Engine failure today :(
Turbo Mini Forums

After the flywheel decided to depart from the crank a couple of weeks ago, I thought it was back running ok.... until today. Gave it a bit of throttle, started missing, so lifted, it cut out and I rolled to a stop. I knew there was nothing I could do at the side of the road, so called the aa who did a few checks. Removed number 4 plug, and it was smashed to bits. He recovered me home, so I removed the head, where I found this....

Shit dude! no way of machining the head back up?

Hopefully, I've messaged turbo phil some pics to see if it's repairable. It's going to need valves, guides, seats and a good clean up at least I think. Bore looks ok, so hopefully get away with new pistons.

Shit the bed!! Bad luck mate, what sort of boost was you running at the time?

Simon.

I have started posting on Instagram also my name on there is turbomk1golf

Nothing is impossible it just costs more and takes longer.

Only 10 psi. It's my own fault, it's not been rolling roaded yet. Although the carb came off another turbo mini running descent power. Ran well, but still needed a tune. I think it's been running lean.

Terrible luck mate, hope it's good news from Phil at least

BHP sells engines, but Torque wins races!

Lean hasn't done that. Snapped valve has done that.

What do you think has caused it?

Reving too hard maybe. It's no 4 piston so cooling could be a factor.

It doesn't rev high at all, runs out of puff at about 5k probably due to poor fuel mixture, and runs really cool at 80 degrees.

Whatever caused it, it looks painful!

Wowee

Like Andy says, snapped valve , probably not helped by local overheating due to weak mixture,

Very bad luck though, valves don,t usually do this unless badly abused - and you don,t do that, do you ?

Got a head sitting on the shelf with the same damage. Is the bore ok?

In all honesty it doesn't get abused. I'm just trying to get some miles on it before the rolling road. Just the occasional foot down. Bore looks fine, new pistons and maybe a light hone.

Were they old valves? Also, did you get new guides? Just wondering if they got a bit tight and held valve open to allow contact?

Just my random thoughts though

Its a catch 22 with engines. Nice to getsome running in miles before getting it on the rollers.i just go straight to the rollers now not worth risking it with an fi engine

sadley! that head is total scrap, local temps on number 4 would have contributed to this failure, i suspect the guides nipped the valves up and the piston smashed into them.

was you using heater take off to run the coolent through ? i doubt it.

hope the bore is not damaged and you can just get away witha piston.

also would like to add that its not all tears the rest of the engines ok,

i would rebuild that and take it straight to the rolling road and optomise the timing SAFE and correct the fueling ASAP.
and look at your cooling plumbing carefully!!!

Awesome. Better than i ever done.

you can do anything if you set your mind to it...
i rather blow it up winning than keep it together losing.

finish date set for project 1... march 2018

Definitely a catch 22, wanted to get some miles on it before it sees high boost and revs.

Yes I run a straight tee off the head at number 4, which is plumbed back into the bottom hose. It's constantly flowing, not on a valve. It's like that ready for when the gt17 goes on which will need a water feed.

Shame the head is scrap though, it's only done about 1k miles.

No they weren't old valves, or guides. All brand new, stainless valves and bronze guides.

Actually I did have a slight misfire a couple of weeks ago, mainly in top gear when accelerating quite hard. Felt like it was running out of fuel. If I backed off for 10 seconds or so then accelerated again it was ok, then started to misfire again. Could that have been the guides nipping the valves too? It did feel very similar today when the engine went. I backed off, but it was too late.

that does sound like guide nipping

Definitely guides, I had that problem.

Loss of power with a strange but very apprent noise then wait 10 seconds and away you go.

I assume it would do it easily if you accelerated hard then change in 4th and it would do it then. Under hard load top end?

13.95 1/4 mile on a 2.95 fd. Carnt be that hard to beat!

Exactly that Eden, 100%

I thought it was running out of fuel. I've got an Spi pump fitted at the moment for running in purposes, but I've got a big external pump waiting to be fitted. I know Spi pumps are only good for low power outputs, so thought it was that. The pump change was the last job before the rolling road tune :(

Shame mate, mine did it many times before I worked out what it was. I guess I was lucky!

Once I knew I whipped the head off and Steve benross sorted it straight out for me.

Best way to look at it is all a learning curve mate

13.95 1/4 mile on a 2.95 fd. Carnt be that hard to beat!