The saga of my Hemi has ended

jmcarter · 07-31-2012, 02:38 PM

Sorry to hear about the failure Phil, and I'm still with you on what the source of the problem was that started you having to salvage a "professional" built engine. Keep tearing them up with the bracket car in the meantime. Thought visiting Don Little's pit space this coming weekend would be recommended but see he's not on entry list, geez, only 21 Super Stockers at Seattle.

Phillip marvetz · 08-01-2012, 01:26 AM

Don is on the top of my list for help. I spoke with him on the phone last year and he got me moving in the right direction on fixing a few other issues. I'm still thinking about that 318 also, Just might take a little longer now.

Terry Bride · 08-01-2012, 09:26 AM

Hey Phillip,

This catastrophic hemi story has given me a little deja vu!
We installed a 517 that the customer supplied into a 70 Challenger that suffered the same fate. This one last about a year with limited driving.
The autopsy revealed that the #3 int. valve had dropped and killed the head and piston and had scattered valve seat bits through out the other bores.
The lash cap and keepers were still in place in the retainer and the tip was in the lash cap but there was another piece shaped like a "C" on the below the tang in the keepers. The bottom of the tip that was left in the lash cap was convex so it had run in a broken state for some cycles. The order of failure was the hardened tip had broken off of the valve and had run with .100" remaining to hold the valve in the retainer and this had peeled off the end of the valve to the point where it let go.
If the valves in your heads were the Mopar Performance valves, take a measurement of the tip that was left in the lash cap and make sure the tip is the same as the tip length of an undamaged valve. This one here was the same length if you stacked the 'C' shaped piece on it, so it was only the hardened tip that initially broke.
Hope you can salvage some of this!

Terry

Peter Ash · 08-01-2012, 11:34 AM

For added information regarding lash caps. I have seen lash caps which land on the keepers, causing failure.

Phillip marvetz · 08-01-2012, 11:23 PM

I just checked the lash caps, They have clearance. Thanks for the ideas.

07-31-2012, 02:38 PM	#1
jmcarter VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Richmond Hill GA (and Port Ludlow WA) Posts: 4,297 Likes: 2,386 Liked 3,184 Times in 973 Posts	Re: The saga of my Hemi has ended Sorry to hear about the failure Phil, and I'm still with you on what the source of the problem was that started you having to salvage a "professional" built engine. Keep tearing them up with the bracket car in the meantime. Thought visiting Don Little's pit space this coming weekend would be recommended but see he's not on entry list, geez, only 21 Super Stockers at Seattle. __________________ Jim Carter 2340 Super Stock 2340 SST/2340 Stock Set another place at the table Last edited by jmcarter; 07-31-2012 at 02:45 PM.

08-01-2012, 01:26 AM	#2
Phillip marvetz Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lynden ,WA Posts: 820 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: The saga of my Hemi has ended Don is on the top of my list for help. I spoke with him on the phone last year and he got me moving in the right direction on fixing a few other issues. I'm still thinking about that 318 also, Just might take a little longer now. __________________ 2009 V/SA Record Holder

08-01-2012, 11:34 AM	#4
Peter Ash Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 262 Likes: 2 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: The saga of my Hemi has ended For added information regarding lash caps. I have seen lash caps which land on the keepers, causing failure.

08-01-2012, 11:23 PM	#5
Phillip marvetz Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lynden ,WA Posts: 820 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: The saga of my Hemi has ended I just checked the lash caps, They have clearance. Thanks for the ideas. __________________ 2009 V/SA Record Holder

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

08-01-2012, 09:26 AM	#3
Terry Bride Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 23 Likes: 8 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: The saga of my Hemi has ended Hey Phillip, This catastrophic hemi story has given me a little deja vu! We installed a 517 that the customer supplied into a 70 Challenger that suffered the same fate. This one last about a year with limited driving. The autopsy revealed that the #3 int. valve had dropped and killed the head and piston and had scattered valve seat bits through out the other bores. The lash cap and keepers were still in place in the retainer and the tip was in the lash cap but there was another piece shaped like a "C" on the below the tang in the keepers. The bottom of the tip that was left in the lash cap was convex so it had run in a broken state for some cycles. The order of failure was the hardened tip had broken off of the valve and had run with .100" remaining to hold the valve in the retainer and this had peeled off the end of the valve to the point where it let go. If the valves in your heads were the Mopar Performance valves, take a measurement of the tip that was left in the lash cap and make sure the tip is the same as the tip length of an undamaged valve. This one here was the same length if you stacked the 'C' shaped piece on it, so it was only the hardened tip that initially broke. Hope you can salvage some of this! Terry