This is what I get for being a nice guy
#3198644
12/19/23 03:07 PM
12/19/23 03:07 PM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 715 Central TEXAS!!!!
sr4440
OP
super stock
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OP
super stock
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 715
Central TEXAS!!!!
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About 45 days ago, a customer comes in with a fresh rebuilt 426 Hemi that’s been sitting for 2 years. After hooking up to the dyno, pre oil, fuel, and water. We get ready to start it, on its 1st rotation there is a loud snap. So off come the valve covers and we find a broken adjuster. The geometry is awful, maybe worse than awful. The adjusters are out about 8 or 9 threads, pushrods are aimed at the shafts, everything is in a bind. The customer bought the engine in Minnesota and now doesn’t trust the builder, so he’s not going to send it back.
Ok, even though I don’t work on other people’s engines, I tell him I will help him out and fix it. After fixing the geometry, getting longer pushrods, degreeing in the cam. I go to put everything together, and one of the brand “new” comp cams hydraulic roller lifters is missing the spring inside the lifter!!! So I go to order one set, and they are backordered until the end of Jan (maybe). I can’t even find a used lifter to take the spring out. Now this engine is going to sit in the shop. This is what I get for being a nice guy, it bites me in my behind every time. Rant over/
Joe
Without Data, you’re just another guy with an opinion.
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Re: This is what I get for being a nice guy
[Re: sr4440]
#3198649
12/19/23 03:12 PM
12/19/23 03:12 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,514 So. Burlington, Vt.
fast68plymouth
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,514
So. Burlington, Vt.
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Order a pair of some lifters you can actually get……. Might need a couple pushrods too…… not a big additional expense in the long run.
68 Satellite, 383 with stock 906’s, 3550lbs, 11.18@123 Dealer for Comp Cams/Indy Heads
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Re: This is what I get for being a nice guy
[Re: sr4440]
#3198716
12/19/23 08:22 PM
12/19/23 08:22 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,284 Benton, IL.
DaveRS23
Special needs idiot
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Special needs idiot
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,284
Benton, IL.
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I stopped by my local speed shop yesterday to chat up the owner. Nice guy, but he's into phords. Anyway, they do a lot of rebuilds. He was telling me that whenever a customer wants a time estimate, he tells them he can't tell them a thing until he checks on availability of EVERYTHING. Usually, it is 90+ days. Something is always on back order. Even common, popular stuff. And it sometimes affects the combo; they have to change to pieces other than they first spec'd due to turn around times.
He bought some big heavy shelves to hold the blocks and stuff. He puts paint daubs on everything in an attempt to keep everything where it belongs. I'll bet he has 40 or 50 engines apart and waiting for parts. He would have the customers hang onto them until their time gets close, but he usually needs to tear them down so he knows what they need. And then he hates to have the customer come and get it until it's time and parts come. Keeping track of it all, particularly the ordered parts is a full time job all by itself.
What a headache!
Master, again and still
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Re: This is what I get for being a nice guy
[Re: sr4440]
#3198718
12/19/23 08:26 PM
12/19/23 08:26 PM
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,115 Usa
A39Coronet
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,115
Usa
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Bag it and stuff it into the corner. There are worse things that could happen than having to store a motor for a month.
Last edited by A39Coronet; 12/19/23 08:26 PM.
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Re: This is what I get for being a nice guy
[Re: A39Coronet]
#3198719
12/19/23 08:30 PM
12/19/23 08:30 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,212 Park Forest, IL
slantzilla
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,212
Park Forest, IL
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After finding that mess you going to pull the pan? I can see more pain on the horizon.......
"Everybody funny, now you funny too."
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Re: This is what I get for being a nice guy
[Re: B1duster]
#3198725
12/19/23 08:54 PM
12/19/23 08:54 PM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 715 Central TEXAS!!!!
sr4440
OP
super stock
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OP
super stock
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 715
Central TEXAS!!!!
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What # Comp lifters ? I just found some on ebay They are 8921-2, the ones on eBay don't look anything like them, the oil hole is in the band and the ones on ebay it's in the body. Thanks for looking Joe
Without Data, you’re just another guy with an opinion.
