Getting a heart transplant.....

[DrGonzo]

They called me when they got the results from the engineer. They were worried about the lead and asked if I ran race fuel. I did run about 10 gallons of leaded 110 at the drag strip last year and have not changed the fuel filter since then. They asked if I had any oil pressure issues either, which I do not. they only found a trace amount of fuel in the oil which is good as that means fuel is not getting past the rings. they were also concerned with the Chromium as that is from piston rings. They stated it is high even for a new engine build, but seeing as that was the first oil change with any load on the engine I would expect it to be high as the piston rings are seating from the compression strokes under load and the vacuum from downshifting. So they recommended running it for 2k and sending in a new sample since I told them the engine runs fine. Now right before I took the sample is when I was trying to figure out the ECU issues, so for about a week or so I had been in the garage cranking the car, it would run for a min or two and die while I was checking things out trying to track down the problem that ended up being the ECU. Wonder if any of that flawed the sample at all...

[CoopKill]

The constant cranking could add to the chromium.

[DrGonzo]

yeah, I'm really steering toward this just being a bunk sample due to everything going on prior to me taking it. I'm waiting on the ECU to come back from Chris so I can;t drive the car now anyway.... I'm just stuck where I can run the 1-2k and the next report will be fin, or I stand the chance of screwing the new engine. Or I pull the pan and find the bearings are screwed or their fine and I did all that work for nothing....Blah!!

[CoopKill]

Or I pull the pan and find the bearings are screwed or their fine and I did all that work for nothing....Blah!!

This all too well hits home...

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

yeah, I was pretty bummed about finding that stuff in the filter. I've been a big Wix person for quite some time now. Technically it did do it's job though as Blackstone found not evidence of foreign materials.

I got the full Blackstone report emailed to me and I'm not the happiest about the figures....I know the first oil change or two is going to be bad but I never though that they would be this bad!!!



the numbers just seem to be really high for the metals. I know Iron, aluminum and chromium would be high, but the copper, lead and tin!! That's bearing metal!!! So my debate now is pull the pan and look over all of the bearings, or run it for 1-2k and send in a new sample and hope for better numbers. Oil pressure is absolutely wonderful. I've never had oil pressure this consistent. Almost 24psi at warm idle 45-50psi highway cruising. I didn't built the engine in a clean room or anything and this was the first oil change with the engine under any type of load at all..... Am I just worrying to much about this??

That's 3 times the lead I had in the oil sample I sent in that came from my spun bearing engine. I'd check the bearings.

[DrGonzo]

That's 3 times the lead I had in the oil sample I sent in that came from my spun bearing engine. I'd check the bearings.

Was that the first oil change sample sent in after building the engine where your lead numbers where high?

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

Was that the first oil change sample sent in after building the engine where your lead numbers where high?

no, I sent the oil change from the oil that was in my old engine when it spun the bearing and it read 40 lead.

The new motor test showed 6 for the lead after 400 miles.

[DrGonzo]

I've been thinking about it today and I'll be pulling the pan to check things out. I should be able to get it pulled tomorrow and atleast check the rod bearing. I'll post up my findings. Wish me luck!!

[wingnut]

I'll post up my findings. Wish me luck!!

Lotsa luck!





















Oh, wait...

[DrGonzo]

Ok, so here are rod #1 & 2 bearings

#1


#2



The image is not the best, was having issues trying to get the light right. That is not copper showing on the bearing. Just the bearing polished. No copper showing at all on either, no grooves and they are all very smooth. Slight black on the top of both bearings. I did use a crap oil for the first start-up which may not have been the best and the engine did sit for 6 months after I got the rotating assembly done so the lucas assembly oil may have run out of the top of the bearings in that time which caused the heat at the top on initial start-up. I may also want to look into a slightly heavier oil as it may have been the 10W-30 I was running was too thin. Viscosity on the report was lower than normal which would contribute to the heat at the top of the bearings as these show. I can almost rub it off with my thumb. Crank looks great! I found a few small slivers in the pan of aluminum which I think are from the the rockers that fell of and hit the cam shaft. Camshaft was still good but did have a slight groove. not enough to mess with the cam timing tough. i never even thought about draining the oil when that happened....Duh!!!

I'm going to drop these two bearing back in as I see nothing wrong with them and then check the rest as I am sure they are all going to look the same.