Dropped Uhaul rebuild

[JSVD]

I found one of the rebuilt Uhaul motors and the day before I was going to pick it up it was somehow dropped. It was dropped on the valve cover, enough to bend the rocker arms. I haven't seen it, but have photos on the way... I'll update this thread when I get them. In the meantime:

Do you think it's worth still trying to get the block? I'm worried about it hitting one of the bolts and driving it into the block, cracking it or warping it. If this isn't a concern then the block is freshly rebuilt, but the motor is now *****... what a good cost range?

Thanks for any advice.

Got the photos;

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from the photos it looks like it may have just been the rocker arms that were bent. The guy selling the motor doesn't know a whole lot about it... but he gave me the number of the guy who dropped it (a mechanic).
Mechanic says he's confident it's just the rocker arms... and will be replacing them and selling it for the same price. I think I'm going to stay away from this one.

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

Looks to me like they broke off a rocker arm pedestal, which makes that head useless

I'd inspect the lifters that are on the other side of that pushrod, but realistically, it was most likely a directly perpendicular hit to the rocker arm that snapped off that boss. If it was me, I'd figure out what the cost of another reconditioned cylinder head was and/or have them ship it to you and send them the bill for the repair.

Sucky when shippers bust up your Christmas presents. It makes me think of the old man in Christmas Story when the beloved leg lamp gets broken

 

[OLDBULL8]

It looks like the far left rocker arm bolt "tower" is broken off, can't see it clearly, there is something laying there. If it's broke off the head is no good. It couldn't have hurt the block, but you would have to pull the head to check it. The push rods could be bent. If the piston was up in that cylinder, the valves might have done some damage, but you will see that after the head is removed. Dropping a 1000 Lb to do that, hard to tell what damage is done. A new head loaded is costly.

Edit: A guy bought one of the U-haul engines, a mechanic dropped it, now the guy who bought it wants to sell it. Is that correct?

 

[JSVD]

yeah. I really feel for the guy who owns this engine. He bought it late one night... found out it wont fit in his truck... was trying to sell it, and the day before the sale his mechanic dropped it getting it off the truck.

Now the mechanic swears all it will need is a rocker arm and it'll be good as new . He also said that the IP alone was worth what he was selling the motor for... Sounds like he's trying to cover his ass and slap something back together.

Edit: No... a guy bought this engine and figured out it would be a pain to put in his truck. He's doesn't know much about engines in general.. my guess is he owns a powestroke, saw the 7.3 and the great price, and figured it would fit. Anyway he was trying to sell it. I found it and was going to dive down this morning to buy it but when I called he gave me the unfortunate news that last night his mechanic tried to move it and dropped it. I have the owner send me some photos of the damage (above) and he gives me the mechanics number. The owner tells me that whatever the mechanic says is a fair price will be what he goes with. The mechanic swears that he knows IDI's and the only thing he needs to do is replace the broken rocker arm and it's not possible that anything else was damaged.

 

[towcat]

rocker pedestal is broken off. time for a replacement head.

 

[OLDBULL8]

I get my engine Monday, between 2PM and 7PM. Fed-Ex is delivering it with a 53' semi trailer with a drop gate on the rear, so said the lady that called. Told her the streets are narrow and don't know if the truck can turn the corners, she says, thats up to the truck driver. Told her I can have it delivered to another place with more room, said can't do that, I'd have to go to the seller and change the address, ***. We'll see come Monday.

 

[JSVD]

I wouldn't worry OLDBULL. It wasn't the shipping company. This motor arrived perfectly, and was dropped by a "mechanic".

 

[OLDBULL8]

I wouldn't worry OLDBULL. It wasn't the shipping company. This motor arrived perfectly, and was dropped by a "mechanic".

You do know that these engines are for a Van. The pan, oil cooler and maybe a couple of other things have to be changed to fit the F series trucks. I've got six heads if you wasn't so far away.

 

[JSVD]

I'm putting it in a s-1600. Not really sure what would fit and what wouldn't. was pretty bummed to miss this Uhaul add... and now for this deal to fall through. I guess these uhaul motors were truly not destined for me!

 

[icanfixall]

Wow.. Thats a mes. The head is damaged beyond repair. A new fulling loaded offshore head is going to cost around $350.00 plus. But to save money a bare head can be had cheaper. Then a valve grind and check those valves for being straight. A gasket set and a rocker set. your golden. If a valve hit a piston it wont hurt it really. Also don't forget the valley pan needs. You have not mentioned what the asking price was but these parts are what this engine will need and no "mechanic" that dropped this engine has a good idea whats broken.

 

[Knuckledragger]

I don't even know why you would talk to a guy who dropped an engine on the floor. That is a high school mistake. The head is now junk, due to a broken rocker tower (those are not repairable). To replace the head, you also need a new valley pan ($60), 2 rockers, 2 valves, 2 pushrods, a new valve cover and gasket, a head gasket plus sundry other parts just to put it back to one second before it fell off the truck. It is worth about half of what it was before the drop,assuming you are willing to take the risk there isn't even more damage.

 

[JSVD]

Wow.. Thats a mes. The head is damaged beyond repair. A new fulling loaded offshore head is going to cost around $350.00 plus. But to save money a bare head can be had cheaper. Then a valve grind and check those valves for being straight. A gasket set and a rocker set. your golden. If a valve hit a piston it wont hurt it really. Also don't forget the valley pan needs. You have not mentioned what the asking price was but these parts are what this engine will need and no "mechanic" that dropped this engine has a good idea whats broken.

What's even worse is when I first talked to this mechanic he said nothing about the tower being broken (before I had photos). After I got the photos I asked him about the tower and he says it's no big deal he's already had a machinist fix it. Again i feel bad for the owner of this engine as he's dealing with a shady mechanic. Also feel bad for whoever gets this motor as they won't know it was dropped. If any of you find a rebuilt motor around Wall NJ... make sure you ask if it's been dropped!

I don't even know why you would talk to a guy who dropped an engine on the floor. That is a high school mistake. The head is now junk, due to a broken rocker tower (those are not repairable). To replace the head, you also need a new valley pan ($60), 2 rockers, 2 valves, 2 pushrods, a new valve cover and gasket, a head gasket plus sundry other parts just to put it back to one second before it fell off the truck. It is worth about half of what it was before the drop,assuming you are willing to take the risk there isn't even more damage.

read above: I was going to buy it pre-drop... it was dropped the night before I was going to pick it up. I agree this mechanic is a rookie. Not only did he make a mistake dropping it but he won't own up for his mistake. Like I said above, I'm no longer interested in it.