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Re: This is what I get for being a nice guy
[Re: slantzilla]
#3198730
12/19/23 09:01 PM
12/19/23 09:01 PM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 715 Central TEXAS!!!!
sr4440
OP
super stock
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OP
super stock
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 715
Central TEXAS!!!!
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After finding that mess you going to pull the pan? I can see more pain on the horizon....... I know I should, and I probably will, because I didn't mention 2 different size valve tip heights, 3 broken adjusters from being over torqued. Or the cam being installed "dot to dot" and being 6 degrees off.
Without Data, you’re just another guy with an opinion.
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Re: This is what I get for being a nice guy
[Re: AndyF]
#3198758
12/19/23 10:30 PM
12/19/23 10:30 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,758 North Dakota
6PakBee
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,758
North Dakota
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I'm a firm believer in Karma, both good and bad. A good deed done will come back as a blessing.
"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
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Re: This is what I get for being a nice guy
[Re: AndyF]
#3198759
12/19/23 10:31 PM
12/19/23 10:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,758 North Dakota
6PakBee
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,758
North Dakota
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The engine is most likely a pile of junk. Tell the owner that and ask him if he wants to proceed or not. Odds are that he'll be into it several thousand before it works right. Tell him to give you some money up front since you will most likely need to buy a steady stream of parts until it is done. Agreed. If the top end has been a victim of bush league assembly, the bottom end probably is also.
"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
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Re: This is what I get for being a nice guy
[Re: AndyF]
#3198866
12/20/23 01:00 PM
12/20/23 01:00 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 192 WI
mopar873
member
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member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 192
WI
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The engine is most likely a pile of junk. Tell the owner that and ask him if he wants to proceed or not. Odds are that he'll be into it several thousand before it works right. Tell him to give you some money up front since you will most likely need to buy a steady stream of parts until it is done. ^^ Spot on! I gave my Dad a hand with a matching number '66 hemi rebuild that was going into a triple digit $ restoration about 15 years ago. There were about a dozen F-ups in that engine that he uncovered when we offered to double check everything for the owner before it was installed. A new set of pistons, cam, lifters, valley bolts,1 MP replacement head, balance job, and two rebuilt carbs later....it was finally right. All found in an engine previously deemed "ready to fire" , assembled by a local rebuilder here in central WI. That would've been a disaster.
Last edited by mopar873; 12/20/23 01:08 PM.
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Re: This is what I get for being a nice guy
[Re: mopar873]
#3198869
12/20/23 01:20 PM
12/20/23 01:20 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,049 MN
JERICOGTX
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,049
MN
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I'd like to know who built it in Minnesota?
69 GTX
68 Road Runner
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Re: This is what I get for being a nice guy
[Re: sr4440]
#3198952
12/20/23 07:12 PM
12/20/23 07:12 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,767 Windsor, ON, Canada
Diplomat360
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,767
Windsor, ON, Canada
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They are 8921-2, the ones on eBay don't look anything like them, the oil hole is in the band and the ones on ebay it's in the body. Thanks for looking
How likely are they to be the 'big-brother' of the SB 8920 lifter? (my stipulation here being that the internals, including the retaining snap ring would be the same size) Can't specifically help you today as those 8920 lifters are in my w2 stroker motor, but perhaps finding a single 8920 set might work?
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Re: This is what I get for being a nice guy
[Re: Diplomat360]
#3199071
12/21/23 10:10 AM
12/21/23 10:10 AM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 715 Central TEXAS!!!!
sr4440
OP
super stock
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OP
super stock
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 715
Central TEXAS!!!!
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They are 8921-2, the ones on eBay don't look anything like them, the oil hole is in the band and the ones on ebay it's in the body. Thanks for looking
How likely are they to be the 'big-brother' of the SB 8920 lifter? (my stipulation here being that the internals, including the retaining snap ring would be the same size) Can't specifically help you today as those 8920 lifters are in my w2 stroker motor, but perhaps finding a single 8920 set might work? Thank you for the suggestion, looked on summit and found "Not Available At This Time This product cannot be ordered at this time. Future availability is unknown. We apologize for the inconvenience"
Without Data, you’re just another guy with an opinion.
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