Blown Engine Confessional

[Dan]

The confessional is now open. images/smilies/smile.gif

The cars are 4 years old now if you consider that an 03 MM could have been bought in 02. Many of us have installed various power adders to our cars.

Let's start a tally to see whose blown engines have blown. Please confess only if you have had an engine blown AND that engine was upgraded with either a turbo or a super charger (either variety.) Then let us know whose kit you had installed and how many miles you got before the "blow."

Please do not make off topic comments in this thread. Please do not comment on any other car but your own. I (as well as others) are looking for first hand experiences.)

An example post will follow.

Thanks. I think it will be interesting to see if what data we can collect on this.

Best,

Dan

[Dan]

EXAMPLE POST;

I have an ABC kit on my car.

It was installed in 03 with 6000 miles.

I have also installed ....

While I was doing ??? I noticed ??? happening to the engine. It turned out to be ???

I had ??? miles on the car when this happened.

What I think caused the failure was ???

What I learned from this experience was ???

Best,

Confessor

[RR|Suki]

I guess I'll start

I own the VT marauder

it was built up from new, stroked motor, paxton blower

also has all the usual things, 42lb injectors, so on so fourth

I was on the freeway and all of a sudden there was a slight clicking sound

didn't seem like I lost power but the clicking got loud and I pulled off the road and the engine stalled... she had 9k miles on her it was the fourth day I had driven the car

cause of the failure according to the builder was excessive abuse

I learned not to trust people no matter how reputable, and not to buy from Courtesy Ford Lincoln Mercury.

AJ

[FordNut]

Original Post:
I blew my motor in March. Home-built ProCharger D1SC setup, not a FIT kit. Pushing 474 RWHP. I know it's pushing the envelope, did it anyway. Actually ran it like that several months and several passes on the drag strip. Blew it due to stupidity. Redline was set to 6700. I was doing a burnout and didn't want to bounce off the rev limiter so I was feathering the throttle around 5800-6100. That put it in & out of the WOT fuel table, went lean, detonated, two wrist pins fell out onto the track.

Reformatted:
I have a home-built ProCharger D1SC kit on my car. It has the Air-Air intercooler and pipes from DR along with the D1SC head unit. Pulleys were setup for 9-10 psi boost. It put down 474 rwhp with a max of 13 degrees timing advance.

It was installed in 05 with 68,000 miles.

I have also installed virtually every other mod imaginable. Kooks headers, SCT BA2400 MAF, BBK twin 62mm TB, ported intake manifold, 60 lb injectors, CPR fuel rails, twin Cobra pumps, BAP, rear cylinder cooling mod, electric water pump, Griffin radiator.

While I was doing a burnout I noticed a clunk and the engine quit, then steam came out of the cracks between the hood and fenders. It turned out to be two wrist pins laying in the puddle of oil/coolant.

I had 82,000 miles on the car when this happened.

What I think caused the failure was feathering the throttle around 5800-6100. That put it in & out of the WOT fuel table, went lean, detonated, ventilated block.

What I learned from this experience was pushing the envelope will result in eventual failure. I also learned how to swap the engine in the Marauder myself. I put another stock motor in with the exact same setup because it takes too long to get a built motor put together (that will come later). I just won't feather the throttle like that any more.

Best,

Confessor

[Dan]

Thanks for starting this off on the right track, guys.

Anyone else?

Best,

Dan

[Dan]

Funny how this thread got four pages when people were discussing how to gather the data. :)

This is an official bump. I hope that we hear from a few more owners with S/c'd engines that have blown.

Best,

Dan

[Dan]

:chicken::chicken::chicken:

Those are chickens. :)

[FordNut]

Most of the members have seen enough supercharger threads to know this will degrade into a supercharger war so they choose not to participate. I have nobody's kit so there are no fingers to point.

[Dan]

I have seen more than one post where guys have listed at least 3 or 4 other guys engines going. Had I not seen those I would agree with you and wouldn't have even started this thread.

I guess I read the room wrong. Oh, well.

