Unfortunate accident w/new BB, need advice - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**CPNE** · 05-31-2003, 09:38 PM

Here's the deal. My son got his rebuilt 402 back from the engine builders today. It has a $3000+ professional rebuild. This included block trued, rotating assembly balanced, 7 qt oil pan, high volume fuel pump, ground and cross-bored crank, new internals including pistons, rods, lifters, cam, aluminum intake, rebuilt heads with larger intake and exhaust valves, etc, etc, etc.

As luck would have it, during the process of unloading from pickup, the engine hoist let loose and the engine dropped from about 4 feet. It took a direct blow to the oil pan on the lift's support leg and hit the driveway hard. Fortunately driveway is packed gravel so there was some give and NOONE was hurt. The outward damage appears only to be to the oil pan.

Needless to say my son Brian (71402BB on this board) was devistated. He's waited 1.5 year to get to this point!!!

Here's my question for knowledgeable engine builders:
Other than replacing Oil pan and making sure oil pickup tube is intact, what other possible damage may have occurred? This engine was built right, it's essentially new and better than factory. It had no oil or other fluids in it, never run.

GMC71k20 · 05-31-2003, 09:40 PM

that hurts to hear, i was hoping you guys would get it in this weekend. good luck with getting it back together.

*Randy70C-10* · 05-31-2003, 09:47 PM

The only two things that would have got damage would have been the oil pump pickup tube and the crankshaft. Since it landed on the gravel, there was probably a very slim chance of the crankshaft being damaged.

barn9 · 05-31-2003, 09:52 PM

I'd get some revenge by taking a cutting torch to that engine hoist if that happened to me. Hope everything is OK with the motor.

*Randy70C-10* · 05-31-2003, 09:52 PM

BTW, I was just giving a worst case scenario.

Gordo · 05-31-2003, 09:58 PM

Sorry to hear the bad news, glad to hear no one was hurt. Other than the pan and pickup tube and not knowing how far the pan got crushed, check the oil pump itself, make sure the oil pump housing didn't crack.

da-burb · 05-31-2003, 10:19 PM

Not only that, but the impact could change the position of the oil pump pickup. It will need to be set to the depth of the new oil pan. I seriously doubt anything else was hurt. And I am glad no one was hurt in this accident.

jeffspower · 05-31-2003, 10:25 PM

OUCH! That would put me in a rage for sure. I have never had that happen but have always worried about it. I had to pull 2 3208 CAT diesel truck engines with mine a few days ago. They have to weigh close to 1000 lbs or better fully dressed. I double chain them for safety. I built it myself with a 110 wire welder years ago. I wanted to stress test it before ever trusting it so I lifted up the front end of my buddy's '73 Olds 98! It did not have an engine in it, but i'm sure that was still close to 2000 lbs. hanging there. My cheapo "cart casters" were shot so I put on 4 new steel wheel bearing-mounted greaseable ones before pulling those CAT motors. It now rolls easier with one of those on it than it did with NOTHING on it before!

I think the best idea I implemented when building it was to set the casters "up". The frame is about 3/4" of an inch off the floor. That way, if one of the casters buckles over or snaps off it won't topple.

As long as your engine did not land on the balancer or hit it hard you probably don't have anything to worry about. Same would go for landing on a man. trans flywheel. It does not take much to spring the crank out of straightness when this happens. You might not see it without pulling the crank & checking it in some V-blocks or a crank grinder with a dial indicator.

crazy4chevs · 05-31-2003, 10:34 PM

I would check the thrust bearings and mabee the crank too. I dont know what it could do to the balance job. mebee have them (the shop) check it out its better now than later.

**CPNE** · 05-31-2003, 10:43 PM

Thanks for the replys. The pan took the full blow and it did not crush as much as you'd expect. The main blow was on the lower underside edge of the pan where its "boxed" and welded for the additional capacity. The flywheel and crank did not take any of it, not even a scatch.

Class of 69 · 05-31-2003, 11:14 PM

Replace the pan, pickup tube, and check the pump. Then put it in, and run the **** out of it!!! That's why you have a BB,right?? Because they are strong!! If the pan absorbed the blow, you got lucky, and I doubt anything inside is damaged.

