Engine Failure

[RICK LAKE]

DAVID GAGNARD David If you pull up the installation procedure you will find that you are to do a stretch bolt procedure min of 3 times before installing the rods for final torque specs. Both ARP 8740 and 2000 bolts need this done.I do agree with Jerry on too many retorqueings on these rod bolts, if they where not changed between the Boss motor and back to the 302 block It's probably why the the motor broke at the rod cap. I took me 2 1/2 hours to do this on my stroker motor. After that the torque reading was in the 70+ lb spec. I went buy the stretch bolt gauge and 2 calls to Barry R. who sold me the kit. ARP also confirmed this in a call to tech. After installation you are to measure the bolt length and like you I mark the rod bolts to watch for any movement or backing out of the holes in the rods. .001" you are to replace the bolts if they stretched this much. I think ARP also tells you this too.
As far a the accusump this is just an insurance thing for the motor to do 2 things, peroil the motor before starting up and keep oil pressure up on high "g" turns. If you where going to race full time, a dry sump. I have a canton road race pan too with scrapers and windage tray. A $350.00 dollar aux oil tank is peanuts for what the motor cost to replace if low or no oil pressure happens when racing. I also have the kill switch for my motor when the oil pressure gets below 20 psi, It didn't work when I broke my first rocker shaft and didn't have the accusump on the motor. You know why, because of the location of the switch being at the housing for the lines. Front of the motor had 25 psi and the back of the motor had nothing. There was no oil in the rocker covers.
If you are going to stay with the 302 stock block I hope you will add girdles to the mains and the valley to strengthen the motor block. I heard that when the Boss block came out there where some issues with machining done on the block. Rear cap and mating surfaces. Dimpeling fixed the mating surfaces. Rear main seal, I didn't hear of a fix for this. May be a Poly seal instaed of rope. Does your crank have grooves in the rear
main area? If not this caused a rear leak.
I will live you something to think about, If you believe everything the OLD RACERS tell you we never would have gotten to where we are today. MUst PRO's drive and don't work on there cars. You, Jerry, and me and others are 1 man garages that have limited funds to do this. I have talked 4 people into adding accusumps in there cars and use them, I just got a thank you letter from a guy that got a broken oil pump drive. The sump saved a $15,000.00 motor. I am a student of building and racing motors, 30+ years. I learn new things everyday about building better, safer, stronger, and more durable motors and cars. Looking forward to see you back on the track and running hard. Rick L.