Bad day on the dyno...

[Solid LT1]

Looks like your rocker bolt pulled or loosened up. I notice you didn't do a trunion upgrade on the rocker arms. I would definitely look into doing some upgrades, the trunion kits are around $140 and include longer Allen bolts to give better reliability. Doing some research after I bought my L92 Super Victor.....it seems the single plane intakes give up some torque and HP on a normally aspirated LS motor over the factory plastic intake.....around 30-40 ft/lbs in the lower RPM ranges....the Victor only seems advantageous in high RPM operation ( over 7K RPM ) I hope your also running LS3 intake valves, they are 90 grams, the L92 valves are heavy around 116grams, if you don't have LS3 hardware the hollow stem Ferrera stuf is 106 grams. The factory LS3 valves are pretty good stuff and really lightweight but, don't put a lot of spring pressure on them! If your going to rebuild the LS do yourself a big favor.....pitch the stock connecting rods for some Manley rods or Callies forged rods cheap insurance. Brian Tooley racing has some great hardware for LS valve springs.....stay away from the titanium retainers....stick with tool steel retainers....almost as light as Ti and won't flake away in operation like Ti will. If your motor builder know his stuff on LS motors he will know he needs to port the oil galleys and drill the lifter retainers for high RPM oil drain back. Hope all goes well in the refresh

[71RS/SS396]

We make a stud girdle for the stock rockers.

[Jay Hilliard]

Sorry to hear this Brian. I have snapped the end of the crank off at 6500 and it sounded like a pencil snapping for that brief moment until bits of block and pistons came out of the oil pan.

We have all had these issues and definitely feel your pain.
Its an opportunity to make TOW better.

[Che70velle]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Bryan - I went back and took a look at the top of your pistons and yeah ... that looks to have been running very rich.

The whole thing is really upsetting. And I'm sorry you're having these on going issues.

Greg, did you happen to notice if the notches in the sleeve looked, or felt deep?

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by Che70velle

Greg, did you happen to notice if the notches in the sleeve looked, or felt deep?

Scott --- I can only see the same photos that you can i.e., the ones Bryan posted up. I can see the "dings" that Bryan mentioned but not well enough to know whether or not that is going to be able to be machined out.


I think a good meal at The Salt Lick will have Bryan up and running in no time at all.

[Che70velle]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Scott --- I can only see the same photos that you can i.e., the ones Bryan posted up. I can see the "dings" that Bryan mentioned but not well enough to know whether or not that is going to be able to be machined out.


I think a good meal at The Salt Lick will have Bryan up and running in no time at all.

I read your post wrong Greg. I thought you said you went "by" lol.
Those pics of the food you guys enjoyed at The Salt Lick make me hungry, every time I scan through his build thread.

[carbuff]

Originally Posted by chichirone

Bryan, sorry to see this about TOW's engine. Bummed for you but I have a feeling TOW will be coming back stronger than ever. Hope to see you get the engine repaired and TOW back on the road soon.

Originally Posted by Flash68

Sucks man.... well, while you're in there..

At least you're right in the middle of LS country down there....

Oh and nice job Steve.

Originally Posted by rickpaw

Sucks to hear it Bryan. Hope you get it back together soon.

Originally Posted by Gscherer78ta

That sucks! I hated to see that picture and read the story. I can't wait to see TOW back running through the cones and tearizing tires!

Greg

Originally Posted by ccracin

That sucks Bryan, but better on the dyno than out in the middle of no where. Make some improvements so you'll feel better about having it out. But don't go so far that you can't drive it this summer!

Originally Posted by Vince@MSperfab

you'll get it...good to have steve on your side.

It might be a good time to start discussing a different name for the car.
Just sayin

Originally Posted by tones2SS

Sucks to hear Bryan.
Hope you get her back to normal soon! Good luck!

Originally Posted by Lenie

Bryan, sorry to hear. It'd be nice if money grew on trees but for most of us that would be a huge set back. Feel for you, hope things work out smooth as possible. Best of luck to you. Could find the you've got to be sshiiiiitin' me smileee.

Originally Posted by Panteracer

Brian
Sorry to hear the LS let go
I have done the same in the past
along with many other engine failures

Most NorCal Shelby boys who track their
cars a lot tend to change their springs regularly
Depends on how high you rev it. 7000 plus
all the time does take its toll

You could always go out on the edge and
put a real Pontiac Motor in her

I hope you get it running soon

Bob

Originally Posted by waynieZ

That sucks, I hope you can save the block and you get it back in soon. Good Luck.

