BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

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http://www.bangshift.com/blog/BangShift-Question-of-the-Day-Ever-Blown-an-Engine-Up.html

[1988montecarloss]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

the monte has about a 2x2" hole in the oil pan and one of the connecting rods is in multiple pieces ;D

me and my friend dan TRIED to blow up the d15 in his 91 honda civic. we drained all the oil and coolant, disconnected the radiator, ran it at WOT bouncing it off the rev limiter for over an hour, smashed the valve cover off while it was running with a BFH, jammed a crowbar down into all parts of the valvetrain while it was running, poured a few gallons of used oil down the intake and at one point the whole engine bay caught on fire. after we decided it wouldnt die we shut it off thinking it wouldnt be able to start again, wrong, it fired right up and drove onto the trailer, then we towed it to a scrapyard and watched the big crane pick it up and throw it on the pile ;D

[Joe Grippo]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

Here's a KABOOM from a few years back....

[Bamfster]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

Oh yea!....

Budget 383, broke it in with about 200 street miles and 2 easy passes at the track. On #3, I hit it with a 200 shot .....

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

That's one thing I have yet to do. Permanent damage to an engine. I've tried with two engines though!

Just this morning I was telling a co-worker about abusing the old 231 V6 in my Skylark. Particularly on the brutal hill climb out of Baker, CA on the way to Las Vegas. It's about a 15 mile hill at 4-5% grade where at the last mile or so it cruelly steepens up to a 6% grade. It's hard on engines with 100Hp or less. That 231 would run WOT for the whole length in 2nd gear at 4,000-4,500rpm and 10psi of oil pressure and the temp gauge pegged at 240*F for at least five minutes or better. Never knocked or rattled though. Ended up pulling the engine because it wouldn't let go :P

The Jeep now has two overheated until it quit running events in the last three months, and still runs like a champ.

[Birdman]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

I've done that only once (kinda surprising considering the abuse I've put to some of the cars I've owned!).

It was an '85 Plymouth Caravelle with the 2.6 engine and less than 100k miles. I had always kept up on the engine and overall maintenance, never (really!) hot-rodded it and the car ran like a champ. On my way home from work one day back in the early '90's, a drive of about 40 miles, I was on a long stretch of straight road when the car started bucking and the next thing I heard was this sickening sound of metal being shot around inside the engine. I immediately shut-off the engine and coasted into a farmers driveway. The car rolled to a stop and I just...sat there...for a moment. After squelching the urge to vomit, I slowly opened the door, got down on my hands and knees and peered under the car. Where the flat bottom of the oil pan used to be was a hole about the size of a silver dollar. Turns out the engine lost oil pressure (never knew, since there was no gauge to warn me, only an idiot light that NEVER LIT!) and lunched 3 rods that decided it was better to be free than confined inside the engine where they belonged.

Epilogue: I took the car to a mechanic friend; he said that after the engine lost pressure, both rods from a single cylinder and the intake rod from another cylinder said bye-bye and exited the engine in grand fashion. Only one valve let go; it did minor damage to the head and remaining exhaust valve and destroyed the cylinder. He was able to repair the head and bored and sleeved the cylinder, adding a new piston, valves and rods. Odd, but the valve guides weren't damaged! The cam and crank suffered no damage, as well. Sadly, the spark plug didn't survive the carnage!

After that affair, the engine never gave me another bit of trouble, running flawlessly for another 100K + miles! He never figured out the reason why the oil pressure went away. He said that there was no evidence of any debris clogging the pick-up in the pan and that there was no old debris in any of the oil passages that might have suggested something from an earlier incident. In fact, he said that the engine and pan were remarkably clean, given the amount of miles. The cylinder walls had no unusual wear - beyond what the errant valve caused, of course! The valve guides were all in good condition and nothing appeared out of whack. I ALWAYS changed the oil/filter every 3,000 miles or so and always used Quaker State. In fact, I had changed the oil maybe a few hundred miles before this occurred. Weird!

[JOES66FURY]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

2 Olds motors, 1 Chevy, 1 Chrysler

After years of teen aged abuse the Rocket 350 let go a few rods in my 78 88, and I blew the 260 in my 80 Cutlass


My 91 'Burbans motor let go at about 180K....that was a stinky mess...it just locked up..when I tore it down the smell was indescribable.

I spun some bearings and made a pretty big mess of a 383 in a 68 Sport Fury I had too

[Ermott]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

If this post is too long for this forum, mods, I will understand if you delete it;

This is the ad I ran on Craigslist when I sold my 1995 Ford Powerstroke Pickup, complete with blown engine. I got $999.99 for it by the way, sold to a fellow who had suffered a cab fire in his 1996 PS.

