New 427 engine for my C5Z - RHS block with LXR heads
05-04-2010, 03:56 PM
#21
Drifting
Thread Starter
Obviously things didn't go as planned....
My biggest mistake was in wanting a Warhawk engine. I would strongly recommend that others not make that same mistake. I read all the reviews and thought I was making a wise decision. But my opinion is that the few negative reports online are really only the tip of a BIG iceberg.
But that being said, I can't say enough good things about LME. They could have easily blown me off about this saying it was World Products' problem and not theirs. But Bryan immediately stepped up to the plate and saved this from becoming an absolute disaster for me. This could have been a FAR bigger headache than it turned out to be, which was sizable enough as it is.
05-04-2010, 08:22 PM
#23
Burning Brakes
actually, that was my plan as well. But i was being conservative in estimating the car would be down for two weeks.
Obviously things didn't go as planned....
My biggest mistake was in wanting a warhawk engine. I would strongly recommend that others not make that same mistake. I read all the reviews and thought i was making a wise decision. But my opinion is that the few negative reports online are really only the tip of a big iceberg.
But that being said, i can't say enough good things about lme. They could have easily blown me off about this saying it was world products' problem and not theirs. But bryan immediately stepped up to the plate and saved this from becoming an absolute disaster for me. This could have been a far bigger headache than it turned out to be, which was sizable enough as it is.
Obviously things didn't go as planned....
My biggest mistake was in wanting a warhawk engine. I would strongly recommend that others not make that same mistake. I read all the reviews and thought i was making a wise decision. But my opinion is that the few negative reports online are really only the tip of a big iceberg.
But that being said, i can't say enough good things about lme. They could have easily blown me off about this saying it was world products' problem and not theirs. But bryan immediately stepped up to the plate and saved this from becoming an absolute disaster for me. This could have been a far bigger headache than it turned out to be, which was sizable enough as it is.
05-05-2010, 12:47 AM
#25
Drifting
Thread Starter
That's the point. I did. Everything was supposed to be at XtremeMotorsports so I could drive my car there, Chris would do the work, then I would drive my car back. Of course there will always be little odds and ends needed but all of the major stuff was there at the shop at the time. Unfortunately the heads on the Warhawk engine had some issues, which caused substantial delays getting them addressed, and then when I got the engine back from being "repaired" I then found the crack on a valve guide section of the casing that killed the deal. LME offered to make me a new engine, this time based on an RHS block and LXR heads. It just took substantial time for RHS to make the block to get it to LME.
Early on there were some other delays. Such as me getting sick, Chris getting sick, deaths in Chris's family, a late hurricane coming into this area..... Basically all omens, as it turned out, to dump that World Products engine. Lucky as it turned out, because those delays gave me enough time to take some very detailed photos that turned up that crack that I otherwise would never have found. It was bad enough that the head mounting bolt holes on the heads were misdrilled, and had to have World Products re-do them, which turned out to be a real crappy job anyway.
So this has been one colossal mess. Which I hope will finally be behind me with no further issues (crossed fingers).
But honestly it wouldn't surprise me one bit if when Chris starts up that engine for the first time a rod shoots up through the intake manifold like a rocket. Nothing reflecting on those products nor LME's or Chris's handiwork, it's just that luck just hasn't been on my side with this build, so I'm certainly not in an optimistic mood about it.
Early on there were some other delays. Such as me getting sick, Chris getting sick, deaths in Chris's family, a late hurricane coming into this area..... Basically all omens, as it turned out, to dump that World Products engine. Lucky as it turned out, because those delays gave me enough time to take some very detailed photos that turned up that crack that I otherwise would never have found. It was bad enough that the head mounting bolt holes on the heads were misdrilled, and had to have World Products re-do them, which turned out to be a real crappy job anyway.
So this has been one colossal mess. Which I hope will finally be behind me with no further issues (crossed fingers).
But honestly it wouldn't surprise me one bit if when Chris starts up that engine for the first time a rod shoots up through the intake manifold like a rocket. Nothing reflecting on those products nor LME's or Chris's handiwork, it's just that luck just hasn't been on my side with this build, so I'm certainly not in an optimistic mood about it.
05-06-2010, 11:12 AM
#27
Drifting
Thread Starter
05-06-2010, 01:35 PM
#28
Burning Brakes
That's the point. I did. Everything was supposed to be at XtremeMotorsports so I could drive my car there, Chris would do the work, then I would drive my car back. Of course there will always be little odds and ends needed but all of the major stuff was there at the shop at the time. Unfortunately the heads on the Warhawk engine had some issues, which caused substantial delays getting them addressed, and then when I got the engine back from being "repaired" I then found the crack on a valve guide section of the casing that killed the deal. LME offered to make me a new engine, this time based on an RHS block and LXR heads. It just took substantial time for RHS to make the block to get it to LME.
