Well I learned an important lesson a few weeks ago and that's to double check that you torqued your bolts properly. I didn't and broke the thrust plate and timing chain as well as a messed up bolt and bolt hole. This engine took roughly a year and a half to put together because i lost motivation and during that time forgot what I had done to the engine so when I got back around to finishing it and got it running i guess i forgot to torque this part. The truck was running great till it happened.



This was my findings today. I did take the intake off and all my push rods appear to be straight. Did I luck out and not bend any valves or is that still a possibility and i should pull a head off and double check?

 

But another timing set on there, then do a leakdown test. You may have gotten lucky.....

 

You probably didn't bend any valves. However, I would recommend dropping the oil pan and make sure there isn't any junk in the pickup tube. I'd also use a little thread locker on internal bolts.

 

Thats what a buddy recommended so I got all the new parts on order. I might get a cheap bore scope too to get a good look inside the engine.

 

Sounds like a good idea, i picked all the pieces out of the upper part of the pan but im sure some vibrated down to the bottom of the pan during transport.

 

Unless the chain failed as you were starting it, there was a LOT of rotational energy that was imparted to the lower chain and gears when they decided to part company. Little pieces of metal can have one hack of a kinetic load and bounce. Dropping the pan and cleaning the pickup tube ought to get most of the little rascals. Something I do on freshly rebuilt engines is put one or two large ceramic magnets on the oil filter. This will catch any little ferrous particles that might be missed. You might want to try that too. Magnets are cheap. Dropping the pan should take care of most of the problems.