4.6 Rods installed backwards

Rolltide1006 · Oct 20, 2018

Hey all. Had my shortblock forged a year ago and been driving it for that long too. Well last weekend I heard a knocking sound. Heard it was coming from the motor and dropped the next day. I never lost oil pressure, motor was primed before first start, new oil pump was installed, always full on oil and changed regularly. Well this is what I found. Cylinders 1 and 5’s connecting rods are installed backwards and the bearings are riding on the crank fillets. The bearing on cylinder 1’s connecting rod wasn’t installed properly either. Monday can’t get here quick enough.

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wmburns · Oct 21, 2018

OMG, if I paid someone else to do the work I would be sooooooooooooo mad.

If I did the work and made the mistake, well.......that just sucks.

2vBoss · Oct 21, 2018

Can you elaborate about the rods being installed backwards?

Kind of a stupid question, i know. But lets be sure we are on the same page.

fastwhite99gt · Oct 21, 2018

Most rods have a direction to face them when you install them on the pistons so that the big ends meet the right way in the crank. You have to make sure the piston is the right direction and the rod is put in the correct way.

GTO44 · Oct 21, 2018

Had a customer spin a rod bearing a month ago. Pulled it apart and found the same thing. 2 of the caps were switched. Wiped out the crank too. Some people shouldnt be touching the inside of a motor.

Rolltide1006 · Oct 21, 2018

wmburns said:
OMG, if I paid someone else to do the work I would be sooooooooooooo mad.

If I did the work and made the mistake, well.......that just sucks.

I paid $3600 on this shortblock.

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Rolltide1006 · Oct 21, 2018

2vBoss said:
Can you elaborate about the rods being installed backwards?

Kind of a stupid question, i know. But lets be sure we are on the same page.

These scat rods are chamfered on one end. That end has to face what is called the crank fillet (edge of the rod journal on the crank). If not, the rod bearings ride on that fillet and game over. New shortblock, for free

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BrightBlueCobra · Oct 22, 2018

That is absurd, I am speechless.

CrucialProspect · Oct 22, 2018

Ouch man, ouch. Let me know how that pans out!

SuperStockAMX · Oct 22, 2018

It’s amazing, and I can’t fathom why, it lasted this long. Like...I’m surprised it made it to the end of the driveway! Basically the parts melded to one another and that apparently worked this long. Might as well name the builder now because I’d bet money you don’t receive any satisfaction. Warranty is long gone and he’ll claim somebody else must have worked on the engine.

Rolltide1006 · Oct 22, 2018

SuperStockAMX said:
It’s amazing, and I can’t fathom why, it lasted this long. Like...I’m surprised it made it to the end of the driveway! Basically the parts melded to one another and that apparently worked this long. Might as well name the builder now because I’d bet money you don’t receive any satisfaction. Warranty is long gone and he’ll claim somebody else must have worked on the engine.

Good thing this js the machine shop my shop uses. I will get satisfaction lol. Im ready for battle this morning

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SilverSmith82 · Oct 22, 2018

If they don't cover a complete new engine, plus the labor I'd take them to small claims court. If they can figure out whatever tech did the work they might want to look into a new hire because you KNOW this is not the only engine this person did this to. Probably doesn't even know they can't just go in any old way.

#### like this is why I just do all my own work.

Rolltide1006 · Oct 22, 2018

SilverSmith82 said:
If they don't cover a complete new engine, plus the labor I'd take them to small claims court. If they can figure out whatever tech did the work they might want to look into a new hire because you KNOW this is not the only engine this person did this to. Probably doesn't even know they can't just go in any old way.

#### like this is why I just do all my own work.

Yes, I have learned.

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SilverSmith82 · Oct 27, 2018

So what happened?

Rolltide1006 · Oct 27, 2018

SilverSmith82 said:
So what happened?

Took it to the machine shop that did the work and they refused to take the pan off and show me the rest of the bearings. I wasn’t going to leave it with them so I took it to another machine shop recommended by a speed shop. There we found all the rods backwards, but #1 was the only that had the bearing tangs misaligned. I caught it in time and Matt said he could fix me up. He also said that stock GT crank fillets are different than steel cobra crank fillets. If i would of had a cobra crank i would not have made it out the driveway. I will know more in the coming days.

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SilverSmith82 · Oct 27, 2018

Sounds like you might have a small claims court case on your hands and also they are about to lose a lot of business if your shop uses them. Sounds like they area bunch of morons.

Rolltide1006 · Oct 27, 2018

SilverSmith82 said:
Sounds like you might have a small claims court case on your hands and also they are about to lose a lot of business if your shop uses them. Sounds like they area bunch of morons.

Ya I am going to hit them with the bill once it’s done.

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Rolltide1006 · Dec 19, 2018

Back up and running

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CrucialProspect · Dec 19, 2018

Nice! How did everything pan out?

SilverSmith82 · Dec 21, 2018

Hope the jackass shop paid up. If not, go to small claims. Sounds crazy good anyways. Glad to hear its back up and running.

4.6 Rods installed backwards

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