A tale of woe.

[jcv1968]

What a couple of weeks! Started of so well with the delivery of my newly galvanised chassis (I'll post the pics very soon). Got the thing up on some axle stands and started to bolt bits on using galvanised bolts and lashings of copper grease, rather hoping never to see any rust! Waiting for some parts for the drive train so spent a few hours cleaning the dif casing inside and out before 2 good coats of black smootherite. Engine in bits ready for rebuild and block acid cleaned. (more smootherite on the block) Gearbox rebuilt with new lay shaft, input and output bearings and new seals all round and even more smootherite. Started to feel rather smug as everything was going so well.
Family duties called and had to attend a Christening, cleaned out Freddie and even treated him to some new rubber mats. 20 miles down the road, bang! Cam belt has jumped. Wife really not happy. Green flag to the rescue.
Took off head, 6 bent valves, 1 cracked piston and a bent con rod. Pants! Engine has only done 6000 miles since a full rebuild. Belt tensioner was pattern part and pully bearing collapsed rather catastrophically.
So rather than getting to play with my new truck, I've spent the last week rebuilding Fredies engine for the second time this year. No pattern parts this time, all genuine GM. Hopefully get it back in him tomorrow and back on the road on Monday. Who knows the Wife might be talking to me by then as well!

[Drift]

Flippin eck thats a bit of bad luck, hope the rebuild goes well

[SPEEDBIRD 202]

I feel for you there mate - thats no joke

There was a similar story on this Forum a while back, where somebody replaced their front engine pulley with a ' pattern part ' or non genuine Vauxhall part. They had the problem of it breaking-up and chewing part of the crankshaft which the woodruff key sits in ........

The guy was talking about having to get a new engine as the pulley would now no longer fit on the crankshaft .......

A lesson to be learned for all of us ............ I think

atb

[jcv1968]

Definitly not worth fitting some of these pattern parts, not too sure where I bought it from, still it could have been worse, its a lovely engine to work on and everything is just about done and ready to fire. Had enough for one evening so will start the engine tomorrow, hopefully first time! Stuck the battery on charge just in case.

Total damage.
7 valves (thought it was 6 but one a bit suspect). 2 guides. 1 piston. 1 con rod. 1 cam belt.

Stuff required for rebuild.
Head gasket set. Mobil 1 oil. Anti Freeze GM belt tensioner. Piston. Con Rod. 3 inlet valves. 4 Exhaust valves. 2 Valve guide inserts. Cam Belt. Exhaust/Manifold Gasket. Sump Gasket. Oil Filter. Coffee. 200 Cigarettes.

Well cost me an arm and a portion of my leg, but I bet I saved a tenner the first time I rebuilt the engine!

Lesson for all. We generally get what we pay for.