Engine damage

[S-eatin-grin]

With the increased accounts of SC'd "blown-up" motors in camaros I started wondering how much damage is typical in these cases. Can anyone give a general description of what can be salvaged or repaired and what needs replaced? I ask because I'm weighing the cost of stroking verses taking my chances and possibly paying later...if I don't have to replace the entire engine.

[hypurone]

As with anything you do. You need to operate within it's limits. I bet if you broke it down, every one of the SC engine failures would be due to boost higher than 9 psi on 91 pump gas or 10 psi for 93 or an "extreme" tune or complete F'up....

[600hp-lpe]

Originally Posted by hypurone

As with anything you do. You need to operate within it's limits. I bet if you broke it down, every one of the SC engine failures would be due to boost higher than 9 psi on 91 pump gas or 10 psi for 93 or an "extreme" tune or complete F'up....

Yes, I agree. There are a LOT of S/c'd cars here on the forum with a stock bottom end. If the build is done correctly, and not shooting for the most HP from a stock bottom end, they should last a long time. It also depends on HOW they are used.

[S-eatin-grin]

I've heard this reassurance before and that's fine..but still, the original question is that IF it blows, is the shortblock usually scap metal or can it typically still be repaired or used in the rebuild. Anyone?

[hypurone]

Originally Posted by S-eatin-grin

I've heard this reassurance before and that's fine..but still, the original question is that IF it blows, is the shortblock usually scap metal or can it typically still be repaired or used in the rebuild. Anyone?

Well that can only be answered with a crystal ball. Every melt down is its own animal. Depends on what decides to break, at what RPM it breaks and what it takes along with it when it does. You might as well plan for the worst cuz Murphy is a bitch!

[Jchaluja]

IMO, if you have to take the engine apart regardless of "what type" of damage was done to the engine, you most likely would want to go forged...so cost wise, it's the same (about $5k) for a built forged block (including rotating assembly)....if you have the L99, I know the lifters are an issue, so keep the rpm's down (below 6100)...

[mr. anderson]

generally when and engine goes for detonation, usually the case, with a stock engine with a blower the pistons or rods go first. if a rod goes most likely you will vent your block. so consider a new long block for replacement. if your lucky enough for just a hole in a piston just a rebuild, very few blown motors that have failed have just this. it's usually catastrophic failure. IE new long block. if your lucky shortblock and you can salvage the heads.

[old motorhead]

Pistons are usually what goes on mild builds. Tune not quite right, bad tank of fuel, lean from not enough fuel etc. Ring lands/top of the piston. If the pilot has sense enough to land when trouble is obvious, usually it isn't catastrophic. Not for a moment saying this is always the case. Usually, the block, crank, heads aren't trash. Regardless, it ain't cheap. Upgrade the pistons and rods....rebuild the rest and you're normally good to go.

[Slowhawk]

It's pretty common to see alot of LS/FI motors blowing up when the weather is cool/ideal to make power.It is caused by a few things like lack of fuel system and the most common -tune. In the hotter weather you can get away with running more timing,so when the cool weather comes in the engines knock to death.

[jsharp]

So if your afr is good and its cold out its still not good to get into boost?

[S-eatin-grin]

good info so far...would like to hear to from the engine builders out there too. I'd like to hear what they are seeing, recommending and doing for customers with engine failures.

[Supercharged SS]

Originally Posted by mr. anderson

generally when and engine goes for detonation, usually the case, with a stock engine with a blower the pistons or rods go first. if a rod goes most likely you will vent your block. so consider a new long block for replacement. if your lucky enough for just a hole in a piston just a rebuild, very few blown motors that have failed have just this. it's usually catastrophic failure. IE new long block. if your lucky shortblock and you can salvage the heads.

I burned the #1 piston up due to some bad gas causing detonation. Suprising enough we still made 7 or 8 more passes before the noise became very noticeable. Thats all that was hurt. The head was fine and so was the block. If I wanted I could have just replaced the piston and slapped it back together but I opted to go forged. This happend at 12 psi and on meth so you never can know for sure.

Not being forged I will be running a full tank of GT+, which is 104 and about $11.50 but its cheaper than a new engine! Today we reached 16 psi but could get any higher because we had some serious belt slip. And that was with an 8 rib, 3.2 up front and OD cog in the back.

[Slim2SS]

I lost the ring land on my #7 piston. Bent the valves and cracked the crank shaft. Mine was caused by a bad tune, the tuner had the knock sensors turned off.

[jsharp]

Man really pays off to have a good tuner and stay at a acceptable boost level if there is such a thing!!