Tootall

iTrader: (79)

First off, if this situation is corrected and made solid, this thread will be deleted.

https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...-408-a-512218/
ltr450ryder recently sold a HKE built 408 on 5/28/13 and listed it as 500-600 miles on it.

The engine came with a 24x wheel, and was going to be pulled and replaced with a 58x wheel. This additional cost was up to the new owner, and he was going to foot the bill for this.

The engine was picked up from the freight company and delivered to LME for a reluctor wheel swap on 6/10/13

Today 6/17/13, LME called and said that there were several burned and or spun bearings. The main bearings, all of them, were scored, pitted, and coating material was either non existent, or just bare copper. Two main caps were burned.

- Four rod bearings were also "trashed," 2 of them would not sit in the saddles, 1 was spun in place.
- The oil pickup tube had chunks of copper/aluminum flakes in it. It looked like copper paint chips.

So here's the current situation. The buyer M3SRT paid $4,600 for a running when pulled with no issues motor. Instead he has a motor with trashed bearings, burnt main caps, and metal trash throughout the engine.
LME's prognosis, The China Crank was not pre-machined correctly before it was assembled. The bearing surfaces on the crank were not completely turned from edge to edge, or from radius of the shoulder to the radius of the other side. So in other words, the surface was like a banana and not completely flat all the way across. It was not a true surface.
There was no way that this engine had solid oil pressure or no audible knocking going on.

LME gave a quote to rebuild the engine to "perfect specs" as it should have been. cost - $4,027.00 + TAX
Yes this is a quote for a total rebuild, the heads have not been taken off, but was quoted a worse case scenario. Either way, the short block is rendered useless. Bearings are all trashed, one rod may be egged and need to be bored/honed, bearing contamination throughout the motor. Total tear down is needed regardless.

-Disassemble engine Disassemble engine/inspect
-Clean parts Clean Parts
-Clean & buff block Clean & inspect block/deburr & make ready for machine
-LS Line hone LSx block w/ARP main studs to low of spec.
-LSx Hone LSx with torque plates to desired piston to wall
-Turn crankshaft Turn crankshaft to specific journal diameters
-Clean block Final clean block/make ready for assembly
-Clean and Inspect Clean and inspect cylinder heads
-Lap and set valves Lap valves and set spring pressures
-Surface heads Measure chamber volume & mill heads to desired assemble heads Assemble cylinder heads
-Assemble longblock Assemble Complete Longblock & DYNO TEST work
(ensures max bearing crush) clearance for application. chamber volume

ENGINE: degree cam, check piston to valve clearance, adjust valve train geometry & lifter pre load, install oil pump & heads, Modify & Install Covers
NPR GFX rings NPR GFX Stainless Chrome Top Ring (for high heat Bearings2 Clevite MS 2199 H mains, Clevite CB 663 H rods, DuraBond CH-23 cam bearings
GM ZR1 GM MLS ZR1 head gaskets 2
LS7 GM LS7 hydraulic roller lifters
Melling LS Melling 10295 high pressure, coated oil pump/ ported
applications, napier 2nd(improved oil control), 3mm oil rings(reduced friction & improved oil control)

So what needs to happen:

1. Ship the engine back to the seller, refund M3SRT his money, and walk away from this.
2. Repair/rebuild the short block back to a solid build as advertised at the sellers expense
3. ???

This is up to the seller to make good on this situation. It's not up to M3SRT to go to previous owners or other shops.
Here's a few pictures of the tear down.

Mangled03gmc

iTrader: (95)

Seems to me more big name engine builders are building bullshit engines. Prob the big reason all our stuff is done here at the garage.

Atomic

iTrader: (42)

This may be a dumb question, but why are you posting on behalf of M3SRT instead of him posting this himself?

Has the seller responded to why this motor is trashed? Did he provide any paperwork saying HKE actually built it? Why was it sent to LME and not back to HKE?

06tx4.8

iTrader: (18)

wasnt that stewarts(txsilverado) motor at one time?

m3srt

iTrader: (2)

Matt posted it up for me bacause was out of town and he has been helping me with everything

He spoke to bryan at lme ...

Engine was taken to lme to have the crank changed and everything put back together it isn't mandatory for it to go to hke for what I wanted done

I talked to george earlier this afternoon and waiting for a response from him ..

m3srt

iTrader: (2)

Yes sir

Mangled03gmc

iTrader: (95)

Paper work, why it wasn't sent back to orig builder.

pewterliftedz

iTrader: (4)

I honestly don't think HKE will touch that thing with a 10 ft pole now that LME has torn it down.

What is ltr450ryder saying in the situation? I realize you posted what was wrong with the motor, but you didn't say the reason for making the thread. Is he saying *** off? Did he take the money and run? Whats the deal?

ltr450ryder

iTrader: (13)

No I didn't take his money and run the motor was running when took out of my truck. It ran so I wasn't going to tear it apart no reason to and trying to find out if hke will do anything about it. And yes Txsilverado old motor that blew up on him too and I've been staying in touch with nick also.

ltr450ryder

iTrader: (13)

And Stewart has the paper work on the motor