Mopar Muscle Association UK

Got a phone call off Dave Madders earlier this week. The top end of the engine was noisy. So Dave has investigated, first of all we thought the oil pump drive had snapped but it appears to be intact as is the pump itself. Dave then removed the rocker covers and it seems that some of or one of the followers or a push rod has popped out and well you know the rest!!!

One of the rocker arms has spun right round and wont come back. Some of the push rods are bent. One of the ball bearings (welded to the top of the pushrod) was sitting in the head!

We brought it home today with the help of IanZ and his trailor, and my mate Phil who rebuilt the engine and myself will pull the engine this week end and strip it down.

At this stage we dont know the extent of the damage, but I will post the pictures and info as it unfolds.

Once again Ian, thanks for your help and the use of your trailor.

On a lighter note the windscreen and roof liner are now fitted, and I can now finish putting the interior back together and the car will be ready for M.O.T as soon as the engine is fixed.

So hopefully there wont be too much of a delay before the car is ready for cruisin'

Hmmm, nasty. Question is.Why?
Hope its not damaged block/heads seriously

Blimey John! In your picture, it doesn't look like there's any oil getting up there either.

Did you prime the oil pump, to get oil round the system? You would have seen oil pumping up to the rocker gear.

Damn, damn, damn ...

Crumbs indeed, more Bananarama! me thinks, sorry to read that mate, hope there’s not too much damage and you can get it sorted soon

Got the motor out today, took off the valley pan and this was the site. 7 push rods visible the other one was chewed up in the sump.

4 of the followers have taken a beating, so cam cam will be damaged.

I took one of the big end caps off and the might be o.k, what do you think?

The oil looks like metallic black paint.

The valve train seems to be o.k so I dont think there is any need to remove the heads.

And Ive checked one of the big end bearings wich seem to be o.k



Ivor we didnt prime the oil pump with a drill. Back when it was first running last year, we turned the engine over without letting it fire to prime the pump. It would not start properley after that anyway, had some carb problems. So we thouth it would be primed enough.

When me an Ianz took it down to Dave's origonally, Ian said it sounded fine when it started up in the garage, if only for not running on all cylinders.

That's a mess. You need to strip it and check a few things. I see there's a Mopar performance cam in there, which one? The valves have hit the pistons, you need to strip the heads and check for bent valves. Do you have sufficient valve to piston clearance? Are the pushrods the right length? Did you moly lube the cam and break it in correctly? Somethings not right there...

Blue wrote: Somethings not right there...

Understatement of the week.

I'd be looking at a complete strip there,so that the inside of the block can be washed and the galleries flushed. That metallic oil will likely have ruined the bearing shells too.

I agree, a complete strip and wash and start again, I know it's not what you want to hear

Woody, I have to agree with Blue and Latil, that has to be a full strip because the state of those pushrods indicates a major internal collision.

Don't forget the timing cover as well, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see that the timing has jumped a few teeth.

I'm sorry mate, that's just what you needed after all this effort.

Chin up mate, I had the same happen to a BRM engine some years ago now that WAS expensive!

That's bad luck John, you must be gutted.

Full strip down and all new bearings.

Those pushrods look a bit home made to me. They also look very long with a lot of preload maybe?

Dave wrote:Full strip down and all new bearings.

Those pushrods look a bit home made to me. They also look very long with a lot of preload maybe?

They look stock to me but is there a chance they are 440?? Probably would not fit.......