*Phillip Johnson* · 06-01-2003, 12:21 AM

First off, did any women hear any of the 4 letter words that must have flown through the air?? Second, I would agree with the above, replace the pan, check the pump, install the motor and haul butt!

GMC JUNKIE TOO · 06-01-2003, 12:48 AM

Thats terrible but could have been alot worse, My motor allmost fell over on the engine stand but I stopped it (it was kinda like when a parent picks up a car to save their child) my dad built our engine hoist its pretty heavy duty it picked up his old 66 burb less motor and trans.

72shadetree · 06-01-2003, 01:47 AM

man that bites good luck

dinnut · 06-01-2003, 02:39 AM

i know of a place you can pickup a swb 72 rolling chassis all stock with a 402 that doesnt run... no bed... got rust.. for 300 bucks... about an hour from where i live... i got a number

casey · 06-01-2003, 03:40 AM

Sorry to here that, thats any motor heads nightmare, that just confirms to me I don't trust those engine hoists, nothing like the old block and tackle, they got block and tackle lifts at the pick a part, it's like two A frames with a cross beam on wheels now that looks safe,but I think if your not sure, after spending that kind of money I'd take it back to the machine shop for a quick check over, good luck, keep us posted

**Yukon Jack** · 06-01-2003, 10:22 AM

I'd give a quick call to your machine shop and see if they want to look at it. I hope all is well with it. Yikes.

beau396 · 06-01-2003, 11:26 AM

I doubt if you did any damage to the crank, but you still might want to check runout and endplay. If that is all good replace pan and pump etc....

chevy2racr · 06-01-2003, 02:20 PM

I did somethng like that to a lesser motor, changed a starter in my car, a 93 olds cutlass supreme coupe, on thursday night, had it all in all worked great, jack itup to let it down, the wheels on the floor jack didn't roll correctly and I must have had the the jack a little far back on the crossmember cause crunch, there went the oil pan and the starter can't turn it over, so I had to get the new rear in my truck real fast. what a sh*tty day thursday was...
Bryce

*Gee_Emm* · 06-01-2003, 03:53 PM

ouch

I would look to see if the pan crushed to the point of touching any internals if not it should be fine IMO

griesel72 · 06-01-2003, 06:01 PM

i agree with Yukon, take it back to your machine shop and have them check it out. They deal with this all the time and probably won't charge you much (if anything) to look it over, as your oil pump is important.

jku72 · 06-02-2003, 07:58 AM

I did the exact same thing while putting the 455 in my old Catalina. Oil pan was junk, oil pick-up was trashed, ring gear was junk. I replaced the oil pump even though it looked okay. It still seems okay.
My problem was in the chain I used, it just snapped. I likewise had spent about a year scraping up every last dime to finish it. When it happened, I just about fainted. I just walked away, laid down on the lawn, and stayed there for about 2 hours.
Then, I just got up, and began again. A week later, It was back in the car. I am pretty sure that the Catalina is possessed by evil.

