29scarab

Need a little input on this one from the pro's.

Engine 1996 502mpi punched to 509. Whipple supercharger. Bigger Cam installed. Computer sent to Dustin first time.Ran on dyno first time showed lean over 3800 RPM. Builder sent computer back to Mark at Precision this time. Put back on dyno and showed lean between 2800 and 3500 rpm and a little rich at higher rpm.

After pull on dyno engine didn't sound right. Drained oil and found metal in pan and also cut oil filter and found metal in filter. Builder thinks it spun bearing.

What would cause a new engine to spin a bearing?? He didn't have an answer for me when I first asked. Was it oil temp or oil starvation to bearing. The builder has had my engine since July and I'm getting frustrated.

I luckily have only paid him for the parts and none of the labor at this time. I told him he wasn't getting another dime until everything was right.

Any input on this would help.

Thanks,
Shawn

boatman22

Sorry about your bad luck with your motor. I hope everything works out and you get an answer fast.
Where did you have your motor dynoed? Was it in Houston?

jpclear

What you describe is usually an oil starvation issue. You rarely run an engine long enough at high rpm's on a dyno to create oil temps. high enough to cause any problem. Was the dyno operator not monitoring oil temp. and pressure? --- Jer

Raylar

Just to many possible causes without knowing all the exact specifications on the build and what was found when the engine was re-opened and inspected for damage. I will remind everyone here again on the forum, the term "engine builder" tends to get misapplied to to many situations where an "engine assembler" is called an engine builder. First a good qualified performance "engine builder" should give you the purchaser his warranty or terms in writing before the job is started. He should give you exact "build" sheets showing everything that was done to the motor including the exact listing of all parts used, specifications, exact clearances and machine work done, balance specifications, torque values, etc. The good knowledgable and reputable engine builders that there are several of in this industry do this and abide by a set of professional standards. I can't speak to others because they just don't seem to get it! Just remember you would not go to a foot doctor for bain surgery and both are "MD's"!!

Back to your question, generally if a bearing spins in a newly built motor, clearances, machine work, oil system delivery or improper assembly are probably the list of root causes you should suspect. There are obviously other possibilities and until the motor is opened and properly inspected the cause would be a best guess scenario. I doubt the apparent lean fueling issue you expierenced is a primary cause unless the motor was run for a long period of time that also brought about other parts failure and metal contamination. Obviously, anyone can have a problem, there are no "perfect" motors or builders. My suggestion now is to get a comittment that this builder will fully stand behind his work which hopefully he already has and that he will give you the full "build" sheet specifications for your motor and that he will properly locate the cause of the failure and eliminate the causes. Good Luck, hope everything gets better from here on.

z.zuperboat

It could have been something as simple as old debris not fully cleaned out to the oil lines for the remote filter installed backwards. I would think that any builder with a dyno will stand behind his work and be a stand up guy. When I do my motors I specify that he builds the motor himself and not some flunky in a learning curve. Now you need to know how bad the damage is ? How much the crank needs to be cut,rods resized or block line honed ? I will tell you what , if I had a NEW crank on a high HP motor I would not accept a cut crank myself. Under 400hp cut is ok for me but only 20 under.

KAAMA

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, you're darn straight Raylar! I ran into that problem a couple of years ago...no labor sheets, no spec sheets, no dyno sheets, and no reciepts. Just a good con job by folks who really wanted me to trust them just because they talked smooth, and felt they were some good ol' boys!

Anyway, I hope it goes well for you Shawn. Keep us posted. Mark

29scarab

I appreciate all the input guys. I use to build them a long time ago myself, but they got to hi tech for me with all the computer crap. He plans on making things right or he's not getting the other 4000 grand I owe him.

The engine is at Owens racing in Pearland Texas. He has his own dyno machine in his shop. Joe has been in business since I was a kid so thats why I let him to do the work on it.

KAAMA, always good to hear from you!! It was 80 down here yesterday!

I'll keep you guys posted.
Thanks,
Shawn

vandeano

I had same problem. Spun a bearing with less then 30 mins on new rebuild. Forgot to clean 1 oil line to oil cooler after grenading the engine. Is he charging $4,000 just in labor

Wobble

That is bad luck, for what it's worth, I have heard nothing but good things about Owens. Most likely was some trash somewhere in the system, however, make sure that blower belt tension is correct and that it is not getting too tight as the motor heats up. Have seen this as a cause of ruined bearings.

Wobble

That is why I personally prefer to run filter after cooler on any rebuilt motor.