boostedM's (re)build - Rotrex supercharger E92 M3

[Sean@PSI]

Originally Posted by boostedM

How long are we talking? The car had a solid 1000 miles with the Level 3 kit before the failure with no hiccups. I would think the problem would pop up within a couple hundred miles max for something like that.

I can't say...

But didn't the car have 50k miles with the kit using the same oil cooler and line with no issues? The problem appeared after the lines and cooler were removed and reinstalled for the rod bearing work and level 3 upgrade, correct?

[boostedM]

Originally Posted by David@PSI

I can't say...

But didn't the car have 50k miles with the kit using the same oil cooler and line with no issues? The problem appeared after the lines and cooler were removed and reinstalled for the rod bearing work and level 3 upgrade, correct?

It was a post-install failure, yes. I should have pictures of the line tomorrow. It will be a little easier to describe the failure point with the pictures

[Sean@PSI]

Originally Posted by boostedM

It was a post-install failure, yes. I should have pictures of the line tomorrow. It will be a little easier to describe the failure point with the pictures

Ok cool, hopefully that will clear things up a bit.

[boostedM]

Here is a picture of the failed part. The brass piece seemed unclamp/decompress/whatever from the fitting and the line. There was no external damage to either the line, fitting, or the brass piece, so it looks like just a clean part failure.



Here's the piece after separation

[SYZ]

I'd fix the car, as it sits it's not worth nearly what you want. If anything, at least part it out before you attempt to sell it. If the car had low miles and this happened, that'd be one thing. But high miles + rebuild necessary = 20K value realistically.

But maybe I'm way off. Good luck (from here on out anyway), and sorry to hear this happened over a $10 part.

[s65e90]

Originally Posted by boostedM

Here is a picture of the failed part. The brass piece seemed unclamp/decompress/whatever from the fitting and the line. There was no external damage to either the line, fitting, or the brass piece, so it looks like just a clean part failure.



Here's the piece after separation

FYI that fitting doesn't come assembled. You cut the hose and install it into the fitting. It appears that however put together that fitting F'd up

[boostedM]

Originally Posted by s65e90

FYI that fitting doesn't come assembled. You cut the hose and install it into the fitting. It appears that however put together that fitting F'd up

The top picture is of the replacement line sent directly from Active, sealed. So if that's the case, then it's assembled at Active, because that's exactly how it was shipped to me

[L4ces]

I hope Active makes an attempt to help this customer who trusted in their product. If would be effd up and leave a sour taste in my mouth if they do nothing.

[s65e90]

Originally Posted by boostedM

The top picture is of the replacement line sent directly from Active, sealed. So if that's the case, then it's assembled at Active, because that's exactly how it was shipped to me

AFAIK Active does all their work in house. those lines are sold as fittings and lines separately. You cut the line, insert it into the fitting and crimp the connection to seal (that's the part that you're holding that failed).

IMO I would def inquire with AA as to who put the lines together for the kit as it appears that they may have some responsiblity with why the line failed. AN lines just don't do that on a normal basis. Good luck; don't forget how much money you spent already!

[exmowner]

Originally Posted by David@PSI

Not sure exactly how the line managed to break, but here's something that I've experienced when installing the last Level 3 kit that we put on a customer's car.

AA sends you two different fittings for the oil cooler/line that broke on the OPs car. When I first installed the kit, I had the wrong one on. I was thinking to myself that there was no way that could've been right, because the fitting did thread on, but it was slightly loose (as in you could wiggle the fitting on the threads and feel play, even though it was tightened). After going back to the install instructions, I notice that they provide you with two different fittings depending on the production date of the car. I believe the switch is somewhere mid-08'.

If the wrong fitting was used, I can see the car running okay for a while until it finally does give out. I nearly made that mistake but caught it before it happened. Perhaps it's possible that the shop that installed the level 3 upgraded accidentally used the wrong fitting?

In any case, good luck with the car, and I hope everything works out for the best!

