Vignogna Racing Engines ruined my racing season
- Thread starter SUPERSTOCKRACER
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Icecobra
Well-Known Member
Please don't be offended and yes I know this is going to come out bad, but after the head gasket fiasco how do you allow this person to continue to work on the motor. At some point you have to be responsible for yourself and the decisions you make and things you allow to happen to you. Once sure shame on the engine builder but twice shame on you.. I get it the cheapest just does not work out the cheapest or simplest in the long run.... It is just how life works.... I know there might be a lesson here some place... I
SUPERSTOCKRACER
Well-Known Member
You're right but at the time of the head gasket fiasco, I had 3 brand new engine parts there. We got the new head gaskets in 3 days and got it running again. I should have had the engine dynoed elsewhere but we wanted to get it in the car and make some passes before the bad weather hit us.
Bad mistake on my part. I was excited as hell to see what this new hemi was going to do. 1st mistake
Then we got hit with early snow and ice and I couldn't get everything out of his shop and into my garage due to an extremely brutal winter here in the North East.2nd mistake
Letting him finish the other 2 engines when I saw his work ethics go in the toilet and I should have listened to my gut and all my friends told me to get everything out ASAP. They also saw it too. I didn't and now I have 3 **** motors. 3rd mistake
After the 2 hemis were total garbage and needed to be rebuilt, I put the indy wedge in the 65 light blue dodge against all my friends wishes and that too was junk.4th mistake.
VIGNOGNA TOOK ME FOR A BATH!! When I went to pick everything up a few months ago, would you believe the little prick was waiting there with a final bill of $494.00 for me. And me the asshole paid him so I could pull everything out.5th mistake
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Average Joe
Well-Known Member
When you call Cometic, they tell you there are specific head gaskets for the Keith black blocks.
SUPERSTOCKRACER
Well-Known Member
Yes exactly which is what this thread is all about. Lack of experience building a KB Hemi & Vignogna probably had a set of Cometic head gaskets for a standard hemi on the shelf and because of his lack of knowledge on KB aluminum blocks thought there wasn't any difference. I was his guinea pig and when he made the mistake of giving my Hemi a nice green milk shake he didn't take responsibility for the mistake.
And ME the idiot paid for the correct set of gaskets. So I paid twice for something I should have only paid once for.
SUPERSTOCKRACER
Well-Known Member
So for the hell of it, I went into the garage and tried to see if anything will help with the low oil pressure problem on the 588 indy wedge engine. Keep in mind 2 passes on it.
1st I disconnected the vacuum pump hose off the valvecover. 86 psi cold.
starts right up and idling it to get it up to temperature. 80 to 75 to 70 to 58 to 50 just idling.
2nd put back vacuum pump hose to valve cover water temp is 152, start the coronet up and i'm at 40 idling. Sucks for me.
Motor is coming out. Breaking this one apart and getting it machined correctly. Thanks again to Jimmy Vignogna for another **** motor. Check out the decal on the valve cover
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just say no.
I cant believe I have to pull another engine in August. Started in June with the hemi in the 65 dodge then the 65 Plymouth 4 times and now the 588 wedge .
1st I disconnected the vacuum pump hose off the valvecover. 86 psi cold.
starts right up and idling it to get it up to temperature. 80 to 75 to 70 to 58 to 50 just idling.
2nd put back vacuum pump hose to valve cover water temp is 152, start the coronet up and i'm at 40 idling. Sucks for me.
Motor is coming out. Breaking this one apart and getting it machined correctly. Thanks again to Jimmy Vignogna for another **** motor. Check out the decal on the valve cover
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just say no.
I cant believe I have to pull another engine in August. Started in June with the hemi in the 65 dodge then the 65 Plymouth 4 times and now the 588 wedge .
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Endangered Species
Well-Known Member
I bought a set of Cometic header gaskets for a Hemi. When Dad brought them home I had a Oh Crap moment. The ports were HUGE. Here they were for Brad Anderson heads (nothing was noted in the price sheet) Just HEMI that's all. When I called they did tell me the correct number but I'm sure Jimmy didn't call anyone... he *** U MED they standard head gasket would work.
SuperStockRacer: I am no racer - I am driving my stock engine Road Runner across country with an overdrive so it's a totally different car for a totally different purpose.
That doesn't change how bad I feel for you. It sucks when you spend hard earned money and get crap for it. I hope you can work out the problems and issues with minimal fuss and minimal additional $$$. Mostly, I hope Vignogna does the honorable thing, although that doesn't sound likely. You could always take him to small claims court. Since you have spent so much money, the hassle of doing that may still be beneficial if you get a payment out of the deal.
