Catastrophic engine failure

[rs200]

sorry to hear that.. I know how you filing now. the same problem I has before 2 years , and I have filing like somebody die.
same situation was on my car.. was driving at boost , and than "BAM" .. blue and white smoke come from exhaust , like a fog .

next day I go to take engine out , piece by piece, (I was like CSI , looking every single part ) . and than came to bottom end, and find lovely banana rods and 2 broken piston.

good luck ..

[JP]

Sounds like metal fatigue in the rods. See it all the time on remapped motors, especially ones running water injection. Engine will run fine, it will have the odd miss at idle or mega load, but nothing obvious. Just feels flat and down on power. Pull the engine apart and at least one rod will have a slight bow in it shortening the rod by 1-2mm from stock.

Comes from running high cylinder pressures or over revving. Another favourite is a blown turbo dumping oil down the intake causing the engine to hydro-lock.

[prj]

Comes from running high cylinder pressures or over revving.

In other words - knock.

[JP]

That's one of the potential causes. Big boost pressure, accidental water ingestion, blown headgasket etc.. there is a multitude of reasons. If knock you can tell from big end bearings and pistons. Of course the ones that are still present

Headgasket look for flash mark on head and block for example.

Basically 99% of the time a proper inspection can tell the route cause if enough components are left intact.

[prj]

...Of course the ones that are still present
...if enough components are left intact.

Sounds like you have been around

[Billman]

... especially ones running water injection...

How does this correlates? Too much water expands and over-stresses the engine?

[220bhp]

Since fitting the rec head last year,I have had no over heating problems what so ever, I dont just realy on the water tempreture gauge,I check the oil tempreture gauge,oil pressure has been good to.However I cannot rule out any possibility at the moment as there was no warning,just bang.
I cannot thank you all enough for your help advise and support,and hope I can get to the bottom of it. Please keep the suggestions comeing they are much appreciated.

[JP]

If you fancy a journey to South Beds/Herts with a long block at one point quite happily inspect it for you. Always curious to see what makes things fail as it allows for development to prevent things in the future. What's got me curious is the no warning bit.

@Billman, Seen two issues with water injection injections. Incorrect injector positioning/spray atomisation causing water to pool and drip into the cylinder causing high combustion pressures. Just enough to bend a rod causing minor missfire under load and idle but not enough to stop an engine running until one day it gives way. The other one is when using water/meth mix. Where the meth concentration is too strong and it has knocked out the intake guides causing high consumption of oil and smoking but this wouldn't cause a bend rod.

[Billman]

i see

[220bhp]

I definatly got no warning,one minute all seemed ok then bang,car was running fine untill then. Oil consumption was very small with no smoke.
Thanks for your offer to take a look at the long block,I may bring it up to you

[benntenn67]

Having had issues in the past,I keep a keen eye on the dials and there was no indication of any problems, until the engine went, then all the warning lights came on,
first water then oil.
As far as the object is concerned it was small and bounsedi thought it was may be an exhaust hanger.

Hi, sorry to hear about your engine failure, I'm the same, always checking my gauges - could the object that you saw have been a hose or part of ??

[CoupeWannabeS2]

Thanks Dan, sorry Ive not been in tuch, but I always seem to be bissy at work,I gess I am going to get a little more so in the next few weeks, or months

No worries fella, i'm fairly busy myself now we have two little'ns to run around after.

All the best with sourcing a new engine. We will have to catch up with you soon, but no pinching my engine if I bring the S2. :mischeif:

[QuattroFever]

hmmm, something fell off. Like you say maybe coincidence?

had an oil change recently before it happened? sump
plug fell out?
oil pressure guage sender came off?
had the low oil pressure switch changed recently, can be quite easy to break that larger gauge sender off if you lever against it with a spanner.

Low oil pressure switch still there?

All could empty the sump in seconds.

[220bhp]

I have now found a doner car, and will be swaping the engines over very soon. I have taken the engine out before but not with the gearbox, I would appreciate any advis. Is it easier to take the engine out with or without the gear box.
I have had a few more thoughts about the engine failure,and I think it is possible that the original cause of the faliure is down to the first mapping of my ECU,which cost me a brand new turbo.After fitting the re mapped ecu,the car was running 2.2bar and god now's how much tourque, enough to slip a brand new clutch,the car was almost undrivable at the time, as soon as you put your foot on the pedal boost was at 2bar plus.
It was diagnosed at the time as a faulty none bosch map sensor,and I think this is where the damage to the engine occured.stock rods put under to much presser only have to give a mm or so to stop an engine from making power,hensh the problem that MRC had.
We will hopefully get to the bottom of it soon.in the mean time thank you all for your advise and support,and all the offers for engines and help ect, I will do my best t answer all the emails and PM.


Many Thanks

Lou

[Rocco]

2.2bar with k24 7200?? under 3500rpms too??