December 1, 2001

Beautiful day here in PA. Gave my Grand Prix a bath and and decided to take her out again. I now have about 800 miles on the rebuilt motor. I was on my way home around 5pm, when something let loose in the motor! My heart sank! "What the %#@&!!!"

I was accelerating normally, only primaries, from a stoplight, shifted into second, and around 3000 rpm's, it felt like a split second hesitation! Next thing I knew, I had lost oil pressure from 60psi, down to about 20psi, and heard a slight knock from the motor. What Happened?? I pulled into a mini mall parking lot and called AAA!

I waited about a half hour for the rollback, and in the meantime, I was trying to think of what it could be!? I had no Idea! Rods? couldn't be! Pistons, Can't be! The bottom end is explosion proof except for the crankshaft! Crankshaft maybe broke?? Oh Noooo!! Can't be?! Then what else?? DAMN!!! OK now, get a grip on yourself here!! It can be fixed!! Just have to open her up and find out!!

Rolled the car back into the garage area!

I called Bob, owner of the shop, and he came over to listen to the motor to see what he thought. We both heard the knock coming from the driver's side valve cover. I took the cover off and found the exhaust rocker arm stud had broken in half on the rear cylinder. The rocker arm was just laying there. I then noticed the intake rocker was missing the pushrod. Where did that go? And why the oil pressure loss?

Looks like we are going to be taking the intake and valley pan off!! Hope the parts are up top!

December 2, 2001

I looked down the hole for the intake pushrod and saw it. I got a piece of wire and was able to stick it in the hole of the pushrod. I started to pull it out and found 2" of it was missing. It had bent like an "S" and broke. Nothings easy! Got to take her apart!

About an hour or so, I had the intake off. Now the valley pan. Cross your fingers, hope the parts are on top! Pulled the valley pan off and saw the rest of the pushrod laying next to the intake lifter, that had popped out. Wheeeww!! That explains the loss in oil pressure.

Called Bob and told him about the find. I am going to replace both lifters, rockers, and pushrods, for that cylinder along with new gaskets.

As far as the rocker stud breaking, I found out that I should have replaced all the original studs with a roller rocker stud. It is longer and more durable. The replacement is from ARP and it is the same as used on Chevy motors. The part # is 134-7101. It is a 3/8" Rocker Arm stud kit. Sometimes you learn as you go!

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