05-31-2003, 09:38 PM	#1
CPNE Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: NH Posts: 6,664	Unfortunate accident w/new BB, need advice Here's the deal. My son got his rebuilt 402 back from the engine builders today. It has a $3000+ professional rebuild. This included block trued, rotating assembly balanced, 7 qt oil pan, high volume fuel pump, ground and cross-bored crank, new internals including pistons, rods, lifters, cam, aluminum intake, rebuilt heads with larger intake and exhaust valves, etc, etc, etc. As luck would have it, during the process of unloading from pickup, the engine hoist let loose and the engine dropped from about 4 feet. It took a direct blow to the oil pan on the lift's support leg and hit the driveway hard. Fortunately driveway is packed gravel so there was some give and NOONE was hurt. The outward damage appears only to be to the oil pan. Needless to say my son Brian (71402BB on this board) was devistated. He's waited 1.5 year to get to this point!!! Here's my question for knowledgeable engine builders: Other than replacing Oil pan and making sure oil pickup tube is intact, what other possible damage may have occurred? This engine was built right, it's essentially new and better than factory. It had no oil or other fluids in it, never run. __________________ Currently on or near the homestead: 67 Chevy SWB 2WD stepside 350/3 on tree (Pat's) 67 GMC SWB 2WD Fleet 402/auto (Brian's under construction) 67 Chevy 3/4 ton 2WD 402/auto (Business Hauler) 67 Chevy 1 ton dually 2WD 396/4 speed (Former business hauler, Needs TLC) 68 Chevy 1/2 ton Suburban 2WD 250 six/3 on tree (Brian's Needs TLC) 70 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD 350/4 speed (Pat's - Disguised as a 68 GMC) 71 Chevy SWB stepside (Crushed by tree - parts donor) 72 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD (Parts donor) 72 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD Suburban (Parts Donor) 72 GMC 3/4 ton 4WD 292 six/4 speed (Mine - Disguised as a 67 GMC) 81 GMC 4WD Dually Dump Body 350/4 speed (Business Hauler) 82 Camaro Z/28 355/Super T-10 (Pat's toy) 93 Caprice 9C1 (Brian's Cop Car) 02 Toyota Camry (Reliable but a souless steel and plastic hulk) 2011 2SS RS Camaro M6 Factory Hurst Shifter Maybe I need to sell some of this crap Yet another Bozo with a sawz-all

05-31-2003, 09:52 PM	#4
barn9 Half a bubble off! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Winfield, Ks, USA Posts: 5,588	I'd get some revenge by taking a cutting torch to that engine hoist if that happened to me. Hope everything is OK with the motor. __________________ Just call me LB. '71 Cheyenne, 402BB, hauls blondes, brunettes, or redheads.

05-31-2003, 09:58 PM	#6
Gordo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Killingworth, CT. USA Posts: 3,378	Sorry to hear the bad news, glad to hear no one was hurt. Other than the pan and pickup tube and not knowing how far the pan got crushed, check the oil pump itself, make sure the oil pump housing didn't crack. __________________ 1971 C10 swb stepside 350/700R4/3.73posi (retired as of 4/22/03) 1998 S10 short bed 2002 S10 Blazer 1942 Oldsmobile 1958 Massey Harris Pony 1951 Wife Killingworth, Connecticut May those who love us, love us, any of those who do not love us, may God turn their hearts. And if God is unable to turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we may know them by their limping. A man who works with his hands is a laborer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist.

05-31-2003, 10:19 PM	#7
da-burb "Ochre Ogre" Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Springfield, MN Posts: 3,558	Not only that, but the impact could change the position of the oil pump pickup. It will need to be set to the depth of the new oil pan. I seriously doubt anything else was hurt. And I am glad no one was hurt in this accident. __________________ Bowtie Truck Stop Inc. Mid-West GM Truck Restoration Parts Supplier Your Key Parts, Auto Metal Direct, Dynacorn, and Goodmark dealer. like us @ www.facebook.com/BowtieTruckStop 1971 C-10 Suburban (Ochre) 1971 K-10 Suburban (Ochre) 1972 C-10 Suburban (Ochre) 1972 K-20 Suburban (Yellow- that just aint right!) Springfield, Minnesota 56087

05-31-2003, 10:34 PM	#9
crazy4chevs Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Des Moines WA. (Kent, area) Posts: 668	I would check the thrust bearings and mabee the crank too. I dont know what it could do to the balance job. mebee have them (the shop) check it out its better now than later. __________________ 70 chev c10 swb fleet 72 grill, sb 400, 2/4 drop. 68 chev c10 swb fleet Early classic 4/6 drop with 4wheel disc brakes 9"rear 67-8 buckets tilt and A/C Classic GM Truck Club of Washington . Last edited by crazy4chevs; 05-31-2003 at 10:41 PM.

05-31-2003, 09:40 PM	#2
GMC71k20 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: mass Posts: 1,277	that hurts to hear, i was hoping you guys would get it in this weekend. good luck with getting it back together.

