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metal in engine

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Old Mar 12, 2008 | 11:35 AM
  #1  
drperformance's Avatar
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From: Pittsburgh
Car: 1987 firebird
Engine: 1995 lt1 383
Transmission: 4l60e
Axle/Gears: moser 9" with 3.70
metal in engine

This is probably posted in the wrong place but I want a racers point of view.

I just found metal in my motor, right when I went to put on the intake and finish this years projects. It was a ball of chewed up sheet metal (at least the engine builders said it is not a bearing, piston, crank, block, that it is stamped steel). It was about the size of a single bearing, and it was on the front passenger side of the lifter valley next to the lifter.

So I drained the oil, which was very clean and I went through it with a magnet and found very little. Next I cut the oil filter open and found very very fine metalic particals but I would have thought nothing of it with out the piece found in the valley.

I pulled the metal valve covers to see if a rocker was hitting but both were clean and the springs look ok, even the metal piece they sit on because of aluminum heads.

So I pulled the timing cover, which is a pain in the but on a LT1 and found a timing chain with about 5/8" of slack in it and a smaller piece of that same chewed up metal inbetween the flap on my timing cover to crank seal. And I found that the aluminum timing cover needs clearanced alittle from the timing chain, which would explain the very fine particals found in the filter. What the hell,This motor is completly forged and has less then 500 miles on it.

So now I am going to lift the motor to pull the piece of **** Morroso 7 qt pan that leaked from day one in a weld and see if my strocker crank is hitting it.

What do you guys think? This sucks my race year starts in less then two months.
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Old Mar 12, 2008 | 12:27 PM
  #2  
xpndbl3's Avatar
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From: Orland Park, IL
Car: 1984 Z28
Engine: SLOW carbed ls
Transmission: TH400 with brake, 8" PTC converter
Axle/Gears: moser 9" 4.11
Re: metal in engine

you didn't check clearance on the oil pan to crank when you assembled the stroker motor?
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Old Mar 12, 2008 | 05:31 PM
  #3  
drperformance's Avatar
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From: Pittsburgh
Car: 1987 firebird
Engine: 1995 lt1 383
Transmission: 4l60e
Axle/Gears: moser 9" with 3.70
Re: metal in engine

ya, I checked the clearance but parts grow at RPM.
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Old Mar 12, 2008 | 05:41 PM
  #4  
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From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
Do LT1's have an oil slinger on the crank snout?
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Old Mar 12, 2008 | 07:30 PM
  #5  
drperformance's Avatar
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From: Pittsburgh
Car: 1987 firebird
Engine: 1995 lt1 383
Transmission: 4l60e
Axle/Gears: moser 9" with 3.70
Re: metal in engine

No, LT1s do not have an oil slinger.
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Old Mar 13, 2008 | 06:41 PM
  #6  
five7kid's Avatar
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From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
Too bad, that might have explained it.
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Old Mar 14, 2008 | 11:10 AM
  #7  
drperformance's Avatar
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From: Pittsburgh
Car: 1987 firebird
Engine: 1995 lt1 383
Transmission: 4l60e
Axle/Gears: moser 9" with 3.70
Re: metal in engine

I already have the valve covers and timing cover off, tomorrow I am pulling th emotor to remove the oil pan and see whats up.
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Old Mar 15, 2008 | 09:20 PM
  #8  
drperformance's Avatar
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From: Pittsburgh
Car: 1987 firebird
Engine: 1995 lt1 383
Transmission: 4l60e
Axle/Gears: moser 9" with 3.70
Re: metal in engine

So, I unbolted the tranny and everything and pulled the motor enough to remove the oil pan and everything looks perfect. Not a mark in the oil pan, or on the crank or rods. I even had the engine builder come over to check it out and he can not find anything wrong. He is however getting me a new timing set. So the whole engine was checked over and not a sign, just my luck.
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Old Mar 15, 2008 | 09:34 PM
  #9  
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From: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: metal in engine

When you get it back together, run it up to operating temperature then change the oil and filter again. Cut open the filter for another inspection.
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