popped the motor at the track today.. / 2.0/HX40 Build Thread

[pac1085]

i was at the drag strip today and blew the motor on the last run.

symptoms:

smoke everywhere
almost complete loss of power (i was still able to limp it off the track)
blew out the seal on the oil filler cap
blew out the dipstick
blew the line off my catch can
oil in cylinder 4 (1, 2 and 3 are fine)
oil all over the inside of the motor under the intake manifold, it blew all over the inside of the hood too (probably from the filler cap / dipstick / catch can line)

its pouring oil out everywhere (i had to put about 10 qt's in on the trip home) but I'm not sure from where, i don't see any holes in the block and im pretty sure I didn't break a rod.


I knew it was commin, so here it was. 2 years with BT on stock motor is OK in my book!

best e/t was on the last run (13.37 @ 102) where i blew it, nearly perfect launch, caught the gears just right, but revved too high at the top of 3rd (7600rpm)

my best mph was 107, shifting into 4th with the 2.8 transmission sucks for drag racing.

not fast runs, but the car hasn't been tuned by anyone but my self so im pretty happy.

it launches like a bat out of hell, it was sick! the launches were pretty consistent, my best 60ft was 2.093

parts list as of 5/1/08:
OBD-I ABA Crankshaft
Scat 144mm Rods
Wiseco 83mm custom pistons (ordered, eta 2 weeks)
Glyco main bearings (to be swain ppm coated)
Glyco rod bearings (to be swain ppm coated)
Glyco thrust washers (to be swain ppm coated)
Durabond I/M shaft bearings (to be swain ppm coated)
ARP main studs

i/m shaft will be lightened, balanced and clearanced by scch-heads.com

[sean1.8t]

damn man, sorry to hear. what are your plans for it? i assume replace the block at least. maybe build the bottom this time?

i dunno about those 60ft's man. you need to get those lower. you'd be in the mid to high 12's pretty easy with a 1.7ish 60...

[prodrive]

Damn dude ,sorry to hear .. so you can built an ABA block now :)

[pac1085]

yeah the 60ft's were pretty weak but i was still happy with the launches, since ive never really done it before. i think if i dropped the clutch a bit lower and spun less they might be a little better ( was dropping clutch around 6000 rpm)

as far as the motor - i'm not sure yet. i guess i need to find out what's wrong with it first. it might just be something with the head/head gasket, if that's the case i'll just fix it.

if the short block is bad, I have another one I can drop in for the time being and just drive the car easy until I can build one.


i'm going to take the 2.8 transmission out and put the 1.8t trans back in, and install a smaller turbo (hy-35) next time though. my turbo is too big and falls out of it's power band, so I lost a lot there.

[pac1085]

btw...clutchnet gets a thumbs up, this clutch has 20k miles on it, and oil on it, and it didn't slip AT ALL

[k0mpresd]

btw...clutchnet gets a thumbs up, this clutch has 20k miles on it, and oil on it, and it didn't slip AT ALL

i think i need to go abuse mine some

[pac1085]

do it!

compression check just finished...


155,170,180,0

cylinder 4 is a goner. 3 had good compression but there was some oil in it too.

[quattro16]

Didn't anyone ever tell you to never say " Just one more run"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[94jedi]

" Just one more run"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dude, that's where legends are made and the cautious are forgotten.







BTW, legends usually have their cars towed home lol...


sorry to hear pac. get the motor rebuilt and get back out there!

[Seerlah]

Not to get off topic, but may I ask if you changed your rods or were you running with the stockers in your BAT setup? I am doing searches for my future BAT setup and just wanted to see what made your motor blow. Your op said that you have a stock motor, but was just wondering if you swapped anything, as your sig says you are a BAt member though the thread says you are BT. Thanks!

[mike-2ptzero]

Sounds like you might have just blown the head gasket near cylinder 4 and it then started allowing oil into cylinder 3.

If that is the case you were just pumping the oil right into the cylinders which ended up just going out the exhaust. Only way to find out is to just pull the head.

[pac1085]

Not to get off topic, but may I ask if you changed your rods or were you running with the stockers in your BAT setup? I am doing searches for my future BAT setup and just wanted to see what made your motor blow. Your op said that you have a stock motor, but was just wondering if you swapped anything. Thanks!

no, the longblock is fully stock.

after looking back at the data logs, i took 2ng gear to 7600 rpm. i also noticed that the coolant temp at that time was 240f

[pac1085]

no holes in the block, looks like there's oil comming out between cylinder 3 and 4 from the head gasket.

[mike-2ptzero]

no holes in the block, looks like there's oil comming out between cylinder 3 and 4 from the head gasket.

Yeah if the coolant temps were at 240 degs the head bolts most likely stretched causing the head to lift. You also need to figure out why the coolant temps got so high, most likely a bad thermostat. I had the same thing happen to my turbo eclipse and it also sprayed oil all over the place when the head lifted.


