New motor with bottom end noise

S

stagemonster

R.C. entourage
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
I just recently got my motor (shortblock) back from a highly reputable buick engine builder. The motor is 20 over center billet caps new rollercam and buleprinted front cover by the builder. Got the motor home and started to assemble the topend when i put the rockers on i found the builder gave me the wrong length pushrods cause all my valves were hanging open. Noproblem they told me to send back the pushrods for a refund. I got the correct length pushrods and everything checked out ok. Yesterday i finaly got a chance to drop the motor back in the car. I primed it filled it with all the fluids and it was ready to fire up. I heat cycled it a few times in the driveway and everything seemed ok so i decided to drive it for the night. I drove it about 15 miles not getting into boost once. I meet up with some friends to go get something to eat we drove to red robin which was about another 20 miles away. When we were pulling into the shopping center where the red robin was i started to hear bottom end noise i pulled into the resturant lot and got out and listened to the noise and knew there was a problem. At this point i had the car towed home i pushed it into the garage and was done with it for the night i was pissed at this point. Today i went over and checked all the flex plate bolts and converter bolts just to make sure and than i cut open the oil filter to find bearing material in the filter. I dont know if its a rod or a main yet i was too mad to investagate today. When i took the shortblock to the builder they originaly told me it would be done in 4 to 5 weeks which turned into 3months which i was not happy about. I need to know what i should do about this and what you guys think the outcome will be. Iam not trying to bash anybody so i will not release the name of the machine shop/builder untill i talk to them first cause like i said the are one of the top buick engine builders on this board. Thanks for checking this out and any input would be great.
 
Yank it back out and bring it back. Thats all you can do. Somethings not right.

Sorry for your luck. :(
 
I hate seeing this happen to people. I have had enough bad luck to cover most. Good luck to you.

Bryan
 
as mentioned....it sucks, but yank the motor and give it back to the builder. They should make it "right" at no expense to you. **** happens to everyone, its how they/you deal with it is what makes the difference.

i had a similar issue with a 327. It was supposed to be a turn key motor from the builder, put it in the car, drove for 20 miles and busted two pistons due to him having the timing way out of wack. Yeah it sucks i had to pull the motor and then ultimately reinstall, but he fixed everything for free/hassle free...


Nate
 
Probably would have been a good idea to go through the first heat cycle and change the oil. I always change the oil asap on a new build. Usually there is metal debris and whatever else left over in the block from the building process.
 
Did you happen to check the convertor to flexplate clearance before bolting them together? maybe it was too tight and the thrust bearing took a beating.
 
Hot oil psi was between 20 and 25. it was like 65 to 70 on cold start up. The converter to flexplate clearance was fine its the same set up i had before i had the shortblock built.
 
wow,that really sux,especially after waiting 3 times as long as expected to get it + now it all has to come back apart again,+ even if they make good + redo the whole thing,you are still at a big loss because of the time,aggrevation,money,installing etc., i'm assuming you reassembled it,+ then installed it ,+ now have to take it back out again + then wait for it,then reassemble it + reinstall it all over again. + if you are paying someone else to do that,then it is even a bigger loss.
(( If it turns out that they messed it up )) they should not only redo it for you,but they should do it imedietly,+ not make you wait months again,or even a month,it should be priority 1 for them to make it right + get it back to you asap, but in dealing with machine shops in the past that almost never happens,first they try to blame it on everybody else ,then when the evidence is staring them in the face ,they still try to deny it + will finally agree to redo it,but don't expect it real quick,(Thats not to say this shop will do that,that has just been my experience in the past) One nice thing about this site is that the shop in question will be under the microscope on this + it should help you to get it fixed free + in a reasonable amount of time,(Again assuming they are the ones that messed up)But as i said you are still at a big loss even if they fix it free. Good luck,+ i would jump on it immedietly,the longer you wait,the less urgent it will become for them,let them know(Nicely of course) how much trouble this has caused you + that you would like your new motor back yesterday. Hopefully it didn't cause any other damage in the motor
Good luck.
 
stagemonster said:
Hot oil psi was between 20 and 25. it was like 65 to 70 on cold start up. The converter to flexplate clearance was fine its the same set up i had before i had the shortblock built.
Click to expand...

If you changed cranks and went with an aftermarket crank this can change so I wouldn't assume it is the same with a different crank.
 
That suxs.... But hopefully when you pull it back out and get it back to the builder you guys can figure it out and get it resolved.... Good luck...
 
new engine

It may just be me but I'd drop the pan and look only takes 30 minutes.if your going to pull it anyway at least you would know.I know some will say it's silly to pull the pan if your going to pull the motor.I had a guy helping me once got distracted on the phone forgot to tighten (torque a set of rod bolts) car went about 35 miles and started making noise.pulled the pan replaced the rod bearings on the rod that wasn't torqued.the motor still running today 60,000 later.It all depends on your resources I have a 2 post lift and engine hoist at the shop so it's not a big deal.If you have to work off your back on the floor and get a truck and go pick up a hoist it can become the pits.Either way I hope it works out for you I know you have a lot of time and money invested.
 
Had a very similar issue, only I ran it for 10 minutes on the jack stands, and pulled the motor back out.
This was with a well know local area builder. Apparently, the guy who normally builds the Buick V6 motors did not build it.
The shop repaired it free of charge but it was a lot of work on my end.

Most reputable shops will take care of it. It happens to the best, but it just sucks when it happens to “you”. :mad: Good luck.
 
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