I remember you saying before there was some doubt over them.

 

Final report; two pistons cracked Because it's a dry sumped car, they often have the engine breathers blocked off (mine does). This meant that instead of venting the combustion pressure it was forced down into the crank case. This blew the rear oil seal in the crank case, which spat oil everywhere, and caused my problems in the bottom of the engine; the big end of the con rod rattled its way around the crank shaft (which is what the rattle is when you start it up).

Sooooo all in all; a new set of pistons, liners, rings and head gasket, plus a new crank shaft a con rod, oil pump and various bearings, seals, gaskets etc.

Oh, and have a look at the oil pressure warning light because it never came on!

 

Bad luck Jo.

Cracked pistons it proved to be then.

Is the block scrap or is it just bearing rattle that made the engine builder think it was holed?

 

:hug:

Jo, get an oil pressure gauge and ditch the idiot light.

 

Block is fine The head is also fine Small mercies I suppose!

The positive is that I will have a completely fresh engine, but also the engine guy found a fuel hose that wasn't connected properly - htat would eventually have disconnected and sprayed fuel over the hot engine block and fried me, so perhaps it's fate !!!

I have an oil pressure gauge as well as a broken warning light - the pressure did indeed fluctuate, fluttered between 20-60-80 (normal under load is 80) but it all happened so quickly, and it never really got to 0. A big orange light might have prompted me to cut the engine!!

Steep learning curve for sure!!!!

Next problem - assuming the car is finished I somehow need to arrange picking it up before Friday (it's in Hinckley). Don't supose there's anybody with a trailer near there who can pick it up tomorrow / Thursday so I can pick it up Thursday evening on the way to Oulton !!!!

 

Good time to put an S engine

Near me

http://www.jdm-dyno.com/index.html - check out the rolling pic in the top right

 

Glad it wasn't any more serious Jo, the liners would have protected the block from the con-rod possibly going through, and certainly scoring the cylinder wall.

 

I don't live that far from Hinckley Jo, but no trailer i'm afraid

 

Never mind thanks anyway Looks like the car might be finished tomorrow afternoon, just got to sort logistics to pick it up.

Then run it in on track

Thanks for the hug Nick

Mark - yes it could have been worse I suppose, although the wallet is a bit sore!

 

With a loose fuel line, you could have been sore by now.

So in that sense, a bit of financial cost now saved you from potentially far worse.

Do you not do a spanner check of the car before and after each race? Go over critical pipes, connections, bolts and fastenings to make sure they're all in good nick? It's a worthwhile habit to get into and allows you to spot potentially bigger problems before they happen.