Y block story

Joe Harrill

Senior Member
Be careful where you leave your car. The rod knock in my '54 Mercury was caused by someone stuffing several inches of electrical tape in oil filler pipe. Now I'm faced with a rebuild on a engine that had less than 50 miles.:(
 
How did tape in the oil fill pipe lead to a rod knock? I'm sure there is a rational answer, I would like to hear it.
 
I've been thinking about this and have a theory; I don't know at what temperature plastic tape melts. Putting it in the oil tube will drop it in the valve chamber. If the temp of the oil will melt the plastic tape, then it gets into the oil flow and passages. When the oil cools the plastic solidifies again and blocks oil passages. I don't know if this is what happened, but would like to hear the original poster's take on it.
 
The tape did not melt. I believe a disgruntled body shop worker in the same building put the tape in the filler pipe because he was having to redo some body work. Thanks for everyone's interest. Joe
 
And the tape did what? All we know so far is Who? -a body man. What? -some electrical tape. Where? -at the body shop. When? -50 miles after the engine rebuild. Now all we need is Why? -why did the tape cause a rod knock.
This is about like watching the ten o'clock news, half the time they don't give all the details either.
 
And the tape did what? All we know so far is Who? -a body man. What? -some electrical tape. Where? -at the body shop. When? -50 miles after the engine rebuild. Now all we need is Why? -why did the tape cause a rod knock.
This is about like watching the ten o'clock news, half the time they don't give all the details either.


What does it matter how the tape caused a rod bearing to go bad ? It's not like it's ever going to happen again and we need to learn how to prevent it.
 
If you assume the tape caused it and don't look for the real cause of the failure it might happen again.

Besides, we want to know how to get back at our enemies:)
 
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