, that sucks man. I do believe the Morels with the crossbars are the way to go. Rather then just re-ring and fresh bearings, i would have the block checked out/bored/decked. Polish the stock crank, stud the 2 bolt mains, Eagle or Scat i beams, and a decent forged piston...basically the same setup Loadre mentioned. Thats the most budget oriented as i would go personally.

 

Wow, that really sucks!! Oh well, break it then make it better- the story of my relationship with cars

 

That stinks...I agree with those who think you should pull the motor and go thru the whole thing...Might as well do it once and be done...Now's your chance to really make that LT1 fly, reliably...Sorry again..

--Alan