yes he did but it was only like 1/2 a 1/10th ( assuming measured correctly)

it all just looks exactly like tight clearences and the oil 300 degrees in the shells... but that's not what he says the numbers are ... the clearences he quotes are ok ...

didn't some of these 540 kits have an issue with radii at the rod journals and needing the rod bearings radiused to match ? but that wouldn't explain the mains looking like they do...

Why did you pull them apart? Because of the leak down test?

I will assume you are not insinuating something. Not for sure what kit you are saying was used. Are you needing me to double check dimensional data - because you don't trust my measuring or think I am incompetent? Do you want me to have a third party check it again? Will you help pay the bill? I've hemorrhaged enough money on these things already. I am taking donations for my happiness - I will set up an easy way to give.

Back to info.
First motor cold leakdown was between 8% and 14%. Next motor cyl 3 had a 44%, cyl 5 had the 90% and cyl 4 had the 26% - all others were around 8-10%.
Pulled the 1/7 head no detonation or burning. tore down the head, the valve seats looked "beat" on one side - literally like forging metal. Took the questionable valve and checked it in the valve grinder - Bent. Had the head set up in a VGS 20 (Sunnen) and found out the seats were not concentric with the guides. That's when checked all vales and seats. Every single valve was bent from pounding on these non concentric guides. All the guides were bellmouthed. these were brand new heads - then according to my bill, they were disassembled and checked by the builder and rebuilt.

This is how we got to the bottom end. Pulled the piston to check and make sure there was not a broken ring or any other issue with the #5 cylinder that leaked down at 90%. That is how the worn bearing was discovered. That is when I noticed the modified crank.

I think that explains how I got from a leakdown to completely taken apart.

You know any one of these issues after 20 hours of running sucks and is unacceptable (but **** happens), but this total pile of **** in 20 HOURS is absolutely ****ing ridiculous.

If you only knew the half of getting to this point.

I at least thought I had some high quality motors after all the bull**** I put up with. Ha... This is what I am left with.

Wouldn't this be a lot easier for me to say everything was wrong, and the guy who built them was a moron? I at least can be honest, report the findings as they are and give him credit for the things that were right.

yes it is obvious who built these engines,does it matter who did them?not to me,i do my own and many for others,the reason i asked is if he is having trouble,maybe a employee fuccing up,other possible customers should be informed,so they dont have same problem as you.my heart bleeds for you,i feel your pain.bye the way,il take those cranks for 200.each.

no, not insinuating anything but can only work with data provided . to me , 4500 miles away looking at pictures, the indications are what i mention. i simply compare that with the data provided and my conclusion is not supported by the data provided. so one of the two is wrong. it would have been "better" if you had taken it apart and found all the clearences really tight . then there would be a failure caused by an quantified fault. that is apparently not the case here.

you report :

good parts. professional assembly, no abuse, good clearences,
machine work within tolerance, and good temps and pressures with the result being scrap bearings and a leakdown like the rings were left on the bench.

simply makes no sense to me. nothing happens for no reason.

Cranks - They are yours. Send me a PM.

This would be a whole lot easier if there was a very clear and easy answer. I can't stress enough that the pictures just dont capture all the detail, and you are definitely hadicapped just being able to look at the pictures.

No one has an opinion on the torn gasket or even the gasket choice and all that silicone in a brand new motor built by a professional. Did anybody notice the signs of the combustion gas in the intake? Not one comment on the casting material left in the intake to break off and get sent into a brand new motor. No one has asked about spring pressures and the lofting of the lifters on the cam, or the bores for the lifters.

Oh yeah, I have some #4603 Morel HR lifters and Crane Cams for sale...dirt cheap.

GP commented on your intake gasket as did I above and on the other site. I prefer using Mr. Gasket Ultra Seal gaskets but that doesn't mean the wrong gasket was used.

Casting material, maybe sloppy but not gonna blow your engine. The question would be if the heads were prepped or ordered from Dart as is and bolted on. Would need to see your build sheets.

Oil leak on the back of the intake is one of the most common oil leaks in a BBC. I've fought oil leaks in that area for years. One time I even used 5200 to stop the leak, it was the only thing that worked.

He bought complete heads from Dart - then charged to disassemble, inspect and reassemble. Didn't get my money's worth there.

Got the information back from the bearing engineer - won't waste time with a whole lot of facts, but in his words, "you had a recipe for disaster".

Here's a guess for you, leaking intake gaskets caused several cylinders to run lean and detonate. This beat the head gaskets out between the cylinders and caused your poor leakdown test. Water and or gas contamination of the oil took out your cam, lifters and bearings. PS. Your intake gaskets look like Sh!t.