strang3majik Posted March 16, 2010 Report Share Posted March 16, 2010 My dad and I were cruising along in his charger when we started hearing a tapping noise, didn't sound real loud, but, we didn't want to chance anything, so, turned around, and babied it home. But, it had sounded just like this before and it was one of the adjustable rockers had come loose.As soon as we we turned onto our driveway (about 2 miles from where the noise started), something happened and the car sounded like a freight train...immediatley, we shut it off and pushed it into the garage. So...once it cooled down, we yanked the valve covers, and all the adjustable rockers were still in spec...but, some of them acted as if the lifters weren't pumped up. Figuring they may have just leaked down, we didn't think anything of it. But, we disconnected the coil wire and hit the key spinning her around a few times...NO OIL...nodda. Took the distribtur out to get the oil pump out, thinking it may have gone bad, and the rod to the distributor was in two pieces. It spin right around and snapped. So, we get the oil pump out, and it was locked up. Beat on it a bit with a hammer, and out drops a tiny piece of metal. So...having to look into this deep now, we pull the rockers out, the one rocker shaft is broke in half (the bolt and formed washer covered the crack so we couldn't see it), and, they're they are. 2 lifters blown out. They're the hydraulic Lunati lifters. Brand new, only about 1000 miles on them. Two of them were empty. Many of the pieces laying in the valley, and some more in the oil pump, after we searched a bit more. So...just because two brand new lifters failed, it almost cost us an engine. We never did hear any rod noise...so...hopefully the bearings are okay. But...stay away from Lunati. $100 for a set of lifters, and this happens to them. As far as the engine, its Chrysler RB 440. the bottom end was rebuilt about 15 years ago, maybe having 10k miles on it, and the guy who rebuilt the engine then said he could still see the factory crosshatching in the cylinder bores...and, it was still fairly visible when we had the heads off recently.The top end (heads, cam, lifters, rockers, intake, and all) are all new and just installed, as I said, maybe 1k miles ago. The heads are Edelbrock Performer RPM series (aluminum), with crane roller rockers, and a pretty hefty hughes engines split duration cam. (.547 lift, and .242 duration)... But...anyway, the lifters gave up and almost trashed the engine...so, watch out. So much for aftermarket, "better than factory (that never gave us a problem)" parts. We just figured with all the performance parts, might as well upgrade everything else too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad Posted March 16, 2010 Report Share Posted March 16, 2010 Might have trashed the cam? I suspect that. Did you use a ZDDP additive in the oil on break in? I hope it's just bad lifters. Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strang3majik Posted March 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2010 Might have trashed the cam? I suspect that. Did you use a ZDDP additive in the oil on break in? I hope it's just bad lifters. Dad Well...we spun the cam around, and, there doesn't appear to be any scarring at all, but...we're probably going to end up pulling it out and inspecting it closer. Also...we did use the break in stuff that came with the cam...and its still in there actually. But...thats what we're hoping as well...amazing how just one thing coming apart can lead to a chain reaction that could potentially take out everything. Stressful stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucw458 Posted March 16, 2010 Report Share Posted March 16, 2010 amazing how just one thing coming apart can lead to a chain reaction that could potentially take out everything. Stressful stuff. Try having a hole in a freeze plug between the block and trans that you don't catch right away. That destroyed the engine in my wifes car. Now before you say she should have checked the gauge let me tell you there is a design flaw. Most cars have the temp sender on the block, head, or intake so if the water drains out the metal engine will heat the sender and skyrocket the temp gauge. This car has the sender located in the heater hose. So if all the water drains out the gauge reads a little high but still in the OK range. 2 days after I had replaced the head it seized on the freeway and I had to rebuild the whole engine. Including replacing the rebuilt head which I had just put on 2 days earlier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strang3majik Posted March 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2010 yeah...almost had that happen in my stepmoms car...except hers the temp gauge was pinned, and she still drove it til a rod started knocking and it shut itself off. Somehow, it fixed itself though... but...just warning you, if a Quest dumps all its fluids, the temp gauge goes to zero...my car did it...it survived it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig87 Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 coolent temp sensors dont read air very well you can have a sensor in a big air pocket say the motor is cold and have boiling antifreeze. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 just on the cam won't get it. as I said Google zddp This needs to be added to the oil. Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strang3majik Posted March 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 just on the cam won't get it. as I said Google zddp This needs to be added to the oil. Dad thats what it was, the cam came with a small bottle of stuff, "Cam Saver" or something like that. And, yes, we also rubbed that red lube stuff on the cam lobes as well...but, this was in a bottle. Also...I know what you're saying about the oil, thats why we use Rotella in everything. Its supposedly one of the only oils that still has all those minerals and chemicals and all in it. Since it was meant for diesels, I guess they can get away with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiplash Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 The red stuff is what you put on the cam, etc.. to let it have some lubricant until oil gets to the journals and lobes. ZDDP is a second additive that has some zinc and other stuff to help harden the metal. If the zinc additive isn't added it can wear the lobes in mins. And more issues within 1000 miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiplash Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 All oils including Rotella has removed the zinc and other additives in their oils in Jan 2007. Ref http://www.aera.org/eptb/TB2333R.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strang3majik Posted March 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 well...guess I won't be paying extra for rotella anymore than...lol But...just asked my dad about it, and he said that Hughes Engines actually called him and sent him a bottle of that stuff after he already recieved the cam because they forgot to put it in the box...lolHughes Engines is a smaller company that only deals with Mopar...so...a good company to deal with...you get very good service with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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