Early on there were some other delays. Such as me getting sick, Chris getting sick, deaths in Chris's family, a late hurricane coming into this area..... Basically all omens, as it turned out, to dump that World Products engine. Lucky as it turned out, because those delays gave me enough time to take some very detailed photos that turned up that crack that I otherwise would never have found. It was bad enough that the head mounting bolt holes on the heads were misdrilled, and had to have World Products re-do them, which turned out to be a real crappy job anyway.
So this has been one colossal mess. Which I hope will finally be behind me with no further issues (crossed fingers).
But honestly it wouldn't surprise me one bit if when Chris starts up that engine for the first time a rod shoots up through the intake manifold like a rocket. Nothing reflecting on those products nor LME's or Chris's handiwork, it's just that luck just hasn't been on my side with this build, so I'm certainly not in an optimistic mood about it.
Early on there were some other delays. Such as me getting sick, Chris getting sick, deaths in Chris's family, a late hurricane coming into this area..... Basically all omens, as it turned out, to dump that World Products engine. Lucky as it turned out, because those delays gave me enough time to take some very detailed photos that turned up that crack that I otherwise would never have found. It was bad enough that the head mounting bolt holes on the heads were misdrilled, and had to have World Products re-do them, which turned out to be a real crappy job anyway.
So this has been one colossal mess. Which I hope will finally be behind me with no further issues (crossed fingers).
But honestly it wouldn't surprise me one bit if when Chris starts up that engine for the first time a rod shoots up through the intake manifold like a rocket. Nothing reflecting on those products nor LME's or Chris's handiwork, it's just that luck just hasn't been on my side with this build, so I'm certainly not in an optimistic mood about it.
Rich, I think your worries and nightmare will fade away as soon as you hear the motor run and you start driving it!
As for WP your experience is only one of many I read or heard about. Sadly it shows that even good innovative ideas need to be followed through by a top notch quality ethic. It's pretty apparent from the emails you received that WP accepts mediocrity in tolerances as OK.
On the plus side your engine builder cared enough his reputation and took care of the issue!
05-06-2010, 04:14 PM
#29
Race Director
Wow, what a great looking motor. What're the specs on that block, like bore/stroke? What's going to be the redline, and how big of a cam are you going to use?
05-06-2010, 10:05 PM
#31
Burning Brakes
my girlfriend always reminds me that bigger is better , so she's happy now
kinda the same thing
biiger motor makes a guy happy
kinda the same thing
biiger motor makes a guy happy
Last edited by postwhore; 05-07-2010 at 02:11 AM.
05-07-2010, 03:45 PM
#35
Team Owner
05-07-2010, 08:27 PM
#37
Drifting
Thread Starter
I could have gone bigger, but *427* just has such a mystique about it in relation to the Corvette. Even to people who know absolutely nothing about cars, that number just seems to raise eyebrows and bring a smile to the face.Nope, not planning on racing it. Not to say that I won't try it on the quarter mile just for curiosity's sake, though.
05-07-2010, 08:30 PM
#38
Drifting
Thread Starter
Having some issues getting the LS6 oil pan to mount onto the block because of fitment problems. Chris told me he took the oil pan to a machinist to have some areas milled out instead of just trying to hog it all out with a grinder.
He also took those polished cradles to a local paint shop to have them clear coated. Probably will make them much easier to keep clean that way.
He was just going to work on some rewiring today, so I didn't bother running out there. Hopefully more progress will be made next week and my car will start to be put back together again.
He also took those polished cradles to a local paint shop to have them clear coated. Probably will make them much easier to keep clean that way.
He was just going to work on some rewiring today, so I didn't bother running out there. Hopefully more progress will be made next week and my car will start to be put back together again.
05-11-2010, 11:38 AM
#39
Drifting
Thread Starter
Jesus... After having that oil pan taken to be machined a few times now, the sob STILL doesn't fit. More metal needs to be taken off so it will clear the oil pickup tube. Now I'm worried that I'm going to have a weakened oil pan that could crack a year or more down the road, leaving me holding the bag. There wasn't any problem putting the oil pan on the Warhawk block, so now why is this a problem with the RHS block? 
05-11-2010, 12:59 PM
#40
Instructor
Member Since: Sep 2006
Location: Rantoul IL
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and so it begins. You wanted custom, so you got custom....not sure why you are surprised. You could have gone the route like WKMCD, and had your 427 (and bulletproof for that matter)and everything would have bolted right up, but you chose a custom block. Live with it, and stop complaining.