Thirsty Piston
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Lompoc, CA
Posts: 577
Total Cats: 13
Thirsty Piston
So I guess my piston got a little thirsty today. And instead of asking nicely, it decided to go venture out on it's own into the water jacket all kool-aid man style.
Then when it got plenty to drink it tried to bang it's way out the top of the motor.
And some metal things got in the way, so now my piston has battle scars. Instead of just blowing the headgasket to get a drink of water, it had to get all violent and ****.
Now for details and questions: The motor has 336 miles on it since being rebuilt. I took the motor out, took the block to the machine shop along with a box of brand new parts including all the manufacturer paperwork, torque specs etc. I came and picked up the block with the oil pan all sealed up, stuck the head on top of it and went from there. It built oil pressure almost immediately, fired on the first try, and never had any problems. It had some lifter tick, but that was the only 'abnormal' sound in the motor prior to the kool-aid man thing. Is there any way this could possibly be my fault? My reasoning being that the piston is twisted inside the bore. It had to come loose from the crankshaft somehow. Never had low oil pressure, and there was no nasty chunks in the first oil change (at 300 miles). I need theories as to what may have happened. I'm guessing either the rod bolts broke, or came loose, or the rod broke, which I find highly unlikely given that I was still taking it easy after seating the rings. I'm not cracking the pan until I get to the machine shop so that there is no argument that I changed something before it got to them.
Then when it got plenty to drink it tried to bang it's way out the top of the motor.
And some metal things got in the way, so now my piston has battle scars. Instead of just blowing the headgasket to get a drink of water, it had to get all violent and ****.
Now for details and questions: The motor has 336 miles on it since being rebuilt. I took the motor out, took the block to the machine shop along with a box of brand new parts including all the manufacturer paperwork, torque specs etc. I came and picked up the block with the oil pan all sealed up, stuck the head on top of it and went from there. It built oil pressure almost immediately, fired on the first try, and never had any problems. It had some lifter tick, but that was the only 'abnormal' sound in the motor prior to the kool-aid man thing. Is there any way this could possibly be my fault? My reasoning being that the piston is twisted inside the bore. It had to come loose from the crankshaft somehow. Never had low oil pressure, and there was no nasty chunks in the first oil change (at 300 miles). I need theories as to what may have happened. I'm guessing either the rod bolts broke, or came loose, or the rod broke, which I find highly unlikely given that I was still taking it easy after seating the rings. I'm not cracking the pan until I get to the machine shop so that there is no argument that I changed something before it got to them.
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Lompoc, CA
Posts: 577
Total Cats: 13
Dunno.. I cracked the motor, that's where the piston was sitting, about the same height as the number 1, but not exactly the same. I didn't try to turn it in hopes of not damaging anything else.
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Lompoc, CA
Posts: 577
Total Cats: 13
No, there weren't any obviously loud bangs, just lots of clattering, which, in hind sight, was the piston smacking the valves. Then it promptly stopped running. The machine shop I took it to is generally known as doing the best work in the area. It was bored to 84 mm. The only thing I can figure out is that the guy assembled it without really reading the torque instructions for those ARP 2000 rod bolts. I have to finish pulling the block out and take it to them and see what they say, but at this point, I will probably just drop a decent mileage stock motor in it and shoot for 200 HP.
#12
I've rebuilt 5 bp's (3 were the same block) and none of them did anything like that even under mild boost starting at 0km during break in! Good luck with getting retribution you may be in for a battle.
I'd get the head looked at and use that in your claim.
#17
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Lompoc, CA
Posts: 577
Total Cats: 13
I plan to be there and take pictures. The one good thing is that the shop generally does really good work. They also have a really good reputation and the owner is an honest guy that still works there day to day. I don't think they are going to out right try to screw me, but we'll see what they say when they take it apart. I'm praying for a rod nut sitting in the bottom of the pan or a missing circlip. Those are two things that just scream assembly error.
#19
The shop who built it should take responseabilty, but who know if they will. It is a total loss however you look at it, minus the head which should be fine. Good luck, and I'll be waiting for pics of the bottom end.
#20
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Lompoc, CA
Posts: 577
Total Cats: 13
Yeah, it's at least a little comforting that the valve marks are twisted like they are proving it collided with the head after the break. The head may be salvageable, but at the very least it needs work. There was some damage done when the piston hit the combustion chamber and I'm betting at least 2 of the valves are fuxored.