Two Engine failures from Southern Automotive

[native1]

I am tired of this post already!!!! I stopped reading after page 5. Lets move on

[RICK LAKE]

Susan Purham Thank you for your side of answering this thread. It's seam with the first motor MR Campbell didn't read the info that came with the motor. He had the motor dropped in the car and by running it with loose rocker arms broke the motor. I don't understand WHY after you dyno a motor you would back off all the rocker arm adjusters? If I am paying for the dyno work and setting up the motor, I wouldn't want any added prep work. Drop motor in and run. You are the first company that I have heard do this. I could see this if the motor was going to be in the crate for the next 6 months and not used to take the load off the springs. This would be a customer request. Removing coolant, fuel and oil from a motor before shipping I understand the laws about this and deal with this. Haz-mat love these little messes. I do think you and Bill have gone out of the way to help make right on the motor. Rick L

[Jamo]

Originally Posted by native1

I am tired of this post already!!!! I stopped reading after page 5. Lets move on

Obviously...you move on if you don't want to read it.

[Bill Bess]

Thanks Susan and Bill, for clearing up this unfortunate complaint. I hope Don got what he wanted or atleast feels better.

Now everyone can get on with more important things, like hammering our Cobra's FE motors.

"Can't we all just get a long", culture icon Rodney King

Good Job Susan, Bill

[SoTxButler]

I have read every word and I come down on the side of Bill and Susan. I have never done business with them...but I would.

[undy]

The truth typically lies somewhere in between..

[cdnus]

Maybe I am missing something here, if I am I will apologize in advance.

Sorry---But the failed to adjust the valves explanation just doesn't wash.
Why would anybody pay big bucks to have a engine built,dynoed & proven & then expect the builder to un-adjust (word?) the valves.
I hazzard to say that very few here that have purchased a proven "crate" engine from a respectable builder has or would expect to have to.

J.M.O.
Craig

[Jamo]

I'm going to try to be patient, but this is how threads end up going sideways...folks don't read.

Nowhere do Bill and Susan say one damn thing about loosening the valves before shipping...READ it.

Rick Lake said that.

They said the first engine had a pinhole leak in the gasket, which is what lead to the mixing of fluids.

The second engine was in the possession of the owner for 11 months before they heard of the problem...because of the lapse of time, they don't know what was done or not done to the engine during the time period (one of the things I allude to as being difficult factors to deal with in these situations since we don't know who is lying and who isn't). It was suggested that maybe the valve adjustment wasn't maintained.

I don't know whose set of facts are right...but we don't need bystanders adding facts. READ!

[cobred]

The valvetrain problems happened about 10 months after the 2nd motor was installed according to sa. (if im reading it correctly) The 1st engine had a bad head gasket when new, they sent out a new engine, without getting the 1st one back yet. The second one broke a rocker shaft bolt about 10 months later and they paid for the parts and labor.
I think sa is saying if Don had adjusted the valves after running the engine for x amount of miles it may not have happened. Who knows? The bolt may have been defective, over torqued, the engine may have been over reved, etc?
After reading both partys letters it seems that sa did the right thing in this case.

[cobred]

I guess jamo types faster then me. Sorry about the similar post.

[Jamo]

Heh...just shows that at least two of us read.

[Chaplin]

I read it too, I'm just tired of correcting everybody today.

[Excaliber]

SA says,

4. Loose rockers all around – Adjusting valves is a part of routine maintenance with a solid lifter cam and our Owners Manual explains how to do it properly and if Don had done this, he might not have had any problems.

Right there is where I get the 'loose valve' scenario, and I agree with SA, the installer/owner's responsibility to check and adjust. To loose could be a contributing factor to broken stud.

[Chaplin]

"too" . you're welcome.

See what I mean, I can't catch a break today!

[Jamo]

Ernie, you're missing the....oh hell...nevermind.

[cdnus]

I have read & it would appear the O.P. had major problems from the get go with both engines, therefore the car was not drivable other than a very short test drive on the first engine.
If this is indeed the case why would he expect to have to adjust the valves on a freshly dynoed 2nd motor.

Breathlessly awaiting another snarky reply from super mod.

[lineslinger]

Originally Posted by cdnus

I have read & it would appear the O.P. had major problems from the get go with both engines, therefore the car was not drivable other than a very short test drive on the first engine.
If this is indeed the case why would he expect to have to adjust the valves on a freshly dynoed 2nd motor.

Breathlessly awaiting another snarky reply from super mod.

Once again another assumptive comment without any solid facts. Seems that bandwagon hopping is pretty popular on this thread.
"It would appear", "if this is indeed", "would he expect" etc. carries zero factual value. Your entire statement is based on "what if" and supposition.
Your observation carries nothing more than the same opaque unfounded values as so many others.
I would offer the snarky moderator has a clue with this one, you sir, have no real clue at all, just speculation.
JMHO

[cdnus]

Now for the other side, a question for the O.P.

. This replacement motor arrived incomplete and was in such poor condition and was so poorly built that we stripped it to find undamaged parts from the two motors to try to create one that looked something like a $14,000.00 motor. (your words)

Just exactly how far did you strip the replacement motor & reassemble?
You didn't happen to get into the valve train did you?

Just wondering
Craig

[cdnus]

Me thinks all asses are not on Bonaire
JMHO

[Excaliber]

Well darn, I think Jamo is right...

The issue seems to turn on WHEN the valves got loose. With some suggesting the motor was shipped that way. Seems to me they got loose at some point following initial run in and down the road a bit. Which is to be expected with a new motor. They could have gotten tight, instead of loose. Either way, you got trouble the manufacturer cannot address after shipment.

I recall George Anderson (Gessford Machine) being very adamant about checking and double checking the valve adjustment AND rotation of the lifters before, after and during the run in period. You have to stay on top of it.