For sale is my meticulously maintained 1995 F-250 Power-stroke diesel pickup truck. As the photo shows, it's an XLT extended cab, two wheel drive in copper and "palomino" with alloy wheels and a long box. Not seen in the photo, is the Gaping Great Hole which is currently by far the most interesting feature of the once mighty 7.3 liter turbocharged Power-stroke engine (by Navistar).

It was through this hole, that after an apparently mighty struggle, the piston, parts of a connecting rod and almost every drop of 15 liters of top quality 15-40 Shell Rotella motor oil the engine possessed burst into the open air and onto highway 19 at about 9:45pm on December 30th just past. The 30th is my birthday I might add.

Also Not so obviously seen, is the excellent 5-speed manual transmission, complete with newer clutch, the dual fuel tanks, one of which will be half full when you come to check out your new truck, the wonderful air-conditioning system, the twin power bucket seats, power windows, door locks and keyless entry system. Not see but worth mentioning is the carefully maintained record of all oil changes, of parts replaced and bills paid in the quest to keep this machine in the tip top condition which generally although not always assures a long and happy service life.

I was not speeding. I was doing 105 or so. The cruise control was on. Engine temp, oil pressure, RP/M and boost pressure were all at ludicrously normal/cruising levels. There was no warning. There was no shudder or hesitation. Nor was there any misfire, clank or clunk. What there was however, was a great KLAT-A-KLAT-AKLAT-A-WHOOSH-PINKLE-PINKLE-KLUNTAKLAP! ... and then a tremendous vibration, instant loss of oil pressure and a general and instantaneous decrease in forward momentum. The final sound was that of me turning off the key after coasting to the roadside, followed by the pink-a-pink-a-pink-a of the emergency flashers. I waited for about an hour and a half before the tow truck arrived to haul me and my faithless ford the 36 km I had so rashly expected it would make on it's own to my home in Courtenay.

As I waited, I reflected on my history with this vehicle. Of the two years in which I moved it's odometer from 250,000 to just about 300,000 kms. I remembered the day I found "her" on Craigslist. Yes dear reader, I did indeed find this rolling disaster almost right here, on the Vancouver Craigslist pages. I recalled driving my trusty Ford Econoline over to go have a look at the truck, of how I struck a decent deal, and took ownership. Of the drive home, the ferry crossing, yes reader, I recalled it all. That first day of happy ownership.

Then with increasing frowns, I remembered that first disappointment, when I discovered that the batteries needed replacement, a 450 dollar "touch". Then the clutch master cylinder push-rod had broken, leaving the pedal stuck absolutely flat on the floor in traffic in downtown Victoria. That ran a bit cheaper, only 350 dollars, but then I had the serpentine fan belt changed too, as well as an engine oil service, so I felt a bit better about myself and the vehicle. I was doing the "right" thing. I was a responsible vehicle owner, fixing problems as they came along. I wasn't going to have a junker in MY driveway, one of those vehicles held together with luck and a few promises to do better.

Then with increasing bitterness, I recalled how the new clutch rod broke again, leaving me stranded in Vancouver, needing a 200 dollar tow to the Ford dealer in New Westminster where the bill to replace the rod, the main and slave cylinders with those from a "Super-Duty" came to an even grand. Oh how I groaned at the thought of the CPS sensor failure which stuck me again in traffic, but this time in Nanaimo at 11:00pm. That bill only came to about 200 bucks, including tow, but of course there was the hotel room at 95 bucks to help bring things up to the normal level. I remembered the stack of little bills, for parts, for "this and that" for the serpentine belt tensioner, and the second new belt which was needed because the first one shredded withing a week after installation due to that tensioner being a bit worn. Of the brand new locking fuel caps I bought less than a week ago today because a louse had stolen a tank and a half of my fuel while the truck was parked at work. Of the 1000 dollar set of Toyo tires (not just half worn) which I only just last, month had rotated and rebalanced.

I thought and I thought, and I was half tempted to try start my faithless ford again, it hadn't seized solid after all, just so I could hold the pedal to the floor long enough to set fire to the engine compartment right there and then, but the tow truck arrived in the nick of time and... a fire by the roadside isn't exactly eco-friendly. Of course dumping 15 liters of Rotella's best 15-40 in the middle of the northbound slow-lane of highway 19 in the middle of a rainstorm isn't eco-friendly either, but and this I assure you, it wasn't my idea.

So I had my ford towed home the final and last time. I know a new engine from Ford will cost a bit more then double what I paid for the truck originally, those 7.3 Power-strokes are a mighty expensive breed. Therefore my decision to sell, to pass on to someone more adventurous, or dare I say even more foolish than myself, the honor and pleasure of taking over the care and feeding of this faithless pile of lightly rusted nuts and bolts.

Therefore the BUY IT NOW price for my faithless ford, is 999 dollars. (I own the vehicle outright and without lien or encumbrance.) I'm not really interested in taking much less for it, for the 999 dollar price is about what it will take to keep me from hauling this truck to the nearest salvage yard and paying them for the permission to run the massive crusher which would swiftly and undoubtedly seal it's final doom.

