Not exactly the finish I was hoping for at Indy-Broke the Crank Not a rod. Pics added.

Well we were having a good time at the ET finals at Indy. Won the first round but then in the second round the motor let go. Not sure what is hurt but there appears to be part of the big end of a rod hanging out of the bottom of the pan. I got it off the track before the big oil puddle started to form under the car but it was not a great day. Motor was still holding water so hopefully the block isn't hurt too bad. Can anyone help me remember if the spark plugs hang out of a P-51 chamber. If a flat top piston hit the head would it have hit the plug? All plugs still look fine and motor turns over. Maybe my Canton girdle and windage tray did a good job of catching the pieces.

Man hate to hear losing a engine is never good maybe it didn't hurt to much.

Damn Mike! sorry for the engine loss! now time for a 598!

I pretty sure the plug tips do not protrude below the deck, sorry to hear about the motor..........i always use it for an excuse to build something bigger.......

Yeah that's the bad part though. The car was working really well this year with the combination it had. Running low 10's was right where I wanted it. I'd like to say it was a 9 second car but really don't want all the extra expense. Its a whole lot more fun building a motor when you know its going to be quicker but I'm not sure I want it any faster for the type of racing I do. It was cool to race at Indy and I definitely would do it again if I get the opportunity. Lots of neat cars. It was nice to meet one forum member (Treeyasoon). There were a few big block Fords up there but not as many as there should have been.

Sorry to hear about the blow-up. However, there is no way the spark plugs can hit a flat-top piston with a P-51 head. IF, IF, your plug electrode is bent, it is from shrapnel from the piston during the blow-up. Send the heads and I'll fix them.

Uncle Charlie

Plugs looked fine Charlie. I couldn't remember if they stuck down or not. Thought that might tell me how hard the piston hit the head. I still have it on the trailer so I haven't figured out exactly what let go. I'll let you know when I get the heads off. Thanks.

Sux to hear. Keep us posted on the prognosis.

none of us ever look forward to that type od finish! But it does happen.More than likely with the rod hangin out of the pan ,you'll find a piston busted to pieces and your head beat all to shit.Hopefuly you'll get lucky and that not be the case? That's the way it's always worked out for me though.Good luck!

I'm really confused now. Pulled the plugs out and the valve covers off. I can turn the motor back and forth by hand with the damper bolt. All 8 pistons are moving up and down. The valve train all looks in tact. I even checked the lash on a few cylinders and they were fine. I'm not sure what came out of my oil pan. Rod bolt maybe? There is a dimple behind the starter just under the pan rail and a hole the size of a quarter in the middle of the pan in the rear. After about a 1/2 turn slowly in both directions something does hit and won't allow it to turn any further. Hopefully the block is OK.

I'd quit messin with it and either pull the engine or pull the heads,you'll know very quick what happened.I know your probably about half sick and don't really want to see the carnage....been there ,done that....it sux

Pulled the heads yet?

No I didn't take the heads off yet. Still need to get the car off the trailer. My driveway is uphill into the garage so its a pain to unload when its broke. Just backed the whole trailer into the garage last night and said screw it. But its killing me not knowing how bad it is.

You're going to have to pull the engine. It sure sounds like a broken rod, or rod bolt on one side.

Charlie

Oh yeah the engine is definitely coming apart. I was just trying to diagnose what happened before I tore it apart.

512Fairlane wrote:Oh yeah the engine is definitely coming apart. I was just trying to diagnose what happened before I tore it apart.

you can guess all you want in the end it still has to come out and I promise you it won't fix its self

Only had about 1 hour to work on it tonight. Got the intake off. Found a spiral lock and a chunk of what looks to be part of the big end of the rod in the lifter gallery. Not sure I want to know what path those parts took to get there. Hopefully get the headers and at least one head off tomorrow night. Guess I get to start thinking about 4.3" or 4.15" stroke for next time.

So sorry to hear about your bad luck,
At least you didnt wreck your car like my freind Maury Rose JR did at INDY during a license run in his C/D. The car was new also. But, its back at Spitzers on the jig for a prognoses. Thank fuel car junk on the track to cut your tires down.....

Regards.
Al

512Fairlane wrote:Only had about 1 hour to work on it tonight. Got the intake off. Found a spiral lock and a chunk of what looks to be part of the big end of the rod in the lifter gallery. Not sure I want to know what path those parts took to get there. Hopefully get the headers and at least one head off tomorrow night. Guess I get to start thinking about 4.3" or 4.15" stroke for next time.

maybe it aint too bad...

cool40 wrote:

512Fairlane wrote:Only had about 1 hour to work on it tonight. Got the intake off. Found a spiral lock and a chunk of what looks to be part of the big end of the rod in the lifter gallery. Not sure I want to know what path those parts took to get there. Hopefully get the headers and at least one head off tomorrow night. Guess I get to start thinking about 4.3" or 4.15" stroke for next time.

maybe it aint too bad...

When there are chunks in the lifter valley .....it ain't gonna be pretty when he gets to see where they came from and how they got there

Sorry to hear Mike, but like Jon says, it's a good time to go bigger and better

Sorry to hear about the bad luck. After being .000 on your first hit and then winning first round, you were on track for a good weekend. Couldn't have happened at a worse time. It was nice to meet you, always good to put a face with a name.
I had a good time even though I got my ass handed to me second round Saturday...lol. A buddy of mine from our track won the Pro class so it was fun hanging around and watching that.
Good luck with the engine.
Jeff

It was nice to meet you Jeff. We had a good time minus the carnage. I had 187 passes on the motor so it was going to be due for a freshening soon any way. I probably would have put it off another season so now I have to do it. Worked too late the last two nights so I haven't had a chance to take it apart any farther. Don't see any shrapmetal in the intake ports so I'm hoping the heads aren't hurt too bad.

Got the heads off tonight and so far I am a lucky sob. Doesn't look like anything hit the head. 2 exhaust valves have a shiny spot on them so I will definitely have Charlie check them out but I don't see any matching shiny spots on the pistons. All the pistons are moving up and down when I rotate the crank by hand. I don't see any dings in the cylinders from the top. I can only rotate the crank about 1 turn before I hit something solid down below but I'm not sure what it is. The chunk in the lifter gallery looked like part of a rod but I'm kind of wondering if part of the crank came apart or something else?

Great man! I hope you can save a bunch of it.That's lucky for sure! I'm happy for you buddy!!