Regardless, hope things work out for you.......
Hawk
That doesn't change how bad I feel for you. It sucks when you spend hard earned money and get crap for it. I hope you can work out the problems and issues with minimal fuss and minimal additional $$$. Mostly, I hope Vignogna does the honorable thing, although that doesn't sound likely. You could always take him to small claims court. Since you have spent so much money, the hassle of doing that may still be beneficial if you get a payment out of the deal.
Regardless, hope things work out for you.......
Hawk
SUPERSTOCKRACER
Well-Known Member
Hawk, you would think after 4 engines, and endless weekends there keeping Vignogna busy throughout the whole year, supporting him, referring him to members here passing his name at the track for others to use him and be treated this way is just selfish, narcissistic, non caring, nonsense.
All he cares about his money and the next customer coming through his door and no respect for peoples hard earned money.
Average Joe
Well-Known Member
Hey Chris, is your 588 an all aluminum wedge? My 496 Hemi is all aluminum and I have 75 psi at idle when cold and 20 psi at idle when hot.This Is my first all aluminum engine.When I researched it I found that is pretty normal due to the amount of stretch in aluminum as it heats up.
I had a simular problem with my world Hemi block.I actually had to plug some of the small water jackets next to the cylinders to get to seal up.The company I bought the block and heads from didn't tell me about this issue till after it was to late. The engine was full of coolant after 1 hour of run time.Had to pull the motor and remachine.
SUCKS! I Thought I was the only one that got bamboozled all the time.
SUPERSTOCKRACER
Well-Known Member
yes, its an indy aluminum block and indy heads.
My 604 indy hemi block and heads have no issue at all with oil pressure. the hemi has bushed lifter bores and I have 85 lbs. cold and 60 hot. 86psi at the stripe. The valleys are totally different on my indy hemi to my indy wedge.
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I'm no dummy, dummy!lol
bigmanjbmopar
Newb with a view
I'm surprised you still have the Indy heads after all the negative reads I've seen nothing but trouble and no service from Indy would suspect they would be self destrocting any minute now based on some others posts lol you sure you don't hear ticking?
Mine has over 100 cold. It runs 25 hot at idle, 65@7100 at the stripe with 0W30. I've checked the bearings every 100 passes. They still look like new minus a few small dirt nubs. Pushrods also look perfect. Motor has 240 passes.
Doug
Doug
SUPERSTOCKRACER
Well-Known Member
As long as you don't buy your indy stuff direct from Indy or have Vignogna Racing Engines Jimmy Vignogna touch your stuff, It's really not too bad.
I switched to KB and Stage V for my hemi stuff and I have a whole new B1 topend ready to go.
If this indy motor is messed up, I'll be buying a set of B1 pistons and be done with Indy.
Unfortunately I'm in too deep into this indy crap to quit now.
mr.belvedere
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SSR, have you ever looked into Jan-Cen racing engines operation? Located in Buffalo, 4.5 hours from Albany, 55 years in the business, and have campaigned some pretty bad-*** championship winning Jan-Cen powered Pro-Mod's driven by Mike Janis. A lot of guys running their power in many sanctioning bodies in just about every class. A family business with an excellent reputation and wonderful people. Very professional operation.
Endangered Species
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:eusa_think: Hey, that's one I never thought of. Use to sponsor Dick Oldfield of Motown Missile Fame.
I've been there many times when I covered Western NY for work. It's a place dreams are made of, It's a Speed Shop, Machine Shop and a Polaris / Cat Snowmobile Dealership in one.. LOL
Transit Rd. South of the Thruway, I think it's the town of Elma.
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SUPERSTOCKRACER
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Jim's Maxie
Well-Known Member
Your response leads me back to my original question,does KB do the same thing,yes or no ? If someone sells a product and it takes special parts, it would make sense to inform all parties up front,in this day and age you even get instructions on what kind of paint to use on a house and the recommended brush ! So,did KB tell whoever picked up Chris's block or by whatever means it went to Vignogna that it took special gaskets and was that information passed on? Just sayin !
SUPERSTOCKRACER
Well-Known Member
My reply is that Vignogna took it upon himself to not call KB and just put on a set of standard Hemi gaskets. I know for a fact that he had them on the shelf. Also what i'm trying to say is Jimmy Vignogna has no experience with Aluminum engines. It's plain to see from 3 motors that he built me that none lasted more than 2 passes.
After the milkshake, I called Ken Black and had to pay for Vignognas ignorance and lack of knowledge of KB blocks.
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