(ENGINE RUNS!!!!) Broke down my engine block and changed the engine

[jvictormp]

Well, I just got into the broken down engine list last night.

After driving like 20 minutes with half-throttle, was leaving a light signal stopped full throttle and heard a huge hit from the engine @ 8000rpm. Stopped right there.

Coincidence it is that a friend of mine was filming. So, you guys can watch one of those world's rarest moments caught on camera.

Got a hole on the block, at the cylinder 5.

Don't know yet what happened, I'll tell you some facts, and I'll appreciate any thoughts.

- 2007/08
- 76,000km (47,500mls)
- BE Bearings + ARP bolts since 70,000km (43,500mls) done by myself at home in April/2020
- First trackday with me in July/2021 (I own the car since Feb/2019)
- Second trackday was this month 700km from here, I went driving, made the track, came home. There is a note about this day that I'll tell below.
- Oil change two days ago, 10W60 as always (sometimes Motul, sometimes Castrol. This time, Castrol). Went for a drive right after, waited for it to warm up, give it some good accelerations, no problems.
- Yesterday, the day of the event, I went for another drive and that happened.
- In March 2019, I had a stuck open injector in this exactly cylinder 5. Emergency mode was activated, I pulled the car over, and towed, problem was diagnosed in a shop, all 8 injectors were replaced for Bosch new ones.
- Oil filter had not a single dirt or metal shaving after engine breaking down.



Note: the second trackday, during the 700km trip, coil from cyl 5 went bad when there was 120km remaining. I was in the middle of nowhere, the dash warning said I could continue the trip, although the engine sounded rough and with reduced power. I decided to go on, all the 120km.

The next day a friend gave me his spare coil, we replaced the bad one, and I enjoyed all the trackday with absolutely no problems. The next day I rode 700km again coming home, no problems again.

Well, now I'm gathering energy to start disassembling everything and know what the hell happened.

I'll post any news or things I remember after.

[UPDATE from December-2021:]
Root cause was bad fuel (low octane rate and no additives package) from previous owner during 2 years causing too much deposits on the fuel system.

Me putting top tier fuel and letting car sit for two weeks.

Injector sticking open in the first ride.

Me trying to restart the engine several times until it locked up.

Hydrolock fatigued the con-rod on cyl 5.

Injectors replaced, and two years and two trackdays later, con-rod split, due to fatigue.

[MPizza]

sorry for your loss

[Davisca455]

That video perfectly describes my worst nightmare!
Condolences my man.

[drrust]

Sorry to hear that happened to you. Good luck getting back up and running.

[Frostynorth]

Ugh, brutal.
Condolences.

[///M Power-Belgium]

"RIP"

[e46IX]

I'm starting to see a trend of engines failing with BE bearings.

[jvictormp]

I don't think it's RB related.

I'm pretty confident on BE quality.

And I didn't hear any knock.

Could be some kind of hydrolock, maybe related to the coil failure before.

[Scharbag]

Originally Posted by e46IX

I'm starting to see a trend of engines failing with BE bearings.

What trend is this? Data points please. Or is this just your uninformed opinion?

[e46IX]

Originally Posted by Scharbag

What trend is this? Data points please. Or is this just your uninformed opinion?

Just from me browsing the forums and facebook. No need to get hostile, just an observation.

[Scharbag]

Originally Posted by e46IX

Just from me browsing the forums and facebook. No need to get hostile, just an observation.

There is no reason to just post opinions either. Or at least state it as such. This forum is not Facebook. Just a little bit of data is all I ask.

[Cyberdemon]

Injector got stuck open?

[NeverL8]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

Injector got stuck open?

That or mains gave out maybe?

[tbuck]

Yeah, she is done. God that sucks! Condolences my man.

There is nothing worse that finding bits of the engine where they are not supposed to be. I have had a similar issue in a previous Mini, and though it did not ventilate the block like yours, half of the rod cap was in the pan, so I definitely feel your pain.

[e46IX]

Originally Posted by Scharbag

There is no reason to just post opinions either. Or at least state it as such. This forum is not Facebook. Just a little bit of data is all

Perhaps I shouldn't have explicitly stated BE bearings as that sounds like I'm taking a shot at the company. What I meant to say was I am noticing quite a bit of engine failures even with the rod bearings changed and still suffering rod bearing failure down the line.

Lets wait and see what OP determines from his engine teardown. I've had to tear down two S65's myself one from a main bearing seizing itself to the crank and the other from a spun rod bearing. I know the feeling.

[jvictormp]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

Injector got stuck open?

I'll add this info: Have had one stuck open injector in 2019. Emergency mode was activated, I pulled the car over, and towed, problem was diagnosed in a shop, all 8 injectors were replaced for Bosch new ones.

Funny fact: in that case, it was cylinder 5 too.

[Green-Eggs]

Originally Posted by e46IX

Perhaps I shouldn't have explicitly stated BE bearings as that sounds like I'm taking a shot at the company. What I meant to say was I am noticing quite a bit of engine failures even with the rod bearings changed and still suffering rod bearing failure down the line.

Lets wait and see what OP determines from his engine teardown. I've had to tear down two S65's myself one from a main bearing seizing itself to the crank and the other from a spun rod bearing. I know the feeling.

Saying you're seeing a trend with a specific bearing brand means you should have the data to back that up. I'm glad you're cleaning up and walking back that comment.

As a BE reseller, nobody follows this topic closer than we do. So let me tell you what I've seen: there is no trend -- with BE or any others. The number of failures are so few between all of them combined that you can literally count them on less than your 10 fingers. At least with BE, they don't sweep anything under the carpet and they discuss everything in public, post pictures, root cause analysis, etc. BE is always there to help educate and inform. Too bad the other vendors don't.

[amrazM]

cylinder 5 was probably fucked since the misfire you did 120km with after it was washed down by a stuck open cylinder.

[Ajolives]

This is horrible news, especially after your efforts with the subframe bushings DIY and other fixes you've done. Hopefully this doesn't keep you down for too long.

[jvictormp]

Originally Posted by amrazM

cylinder 5 was probably fucked since the misfire you did 120km with after it was washed down by a stuck open cylinder.

Talking to some friends, they said something like that. Maybe some piston ring was injured after running in a washed cylinder as you said, but not to the degree of causing problems. But as the time goes on, its lifetime ran out faster, and the first problem could have been in that day of the coil.

That should be the day I'd better stop the car and open the engine. But who would guess?

The piston ring, so, would let too much oil to come into the chamber and after some time, the hydrolock showed up.

Don't know, only brainstorming.

BTW, I'm gonna need a very good tutorial about taking the engine out, and some special tools.

[jvictormp]

Originally Posted by Ajolives

This is horrible news, especially after your efforts with the subframe bushings DIY and other fixes you've done. Hopefully this doesn't keep you down for too long.

Yeah, mate. I still can't believe it happened to me.

You know, you change your bearings, hope you never have any problem, because after that it's a pretty tough engine, right? Then, BANG.

[Davisca455]

Originally Posted by Ajolives

This is horrible news, especially after your efforts with the subframe bushings DIY and other fixes you've done. Hopefully this doesn't keep you down for too long.

Same thoughts here.
My heart is crushed for jvictormp