TO THE REST,
For what it is worth, (to those whose engines fit this thread), there are those of us who could learn from your experiences. Finding out what you think caused a failure, whether it be a driving technique, a mistake with octane or something else can be useful to those of us who do not have chargers yet.

I, for one, have already learned that going in and out of WOT can have an impact and would avoid doing that when I got a charger.

Anyway, if you don't want to post, I'll understand... sort of. From my point of view, this forum is about helping everyone else out. I hope it is even when we don't have a good story to tell.

Your call guys. If you decide to post up I promise to work hard to keep the thread peaceful (as I have done many times in the past.)

Best,

Dan

[MarauderMark]

I'm easy.Do a search.:D

[blackf0rk]

Few people like posting their bonehead mistakes/problems because there's always someone (Captain Obvious) waiting in the weeds to let that person know what they did wrong, why they would'nt have done it, and that they wouldn't have been able to because of their ever-increasing mental aptitude which cannot be compared to anyone else on any forum, anywhere - they're just way too smart for anyone else.

That, and bad memories.

[Rider90]

Few people like posting their bonehead mistakes/problems because there's always someone (Captain Obvious) waiting in the weeds to let that person know what they did wrong, why they would'nt have done it, and that they wouldn't have been able to because of their ever-increasing mental aptitude which cannot be compared to anyone else on any forum, anywhere - they're just way too smart for anyone else.

That, and bad memories.
+1 http://midwestpanthers.net/hah.jpg

[MikesMerc]

Few people like posting their bonehead mistakes/problems because there's always someone (Captain Obvious) waiting in the weeds to let that person know what they did wrong, why they would'nt have done it, and that they wouldn't have been able to because of their ever-increasing mental aptitude which cannot be compared to anyone else on any forum, anywhere - they're just way too smart for anyone else.

That, and bad memories.

+2 :concur:

[G-Man]

I have an Trilogy kit on my car. This kit didn't contribute to my failure.

It was installed in 2004 with 19,000 miles on the stock engine.

I have also installed .... Too much to list. Half of which I can't even remember anymore. Maybe one day, I'll see it again.

While I was over taking a roll off truck on the interstate. Approx. 70 mph
I noticed the engine stumble, lose power, then start to tick.
It turned out to be a failed valve on the #7 or #8 cylinder. Was determined to be a material defect in the valve.

I had 36,000 or so, miles on the car when this happened.

What I think caused the failure was material defect.

What I learned from this experience was Sh@! happens.

Best,

G-man

[Jerry Barnes]

Florida last year, running 14 lbs boost, 80 shot of Nitrous. 42,000 miles a quarter of a mile at a time. I knew it would go based on the torture it received, but I loved every minute. I kept the pieces and the block, very good memories!

[DEFYANT]

Few people like posting their bonehead mistakes/problems because there's always someone (Captain Obvious) waiting in the weeds to let that person know what they did wrong, why they would'nt have done it, and that they wouldn't have been able to because of their ever-increasing mental aptitude which cannot be compared to anyone else on any forum, anywhere - they're just way too smart for anyone else.

That, and bad memories.

+3 I agree :beatnik:

I was thinking this too.

[Dan]

Florida last year, running 14 lbs boost, 80 shot of Nitrous. 42,000 miles a quarter of a mile at a time. I knew it would go based on the torture it received, but I loved every minute. I kept the pieces and the block, very good memories!
Jerry,

You're the man and you raise my respect for you at every corner.

Thanks for helping out with this thread. Only a person with 110% confidence in his product would post up in a thread like this.

Thanks.

Dan

PS: I got to see some of the abuse that car took when I was out there in May, 04. Man, you beat on that car like an ornery donkey. Poor thing.

[Dan]

If "Captain Obvious" comes along with his taunts I'll request via PM that a Mod delete his/her comments or step in myself to ask that they let it go.

I suspect that the issue is more of a perceived worry than a real one. I have seen most of the users here bestow a lot of respect in threads like this.

Best,

Dan

[Bradley G]

Dan,
The motor went south @34800.
#6 rod bearing streched
The Trilogy was installed a year ago @ 30K.
I had bolt- ons/tuning before the blower and 4:10's.
I raced the car almost two hundred passes, (total) in seven states.
Three racing events with the blower.
The problem occured due to a lack of lubrication.

