Modification = Reliability Issues?
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 1
From: Southlake Texas
SERIOUSLY... 2500 mile break in? 
BTW race cars (not just top fuel. Virtually all forms of racing) don't do break ins not because they "have millions to spare in case something breaks), but rather because a well assembled engine does not require much of a break in period; they start the engine, let it idle for a while, change the oil and it is good to go.
ALL Corvette engines are started and run at the factory...
Finished Corvettes are not started and idled. They are run (hard) on a dyno. Sat next to one of the line workers as he hammered a Z06 with a crazed look in his eyes. He looked over and told me he truly enjoyed his work.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Reading PA
I will be posting more information in the future, but for now I will tell you I have good and bad experiences with reliability of modifications. I just got my Lingenfelter 403 rebuilt for the 2nd time in 10,000 miles due to a timing chain reliability issue.
The first failure was at approx. 7000 miles. I sent it back to LPE and they told me it failed from use in track events. They agreed to cover only labor for the rebuild if I paid the parts cost since it had been used on the track. The correction they made was to use a C5R version timing chain which they told me should solve the problem. It didn't. The 2nd chain broke after only 3000 miles with 5 1/2 driving school events. When I contacted them about the 2nd failure I was told I must have over-revd it and that I could return it to them and they would look at it. I took it to a local race shop because I no longer had confidence in LPE to correct the problem. Now LPE has acknowledged a design issue with my engine but refuses to cover anything for me saying I didn't send it there the 2nd time.
I have had good experiences with engines from other tuners however. Both Callaway and Vette Doctors fully covered early issues under warranty and I drove the cars for years including track events with no reliability problems.
The first failure was at approx. 7000 miles. I sent it back to LPE and they told me it failed from use in track events. They agreed to cover only labor for the rebuild if I paid the parts cost since it had been used on the track. The correction they made was to use a C5R version timing chain which they told me should solve the problem. It didn't. The 2nd chain broke after only 3000 miles with 5 1/2 driving school events. When I contacted them about the 2nd failure I was told I must have over-revd it and that I could return it to them and they would look at it. I took it to a local race shop because I no longer had confidence in LPE to correct the problem. Now LPE has acknowledged a design issue with my engine but refuses to cover anything for me saying I didn't send it there the 2nd time.
I have had good experiences with engines from other tuners however. Both Callaway and Vette Doctors fully covered early issues under warranty and I drove the cars for years including track events with no reliability problems.
