I had my old set of pushrods from my 95 laying around and since the pushrods i ordered yesterday and paid for overnight shipping got delayed a day because of UPS!!!! I decided to pop my old one in and run it lightly.

well that didn't go as planned because when i finally finished putting the the roller rockers and tried it start it up that same clunking sound was there basicly minus the sound that the bent pushrod was making..so i turn it off immediately. Went and got my dad, tried to start it..it wouldn't even turn over....
Dad goes and gets a socket and ratchet to turn it over by hand and he hears something drop and hit the oil pan. He goes to start it up...runs terrible....so he shuts it back off.

SIGH... I'm soo, sooo, soo ****ing pissed right now

It's been since december since i've had a car and i've only got to drive this car around the block and park it.

any thoughts what broke? i'm thinking rod/piston...

Already began the process of tearing down the engine and when my dad gets back from work he'll help out.

I bought this engine from another member on here for $1200 and he said it was a working engine pulled from a wrecked vette with less than 50k miles on it. it came with lt1 heads and brand new PAC 918 beehive springs.

I also bought an LT4 hotcam from a different member on here, though i can't verify the grind number with the company he says its from i doubt its the reason the engine failed as the engine ran amazing with it. idled perfect, and would revv just fine. and those springs should handle up to a .6 inch lift and this is only suppose to go to a .525 inch lift with my 1.6 RR.

I'm pretty sure something was wrong with this engine from the start...
Only way to tell is to get it apart and see what it was.

But it would be nice to hear some input on what might have went wrong and why? Though i'm sure it could have been a lot of things...

If it turns out to be the engine, is there anything I can do to get my money back? I would contact the seller through he but i noticed he hasn't been on since he sold me the engine....which i find very unpleasing. I do have his phone number though. My dad is very pissed also as most of his money went into getting my car fixed for me. If it turns out be the engine itself he is going to want his money back and I feel we are in the right here since he advertised it as a working engine and we haven't even driven a mile in the thing. I know there are "risks" when buying from members over the forum, which i don't blame the forum at all. I'm just speculating at this moment and venting because i'm so pissed off right now.

This really sucks ***, I go back to college in 6 days and I'm going to be without a car yet again.

And tomorrow i'll be getting some brand new trickflow pushrods that i can't even use at the moment

 

I say wait until you figure out what is wrong with the vehicle before making any assumptions. It appears that you have modified the engine from the way it was when you bought it. I agree that if a motor is sold as a working one that it should crank up and run in the state it is in upon delivery. However...when someone tears into the engine and does a cam upgrade..it is hardly fair to expect the seller to compensate the buyer unless the seller was there when you did the work and was a part of the decision making process during such. Just my thoughts..I hope it turns out to be something minor for you.

 

You installed the cam in this engine? And then have a bent pushrod? I'm at a loss here.

 

you are kidding right? Most likely a rod nut, stud or something but now the crank and rod may be ****ed.

Starting it back up may have also severely damaged the block. You may be looking for another block soon

 

Yeah yeah.. I know. I'm trying to keep my mind set good and fair without being to overzealous and start pointing fingers.

About the engine...it didn't come with a cam...i had to put on in it.
it was just the shortblock with heads minus the cam.

Thanks for the good thoughts though

 

If it was a rod nut why would it run terribly before hand and lockup where it wouldn't turn over? It was ****ed before my dad turned it by hand then restarted it. Though I agree he shouldn't have started it afterwards...It was ****ed before he did that though.

I have another block anyways, from the original car.

 

Update:

Have the intake off. There appears to be nothing wrong in the valley of the engine. no metal pieces or anything.

Going to pull the head next on the drives side to see what it looks like underneath.

 

agreed but whatever part let go may have freed up the part it was holding. The part then starts smacking the inside of the block... Engines fail in the strangest ways sometimes. I am not saying I know what happened but from what you described it sounds like a part of the rotating assembly let loose locking the motor. turning the crank made something drop... that is a sign to at least pull the pan off to see what it was before trying to run the engine... At least that is what I would have done.

Old school methods work for old school blocks... the LT1 is very similar to a SBC but they do have their differences. some tricks may not be good for it.

I hope it is something simple and you are able to use your rotating assembly still. Otherwise I always say hope for the best, expect the worst.

 

Yes I installed the cam in this engine that was an LT4 hotcam.

I followed the instructions to the T on putting this engine together and had my dad helping me along.

 

Thanks. I guess my Dad was just hoping it was something "not to serious" and it would fire up...IDK what he was thinking but he didn't break the engine.
Made it worse maybe....but it was only fired up for a split second.

Well im done resting from the Texas heat, time to go pull a head. Wish me luck haha

 

are you planning to pull the engine anyway? I would pull that oil pan off to see what dropped...

good luck

 

Hopefully it's a minor pushrod, valve adjustment issue.

 

yeah im gonna pull it for sure...i just wanna see what it looks like underneath that head

 

car is jacked up...oil started coming outta the back of the pan..

rod got sent through the pan.. ill post pics later

 

Maybe you installed the cam 180-out.