Thanx guys... It definitely was a 'heart in my throat' moment, but once it happens, there isnt' anything else to do but dive in and start the repairs. Oh, and pull out the wallet...

Here she is on the floor at Eric's shop:



And a shot of the bent valve. The seat and chamber look fine, just the valve and guide of course.

[carbuff]

Originally Posted by Payton King

Hate to hear what happened.

Not trying to spend all of your money but....

https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=48786

Originally Posted by SSLance

I had that same exact thought...

Yikes! That's a bit more 'engineering' than I want to take on with TOW right now, but it should would be an upgrade!

[carbuff]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

SO the good news is Don Hardy race engines --- an LS specialist is right there near you. That's who built the motor in the '33 --- and where Brizio gets most of his motors.

I just checked, he is in Lubbock, about 6 hours away. I haven't heard of him before... Fortunately, I have one of the larger suppliers of LS engines who just moved from Lubbock to Georgetown, just north of Austin, in Texas Speed. I went to visit them on Friday and am discussing plans for my repair or replacement with them. Nice to have a local shop to work with!

Originally Posted by GregWeld

My guess on the rich condition is a pin hole or leak in the exhaust UPSTREAM from the O2 sensor - causing it to add fuel to overcome what it sees as a lean condition. Or perhaps that valve never sealed well --- and unburnt fuel is oxygen rich again fooling the sensor.

We checked the exhaust as we removed it, and there are no leaks. I think I have another failing O2 sensor for some reason. More on this in another post in a minute...

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Hey! You've only gone thru ONE motor --- the Mustang has eaten 4 since I've owned it.... LOL

I do NOT want to catch up to you!!!

[carbuff]

Originally Posted by Solid LT1

Looks like your rocker bolt pulled or loosened up. I notice you didn't do a trunion upgrade on the rocker arms. I would definitely look into doing some upgrades, the trunion kits are around $140 and include longer Allen bolts to give better reliability.

I have read mixed information on the trunion 'upgrade'. In speaking with Corey at Henderson Performance (where I was dynoing), we had a long conversation about this. He recommended not to do this, as he has never seen a failure from a stock rocker in their applications, and it's apparently risky to loose a needle if one of these gives out.

See more in a post below about where I think the problem was...

Originally Posted by Solid LT1

Doing some research after I bought my L92 Super Victor.....it seems the single plane intakes give up some torque and HP on a normally aspirated LS motor over the factory plastic intake.....around 30-40 ft/lbs in the lower RPM ranges....the Victor only seems advantageous in high RPM operation ( over 7K RPM )

I am painfully aware of the sacrifice I made in low end torque to use the Victor Jr. I would much prefer to move up to the new L92 version of a Super Victor, but I've already had to compromise and do a lot of work just to make the Vic Jr. work with my shaker and hood. This was a case of form over function in my application... When I had this engine switched over from the L76 intake to the Vic. Jr. with my cam, I had it dynoed. Below is the overlay of the original setup, the L76 intake with my cam, and the Vic. Jr with my cam. About 40-50 ft-lb of torque lost until over 5k rpm. :\ I have some thoughts of improving that loss with this upgrade though!

Originally Posted by Solid LT1

I hope your also running LS3 intake valves, they are 90 grams, the L92 valves are heavy around 116grams, if you don't have LS3 hardware the hollow stem Ferrera stuf is 106 grams. The factory LS3 valves are pretty good stuff and really lightweight but, don't put a lot of spring pressure on them!

This engine was running a set of Manley SS valves with Manley beehive springs. Nothing hollow or lightweight, but I also wasn't spinning past 6800 (redline), I was shifting around 6500-6600.

Originally Posted by Solid LT1

If your going to rebuild the LS do yourself a big favor.....pitch the stock connecting rods for some Manley rods or Callies forged rods cheap insurance.

I have a Callies DragonSlayer crank and Compstar rods in this setup that I hope/plan to reuse.

Originally Posted by Solid LT1

Brian Tooley racing has some great hardware for LS valve springs.....stay away from the titanium retainers....stick with tool steel retainers....almost as light as Ti and won't flake away in operation like Ti will. If your motor builder know his stuff on LS motors he will know he needs to port the oil galleys and drill the lifter retainers for high RPM oil drain back. Hope all goes well in the refresh

The lifter retainers were drilled, but not sure about any oil galley porting...

Originally Posted by 71RS/SS396

We make a stud girdle for the stock rockers.

I'd be interested in a link to that!