Bassoctopus

I realise that, but from the details in Deadly's first email, he could easily have been working on the next mod for his engine and broke it.

Pie_n_Chips

Possibly, but until Dave posts up more info we can only indulge in idle speculation as to why another one's gone pop

GSi

Probably a failure of the VTEC system...

Pie_n_Chips

Thankfully it's not a VANOS type unit Rob

GSi

Or even worse a double VANOS

GTFCTIM

That was gonna be my reply

Nick Graves

Well, there's nothing on the list that should make the mixture lean out, which is always a risk from DIY tuning measures.

Valve head or timing chain or cracked pot?

Sorry to hear it, I hope it gets sorted without too much pain.

BTW - the only problem I recall BMW having was about 10 years ago - high sulphur petrol was rotting the bores of the 3.0 small-block 6. As these were unlinered, the lump was buggered. I think it took an expensive re-design to fix that one.

GSi

2 probs with the M3 engines

S50 (E36) Vanos can fail, but usually it just makes a bit of noise so people have them changed, if it fails it can obviously lead to metal on metal p0rn

S54 (E46) Nikasil conrod linings can fail - recall on M3s to fix (didn't extend to MCoupes but know of 3 that have failed). Likewise, not good for the engine.

Both relatively rare though and not in the least bit S2000 related, so for once I'll apologise for going off topic

Nick Graves

S54 - Is that not Nikasil (Nickel-silicone) cylinder bore linings?

I think that was what I was banging on about.

I am impressed that valvetronic seems to hold up.

GSi

Perhaps I am confused??

It does have Nikasil linings, but the recall is for con rod bearing shells on the S54..