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Post Info TOPIC: Part Quality


MARKHAM, ONT

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Part Quality
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I know I've gone off on this before but it really grinds my gears when I see people spend good money for poor quality parts.  Recently had a customer, who is also an old friend, reach out because the new "crate" 454 engine he installed in his project 1970 El Camino was running really bad.  As with most of us, the project took a lot longer to complete than planned so the warranty on his parts have expired.  It was only firing on 6 cylinders but he had verified compression was ok and even pulled the rocker cover to verify valve action in case the cam went south.  I suspected a vacuum leak but flowing propane/penetrating oil made no difference at all.  Its really loud so I could'nt listen for a hiss or whistle.  Finally tried shooting some either down the seam between the intake and the head and 2 more cylinders came to life????  He pulled the intake himself and found the new Weiand had a .020 gap on the sealing surface that had never been machined.  See pic.  He was able to get the machine shop to mill it and ordered the thicker intake gaskets but seriously, this is just wrong.  He is out the cost of repairs, machining and several months of potential "drive time".

 

240319709_10165572197095445_599233233833



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DJD


SCARBOROUGH, ONT

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is really sad that somebody let that get past them..maybe even .. disgusting..

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XZ


MARKHAM, ONT

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What's sadder is Weiand not sending out a new one esta pronto. A guy needs no warranty for a defect as clear as that.

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PUGSY


FOXBORO, ONT

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stupid ? but, where did he buy the engine and or the intake? it's been awhile but i don't remember g-m using weiand intakes. like i said it's been awhile. being if they were bought new i am with pugs on they should have seen it was virgin and not tampered with so send it back no matter the time frame, it is/was still unused new and not tampered with, which would show easily. piss poor customer relations on somebody's part.

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MARKHAM, ONT

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Looked like a GM crate engine, the intake/headers sounded like they came from one of the US speed shops.  Everything was top shelf on the build.  If it was me, I would have probably pursued it but then, I'm too cheap to ever buy a crate engine or the "fancy" ceramic coated headers.  He decided to just have it machined and go with the thicker intake gaskets.  It delayed the project for almost a year as he paid to have a couple of people come out and try to figure it out before me so I guess he was getting impatient.  From my perspective, its back together and he is happy but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the "thick" intake gaskets.  With the aluminum heads, aluminum intake and a four speed, I'm a little concerned that it may pull the gasket on a heavy downshift.  Its beast of an engine!  Has anyone ever used them?



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FOXBORO, ONT

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like i said it has been awhile since i have put a car together and i have bought a couple of long blocks for work trucks some years ago less intake, water pump etc. i know you can buy some stout g-m crate engines today but i would bet the intake on them is stamped g-m, not weiand. i would think the beef would be talking direct to weiand if the supplier shuts you down and that would be bad p/r on their part of it. as for sucking in the thicker gaskets, i don't know. maybe some years ago when we where running with more compression than todays motors and old technology and materials used for the gaskets but for him today i think you can pretty much buy stuff that will work. get your wallet out, lol. i hope he done the other head to even it out and now is the time for a good hardware kit also.
just thinking out loud is all, lol. when you mentioned it being 4 speed, good point by the way, it got me to thinking and that don't happen a lot lately, lol. my dart motor in the chevelle is 823hp with 10.5:1 comp which compared to the old days where 13.1 plus was normal. they are making a lot of h-p today with motors to run on todays pump gas with all the high tech parts available. thanks for the brain teaser, lol, and i wish him good luck.

 

ps.   ooops, brain fart.  lmao    when i re/read the post this morning i realized you were talking intake, not a g-d head.   cancel my last comment about doing the other head for balance.   this getting old sucks.  lol

  same out come with todays parts though.  



-- Edited by shag766 on Sunday 12th of September 2021 08:26:38 AM

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MARKHAM, ONT

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Good point on the compression ratio, hopefully all will be well and they did look like a quality gasket.  Funny thing, when I google vacuum leak, the Weiand Stealth is a popular hit across all engines, not just the 454.  Perhaps they used a different casting process?  I guess the moral of the story is to check everything closely before installing.  I'm probably the worst offender, always finish scrubbing new rotors with brake clean, then find out they don't fit the car I am working on! Also seem to make a perfect double flare, then notice the fitting on the bench   LOL



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