Engine carnage, Incorrect clearance Options

[nine14cats]

As many of you know I missed a shift earlier this year and blew up my 2.7L 6 at Buttonwillow. I'm currently building a new car with a 3.6. I sold my burned up motor to a raceshop and they tore down the engine. What they found was that I did not bend valves as suspected. I broke the rings on every cylinder due to incorrect head clearance.

My missed shift was going to do damage, but not this much if the machine shop I used had done the clearancing correctly. What is interesting is that on the last rebuild I did with this engine, I used a large, nationally know engine machine shop and thought I was safe.

Even if I didn't miss a shift, my engine was living on borrowed time. It appears the pistons and heads were touching. It kinda makes me lose faith in everyone I talk to in this business. I'm not a master mechanic, but the lack of of attention to detail I have run across over the past 2 years has been really disappointing. Maybe I'm just cursed.

Anyway...here's some pics of what happens when your P's hit the heads.

Bill P.

[McMark]

I'm not a master mechanic, but the lack of of attention to detail I have run across over the past 2 years has been really disappointing.

Bill, this is not directed at you and I know you are not this kind of person, but this is what happens when people get the Wal-Mart syndrome. When $ becomes the bottom line. Sounds like this engine was just an anomaly, but the fact is that businesses are having a harder and harder time catering to a market that demands low prices. If you give them what they want they rake you over the coals for crappy work. It's a fine line that very few people can successfully walk. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) Oh well. Rant over. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)