Fresh Engine Failure

A real bummer. There many good rebuilders out there, some cost more than others. My engine was done by Bliss Performance near Tacoma. [ no, he doesn't do Toyota's] Dave Bliss, semi-retired but reasonable, and has built incredible engines for many of us in the NW. That doesn't get your engine back, tho. Makes you realize just how important a rebuilder is, with the parts being so dang expensive, not to mention hard to find. Pay a little more for some peace of mind, don't you think? <img src=images/icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

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.................... Pay a little more for some peace of mind, don't you think? <img src=images/icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

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the trouble is, shabby engine work often costs the same as when it's done right. A price quote alone doesn't tell you much. Word of mouth, however, is usually worth something.

Z. Ray

My opinion is, if you want it done correctly, do it

yourself. The only thing I haven't done myself on my

HiPo engines is the machine works. When I got the block

and heads back from the shop, I check everything and then

put it all together by checking and double checking myself.

Always had the shop manual and the book How to Rebuild

a Small Block Ford as guide lines. It's easy and very fun if

you take your time.

/Bo

AND.....what satisfaction!!!<img src=images/icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=images/icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Sorry to hear about your engine. A reputable builder should stand by their work, have you contacted them about this?

Was the oil galley plug one of the standard press in front ones?

Do you have a standard oil pump fitted, or an aftermarket version with higher than standard flow rate?

Fred,

When you fit screw in plugs, do you fit 1/4" NPT or 3/8" NPT?

Sam

I have had work done by Dave Bliss for 30+ years and I can tell you he is a real craftsman. We used to haul our Super Stock Eliminator engines 140+ miles so Dave could do the machine work. In the past, I have seen many many engines ruined by incompetent machinists. I have lots of horror stories. Sometimes I have to wonder if the machinist either didn’t know how to read a micrometer or if he just didn’t care.

When choosing an engine builder/machine shop, there are a number of steps to take;

1)Decide just what you are capable of doing yourself and what you are going to have to have the shop do. Do you have the expertise and tools to final cleaning and assembly? You need to decide before you start looking.

2)Ask for a tour of the shop. Most engine builders would have no problem showing you around. How clean is the shop? How does the equipment look? Everything should be fairly clean, the tools should be arranged neatly and put away. There should be no piles of machining chips or debris on the floor. Does the shop have a room that is just used for assembly? There is no such thing as being too clean when it comes to engine assembly.

3)Get references, but be careful about getting references from the shop owner, as he will only send you to people who he is sure that will give him a glowing recommendation. Ask the local racers, Drag, Circle Track, or Sports Car. Check with the local Better Business Bureau. Find out who does a lot of engine repair locally and ask them. When soliciting references, be sure to ask to the level of work you want the shop to do. I remember one shop that did competent machine work but their assembly practices left much to be desired.

The oil galley plugs should be ¼” NPT. (National Pipe Thread). 3/8 plugs will not fit.

Sorry for your loss, it’s tough to bring yourself to trust a shop again after something like this happens, epically if the shop owner had the “Don’t give a s**t attitude”

Bill,

Thanks for your information. Your comment raises a point that I have tried to find an answer to before, but no one seems to know!

A 1/4" NPT thread has a minor diameter of 0.442", and thread tapping guides call for a 7/16" (0.4375") pilot hole. That makes perfect sense to leave enough material to ensure full thread engagement. However, a 289 engine block already has a 1/2" hole to take the standard press in oil galley plugs. If you tap the 1/2" hole to take 1/4" NPT thread, then you will have a minor diameter of 1/2", not the recommended 0.442". Therefore you will not have full thread engagement.

So, is it just accepted that even with a minor diameter of 1/2", there is still enough thread engagement with a 1/4" NPT to hold the plug in? If that's how everyone has been doing it for years and no one has had a problem with 1/4" NPT then that's probably the best reason for just doing it.

Sam

Correct, but remember, it is a tapered thread. Unlike straight thread, its interference fit. My book says .502 max, diameter hole size, but there is still a ton of fudge room. When tapping oil galleys, the hole that the soft plug fits into was way too shallow to clear the end of the tap. Drilling the galley with a 7/16 drill seems to work best. There is a tapered reamer for pipe threads and I have actually used them. (Aircraft use, not automotive).

I talked to a friend who has a T-50 Mustang. He had an engine built in Seattle by a shop that has a stellar reputation. Shortly after getting it running he noticed a sudden drop in oil pressure. Pulled the pan and found a press in oil galley plug stuck to the magnet in the bottom of the pan. Since it was one of the lifter galleys, it didn’t starve the bottom end for oil, so no damage.

I have seen this happen a number of times. From my experience dating back to 1969 when I built my first small block Ford, I wouldn’t trust press in plugs. There are a lot of them out there that never fail, but it only takes one time.

Edited by - billh on 10/09/2008 22:57:43