440 problem help

[charger01]

I got my 440 a couple of years ago as a complete rebuilt longblock.  Supposedly redone by a speedshop somewhere in NJ.  Finally got the thing all together and in the car and seem to run fine for about a half hour a few weeks ago.  Anyways decided to adjust carb and try to fine tune it today.  That didnt last long.  The motor came to a sudden stop.  At further inspection, the crank would turn but the cam would not.  Pulled the front cover off and the idiot who built the motor didnt put the washer over the cam sprocket.  So it came loose.  Noticed at least 2 bowed pushrods.  Any advice on what I should do with this thing?  Toast?  Repairable?
thanks for any help

[John_Kunkel]

You'd better pull the heads, you probably have a couple of bent valves and possibly some holed pistons.

[is_it_EVER_done?]

There is no washer that goes on the crank sprocket. The sprocket is held captive by the damper assembly, and could not possibly slip unless the damper had worked it's way forward by at least an inch or so, and even then the chain and cover would make this near impossible.

Either the sprocket was installed without it's woodruff key in place (the steel wedge that fits in the crank and damper slots), or it was sheared. One last possability is that the cam dowel was not in place or sheared.

If the crank woodruff is not their, you will need to get one and install it (and be very worried about the quality of the rest of the build). If the woodruff (or cam dowel) is sheared, it was most likely caused by piston to valve collision due to inadequate clearance when the engine was built (I would say this is about a %99.9 probability), or the cam bearing(s) are seizing due to too tight a clearance, or inadequate oil supply (highly doubtful, but possible), or a very slight possability that it was caused by coil bind in the valve springs - though I have never seen this cause more than bent pushrods.

In any event you will have to take the heads off and have the valves checked/repaired. As far as other possible problems, ... you may have scuffed the cam/lifters (early cam death), ... the build quality is highly suspect which means that other areas may be just as bad, ... if the valve/piston collision was severe enough to shear a woodruff key then it may have cracked a piston.

Determine the cause before you effect any repairs or disassemble everything, and let us know what you find.

[charger01]

Typo on my part there.  They forgot to put the washer on the cam sprocket.  I will probably pull the heads off, but any possiblity its only bad pushrods, or you think it definately got the valves and pistons too?

[is_it_EVER_done?]

Ahhh... makes much more sense now. Did it shear the cam dowel? In any event, you will have to check the valves, but before you take the heads off, fix the problem, and do a leak down test on the engine - if you don't have the components necessary to do that, do a compression check as that will tell you (pretty much) if the valves are still good.

I'm guessing that you have some bent valves, but perhaps you got very lucky and only bent the pushrods. Fortunately, your failure is the least destructive of the other possabilities, and will probably allow you to fix the broken pieces and be on your way without further problems.

[charger01]

Havent really even paid attention to the cam dowel to be totally honest.  took the front cover off and saw the upper sprocket laying off the cam.  Noticed a couple bent pushrods.  Iam just not to technical at alot of these major repairs.  Was planning on pulling the heads and having everything checked out and hope the pistons are ok.  Do you think it could of hurt anything else?  Probably the most unhappy guy in the world riht now