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Blown motor (picture)

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gsxonthebeach

15+ Year Contributor
87
0
Apr 22, 2008
seattle, Washington
So I believe I blew my motor tonight. I was taking a right turn and punched it up to a little past 5k, and it sounded like my whole motor just fell apart, like imagine a coffee can filled with marbles and rocks being shaken up, so I coasted to the side of the road. I was positive there would be pieces of block in the road behind me, to my surprise, there wasn't. The motor started smoking white smoke from the head, i noticed it most from the injector side. The car wouldn't turn over, but the battery and electronics all worked fine. I took out the dipstick and noticed ZERO oil on it. And I opened up the oil cap to take a quick look inside, and I saw what maybe a lifter? or something separate from the motor underneath a cam. Here is a picture, <a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/?action=view&current=blownmotor.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/blownmotor.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

I don't really know what to do at this point. But I am posting this bulletin to see if it might be a blown motor. Obviously it is impossible to tell for sure with my very vague description, but I was really hoping that this picture might be able to be described to me. Thank you.
 
My guess is the head is toast, if not more. Have you checked the timing belt? You may also want to take the valve cover off and get another pic as that should provide everyone more insight and better diagnosing (how ever it is spelled).
 
My guess is the head is toast, if not more. Have you checked the timing belt? You may also want to take the valve cover off and get another pic as that should provide everyone more insight and better diagnosing (how ever it is spelled).

Yes, Once this rain stops, I will take the cover off and possibly diagnose this even more. Unfortunately, the weather is stopping me, because its outside right now.
 
judging from the picture looks like you have the exact same problem as someone else did on here. time to take apart the head and examine it. hopefully you can just pick up a new head. GL with it all man and keep us updated
 
No that is a rocker arm. It controls the opening and closing of the valve. See what happens is that the camshaft turns and applies pressure to that rocker arm which then opens the valve. Now you might have gotten lucky though because the rocker fell off which i have seen happen before and the valves where fine. The pressure from the valve spring will keep it lifted preventing the piston smacking your valves. Now its ###### not starting because the valves will not open up without any rockers on them resulting on the engine not getting any fuel/air. Take the head off you might be able to just remove your cams and put the rockers back on depending on how badly they are damaged. Good luck.

Supremedsm
 
No that is a rocker arm. It controls the opening and closing of the valve. See what happens is that the camshaft turns and applies pressure to that rocker arm which then opens the valve. Now you might have gotten lucky though because the rocker fell off which i have seen happen before and the valves where fine. The pressure from the valve spring will keep it lifted preventing the piston smacking your valves. Now its ###### not starting because the valves will not open up without any rockers on them resulting on the engine not getting any fuel/air. Take the head off you might be able to just remove your cams and put the rockers back on depending on how badly they are damaged. Good luck.

Supremedsm

I agree 100%. At this point, since a rocker is clearly popped off, you need to NOT turn that motor again until the head is pulled and the valves are inspected.
 
what happened probably was the same thing that happened to me...oil starved and one or some of your lifter nipples broke off and threw your rockers off causing you not to be able to crank the motor and start up..it will crank but not fire up due to your valves not opening..a year ago i fried my piston running to much boost and it burned oil so bad that it caused my lifter to break and do the same thing...check those lifters!!!!:thumb:
 
It is possible that the rocker exited of its own accord without damaged valves, but in my experience when a rocker pops off it's usually because valves made contact with the piston, indicating jumped timing.

However, if you experienced low oil pressure or a bad enough leak that the head didn't get proper oil pressure, the lifter could have collapsed enough to let the rocker fall off. That may explain the white smoke a little better. It appears that the intake cam has some discoloration on the lobe for cylinder 1's left valve. You should carefully inspect the entire head.
 
Thank you all for the replies, I am trying to take everything into consideration. I was able to take a better look at the car today. First and foremost is the worst, in the oil pan there is one hole about the size of a nickel, an outwards dent, an another hole which was leaking coolant. I don't know how the coolant got there. picture:

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/?action=view&current=blown4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/blown4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

That is what I am most concerned with, and until I find a place to work on it, I won't be able to drop the oil pan to see what's inside. I will update that as soon as possible.

I then took off the timing belt cover, and the timing belt looked like it had shifted to the left about half a centimeter. Also, the edge hanging off the cam gears was frayed. pictures:

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/?action=view&current=blownengine1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/blownengine1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/?action=view&current=blown2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/blown2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/?action=view&current=blown3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/blown3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Is this the "jumped timing" Defiant posted about?
Also, I took off the valve cover, and a there were about 5 rocker arms still attched and the rest were scattered about. I saw some scratches on the cam shaft right under where the hole to put oil in would be.

