Our Smokin' Hi-Tech

601HP · #1 (**permalink**) 06-25-2007, 02:08 PM

Friday afternoon, Peggy and I were among the caravan headed toward QSL. We drive a red with white striped Hi-Tech 427 car. When we were about 20 miles into the trip, our car's engine ceased making power, and began to belch amazing amounts of smoke from both side pipes. From that point we became trailer king and queen. We did stay until Saturday afternoon as spectators, but opted to leave for home late Saturday.

Back in Maryland, I dissected the side-oiler Sunday afternoon. It was not a pretty sight. Both intake valve springs for #2 cylinder had broken. That resulted in the intake valve dropping south, the piston broke the valve face from the stem, rotated the valve face 90 degrees and then buried the valve face into the cylinder head. And for the final disappointment, the fiasco left a 4" crack in #2 cylinder wall!

Peg and I still had a snakin' good time, especially at Mid-Ohio race track, and at the Friday night shindig, and again at London. We enjoyed meeting so many interesting folks, and watching the whole group get-together at London.

For several reasons, I think we may not get back to the LCS until 2009, but we'll still be thinking of you!! Maybe I'll be sportin' an aluminum block to replace the iron block I just trashed, darn it.

David and Peggy Brown

rdorman · #2 (**permalink**) 06-26-2007, 05:47 AM

Ouch David! Having had almost the exact same thing happen, I feel your pain. Hope to see you and your wife again soon!

RedSnake351 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-27-2007, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 601HP

... It was not a pretty sight. Both intake valve springs for #2 cylinder had broken. That resulted in the intake valve dropping south, the piston broke the valve face from the stem, rotated the valve face 90 degrees and then buried the valve face into the cylinder head. And for the final disappointment, the fiasco left a 4" crack in #2 cylinder wall!

Wow, David, that shoots the hell out of the theory we had surmised on the way back to pick up your trailer about "it's probably just an intake manifold gasket!"
It's surprising how much coolant was pouring out of both sidepipes at the time but I suppose with all the pressure in the system it wouldn't take long to make a gusher through that 4" crack.
Dave, I hope to meet you again under better circumstances in the future.
Your Chauffeur, Ralph

HotRodJoe · #4 (**permalink**) 06-28-2007, 08:35 AM

Sorry to hear about the engine, but you needed an AL block anyway...

Nice to meet you guys!

HRJ & Jack

601HP · #5 (**permalink**) 06-28-2007, 10:03 AM

Ralph and Joe,
Thanks for the help, the conversation and the follow-up to my thread.

An aluminum block will be nice, but I'm disappointed to have broken what was a NOS Ford side-oiler block when I first purchased it in 1993.

I guess if you play too hard with your toys, they will break!!

See you guys later. Peg and I will return to the annual event where plastic cars (mostly plastic, some actually have an alloy body) and high horsepower meet for a rousing weekend!!
David

Michael4yah · #6 (**permalink**) 06-28-2007, 12:14 PM

Sorry to hear about that. Reminds me of the pop up design pistons with the little nubs on top to push the valve back up. Can the block be welded and resleeved? I have a 427 Hi Tech also..... Just not finished( embarassed).

Excaliber · #7 (**permalink**) 06-28-2007, 02:12 PM

If you play hard enough you can break an alloy block as well. Hey, stuff happens, darn those valve springs! Sorry for your loss.

Michael4yah · #8 (**permalink**) 06-28-2007, 02:37 PM

I think they should use terms like in welding to describe some engine parts, They call that stuff consumables!! Sorry for your loss, Id check to see if you could weld it and resleeve it, Keith Craft will resleeve you block for 85.00 per hole. And from what I hear he does it right. Anyone else here have a block sleeved by Kraft or anyone else???