440 engine suprise...

[sstocker31]

I built this 440 last year for a guy, and he wanted me to fix up some small oil leaks,and a few other minor squawks. The oil leaks stem from poor valve cover breathers (we figured that out last year,) and so the plan was for him to have fun driving it then fix it over the winter.
I pulled the covers, and this is what I find....

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt80/sstocker31/IMG_0133.jpg
Clearly he has floated the valves at some point. I found the other pushrod parts in the oilpan. I pulled the filter, and it has no signs of metal in it, and have also inspected the cam and drive gears and found no damage. I don't fully understand the oil passage routing in these engines, but I think the main oil passage is the right side lifter galley. Is that right??
So what are the consequnces of running the engine with one of the #8 cylinder lifters (intake) out of the lifter bore? Does the last main bearing get starved for oil?

You input would be appreciated....

 

[rsd859]

Thats crazy!!! Never seen anything like that before. I cant help you on the oil passage question tho.

 

[Kern Dog]

Holy crap!
This is not good. I hope that the engine wasn't ran long with the lifter out of the bore. Lucky for him it is a roller lifter. When the lifter comes out, the oil galley is uncovered allowing oil to dump out and back to the pan. ALL the oil that the lifters are supposed to get under pressure is now finding the path of least resistance...through that open hole and back to the pan. No oil, no lube to the lifters, the cam lobes, the lifter wheels, the rocker arms....
In 2006 I had a rocker shaft break and 4 lifters popped out of their holes. My engine still ran but the oil pressure dropped to 10 lbs. It happened at 55 mph, I was able to coast it to safety.
The only thing that I see good about this is that roller cams allow you to switch lifters from hole to hole. If it wasn't ran long, you might be able to humpty-dumpty it back together and be okay.
Good luck.

 

[MarPar]

:gah:

 

[super-bee_ski]

The "one good thing" is:
It's already "almost" apart...
1. Pull oil pan, clean etc.
2. Pull cam, inspect.
3. Inspect lifter bores. (appears to be cylinder # 8)
4. Replace bad valve train. (If it were mine, I buy all new lifters and assembly)
NOTE: Determine actual cause.
My 2 cents
Keep us posted.

 

[67 coronet]

bearing damage would depend on how long it was run like that.what springs are on those heads?do they match the cam specks?may be too week.

 

[67steve]

I would pull a few rod and main caps and inspect bearing. I f any trash the break engine down and clean reassemble.
I would check valve train components for wear, new set of smith pushrods check alignment!!

 

[sstocker31]

Hi guys,
Well I took your advise and pulled the oil pan and caps for inspection. I don't know how, but there was no damage at all....how can that happen? You've seen the pic of the lifter fully out of the lifter bore, and i'm quite sure that would allow all the oil to just pour out all over the cam and crank.
The owner drove it from his place to mine, a distance of about 7-8 miles at highway speed. He did say that it was hard to start, and that it had backfired on him. I just assumed this was because it was the first fire of the season, but I dicovered that the choke needed adjustment.
The only thing that I can think of is the lifter must have popped out of the bore when I started it up to pull it into the shop.....
I hope you're as baffled as I am, but we are both happy campers that no damage was done.

Here is a pic of the pushrods. the broken one has marks on it where I assume the cam munched it on the way to the pan....I've examined every cam lobe closely, and no damage to them....they must be harder than the pushrods.
<a href="http://s599.photobucket.com/user/sstocker31/media/IMG_0134.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img href="http://s599.photobucket.com/user/sstocker31/media/IMG_0135.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img