New engine failure
 

Hi,
about a month ago i got back my s2000 with a complete new engine block assembyl (bought new from Honda for my09 F20C2), refurbished head with all new gaskets (all geniune Honda). Engine was broken in with 10W40 running in engine oil, Then changed to Motul Xcess 8100 5w40. I did 2000 kilometres with the engine and it failed. during acceleration there was a loos of powern and vibration occured when i was at 7500rpm (vtec engaged with no problem). I stopped and there it was again, knocking, vibrating clutch pedal.....towed the car home, pulled the vtec solenoid off and there was coopper metal shavings in the screen. Engine was running healthy and suddenly it desided to kill itself... Oil was on max at the time and car wast at running temperature.

What went wrong :/ the car idles very well no knock.....only when i rev it to 2500rpm there is a strong knock that can be heard in the engine bay and felt through the gearbox/clutch pedal. Engine was brand new (NOT REFURBISHED- well only the head).

Now i have to wait for the mechanic to come back from vacation so he can have a look at it :(.

What do you guys think happened???

Some bearing got down to copper, yet there is no knock until 2500 rpm. Strange. With that much wear, if the copper came from the typical rod bearings, it should be knocking like crazy even at idle.

Bummer. Did you have any warranty?
Did you have good oil pressure when it was put back together? Strange.

At a guess the Thrust bearing is fitted the wrong way round !!

i really dont know what happened....

I was driving home from work, and in vtec i thought i didnt pull as hard as the day before (only 8000rpm above), but engine ran perfectly. but it could be just because it was a steep hill up.....came home opened the hood and did a quick check, oil, coolant, spark plug torque spec, air filter, map sensor, i looked for anything that might be loose...

Went to the store, and the car bogged just a little when i was searching for a parking space while slowly moving in 1st gear, gave it a little gas and it was gone. Still the engine was quiet ran great the power was there....when i was driving home i put it in 3rd gear floor it, car goes in vtec perfectly, but then at around 7500 rpm it vibrate lost pover (sounded like a missfire out of the exhaust) and after that it was knocking.

:(

My first thought too. But wasn't sure if thrust washer has copper base?

sounds like something got into the engine when you assembled it.

Or didn't use adequate assembly lube. Or didn't properly break-in. :(

Break in could be the possible cause but assembly lube is put there by the factory, his hands would not have touched these parts. Hopefully the head was not worked on before assembly. Sorry for your issue.

No but if it failed and allowed the crank to move around he could have toasted the crank bearings, which would look copper.