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/?action=view&current=blown5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/blown5.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/?action=view&current=blown6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/blown6.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/?action=view&current=blown8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/idontcare236/blown8.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Again, thank you all for the input and support.
 
I am going to guess that a piston likely came apart and possibly a rod in the process. Pieces of the piston lodged between the valves and what was left of the piston, popping out the rockers when the cam was trying to open the valves. Your oil pan confirmes that something came apart and launched downward into the pan as well. The coolant indicates the possiblity of damaged to the block or head into a cooling passage. It looks like your engine is toast! You will have to tear it down to know exactly what happened. Good luck!!
 
if the rocker came apart, i would beleive that the problem more or less started in the bottom end. once i read that you tried to spin it ovr, but to no avail, it most likely seized the piston and most likley a peice broke off and jammed that peticular exaust or intake valve. once the peice jammed the valve, it took all thepressure off of the spring , so as it continued its revolution the cam duration droppe off giving it enough slack to just fall out of place.......case in point was my stock 2g
 
I am going to guess that a piston likely came apart and possibly a rod in the process. Pieces of the piston lodged between the valves and what was left of the piston, popping out the rockers when the cam was trying to open the valves. Your oil pan confirmes that something came apart and launched downward into the pan as well. The coolant indicates the possiblity of damaged to the block or head into a cooling passage. It looks like your engine is toast! You will have to tear it down to know exactly what happened. Good luck!!

I very much agree. Looks like we found where the white smoke came from. I'm still blaming jumped timing belt for the murder. Might as well pull the head and give us a little peek at the carnage. Sorry to see that oil pan, I was hoping it would only be new valves and pistons for you.
 
I wouldn't even bother looking at the car until you find a replacement long block. It's just going to give you paint and anguish, not to mention wasting your time seeing something (carnage) that we already know exists. Sorry to say, but start shopping my friend. 6 bolt or 7 bolt, your choice.
 
I wouldn't even bother looking at the car until you find a replacement long block. It's just going to give you paint and anguish, not to mention wasting your time seeing something (carnage) that we already know exists. Sorry to say, but start shopping my friend. 6 bolt or 7 bolt, your choice.

Haha, I couldn't agree more! Everytime I pull an engine apart and find carnage. It discurages me a little. Just pick up a new long block. put it in, get it running, than look at whats wrong with the old one.

I would go with a 6 bolt. The swap is not that hard. You just have to track down some parts and do a few modifications. To get an idea of how easy it is... The first engine swap I ever did was a 6bolt swap into my 96... If you are comfortable with tools, than you should have no problems.

Other wise a 7 bolt swap is always a choice. although I found that most 7 bolts were more expensive. Althoug it would have been easier. (Don't belive most critics.... the 7 bolt IS a great engine. It just has a bad rap.)

But if you must check out the carnage, make sure you post pictures. A lot of us like to see other people going through the same sh!t we went through :D
 
at least you didnt buy it and find out there is a hole the size of your fist in the 3rd cylinder and a, not broken, SHATTERED piston that shot 4 holes on the oil pan and 3 into the head. needless to say, it sucked. but good luck with it man, you'l need it. if you do it right it will take no time. just another opinion, go with a 6 bolt. (just preference)
 
Haha, I couldn't agree more! Everytime I pull an engine apart and find carnage. It discurages me a little. Just pick up a new long block. put it in, get it running, than look at whats wrong with the old one.

I would go with a 6 bolt. The swap is not that hard. You just have to track down some parts and do a few modifications. To get an idea of how easy it is... The first engine swap I ever did was a 6bolt swap into my 96... If you are comfortable with tools, than you should have no problems.

Other wise a 7 bolt swap is always a choice. although I found that most 7 bolts were more expensive. Althoug it would have been easier. (Don't belive most critics.... the 7 bolt IS a great engine. It just has a bad rap.)

But if you must check out the carnage, make sure you post pictures. A lot of us like to see other people going through the same sh!t we went through :D

That's what's going through my mind right now. I'm thinking 6 bolt, but that doesn't mean I didn't love my 7 bolt (not that you said I did). I still would like to check out the carnage, as I might be able to retain some parts, rather than scrapping the whole motor. Is this a bad idea, should I just start from scatch? I have been looking at DSM Graveyards specials on their Frankenstein 6 bolt short blocks, and for $1500, its hard to disagree with that. After that, just get a new head and timing components, right?
 
Your best bet now is have the motor built like you want it to be. A nice streetable motor I would guess. I don't know if you can do it but you will save a lot of money to put it together yourself. I would save whatever you can from that motor and have your block looked at and see if you can use it for a rebuild. It will save you a few hundred dollars. 7 bolt FTW! LOL.
 
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