I finally drained the milkshake muck of oil from the DSM last night & this is the drain plug. Knowing the engine had just been rebuilt, how much of this is expected post-rebuild vs. being residual damage from the blown head gasket?
And the bigger question - what's the prognosis on the future of this engine based on what you see?
Pete Gossett said:Knowing the engine had just been rebuilt, how much of this is expected post-rebuild
ZERO. If it was rebuilt it would have cleaned out any leftover milkshake when it was tanked.
Rebuilt or a new gasket slapped on "rebuilt?"
I think it was actually rebuilt, then popped the head gasket on the fresh rebuild pretty quickly.
If i remember correctly what i read in the other threads.
Dusterbd13-michael said:I think it was actually rebuilt, then popped the head gasket on the fresh rebuild pretty quickly.
If i remember correctly what i read in the other threads.
Correct. The original car owner bailed on the car after he popped the HG right after the rebuild(because he didn't tune it first).
So would the metallic remnants on the drain plug be about what you'd expect for the first post-rebuild oil change? Or does it look more like a sign of engine/bearing damage from the blown HG?
If the rod bearings took a beating when/during the HG failure, things got very, very bad. I would be checking for bent rods as well.
In reply to Paul_VR6 :
Obviously it's not been driven under boost since the failure, but it actually runs/drives on/off the trailer & in/out of the driveway fine, and doesn't make any bad noises.
You lived in central Illinois long enough. You should have known better than to get a DSM.
Nothing helpful for the situation, sorry
I don't think bearing pieces are magnetic. Could be cylinder/ring chunks but you will have the head off to do the gasket so you can inspect that while it's apart. I'd also cut the oil filter apart and see what it looks like. If it's full of glitter then I'd worry about the bearings.
mtn said:You lived in central Illinois long enough. You should have known better than to get a DSM.
Nothing helpful for the situation, sorry
I blame Eric Stemler for this. Ok, only partially - I've truly wanted a 1G since I first read about them back in high school.
Everything on that plug is ferrous: rings, cylinder walls, valvetain, etc. I wouldn't expect to see that after a rebuild but I wouldn't be surprised to see it either, if that makes any sense.
I would be concerned about copper/bronze colored flakes from bearing material which you would maybe see in the oil as it drained. Dropping the pan or cutting the filter will show you the glitter if it really knackered a bearing.
Edit: Basically what Toyman said
Pete Gossett said:mtn said:You lived in central Illinois long enough. You should have known better than to get a DSM.
Nothing helpful for the situation, sorry
I blame Eric Stemler for this. Ok, only partially - I've truly wanted a 1G since I first read about them back in high school.
I never knew him to be in anything other than a Vette. Or did he have an RX7 with an LS at one point too? In any case, he always showed up with a trailer.
L5wolvesf said:Pete Gossett said:Knowing the engine had just been rebuilt, how much of this is expected post-rebuild
ZERO. If it was rebuilt it would have cleaned out any leftover milkshake when it was tanked.
That much is probably ring and cylinder leavings from break-in.
That encrusted drain plug looks excessive, way beyond normal break in discards.
Water has no lubricating properties ......
Get a full gasket set and pull the motor for a full inspection. Cheap insurance.
Your ass will be fully chapped if you put a head gasket on it and something else lets loose.
It may not be a head gasket something may be cracked, if it's a cylinder that would explain the debris.
I guess im in the minority, but id throw a gasket at it and check the top end/bores when I have it apart and run it without worry.
The car came with a full gasket set. I'd probably pull the oil pan and one bearing cap to be sure. It runs awfully smooth to have any major issues. I'm sure it needs a flush once or twice with cheap dino fluid. You'll know what it looks like on the top when you get the head off too.
Opti said:I guess im in the minority, but id throw a gasket at it and check the top end/bores when I have it apart and run it without worry.
this was my thought as well. I've had more metal on a normal engine changes than that and those engines are still happy.
Slap a gasket on it an Run it!
Toyman01 said:I don't think bearing pieces are magnetic.
SBC 400 bearings are. (at least when the good stuff is worn off!)
"Rebuilt" or rebuilt?
"Blew head gasket due to a bad tune" or head is so warped and the head gasket is so cheap it can't hope to survive?
I wouldn't put it together without a pretty complete inspection.
I cut the filter open at lunch. I didn't see any shiny bits, but there were a few black specs.
I was able to pick out the largest one out, is about 0.3mm and although it's black & dull it does feel metallic.
Anthony - looking underneath I don't think the oil pan will clear the subframe, but I need to do a bit of research first.
In reply to mtn :
Eric used to run an ESP DSM back in the early 00's and was wickedly fast. I have a very clear memory of being behind him at the start during some pretty heavy rain, and when he launched the car literally drove out from under the water, which then splashed onto the tarmac.
Pete Gossett said:I cut the filter open at lunch. I didn't see any shiny bits, but there were a few black specs.
I was able to pick out the largest one out, is about 0.3mm and although it's black & dull it does feel metallic.
Anthony - looking underneath I don't think the oil pan will clear the subframe, but I need to do a bit of research first.
I have no idea on the pan clearing the subframe. I'm a DSMidiot. You can always loosen the mounts and see how high you can raise the engine. That technique worked on Fox Mustangs with their silly double hump pans. I had a really bad engine once and did the main and rod bearings from below without pulling the engine this way. I drove it another year until I could afford a rebuild.
In reply to Pete Gossett :
I would slap a new headgasket on that engine and say berk it!
In reply to RacetruckRon :
Thanks! Unless someone else can talk me out of it, I think that'll be my plan.
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