Hey all!

I'm tearing apart my 84 F150 due to engine failure (to say the least) and thought a thread about funny/sad/anger-inducing problems could be constructive.

Maybe help the next guy avoid the issues we've encountered. Could be helpful. Could be funny. Could be frustrating.

Anywho, what better way to start off a thread like this than a thrown rod and an inch and a half hole through the block and oil pan.

Post some of your problems!

Enjoy!



Little info about the before symptoms: I was reading low oil pressure once warmed up and to speed. I was working 7 days a week at the time, 16-18 hour days and literally had no time to change it as it was my daily driver. I will take a taxi next time for sure. What a headache.

Another issue I was having with the truck before it went out was it was hard to start when warm. What do you think that is? I couldn't figure it out. Bad oil pickup? Carburator issues? Let me know your thoughts!

Obviously, I want to avoid this for the rest of my life. Haha.

Thanks guys!

 

I'm no expert, but that hole looks like a puncture hole from the outside, not a rod that came from inside the engine. See how the metal bends inward? If it was a rod that was thrown out of the engine, the metal should bend outward, right?

Lets assume that it was a rod thrown (as I've heard happen to other people also)... What could prevent this catastrophic failure from happening? Was it loose rockers? Maybe compression failure of the lifters? Rotation failure of the rockers?

 

I don't see any metal that's bent inwards, I'd say that definitely came from inside.

 

It must be one of those optical illusion things...

 

Oh it definitely came from inside! You can see my piston rod laying against the hole right there.

When I removed my intake manifold I saw only fifteen push rods and fifteen lifters. Now I'm no mechanic or nothin, but I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be 16. Haha. I guess a lifter failed and shot down through the cam allowing the push rod to sink right through. I'll be pulling the heads pretty soon here along with the oil pan, just out of curiosity.

Somebody wanna buy my crank?! Hahaha

 

A little further investigation shows another, pretty small, issue. It looks like somebody decided to install the "mini cam special." Who needs the full cam anyways? Right?





I can see the rest of the cam lodged in there, with a lifter or two in the bottom of my oil pan.

As my brother in law said, "Now that is some impressive damage."

 

That is some impressive damage. So the camshaft broke first causing the rods/lifters to dislodge? What would cause a broken camshaft?

Just trying to figure out what I can/cannot do to prevent such a failure.

 

You know, i'm not exactly sure. Maybe some wiser men can chime in. I'm pulling the engine in a couple hours here. I'll post some more pics when I get the block disassembled.



I'm thinking a seized lifter. Or a lifter that fell through.