I am going to work later today, and will therefore be away from home for about 3 weeks. This will give you time to reflect carefully on what you might be about to embark on. Of course you can e-mail me any time. I might be slow to reply, but under no circumstances should you take this as any manifestation of a lack of desire on my part to rid myself of this foorking ford. If you have a running 7.3 Power-stroke engine in a truck that needs everything else replaced, this is the project for you!

I shall be pleased to consider interesting trades of all sorts, and perhaps even a few boring ones. Don't be shy of trying to swap me your grandmother's old cast iron cookware set, or Grand Pa's clapped out dirt bike for this vehicle. I'd be happy to swap straight across for a running British Seagull outboard, or a decent little rowboat. I'll listen to all offers, providing the items on the table are legal for me to posses. No plantlike substances, pets or guns of any sort please. Furthermore, as I am a happily married man, I cannot accept offers along the lines of a ?relaxing massage?. Finally, and I cannot stress this strong enough terms, I do NOT, absolutely do NOT want to buy anything which might accidentally lead to my involvement in attempting to repair this vehicle. Having learned MY lesson, I shall leave it to others to continue "doing the right thing."

What ultimately happens to this truck, is of no concern of mine. If I had several pounds of Thermite, or perhaps some of that gelled gasoline we used to use to start controlled Forestry fires with when I worked for MacMillan Bloedel (ask your dad), I might be tempted to something I might regret later. However, I do know that the limited slip differential, the mint interior, the excellent 5-speed (with newer clutch and pressure plate) the under-hood parts which weren't damaged when the Power stroke had an actual stroke, and the alloy wheels and tires, not to mention the doors, are worth a few dollars to the suicidally mechanically minded.

I have bought a Chevrolet.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

^^^ That is GOLD :D

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

^^^^^epic.

[purplecobra]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

yep. put 25 lbs of turbo boost through a stock 5.0 block. Seems the jackoff who worked for me did not check the wastegate springs like he was told. Put it on the dyno. made a couple of baby runs to check a/f. 3rd pull it make 625 hp/650 tq at 3500 rpm and then the block twisted enough to poke the oil pump through the pan. and blew both headgaskets. Surprisingly the block was salvageable with a main girdle and new everything else( on my dime).One of the reasons I'm not in the hipo world anymore.

[Barry Donovan]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

some engines need the real oil filter.. let the pump be the bypass. especially that diesel story. Sad.

blown as in chunks is 1 ford inline, 1 chevy v8
neither had a deciphered reason...a good filter would have done something I can guess.

spinning rods was one chevette..

the only headgasket, as bizarre odds has it, is a1781cc subaru with a gasket that melted to petroleum (may be the real story of a federal mogul clone from the 1980s). the half life of chemistry lingered for more than a week. absolutely freakish...
4 engine flushes later, the sumbitch is still floating as a liquid in the base...breaking oil down.

I forgot the corsica.. that just plain blew going down a hill..with an automatic. My last inline, and my only car with fuel injection.

2011 is here..and I still drive a carb engine with a real oil filter. ;)

[Scott Liggett]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

The first engine I ever built went boom!! I was working at All Chevy Auto Parts in Vacaville, CA when a '68 Chevelle coupe rolled in. The owner wouldn't let me buy the car, but he said I can anything off of it. I found a freshly machined large journal 327 block in the trunk. I had the machine shop across the parking lot clean it up and check it out. I bought a 350 crank kit, pistons and reconditioned rods. Then got a Comp 270H cam. I threw it all together using my Eddy intake and Holley carb. Then I painted it white to match my Alumakoted Black Jack headers.

After getting it running, I was out on the highway when I heard ugly banging noises, then a boom, followed by a large plume of smoke as the oil pressure went to zero.

While waiting on the shoulder for a tow truck, I looked under the car to see the front main cap hanging out of the pan. Turns out that I used my old 350 balancer. It was out. I knew it because the timing marks never lined up. It worked the bolts out of the main cap. It fell into the pan, then got caught up by the crank. The crank tossed it around the pan before chucking it through.

Everyone says the engine would still be running if I didn't paint it white.

[38P]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

It reminds me of the day back in high school when someone asked me where my jacked-up Pontiac was.

(Hey, it was the '70s . . . Disco, Gabriel Hi-Jackers, and N-50s hanging out on slot mags were in style. We didn't know any better . . . .)

Conjuring up a phrase I'd heard countless times on ABC's "Wild World of Sports" NASCAR coverage, I preened a bit and announced "I blew my engine." To which a decidedly non-bangshifting bystander replied "Did you burn your lips?"

True story. :D

[horsewidower]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: Ever Blown an Engine Up?

^^^^^^^^^ ;D ;D