My worst nightmare has been realised today!
Just had a phone call from my engine builder who has completed his stripdown assessment and here's some of the worst points:
1) Block has been sleeved on No.7 cylinder and No.6 cylinder has twin grooves at the bottom of the bore, where a broken H-beal rod has hit it sometime in the chequered history of this block! Also, one of the main cap registers is loose allowing the main cap to move around when unbolted.
2) TRW pistons show signs of skirt collapse.
3) LeMans crank main & rod journals under 30 thou under size so that is definitely scrap anyway.
4) The valve guides were worn, and the valve collets were loose allowing valve stem movement.
5) Valve spring pressures below spec.
6) Small witness marks on the underside of the Dove roller rockers where the pushrod cups have been hitting them. i.e. pushrods are too long!
7)
Oil pressure relief valve in the back of the block has been jammed closed to keep high
oil pressure.
The engine had only done 3,000 miles since purchase from an engine builder in USA - whose name I will keep to myself for now, but save to say that it is nobody on this particular thread.
In summary, I paid a lot of money for a 427 side oiler which had turned out to be nothing more than a pile of knackered parts bolted together.
I shall be contacting the engine builder in USA next week to hear what he has to say about my situation.