05-31-2003, 09:47 PM	#3
Randy70C-10 Account Suspended Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Virginia Beach, Va. U.S.A. Posts: 15,320	The only two things that would have got damage would have been the oil pump pickup tube and the crankshaft. Since it landed on the gravel, there was probably a very slim chance of the crankshaft being damaged.

05-31-2003, 10:25 PM	#8
jeffspower Well, Whoop-dee-do! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Easton, Mo. pop.- me & scarcely a few others Posts: 2,302	OUCH! That would put me in a rage for sure. I have never had that happen but have always worried about it. I had to pull 2 3208 CAT diesel truck engines with mine a few days ago. They have to weigh close to 1000 lbs or better fully dressed. I double chain them for safety. I built it myself with a 110 wire welder years ago. I wanted to stress test it before ever trusting it so I lifted up the front end of my buddy's '73 Olds 98! It did not have an engine in it, but i'm sure that was still close to 2000 lbs. hanging there. My cheapo "cart casters" were shot so I put on 4 new steel wheel bearing-mounted greaseable ones before pulling those CAT motors. It now rolls easier with one of those on it than it did with NOTHING on it before! I think the best idea I implemented when building it was to set the casters "up". The frame is about 3/4" of an inch off the floor. That way, if one of the casters buckles over or snaps off it won't topple. As long as your engine did not land on the balancer or hit it hard you probably don't have anything to worry about. Same would go for landing on a man. trans flywheel. It does not take much to spring the crank out of straightness when this happens. You might not see it without pulling the crank & checking it in some V-blocks or a crank grinder with a dial indicator.

05-31-2003, 10:43 PM	#10
CPNE Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: NH Posts: 6,664	Thanks for the replys. The pan took the full blow and it did not crush as much as you'd expect. The main blow was on the lower underside edge of the pan where its "boxed" and welded for the additional capacity. The flywheel and crank did not take any of it, not even a scatch. __________________ Currently on or near the homestead: 67 Chevy SWB 2WD stepside 350/3 on tree (Pat's) 67 GMC SWB 2WD Fleet 402/auto (Brian's under construction) 67 Chevy 3/4 ton 2WD 402/auto (Business Hauler) 67 Chevy 1 ton dually 2WD 396/4 speed (Former business hauler, Needs TLC) 68 Chevy 1/2 ton Suburban 2WD 250 six/3 on tree (Brian's Needs TLC) 70 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD 350/4 speed (Pat's - Disguised as a 68 GMC) 71 Chevy SWB stepside (Crushed by tree - parts donor) 72 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD (Parts donor) 72 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD Suburban (Parts Donor) 72 GMC 3/4 ton 4WD 292 six/4 speed (Mine - Disguised as a 67 GMC) 81 GMC 4WD Dually Dump Body 350/4 speed (Business Hauler) 82 Camaro Z/28 355/Super T-10 (Pat's toy) 93 Caprice 9C1 (Brian's Cop Car) 02 Toyota Camry (Reliable but a souless steel and plastic hulk) 2011 2SS RS Camaro M6 Factory Hurst Shifter Maybe I need to sell some of this crap Yet another Bozo with a sawz-all

05-31-2003, 11:14 PM	#11
Class of 69 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Stillwater MN Posts: 1,166	Replace the pan, pickup tube, and check the pump. Then put it in, and run the **** out of it!!! That's why you have a BB,right?? Because they are strong!! If the pan absorbed the blow, you got lucky, and I doubt anything inside is damaged. __________________ 69 GMC K10 ..some restoration required....still..

06-01-2003, 12:21 AM	#12
Phillip Johnson Account Suspended Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Grants Pass, Oregon Posts: 1,580	First off, did any women hear any of the 4 letter words that must have flown through the air?? Second, I would agree with the above, replace the pan, check the pump, install the motor and haul butt!

06-01-2003, 12:48 AM	#13
GMC JUNKIE TOO THE QUICKER FIXERUPER Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Ok Posts: 615	Thats terrible but could have been alot worse, My motor allmost fell over on the engine stand but I stopped it (it was kinda like when a parent picks up a car to save their child) my dad built our engine hoist its pretty heavy duty it picked up his old 66 burb less motor and trans.

