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Engine bearing job turns into complete disaster

So what happened with the shop? They're clearly idiots.

Have replaced crank and rod bearings with a new oil pump many times. Kind of hillbilly, but copper showing in a bearing doesn't scare me either in a DD with a slushbox.

I have had a couple oil pump failures in my day (from garbage made in Michigan Melling pumps) and the motor ran fine until all the lifters collapsed. New oil pump, started right up. Probably took 30k off the motor but it was fine. You found some idiots.
 
I'm late to the part but doesn't a SBC oil pump stay submerged in oil most of the time? A gallon and an a half of oil fills the pan up pretty high and the pump is nearly on the bottom.

How can it lose prime when it is covered with oil all the time?
 
bassackwards said:
I'm late to the part but doesn't a SBC oil pump stay submerged in oil most of the time? A gallon and an a half of oil fills the pan up pretty high and the pump is nearly on the bottom.

How can it lose prime when it is covered with oil all the time?
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That's the point, it won't. You can run it down to 2 quarts where it wont pick up oil. Add a quart and pressure is back.
 
I just had my oil pump pick up fall off. Maintained great oil pressure for normal driving but started dropping at high rpm. That's the only way I knew anything was wrong.
 
Chevy305 said:
I just had my oil pump pick up fall off. Maintained great oil pressure for normal driving but started dropping at high rpm. That's the only way I knew anything was wrong.
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When I installed my GM Goodwrench 350 crate motor in my truck I also installed several small things to make the engine more reliable. Besides swapping out the stock 4-qt oil pan for a 5-qt oil pan from Dorman, and installing a steel sleeved oil pump drive rod...I also installed an oil pump pick-up tube retaining bracket from Pioneer.

pio-839061_bk_ml.jpg
 
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Yes, finally got it back.. Talked to builder, they put in a sleeved connecting shaft (eliminates plastic clip) for the pump (it's a high volume version), so I believe they forgot to put that in (only explanation for no oil pressure).

He put on the receipt that they are still sticking to the lost oil pump prime as root cause. And get this, when the put it back together, it's now leaking coolant at the t-stat neck, even though they replaced the gasket. They also over torqued the valve cover bolts and flattened the clamps (bent the lip of the cover) i just put new ones on last year (now that I pointed that out, he said they were already bent WTF), and one side the gasket is being pushed out. Said it's a he said / she said. Dented the oil filter and forgot to put back on the braces between the flexplate cover and engine mount bracket... Even though he said it was ready yesterday no leaks, now he wants me to bring it back, yeah right.

Also, said because I requested 15w40 oil rotella t for 500 mile break-in high zinc content, just said that's thick oil but didn't say "we are not responsible for leaks now because of customers oil choice" like he put on the receipt total cya, (said he wanted to change it in 500 miles and take a sample) the oil pressure is now too high. WTF, it's always been at 60 psi cold using 5w30 or 15w40, because it has a high volume pump. It's running good though.
 
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toddball said:
I requested 15w40 oil rotella t for 500 mile break-in high zinc content
Click to expand...

I use Valvoline 20W-50 VR1 Racing oil in my flat tappet cam small block engine. It has a high zinc content it it.

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I used Royal Purple 20W-50 "break in oil" with a very high zinc content in it for my new crate engine initial engine start up and 500-mile break in.

71BGqShdPTL._SY355_.jpg
 
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Ok so i have put on 200 miles now the transmission is leaking bad around converter pulled cover, flinging fluid. Is this related?
 
They may have disconnected the torque converter from the flywheel and pushed it back to get clearance when the did the crank bearings.
If they shoved it back too far,
( prybar ) they probably damaged the front seal in the trans...
 
If they didnt remove the crank, why would you need to disconnect torque converter?
 
They might have removed all the main bearing caps at once,and allowed the weight of the crank to "hang" on the torque converter,which might damage the front pump seal and or bushing..
 
Ok, any other ideas? Say they just did one bearing at a time? I had a torque convertor fail at 12k miles had a bad weld small leak like this.
 
Time to stop going back to these guys. Oh wait, that was weeks ago.

I really don't understand why you keep allowing them to work on your truck, then come here and ask us to diagnose the latest way they may have f-ed up. That engine is now a time bomb IMO. stop going back there, cut your losses and get yourself a crate engine with a warranty.
 
Yeah they aren't going to work on my truck anymore, it was a real pain to get it back two weeks ago after they had it for 45 days. Just trying to figure out what if anything the engine work could have caused this transmissiom problem. Besides letting the crank hang or messing up disconnecting the tq converter. End play ?

And thanks again everyone for your help to confirm the issues I had with this shop. Looks like he is willing to negotiate on some money back.
 
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