<VV> Blown engine

[Tony Underwood]

At 08:19 PM 11/23/2006, Smitty Smith wrote:

>   I learned a long time ago that no matter what I write on here 
> somebody is going to second guess me as though they are the only 
> ones to ever have an intelligent thought.  So I will preempt their 
> comments by saying, yes I know I could have used new or super duty 
> rod bolts.  I could have magnafluxed the rods too.  I could have 
> magnafluxed all ferrous parts in the engine and Dye Penetrent 
> checked the rest.  I could have bought a NOS engine.  If you don't 
> personally do all these things then I don't want you to harass me 
> for not doing them.



...coulda been something that was ready to fail structurally, and it 
picked that time to go.   It coulda been something that simply 
suddenly fatigued for whatever reason.   It coulda simply been the 
luck of the draw.

Anybody who would sit back and mumble "told ya so" evidently hasn't 
ever had a brand new part fail for no reason either.    There's 
people in here who "did it right the first time" and had something 
*new* fail for no good reason after a careful assembly.    It's gotta 
be frustrating...  S.U. comes to mind.

Hindsight's 20-20 and even then there's no guarantee that *Anything* 
you could have done would have second-guessed a rod bolt 
failure.    Obviously a bolt can be fine up until the time it's 
suddenly not... and no amount of eyeballing or 'Fluxing might be able 
to identify a flaw for sure.   It can go from solid as a rock to 
fatigued in a matter of seconds when under stress if things are "just 
right", or wrong, depending on your interpretation.    Over the years 
I've seen various engines which went together "Right" end up failing 
for one reason or another...  and more than a couple were rebuilds 
done by serious people with reputations.



Smitty, I've know ya a long time; I doubt that you'd ever let 
anything obnoxious slip by you in an overhaul...   still recall the 
engine in that yellow car that went together with basement leftovers 
and still went the distance.     Some of the Gurus took some 
exception to it, calling it "impractical" to do up such an 
engine.    I didn't think so, had already BTDT often.



You'll not be getting any "hurmphs" from the likes of me for what you 
might have "failed" to do.   I'd wager that it didn't go down that 
way.     Here's to success in getting another engine together for the 
wagon in time for the traveling season.    Hope the Thanksgiving 
events went well for all...



tony..