My engine BLEW OFF today!!
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 164
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From: Prague
All right - ready?
Old wisdom says that pics are better then thousands of words. Take a look and get me some heads up what and how happened.
To start with: what if coolant made it to the cylinder (upper hole as a result of microcrack in the block), stalled the piston which caused rod to break and make lower hole which sucked out the oil.
Before the pictures some data:
My JiffyLube computer pulled up that the car had 7k, 11k, and 14,5k oil changes with syntetic 10-30. I recall that very first oil change (mineral) was at 3750 done by a different dealer which could not align my 18' wheels with lowered suspension so I abandoned him.
No1 cylinder with piston stalled. The hole in hte middle of piston they made when they tried to get it out. The hole behind is the 'upper hole'
You can see in the upper hole the remains of the block chipped out
Looking from the front towards the compressor the hole (lower) is not seen...
... but looking from the bottom - here is our oil champion:-)
Now this is head No.1
and this is head normal - no2
and this is complete head.
So?
Old wisdom says that pics are better then thousands of words. Take a look and get me some heads up what and how happened.
To start with: what if coolant made it to the cylinder (upper hole as a result of microcrack in the block), stalled the piston which caused rod to break and make lower hole which sucked out the oil.
Before the pictures some data:
My JiffyLube computer pulled up that the car had 7k, 11k, and 14,5k oil changes with syntetic 10-30. I recall that very first oil change (mineral) was at 3750 done by a different dealer which could not align my 18' wheels with lowered suspension so I abandoned him.
No1 cylinder with piston stalled. The hole in hte middle of piston they made when they tried to get it out. The hole behind is the 'upper hole'
You can see in the upper hole the remains of the block chipped out
Looking from the front towards the compressor the hole (lower) is not seen...
... but looking from the bottom - here is our oil champion:-)
Now this is head No.1
and this is head normal - no2
and this is complete head.
So?
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 691
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From: Davison
Am I the only one that looked at the original picture of when this happened and thought that the amount of oil on the ground and the trail leading up to it was very minimal? Maybe some of it stayed in the pan but if it dumped it all out, there is no way that there is enough oil on the pavement to indicate that the car had the proper oil level.
As far as the mods thing that was mentioned earlier, a dealer actually has to prove that the modification was the cause of the failure before they can deny a warranty claim, that's the law.
As far as the mods thing that was mentioned earlier, a dealer actually has to prove that the modification was the cause of the failure before they can deny a warranty claim, that's the law.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 20
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From: Tampa
Originally posted by BillK
I suspect the folks at the dealership said "nice mods," but that is explicitly not the view of Subaru the company.
Fact is, no auto maker warrants their vehicles when modified - it's only common sense. What each maker "lets" an owner gets away with is what varies.
Most dealership mechanics are gearheads and so will indeed be impressed by mods but those same mechanics aren't the ones who will be left holding the tab if Subaru denies warranty coverage. I suspect the dealer's service manager would feel quite differently about the mods if asked to write a letter on dealership letterhead stating that the mods did not affect the vehicle warranty...
I suspect the folks at the dealership said "nice mods," but that is explicitly not the view of Subaru the company.
Fact is, no auto maker warrants their vehicles when modified - it's only common sense. What each maker "lets" an owner gets away with is what varies.
Most dealership mechanics are gearheads and so will indeed be impressed by mods but those same mechanics aren't the ones who will be left holding the tab if Subaru denies warranty coverage. I suspect the dealer's service manager would feel quite differently about the mods if asked to write a letter on dealership letterhead stating that the mods did not affect the vehicle warranty...
Registered User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 14,402
Likes: 2
From: Mugen
r2d2,
Sorry to hear what had happened to you. Something similar happened to me 4 months ago on my MY2002 @ 20,000 miles except it was the #2 cylinder rather than the #1 cylinder. A mechanical "clock"-like noise came from the engine followed by a sudden loss of power, a loud explosion from the engine bay, and then the car died with a trail of oil and coolant left behind. Upon inspection at the dealership, there was a large gaping hole that the mechanics referred lovingly as the "5th cylinder". A Honda rep came out and inspected for evidence of overrevs of which there was none. Never tracked, no forced induction/nitrous, no mods, nada other than moderate driving. Cause of engine failure is still unknown. Only thing noted was a bent valve that threw the rod breaking entirely through the block. One month later, I got a brand new engine and new headers. Good luck with everything!
cheers
-t
Sorry to hear what had happened to you. Something similar happened to me 4 months ago on my MY2002 @ 20,000 miles except it was the #2 cylinder rather than the #1 cylinder. A mechanical "clock"-like noise came from the engine followed by a sudden loss of power, a loud explosion from the engine bay, and then the car died with a trail of oil and coolant left behind. Upon inspection at the dealership, there was a large gaping hole that the mechanics referred lovingly as the "5th cylinder". A Honda rep came out and inspected for evidence of overrevs of which there was none. Never tracked, no forced induction/nitrous, no mods, nada other than moderate driving. Cause of engine failure is still unknown. Only thing noted was a bent valve that threw the rod breaking entirely through the block. One month later, I got a brand new engine and new headers. Good luck with everything!
cheers
-t
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 164
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From: Prague
Interesting... I had exactly the same except of that the loss of power and engine death was instant - but I was in neutral, so there was nothing forcing engine to die slow.
Then I would say that if it's truth that coolant leaked to the cylinder might stall the piston then we might deal with the traditional defect issue of the block material.
It's an alloy and whoever heard or read about the matalurgic production knows that something little may easily screw up the quality of the entire batch (process of cooling of alloy etc.). No manufacturer is immune from this and I guess our little tiny alluminium alloy casted engine is quite marvel anyway =>shxxx can happen more likely.
Funny thing - I bought a used boat 4 years ago, its engine was classic 5,7L Chevy short iron casted block - and it had the crack in it! But that crack was in the oil pan section, not in the cylinder, so that my oil got boiling only and the engine overheated which I saw on the thermometer and stopped. Dealer then rebuilt the engine. Marine engines could develop the crack if you would not winterize them properly and they would get frozen - which this one did since it was from Nevada originally.
Then I would say that if it's truth that coolant leaked to the cylinder might stall the piston then we might deal with the traditional defect issue of the block material.
It's an alloy and whoever heard or read about the matalurgic production knows that something little may easily screw up the quality of the entire batch (process of cooling of alloy etc.). No manufacturer is immune from this and I guess our little tiny alluminium alloy casted engine is quite marvel anyway =>shxxx can happen more likely.
Funny thing - I bought a used boat 4 years ago, its engine was classic 5,7L Chevy short iron casted block - and it had the crack in it! But that crack was in the oil pan section, not in the cylinder, so that my oil got boiling only and the engine overheated which I saw on the thermometer and stopped. Dealer then rebuilt the engine. Marine engines could develop the crack if you would not winterize them properly and they would get frozen - which this one did since it was from Nevada originally.