OK, I have to weigh in here. I used a “Mopar” shop, with a good reputation, (mentioned on this post) to build my Mega Block HEMI. It used oil at an alarming rate right from the start. Here is what I found out and what I would, and did, ask when I was looking for the shop to fix the problems I found when I took the engine apart.

THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION IS: How do you measure components? For instance, how do you verify the TRUE bore center? How do you measure the concentric and proper angle of the bore to the crank centerline? Most shops will just tell you that they go off the center of the existing bore.

Here is why this is so important. 1. Cylinder bore to piston clearance was TWICE what Diamond recommended.
2. Valve to guide clearance was .006”! (At least one of the heads was brand new out to the box)! But worst of all, they had no means of measuring the actual rod length, compression height, or deck height. So, they cut the deck .050” too far.
Result, pistons contacting the heads!

Upon further investigation, I found out that they not only did not have a fixture to properly center the bore, THEY DIDN’T EVEN OWN TORQUE PLATES FOR BORING A HEMI!

How did I discover this? I found the shop that they “borrowed” plates from. Guess what? The shop did not have the plates loaned out when my engine was being worked on.

I service manufacturing machine shops for a living. The good ones ALL have the ability to measure within four decimal places. Automotive machine shops too often “guess”.

So my engine is at a shop that builds ALL brands of engines. But do you know what? They have a boring fixture for a PACKARD V12! Why? Because they had to build one and wanted the bore to be properly oriented to the crank centerline!

Oh, and I have a work sheet that shows the EXACT distance of the stroke, jurnal diameter, angle of crank throws, rod length, piston compression height and DECK HEIGHT! Etc.

In closing, ask how they measure their work. Do they know what the “Datum” is? (The point of reference from which measuremnts are taken) Do they SHOW you, what everything measures? Most importantly, CAN THEY MEASURE AT ALL!!!!!!!