Forged Piston Skirt Cracked

SWJ

Member
That is part and part of the issue. I didn't build the engine and don't know what parts were used. Could have been some cheap chinesium components for all I know.
Well ... that sucks! So that leaves us "amateurs to guessing" as to what went wrong??? So ... excellent pictures and what I see in the photo of the failed skirt, is a vertical were pattern slightly to the right side of the failure point???

All the small pistons grooves are gone from that area and the marks are vertical and not horizontal?? To me that says that piston was not specked to the same standards as the other three pistons?? Excess side loading on that piston skirt??? Perhaps that piston was in backwards or the "thrust bushing was in backwards??? I don't know?? But something "bad happened" and it would best to not duplicate that again. :)
 

sventz

Member
That is part and part of the issue. I didn't build the engine and don't know what parts were used. Could have been some cheap chinesium components for all I know.
from what i can see in the pics rods are scat and as for pistons i see on all of them scratches down the skirts...maybe bore left pistons play too much ending in that?measure your block and then each and every piston top and bottom to see if you got any difference.don't be surpriced if you find more than 0.5mm of diference...
 

SKINY

Lifer
The bores could well be barrelled in the middle Bud, personally I'd be chewing the balls of whoever's built it by now as they obviously haven't done something right for it to spectacularly fail before 1000km
 

Calum122

Member +
It was built years before I got the car by MalcomGT. Or rather he was the owner at the time. He said he got a forum member to build it.

The block is off being cleaned at the moment. The chap there said that the hone was done with a drill and badly at that. Also that the oil filter housing had two gaskets on and looked as though it had been leaking oil.

Which explains a lot.

Pistons and rods got sold off. This project will remain dormant for a while now. But cheers for the inputs.

I have an MX-5 Turbo now that I will be using until I find the energy to put this starlet back on the road. If I put it back on the road.
 

SWJ

Member
Naw, you should make that "when you get back to it" not if. :)

It sees like "someone" did not double check there work?? Or if they did ... did not like what they saw but figured "good enough??" Sigh ... I've done that before, with my first double overhead cam motor, belt snapped and bent all 16 valves, Daewoo Nubria Wagon ... I had "issues" adjusting the tensioner?? I rotated it over and over and it was always off?? Well after a few days I said "screw it" I know it's right??

But ... yeah it was not! The second time I had the head the rebuilt ... it was cheaper as I only needed 8 valves replaced instead of 16 ... so making progress! And I figured out what I did wrong ... I did not counter the torque with a wrench when I used the torque to se the torque (Dumb Ass, that I can be.) But hey the second time the job went a lot faster and I got it right! Sigh then the tranny went out ... again!!??? That was it for my wife ... and she had the thing hauled off to pick and pull. :(

So yeah crap happens and it was your hard luck to be holding the bad when it did. But hey the next motor will be better! So hang in here anyway and sorry for the bad luck.
 

Calum122

Member +
I have had the car 5 years and done 2k in it. It's been nothing but problems. This is just a nail in a very rotten coffin.
 

SWJ

Member
LOL well 5 yrs and 2k imply s that "something was off?? And now we know that clearly the motor was not right! Still aside from that how is the car?? Is it a dented rust bucket?? Is the suspension sound (all of which, I change anyway but not my point.) :)
If the car is otherwise sound?? You could always drop a "stock" 4efte in it and call it day! Making more power seems to be fairly easy?? Making it last 100,000 miles afterwards, maybe not so much?? I spent several grand getting a 5efe into my Tercel, I had a shop do it and the "A Holes did not prep the motor properly!" And installed the timing chain wrong!!! They had no clue about converting the no return fuel line to a fuel line and converting a DIS to a Disturber?? was a mistake on my part but I did it because the new harness was set up for a distributor.

It actually ran worst then it did before with the worn out 3ee!! But I redid there work and got it dialed it and it ran great ... for two weeks!! Then I fired it up and it sounds like a bucket of nails ... WTH??? Sigh ... I pulled it the back yard and threw a cover over it! That was 5 years ago??? But hey it's just a motor ... I'll pull it out and build the next one myself! Although considering your issue ... maybe I'll let the machine shop assembly the short block. So long way of saying "Crap Happens" is not just you. :)

And I do have a stock 4efte for it ... but that seems boring. :)
 

Calum122

Member +
The motor was a rot box chassis bent and all round dog. I have spent the last years sorting bits and bobs out on it. Never really used it.
 

SKINY

Lifer
Are you throwing the towel in Calum :oops:
How bad is the chassis bent ? That would be the final straw for many but we are made of harder stuff than the many:cool:
 

Calum122

Member +
It's clear that this car has been in a serious accident in Japan. The rear offside quarter has been replaced.

I have had a fair amount of welding done to it. It needs a full respray and so much body work to it it's unreal. Not a single panel is straight.
 

SWJ

Member
Hmm well I have not seen the car?? But if it's been damaged and badly repaired ... that's another whole kettle of fish! Cuz unless you can do body work, frame repair and paint or have good friends who can ... the phrase "Money Pit" comes to mind and yeah .. it has no motor, now.

But just give full disclosure and someone will task off your hands, cuz you know there is always that guy. . :)
 
Top