Engine failure question

[Bob Pagano]

Sounds like the rods were never checked to see if they were round on the big end or they were honed without cutting anything out to bring the rod back to round within the proper clearance for bearing crush.

[CPOlesen]

I am not an engine builder!!!! I had a roller motor do the same thing yours did and it was caused by the engine builder installing the cam 12 deg fast. therefore the pistons hit the valves and the rest is history.

[55 Chevy]

I think that CP Oleson might be correct. Sounds like there was too little piston to valve clearance for some reason.
If everything isn't bent or broken you might be able to mock it up using whats left & see if there ever was ever enough p/v to begin with.

[Chevy454]

And the drama continues! I've been in Florida for a week, but when I returned, I learned that another engine this guy "built" for one of my buddies bit the dirt...if you'll recall, this guy built engines for 3 of my buddies (502 for a 2wd stock truck, 454 for a 2wd modified truck, and another 454? for a 4wd modified truck). Anyway, the engine in the 4wd modified truck grenaded just like the engine that I started this thread about...came out the oil pan, but ruined the block and anything that rotates, as well as all the valvetrain stuff...if you'll remember, the guy personally told me after the piston-->head contact fiasco that wrist pins DO NOT bend, well this latest engine blowup has several wrist pins in the shape of a U! Guess I at least got *1* thing right....LOL! Also, the vibration in the 3rd engine this guy built for my buddies (the 502), come to find out he'd put a 427 flywheel on it, instead of the extrenally balanced 454/502 flywheel...so they put the right one on, replaced a couple bearings, and that engine finally seems ok, at least for now.

The engine guy offered to eat the labor on this latest engine build for the 4wd truck, and then said he's only had 2 engine *EVER* fail, and it was 2 of the 3 he built for my buddies...my gut tells me #3 will be when my other buddies engine comes apart! He also screwed up a block for the guy whom I started this thread about...block was supposed to go .030" and get rebuilt, but the guy called and said he'd screwed up and went too big on one cylinder after adding new stones, so he was gonna have to go on out to .060"...