Engine failure question

[Chevy454]

Why in the world no one DYNO these engines...

I'll agree with that...all of my engines see the dyno before install, and I preach it to anyone that'll listen...but few do?

They actually got the engine builder to drive over today...we let him tear the engine the rest of the way down, and then digest what he saw. He showed little concern for the piston/head contact, and said he "always checked them, but didn't check that exact spot because it never hits"...he then said the contact was from the piston rocking over, but the contact had nothing to do with anything else. Only 1 rod bearing was spun (in the hole that came apart), but 2 others were working on it, but the rest just showed the odd wear mark that *I* believe was due to contact with the head, but he disagreed. 1 or 2 of the mains were on the way out as well, and the lifter failure has him stymied...the lifter tie rod split at one of the lifters, but all of the parts stayed connected, and there is only minor scuffing on the cam/lifter itself...granted, one of the lifters had to be drove out...oil pump was fine. His synopsis is that, for whatever reason, there was an oiling problem that caused everything, so it's not his fault...my thoughts were that if it was an oiling problem, wouldn't the cam & lifters show it? When I left, my buddy was offering to meet the engine guy half way on a basic short block the guy had rebuilt, but the guy really wasn't wanting to deal...

[Bob Pagano]

Sounds like the rods were never checked to see if they were round on the big end or they were honed without cutting anything out to bring the rod back to round within the proper clearance for bearing crush.