Shouldn't active verify what the production date is on the car they are selling the kit for? Why would they send out both fittings?

[exmowner]

Originally Posted by Chriskm3

I had issues with aa xpipe vclamp hanging too low and ripping out the vclamp on a manhole and bending the xpipejust few miles after the install. Aa refused to assist with my issue. Two board members which i meet personally from quebec with aa stage 2 kit had two major issues ( bend crank and blown engine ) after tracking the car heavily. Aa refused any responsibility on those issues aswell.

I know one of them, he's local...

Car lasted 7000kms, he wasn't able to get a hold of anyone.

[kawasaki00]

Originally Posted by boostedM

Here is a picture of the failed part. The brass piece seemed unclamp/decompress/whatever from the fitting and the line. There was no external damage to either the line, fitting, or the brass piece, so it looks like just a clean part failure.



Here's the piece after separation

I know this thread is pretty old but just thought I would throw something out there.
That is not the correct crimp collar for that line. I can see why it came off. That is a BMRS hose, they are right down the street from our work. They are the only company in the US that imports those fittings and line directly from England.
That crimp collar is for a Teflon/PTFE line not the one in the picture.

[boostedM]

Originally Posted by kawasaki00

I know this thread is pretty old but just thought I would throw something out there.
That is not the correct crimp collar for that line. I can see why it came off. That is a BMRS hose, they are right down the street from our work. They are the only company in the US that imports those fittings and line directly from England.
That crimp collar is for a Teflon/PTFE line not the one in the picture.

Interesting.

I just got an update from the guy I sold the car to. It's a long read, but he found some extremely curious things after disassembling the motor.

"When I disassembled the motor, I found your #1 cylinder piston was heavily damaged on the side skirt. It practically melted to the cylinder wall. This is why you were burning so much oil. The damage to the piston and cylinder wall does not seem to be related to running the car out of oil -- not even temporarily. Instead, this damage looks like it was caused by excessive cylinder heat -- the type of heat that can occur with detonation or running too lean. It's very likely a combination of multiple things, and detonation being the last cause of excessive heat. The heat seemed very localized to that single piston. No other pistons were damaged, and the piston itself didn't show any signs of prolonged heat or abuse that I could tell. Had this been caused by oil starvation, then I would have expected to see other parts of the engine, including other cylinders sustaining similar damage. On this same vein, if this had been caused by oil starvation, then the furthest back bearings would have shown signs of oil starvation (they are farthest from the oil pump and have the least pressure). The rear bearings all looked fine. Some others didn't, but that wasn't likely caused by oil starvation. So the cylinder damage seems unrelated to oil starvation.

The oil line coming off your cooler seems to be unrelated and purely coincidental. I know the chronology of events you gave me. But I showed the parts to two respected engine builders (one of them won the Indy-500), and both said the oil cooler line disconnect seemed purely coincidental and unrelated to the cylinder damage."

TL;DR: The oil line breaking wasn't the reason we couldn't get the car back to running order. It apparently had a much, much more severe problem

He sent a link to a very extensive picture documentation of the entire motor deconstruct, but idk if he wants the world to have access to that. I'll post a few select pictures instead



Cyl 1:



Cyl 3:



Piston 1:

[landoflui]

any news on how the spec clutch his holding up?

[GabeS]

Originally Posted by landoflui

any news on how the spec clutch his holding up?

You haven't read the thread recently. have you?
He blew his motor while heading to Dyno.

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by GabeS

You haven't read the thread recently. have you?
He blew his motor while heading to Dyno.

You just commented on a thread where the last activity was January 2015, and you're busting the guy's chops about not reading the thread recently?

[GabeS]

Originally Posted by bradleyland

You just commented on a thread where the last activity was January 2015, and you're busting the guy's chops about not reading the thread recently?

Not sure what makes you think that if there aren't any recent comments the thread is never to be brought up again, please point me into the right direction because I haven't seen that one yet.
I am about to do the same mods as he did and this thread helps bring attention to a possible weak spot in the SC setup.