06-01-2003, 01:47 AM	#14
72shadetree KEEP ON TRUCKING Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: martinsville va Posts: 2,563	man that bites good luck __________________ 72 cheyenne 2wd lwb 71 k20 sons bassett va

06-01-2003, 02:39 AM	#15
dinnut Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: missouri city, tx Posts: 4,486	i know of a place you can pickup a swb 72 rolling chassis all stock with a 402 that doesnt run... no bed... got rust.. for 300 bucks... about an hour from where i live... i got a number __________________ 70 longbed 496/th400/Ford 9"

06-01-2003, 03:40 AM	#16
casey Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kelowna B.C. Canada Posts: 2,048	Sorry to here that, thats any motor heads nightmare, that just confirms to me I don't trust those engine hoists, nothing like the old block and tackle, they got block and tackle lifts at the pick a part, it's like two A frames with a cross beam on wheels now that looks safe,but I think if your not sure, after spending that kind of money I'd take it back to the machine shop for a quick check over, good luck, keep us posted



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06-01-2003, 10:22 AM	#17
Yukon Jack Post Whore Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Rose Hill, KS, USA Posts: 12,684	I'd give a quick call to your machine shop and see if they want to look at it. I hope all is well with it. Yikes. __________________ 1970 Blazer with a 400 sbc and 4" lift 1980 Pontiac Trans Am, 455 Oldsmobile 2012 Kawasaki Concours 14

06-01-2003, 11:26 AM	#18
beau396 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: oak harbor wa Posts: 61	I doubt if you did any damage to the crank, but you still might want to check runout and endplay. If that is all good replace pan and pump etc.... __________________ '67 C10 short box fleet side wood bed small rear window frame off restoration. 396BB,Th400, ps, pwr disc 5 lug, posi 3.07, 2000 Suburban 60/40 pwr seats, 2.5" front drop 4" rear, powder coated running gear.

06-01-2003, 02:20 PM	#19
chevy2racr So Many Ideas, So Little Money Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Marshalltown, IA Posts: 1,610	I did somethng like that to a lesser motor, changed a starter in my car, a 93 olds cutlass supreme coupe, on thursday night, had it all in all worked great, jack itup to let it down, the wheels on the floor jack didn't roll correctly and I must have had the the jack a little far back on the crossmember cause crunch, there went the oil pan and the starter can't turn it over, so I had to get the new rear in my truck real fast. what a sh*tty day thursday was... Bryce __________________ 72 Blazer 3/4 ton running gear 4.10s NP205/TH350 350 4in lift half doors 71 C10 with 454 99 S-10 5.1L SBC 700R4 09 Malibu Marshalltown, Iowa

06-01-2003, 03:53 PM	#20
Gee_Emm Account Suspended Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,002	ouch I would look to see if the pan crushed to the point of touching any internals if not it should be fine IMO

06-01-2003, 06:01 PM	#21
griesel72 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Howard, Kansas USA Posts: 1,997	i agree with Yukon, take it back to your machine shop and have them check it out. They deal with this all the time and probably won't charge you much (if anything) to look it over, as your oil pump is important. __________________ 1969 K10 Custom 10 1997 Z71 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 2006 King Ranch 1980 Wife

06-02-2003, 07:58 AM	#22
jku72 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: cornville, maine Posts: 659	I did the exact same thing while putting the 455 in my old Catalina. Oil pan was junk, oil pick-up was trashed, ring gear was junk. I replaced the oil pump even though it looked okay. It still seems okay. My problem was in the chain I used, it just snapped. I likewise had spent about a year scraping up every last dime to finish it. When it happened, I just about fainted. I just walked away, laid down on the lawn, and stayed there for about 2 hours. Then, I just got up, and began again. A week later, It was back in the car. I am pretty sure that the Catalina is possessed by evil. __________________ jku Cornville, Maine 68 C10 burb 42 Willys MB 46 Dodge WF-32 1.5 ton 53 & 56 Olds' 60 Cadillac 22 Dodge Brothers

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