When you pull the head you will want to have a shop check it to make sure it didn't warp.

[sean1.8t]

^wouldn't oil be coming out of more than just one place if the head did lift?

[pac1085]

[pac1085]

gotta give it to this car, i was able to drive it home 35 miles like that.

[sean1.8t]

haha, yep, it's totally a blown piston ring

[pac1085]

should do the trick

[sean1.8t]

there is nothing that stuff can't do

[maxspeed]

Now me and the mad scientist gotta rip apart the block, and replace the piston rings you fried!

[chris164935]

Ouch. If you plan on sticking with stock bore pistons, you probably won't be able to use this block again, as all that detonation and scoring marks on the cylinder walls will more than likely have to be bored out. Luckily, larger bore aftermarket pistons are becoming much cheaper.

[pac1085]

luckily I have another AEB shortblock which i'll be rebuilding

[mike-2ptzero]

Well dont worry your not the first to melt a 1.8t piston. I seen it happen to a few pistons on a 225TT which is said to have stock forged pistons.

[pac1085]

supposedly the AEB pistons are forged, and I'm planning to re-use the stockers in the other block (after having Swain coat the dome and skirts) but I'm starting to have second thoughts. then again, i've seen aftermarket forged pistons melt just the same.

[djwimbo]

time to tear the bitch down, O-ring the block and throw some good parts in. BAT FTW :)

I'll trade ya tranny's
Sorry to hear about the engine, BAT on a stock block though, it was bound to happen sometime.
I was always curious if the problem cyl would be #4 b/c it seems to pull timing before any other cylinder on all B5's

[sean1.8t]

btw, are you running any type of meth/water injection? your pistons look pretty clean for how many miles you must have on that motor

[mike-2ptzero]

btw, are you running any type of meth/water injection? your pistons look pretty clean for how many miles you must have on that motor

Not keeping up with the AZ members?


He tuned his SEM to run E85, but was running 93 octane at the track.

[sean1.8t]

d'oh! i totally forgot about him running e85..

[k0mpresd]

Sorry to hear about the engine, BAT on a stock block though, it was bound to happen sometime.

the block didnt break though. his rods are still intact.

the outcome would have been the same even w/ rods, given all other things equal.

[chris164935]

the block didnt break though. his rods are still intact.

the outcome would have been the same even w/ rods, given all other things equal.

Yeah, but that block is trash if he has no plans to go bigger bore pistons. I wouldn't be surprised if cylinder #4's rod is bent too though.

[dualaudi]

hx35/40 - 13.2. Is a 30r bigger? What do you need for a 12.8 or lower?

Give you props for BAT on a stocker. Makes me feel confident to upgrade from my gtrs to something bigger on my stocker.

[djwimbo]

the block didnt break though. his rods are still intact.

the outcome would have been the same even w/ rods, given all other things equal.

The block may still be fine, but that cylinder is not. Look at the top of the cylinder where the ring land burnt/broke away. Without measuring it I can't tell ya if it's FUBAR or not, it looks like a 82-83mm bore should be able to save the cylinder.

[pac1085]

hx35/40 - 13.2. Is a 30r bigger? What do you need for a 12.8 or lower?

Give you props for BAT on a stocker. Makes me feel confident to upgrade from my gtrs to something bigger on my stocker.

it's a lot bigger than a 30r - it's a 72lb turbo - somewhere in between a gt35r and gt4088 - it is too big for my 1.8t and shitty tune - the turbo is capable of low 11's or hi 10's if it was on a car like Mike's. i fell out of it's power band almost every time I shifted

[pac1085]

The block may still be fine, but that cylinder is not. Look at the top of the cylinder where the ring land burnt/broke away. Without measuring it I can't tell ya if it's FUBAR or not, it looks like a 82-83mm bore should be able to save the cylinder.

it's really bad, i don't think even an 83.5mm bore would fix it. that's ok though because I won't be using this block , I have another one.

[pac1085]

btw, are you running any type of meth/water injection? your pistons look pretty clean for how many miles you must have on that motor

i ran e85 for a few months, it cleaned everything out. even the fuel pump basket was bleeched white.. lol

107,600 miles on the motor

[mike-2ptzero]

The block may still be fine, but that cylinder is not. Look at the top of the cylinder where the ring land burnt/broke away. Without measuring it I can't tell ya if it's FUBAR or not, it looks like a 82-83mm bore should be able to save the cylinder.

Plenty of people go 82-83.5mm so even if he doesn't use it someone else could.

[djwimbo]

it's really bad, i don't think even an 83.5mm bore would fix it. that's ok though because I won't be using this block , I have another one.

Boat anchor?

[pac1085]

no way...


(stolen from tomritt)

[djwimbo]

Some people use tree-bases to hold up their Christmas Trees.