Engine Destroyed
 

Well, the head of my intake valve sheared off this past Sat. and completely destroyed my engine. Just cruising along at 30mph and BAM, followed by a lot of white smoke. This is AFTER heads/guides/valves were redone. I don't want to put the valve manufacturer on blast, but they admitted it was part failure, yet will not cover "racing" parts. Thankfully, my tuner/shop is covering everything, but I'll be without my Z for a few weeks. Question for you guys, though. With a new LS7 crate engine, will the valve guides still be an issue? Also, what will this do to the overall value of the car? Viewer discretion on the pics....lol.
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Can you give us some detail on the motor like did it have a cam, heavier springs, blower/turbo etc. Were the valve stainless steel or titanium.

So sorry this happened to you....THANK GOD your tuner/shop is a stand up organization and is covering you! As for the valve manufacturer, they admitted to it being their fault, and by NOT standing behind their own product they should be publicly shamed at the very least. Just my opinion, but lately it seems like everyone doesn't want to accept responsibility when they are at fault. Not just car stuff, but the public in general...

^^^This. Plus, mileage since headwork and overall mileage on car. Also wouldn't mind knowing who's heads you went with? Sorry that happened, it sickens me every time one of these threads pops up.

Bought the car with about 18k miles on it and had the heads re-worked before 20k by a local shop recommended by my tuner. They went with stainless alloy valves (these were not "girly" valves/maybe the opposite), CTV-S rockers, new springs, guides, ect. Car is cammed, 2" Kooks headers/off road X-pipe, Borla ATAK and Vararam Intake. Last dyno was 571rwhp.

:ack: Thank god for the shop stepping up. Do you track your car?

How many miles on the reworked heads?

CTS-V rockers?????

I have a 43k miles shortblock for sale. A new crate engine will still need the heads fixed.

CTSV rockers are a 1.7 ratio and Z06 rockers are 1.8. Something's not right here...

Wow. Just reaffirms that while there is a fix out there for the LS7 heads, not everybody knows and understands the LS7.

Meant lifters.......my bad.

Any new or used LS7 engine has the potential to have the valve guide issue. Even if you "fix" the heads, you need to have them checked every 10-20k miles ESPECIALLY if you have other mods.

Interesting, I've never heard anything good about those lifters; the CTSV forum shuns them. Would probably go with the Morel 6504's over LS7 lifters for the price, and my preference would be the Johnson 2110's.

Am I the only one who thinks it's weird that the shop is covering everything? This implies that they somehow feel they're at fault which they certainly wouldn't if the parts were bad. What are you not telling us OP?

Obviously I don't know the whole story but at this point we have an unnamed shop taking liability with unnamed parts. Until we have the full story I don't think it's fair to make this thread and add to the LS7 alarmism.

Dude, I'm just sharing what happened. There's no hidden agenda. Shop felt obligated because they recommended the parts and did the work and I've spent a lot of money with them. All I know is that the valve company would not warranty what they deem "race" components. I swear, always some negative feedback with these threads.......which you're definitely entitled to, I just don't get it.

If a mod wants to delete the thread, by all means. Sorry to ruffle your feathers.

there is nothing negative against you. the LS7 issue is real, and people, especially those that spent money on the 'fix' are even more concerned that the 'fix' is not 'fixed' so of course the detail is important. Many here do feel bad this happened to you (and others) and info from you and others help forum members.

........by the way, if the fault was the caddy lifter, how is that a 'racing' part? it's oem as is the LS7 oem lifter. Sorry but I to wonder why the shop is covering a faulty part 'huge' repair bill coming.

Fault was the intake valve.......

The part that failed was the intake valve, the question is , what caused it to fail.?