DeTomaso Mailing List: June 2001, Message #169

I've sent e-mails with photos to a couple people on the list, but to bring everyone up to speed my brand spanking new motor is mildly frogged up. 

I noticed that I was fogging the countryside with oil-smoke. Investigation showed a sheared bolt head on one valve cover. Upon pulling the valve cover, one roller rocker is seriously trashed. It would appear as though the pushrod has lost its tip which holds it in the socket, and then started beating up the rocker. The rocker got somewhat cocked and was no longer activating the valve. This would explain why I felt I was down on power and why I felt as though something was not correct. 

Dan Jones and Mike Drew, if you did NOT get a private e-mail, please let me know. Mike will need to do some last-minute parts shopping before coming over here this weekend I'm afraid. I've asked the shop to pull the other valve cover to check that side...

I also need to know why this happened. Did the shop not adjust the valves properly? Were the heads improperly assembled? Or, is it possible that my luck could be SO bad as to have gotten a bad pushrod? I'd be happy to send pix to anyone who wants them. 

Mike and I have around 5,000 kilometers to put on that car beginning in a week and two days... we're starting to run out of time. 

And Chuck Engles - this didn't strand me but I'm getting close to your record for luck...

Charlie McCall
1972 DeTomaso Pantera #3847 (for sale)
1985 DeTomaso Pantera GT5-S #9375
"Raising Pantera Awareness across Europe"
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/gt5s_1985