The 383 engine in my truck blew up while I was on my way to KC for the Phoenix QIC competiton.

Here is my truck after I got it home and pulled the engine- that process took 3 weeks.

The crankshaft actually broke in two in the middle of a throw. Above is a closer picture of the break. I am pretty sure it would have to be defective with a crack for something like this to happen.

The broken crank then proceeded to take some chunks out of the piston and nicked up the rod.

This is what the mangled rotating assembly did to my nice clearanced high nickel 4 bolt main block. I see some cracks in the main web, so it is trash.

I was able to save the valvetrain and use it on another shortblock. This is my new engine.

I still have to burn a new chip for this engine combination, but at least I am back up and running again. I have had nothing but trouble with Speed-O-Motive since I first ordered the shortblock from them. I wanted to save some bucks over going local, so I mail ordered. I wanted a fluidampr, but they sent me a standard balancer. It took forever to get here, went to the wrong place, and there was dirt in the engine when I got it. After a year, the chinese balancer they sent me broke and tore up the seal and front of the crank. I put on a new GM balancer and didn't have a problem until the crank broke going down the road at 2000 rpm. Speedomotive did offer to save me 120 bucks on my next purchase from them. That is their cost on a crank. It sure would be nice if they would have sent me a new $1,400 short block to replace the one their junk parts ruined. Oh, my time is worth something too. The 383 definitely had more torque than a 350, but if I had to do it all again, I would have had the engine built by Marc Brown at Advanced Engine.

That's my update for now - check back in every month or so for more - Whatever comes up will be posted on this page.

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