FYI: This is a long *** post. Read if you have time. Comment where you want to.

Background: I think I'm the only NTEC member to kill a engine that only had bolt on's and pro-tune. Thanks to Every one at Cobb and Evolution Dynamics for making the car what it was. Also thanks to Jose and Jeremy for teaching how much fun autox can be. Thanks to Kelly for turning me on to road course racing. Hopefully I'll have it up and running soon so we can all enjoy Evo racing and see what a built engine can do!!!

So here is the thread where I killed my Evo.

Long story short I was at SCCA autoX and went through the slalom, I shifted into 3rd on the first straight, and then straight line braked hard, and then shifted into second and everything went to crap.

What Happened: I down shifted into 2nd and i felt like I was in the wrong gear. I re-shifted only to find out the car still felt the same. I saw oil blow up onto my windshield just like Goofygrin's (sean's) video and knew right then what had happened. I pulled over shut the engine off and we pushed it back to pit.

THE VIDEO: More to come from my camera. Thanks to Walter for being behind me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zlqINfr8ZM

Once the car was pushed by 6 or 7 guys (thanks to who ever those guys were) we restarted the car and it was blowing thick white smoke and idling like crap. Calvin from Cobb was there and he and Mark Berry took a look at the car.

Thanks to both of them for all the help with tools and help!!

We found that #2 and #4 spark plugs had failed. I called Richard at Evolution Dynamics and we started to troubleshoot the issue. Josh from EvoD for offering to use his own truck and trailer to pick up my car. We are lucky as a Evo club to have such awesome guys on all sides of customer service!!!

The car was towed to EvoD and we found through a compression check that # 1,2,3 were only at 75 and #4 was at 0. Richard explained that they should be at 120-150. At this point I think I'm completely boned.

Best case scenario: Head gasket. The engine runs so it's not hydrolocked so we are ok there. Maybe the spark plugs failed and over pressured the crank case and head gasket.
Worst case scenario: I need a engine build (which is probably the case)

So at this point we will see what the EvoD team can find and go from there. Obviously at this point I cannot race (unless evosomeday feels generous!) until I figure out whats going on with the car. We will find out soon so look for updates.

So let the opinions on what I should do for a engine build begin.

GOAL FOR THE CAR: As I said in the other thread the car has to autocross, track when I have money, and be a daily driver. I don't need a FP black, I don't need 500hp. I need a well built Evo that will keep me training to become competitive for autox and track. AutoX classing and NASA TT classing come into play as I plan to autoX the **** out of the car, and start doing NASA events to get my TT license eventually.

Please feel free to give your input and I will take it all into consideration.

PS: Kracka, If this thread is a flop, delete it

 

Of course! You let me co-drive when my car was down for the count. Now it's my chance to repay you.

Real bummer about the engine. Hopefully it won't be anything major and they can get you up and running right away.

 

We'll see. I jinxed myself when I got the 6puck and said "i hope i blow my engine because it's the only way my wife will let me build it". Good part is I didn't vent the block. That will save me a couple of thousand bucks.

 

Ouch. Once the head is off it should be pretty apparent what the failure was. Did you perform a leak-down test too or just a compression test? The leak-down test would tell you exactly where you're losing the compression from.

 

Sorry to hear that Justin, hopefully the evod guys can get u up and running soon

 

Hard to even speculate as to what to "upgrade" until you know what the damage is. If it's just a head gasket, I'd just pull the head off and replace that. If it's lower end damage (which it doesn't sound like) then there are lots of options.

Any work you do that's not stock will put you into a class for NASA or SCCA that you'll not want to be in. So by limiting yourself to BSP/TT-A you'll be saving a ton of money.

 

That blows man, hopefully you will get her up and running again!

 

My guess is piston/piston ring damage This doesn't sound like a headgasket failure to me. Maybe you'll get "lucky" and "just" find a damaged valve.

Were the plugs missing any pieces or were they still fully intact? My guesses assume something broke off.

 

I don't think it's head gasket either. I think it's going to be a build. I just need to get the wife convinced that I need to do a monster build with FP green and e85. I don't mind running SM LOL.

 

Do you think that the plugs were gapped incorrectly and you blew out the spark? What did the plugs that you pulled look like?

If you blew out the electrode, you likely have fuxed your turbo with FOD and *potentially* the smoke is the seals in the turbo leaking causing smoke into both the exhaust and intake stream.

 

Richard though it was a blown turbo two when we first started it up. The ceramic seal broke and actually slipped over the electrode. i'll get pics today.

 

First let me say I'm sorry to hear this I no all too well the feelings you uou have right now.One of Jake's plugs did the same thing but no engine damage. How many miles were on your spark plugs?

 

33k miles on the car. The fact that #2 and 4 both did the same thing is what gets me. The only thing I can think of is that it went lean and the heat killed both plugs.

Kevin thinks I might have melted piston 4.

 

Did your FPR hose pop off? Did you check your fuel pump relay?

 

Justin, Im sorry this happened man. At least what happened to you wont go un-noticed with regards to extra maintence. I changed my plugs at 15K and going to COBB today to do it again. We forget that pushing more HP per liter is very hard on these cars. 400 hp is not a lot but when you say 200 hp per liter.. suddenly its a different perspective.

As far as your build... only push it as far as your wife will allow. Having a pissed off wife would be no fun even if your having a blast on the track.

As far as your rebuild... I know your doing most of the labor yourself so that will save you a lot of money.

Regardless of the condition on your stock turbo you should drive it over to FP since they are in Mckinney and have him do a rebuild or upgrade to a green.

Please have Watt Bigham help with the motor, he has built so many other racing motors locally and hes very good.

Most importantly, take your time.. better to go slow and right then rush and break it again.