Club G40 Forum

Technical => Engine and Transmission => Topic started by: AlexG40 on August 14, 2011, 10:47:16 pm

Title: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: AlexG40 on August 14, 2011, 10:47:16 pm
So, today I took the engine out of the G expecting to see a head gasket blown between two cylinders.  Instead I found this:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6200/6042926954_1a7a5804a1_z.jpg)

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6042404069_28587b704e_z.jpg)



So, a few minutes with a valve spring compressor and we get a lovely view like this:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6138/6042387125_ab6e68d698_z.jpg)

Answers on a postcard as to how that happened...


Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: liam on August 14, 2011, 10:51:39 pm
cambelt slipped maybe?
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: cheys03 on August 14, 2011, 11:09:02 pm
Bugger :(

Can only think that the cambelt or a vernier pulley slipped really, or that for some reason the valves were sticky or slow to close ???
Was it at high revs when it started to show symptoms? I assume it has done a few hundred/thousand trouble-free miles since any prior work e.g cambelt etc?
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: AlexG40 on August 14, 2011, 11:14:32 pm
4 years n 20k since rebuild. Drove fine in the morning, started making a noise then gradually got louder then bang. Gonna check the crank pulley is not spinning. No vernier so it's not that. Hmmmm
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: Andy on August 14, 2011, 11:22:56 pm
Fucking hell!

Was the water pump tight and tensioning the cambelt correctly? Any signs of damage to the belt? Are there any signs of debris in the tappets?
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: AlexG40 on August 14, 2011, 11:24:29 pm
All good Andy and belt looks brand new. Timing belt covered too.
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: cheys03 on August 14, 2011, 11:27:45 pm
Was the timing still ok before disassembly?
Oil and pressure ok?
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: hayesey on August 15, 2011, 09:23:03 am
ouch. that's not good.  I can only think the cambelt has slipped.  I guess that noise was valves hitting pistons then
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?! (It is now!)
Post by: AlexG40 on August 15, 2011, 07:29:33 pm
Well, this is a case of logic winning through. Talking to Yoof yesterday we agreed that the timing being out was the only explanation, what couldn't be explained without guessing was why. Timing belt slipping is the obvious guess but there were no obvious telltales, no teeth missing, no bits of rubber etc, in fact everything looked brand new.  I said that in theory the only thing that would have caused the gradual failure would be a pulley loose. However as we all know there are keys to prevent this on both of the vital pulleys. However, I never touched the crank pulley when I did the engine for the car so I was curious to see if anything was missing. This is what I found:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6046732366_52d2d96324_z.jpg)

So, mystery finally solved.
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: Yoof on August 15, 2011, 09:10:47 pm
Bingo!

Debris in the woodruff keyway when the crank pulley was bolted on it my guess, either that or overtorqued.

PITA either way!
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: cheys03 on August 15, 2011, 10:00:09 pm
oh....there goes my 'sticky valves' theory ::) :D
Bloody hell. Bizarre failure
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: PeteG40 on August 15, 2011, 10:15:21 pm
more common on g60s as the bottom bolt comes loose.

Did you use a new bolt? or did you not touch this?  they are single use stretch bolt
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: AlexG40 on August 15, 2011, 10:45:32 pm
Never touched it Pete. Wish I had now, as you know it would have been replaced with gen all pukka torqued.
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: Boris on August 15, 2011, 11:22:01 pm
Man that sucks.  I'm still a little confused as to the cause from that pic though, is that a part of one of the teeth or a bit of debris that was between them?
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: AlexG40 on August 16, 2011, 05:09:28 am
It's the woodruff key on the pulley that has failed.
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: Robin on August 16, 2011, 07:40:11 am
The 1341 or 1272 decision has been made for you then alex!!!
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: Boris on August 16, 2011, 10:08:52 am
It's the woodruff key on the pulley that has failed.
Ah, of course. That's really bad luck.  :(
Title: Re: Trackday engine failure...mystery solved...or is it?!
Post by: woody02 on August 16, 2011, 04:46:53 pm
hard luck alex,  Hope you get it sorted soon!