I need a hug.....

[packrat42]

Last Sept. my engine gave up on me, so I started buying parts a lil at a time till I thought that I had everything. As we all know you can never remember everything. About two weeks ago my engine was completely done. Started up first time. Reved up good, with a few adjustments. I took some time off work and had three days to get the new motor in, which I did with the help of my dad. We put in the new motor, transmission, new gear, and had all new exhaust installed.
Here's where the fun starts. We put had everything done except the exhaust. We had not drove the truck just loaded it onto the roll-back and unloaded it. .I never ever like to leave something like this whenever you have some work done, but I had something else that I had to take care of so I droped the truck off to have the exhaust done.
Three hours later went to pick up the truck exhaust all done, fair price 2.5 in pipe, H-pipe, dumped in front of the rear axle for 150.00, I had the flowmaster 40's and the collectors. Loaded up the truck went back to the shop. Put on the new tag and took her out for a ride around the block.
The motor was DEAD, would not even turn over the tires, valve train sounded like crap. Brought back the truck and pulled off the valve cover and what do I see not one but two bent push rods. WTF. I know that I had not reved the engine over 3000 rpms. So my thoughts were some jack leg at the exhaust shop could have done it. Called them and of course they said wasn't them. I have no proof but after all my hard work and time and money are gone I still have a broke truck, and I feel like I need a hug. Sorry for this long story but I had to tell someone that understands the love for these trucks . I will put some pictures up later.

[timjt]

That really sucks man, to bad you can't prove anything against them... keep us updated

[ChevLoRay]

I have not seen a muffler shop that didn't fire one and blip the throttle. How much they blip it is the issue.

I did a little throttle blip at work one afternoon and the fan/alternator/water pump belt twisted. When it did, the water pump shaft got bent. Oh, there was a very worrisome uneveness to the way it ran. It was at that tiime, that I saw the bent shaft and twisted belt. A quick check of the vacuum gauge said it didn't have any compression issues (thinking dropped a valve), so I cut the belt and it was smooth. After I got off work at midnight, drove it home (3 miles) and that was all I had to do. I ended up replacing the 4-row core radiator, as well as the water pump and the belt. So, that little blip cost me almost $200, back in '78.

Watch the blipping.....

[steelscout]

that sucks, I Hope you get her up and running soon.
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[Stubbs67]

are you using hi comp pistons or big cam or even ratio rockers?

if so, I think a number may be off in your equations creating an interferance between piston and valve. I would not declare it dead, pull the intake manifold off and pull a head and inspect the top of the pistons for hit, bent valves and anything else.

That's the first thing I would do if it happened to me. I am by no means super mechanic, but at most, you are out a pair of headgaskets and intake gaskets. big whoop.

[packrat42]

Originally Posted by Stubbs67

are you using hi comp pistons or big cam or even ratio rockers?

if so, I think a number may be off in your equations creating an interferance between piston and valve. I would not declare it dead, pull the intake manifold off and pull a head and inspect the top of the pistons for hit, bent valves and anything else.

That's the first thing I would do if it happened to me. I am by no means super mechanic, but at most, you are out a pair of headgaskets and intake gaskets. big whoop.

I'm running Keith Black two eyebrow flat top pistons, .488 lift cam and 1.5 Harland Sharp rolller rockers. the heads are double hump heads with 1.94-1.50 valves

[Stubbs67]

Originally Posted by packrat42

I'm running Keith Black two eyebrow flat top pistons, .488 lift cam and 1.5 Harland Sharp rolller rockers. the heads are double hump heads with 1.94-1.50 valves

you may have had some sweet crunchy piston to valve love making. are you using good valve springs too? high lift can snap them also and cause fun stuff to happen. I wouldn't run it anymore until I figured it out.

If it were my truck, I'd tear it down.

sorry to hear it btw. I know it sucks. alot. My dad used too long of push rods on a 572BBC. luckily he was mocking with putty to check clearances.turning it slowly by hand with only 2 head bolts in, with a head gasket in between.

[packrat42]

^^^^^ Yes I'm running hi-performance 1.250" springs. Not running it anymore than I have to. gonna pull the motor back out and start to go back through it

[Mike J]

sorry brother. that sucks.

[VA72C10]

Hope it turns out to be something simple....sorry to hear about your issues...

[Gene]

Did you install new pushrods? I didnt when I fired my engine for the first time and I bent one pretty quick, I had new dual valve springs and a .488 lift cam from edelbrock. I installed a new set of pushrods, and all is well now.

[Stubbs67]

gene could have a piont, if one was wear bent (just a little) then the cam and springs could have put the nail in the coffin's lid

[bosco200]

Man that really sucks....heres my hug lol

[mr48chev]

I'm inclined to think that who ever worked on the truck or moved it afterwords fired it up and gunned the engine a couple of times after the pipes were on it.

But the pushrod concept posted by Gene has a lot of merit and is worth checking. I would spend the time and money to pull it down and check for damage though. Better safe than sorry.

[Spoof]

Don't be too mad at the exhaust dude...it probably would have just happened sooner or later to you.
I had bent & broken push rod issues on my big block right after a rebuild, replaced them and all was well. Never did figure out what happened.
I'm uncomfortable hugging a man so I've asked my niece who works at Hooters to stop by and hug you long time.

[ETsC10]

Originally Posted by Spoof

Don't be too mad at the exhaust dude...it probably would have just happened sooner or later to you.
I had bent & broken push rod issues on my big block right after a rebuild, replaced them and all was well. Never did figure out what happened.
I'm uncomfortable hugging a man so I've asked my niece who works at Hooters to stop by and hug you long time.

I agree here. The bugger may have been ready to blow
before the exhaust shop even saw it.

I can't imagine a new exhaust creating that havoc.
May be wrong though... I'll wait for other input.

Diagnose your engine and repair...the why and how may
reveal them selves eventually.

Good Luck and sorry to hear of your troubles. E

[packrat42]

I almost feel like the problem could have been there before also, but there are no way to tell. The guy from the exhaust shop has called me twice in two days just to reasure me that he did not rev the motor over 1200-1500 rpms. He said that he feels bad and he has been around hot rods for 30+ years and he will not mis-treat someone else's stuff. All in all I guess it is what it is. And I will just have to keep at it. I will post some pictures when I get off work today. Thanks for the hugs.

[packrat42]

Here are some pictures

[treveiger]

Wow that sucks, i dont think im ever going to leave my truck somewhere just because some jerk like that might do something like that. Sorry to hear it happend to you, hope you get it fixed.

[Tmend]

Here's my hug man sorry to hear that.
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[VA72C10]

Truck's got an awesome stance and the engine looked great! Must really stink pulling out a motor that looks that good

Hope you get it fixed w/ the least amount of cash and time...

[mmmBoost]

Which valve did it go to exhaust or intake? I just got done talking to my machinist. He is doing some personalized touches to my brand new edelbrock heads that I just paid $1400 for. He said the exhaust valves were so tight they probably would have stuck a valve open or bent a push rod. Thankfully he me have him look at them first.

[NovaOne]

Might sound crazy but if they're new I'd hit the bent one with a punch.

Last time I did a top end the set of head bolts I purchased were not hardened and snapped off on me when I was torquing them so I'm cautious now.

[treveiger]

Wow that thing is shot is anything else hurt?

[packrat42]

Don't know yet gonna pull the heads off and check next week some time.