[Bradley G]

Two years later,....
62,XXX Miles, many more 1320 passes.
still @ stock 8.5 PSI
What a RIDE!

[merc]

After a nice leisurely cruise looking for new homes and enjoying the beautiful day the Marauder had a major engine failure. Wow, this is very weird. My wife and I noticed a slight metallic sound which both of us assumed to be garbage or road hazard that I ran over as we approached a stoplight. Mrs. Merc and I looked like synchronized swimmers as we inspected the rear view mirror hoping to find the source of the noise. As I looked forward to the speedometer I notice the engine has shut down and I coasted 10 feet to a stop. You know what I am thinking at this point. At the green light I tuned the ignition and the engine barely started and at maximum pedal the Black Beast could only make a couple miles per hour shaking and knocking as it crossed the road. Mrs Merc and I now transformed ourselves into a NASCAR Pit crew with limited tools. Oil compression was 50 P.S.I, Transmission was 180 degrees, and all gauges were normal. An inspection of the undercarriage revealed no fluid leakage or damage, but something was extremely wrong. My best guess was that I lost a timing gear or chain. Believe me I when tell you I was not hot-dogging the car at all. It was very painful the see the flat bed tow truck take my car away. Hours before the incident I polished the wheels and paint, the reflection was blinding. The good news was L/M roadside assistance was on the seen within the hour with several callbacks to verify that I was ok.

Complete thread:http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3737&highlight=merc+engine
__________________

[Tom Doan]

I blew a new Cobra motor in one hour $$$. Tom

[BUCKWHEAT]

I blew up the OEM motor with Trilogy #15 on it. Car had about 25k on it at the time. The location was Texas Motorsport Ranch during a roadrace training session. The cause of the fatality was excessive rev's which led to the #8 rod turning to powder. Eight holes in the block. The excessive rev's came from me shifting the trans as I passed a corvette.

Lesson learned: Let the computer run the transmission. It's smarter than I am.

[red]

I've not blown my motor yet (knock on wood), but wanted to ask that someone (moderator) add a poll to this thread. This should be stickied too. Thanks!

[fastblackmerc]

Blew mine @ 26K. You can read about it here

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=32398&highlight=gainsville

[Local Boy]

I blew one motor, twice!!!

It was a 5.0, for the Bronc

This was when I was teaching myself how to build them...

It was my fault...didn't quite understand the effect of different tolerance between cam and crank bearings...

ALOHA

[RoyLPita]

I know NAVCHAP's MM blew a motor when it was new. All I know that it was changed under warranty because of #7 cylinder failure.

[Bradley G]

I'm now at 95K and still crankin'

[twin03]

I just love the old threads....

[Shermanator]

'04 DTR, 20,000 miles, Trilogy Kit #78, 9# boost, Hagerstown,Md, June 2006 (back in the I DO 12S days), challange race with Impala SS. Crossed the finish line first with a 12.181 and it broke a rod. Stock motor with 200+ runs on it, no surprise and no trailer to get it home. Learned the lessons right there, bought trailer and replaced stock motor with 03 Cobra block. I truely love this game and the Marauder.

[Zack]

Never blown an engine to date, fingers crossed.

[Joe Walsh]

Never blown an engine to date, fingers crossed.

Good thing...I've heard that you'll burn your lips on the exhaust pipe....:P

[Zack]

Good thing...I've heard that you'll burn your lips on the exhaust pipe....:P

bahahahah :laugh:

[SC Cheesehead]

Jocularity!

[RacerX]

Ahhhhh... might explain cbt's chapped lips! :D

[CBT]

Ahhhhh... might explain cbt's azz-less black leather chaps! :D

No. No it would not.

[Phrog_gunner]

Chaps by definition do not have an azz, if they had an azz they would just be PANTS.:stupid:

[Egon Spengler]

Sheesh... Every thread just goes straight to s*** now-a-days huh? I thought this one would stay serious and just have guys discussing their blown engines... Somehow I knew it would go to s*** with the word blown being used!:shake: