engine went boom today

**LS-T** · 06-17-2008, 10:24 PM

i go start my car up the 99 that runs... and i go back inside b/c i forgot my wallet i hear a sudden boom and see smoke coming over the fence where my car is sitting... i run out side it's smoking and oil is pooring from under it.. but it's still running so rush to cut it off... i roll it back a little bit and their's a small piece of metal that looks like it could have come from a connecting rod... sure enough it was i threw a rod... but out of the bottom??? i mean i am boosted but jesus it was idleing... so now i've got to put my new project on hold while i fix this.. now making sure i'm not crazy but... has anyone else seen a rod go through the bottom... i've seen it shoot out of the top on hondas and other high rpm cars.. looks like money just got a little tighter

**Firebirdjones** · 06-18-2008, 05:34 AM

Sure they go out the bottom in most all cases I have seen,,,,but at high rpms...shucks I have seen the entire crankshaft come out of a car once and it still had the flywheel attatched to it,,,,lol.

You blew one out the bottom while idling??? Thats a new one on me. I'm surprised it had enough momentum to even blow a hole through the block and/or pan.. then again we are talking aluminum I guess...

**LS-T** · 06-18-2008, 07:05 AM

well it was supposed to be idleing .... i couldn't hear it from inside.. i'm in the process of taking the motor apart now which is a big pain in the arse... since all my piping was welded for my turbos

rapter34 · 06-18-2008, 07:09 AM

that really sucks I have never herd of a pushrod going at idle. I wonder what could have caused it?

**Firebirdjones** · 06-18-2008, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by rapter34

that really sucks I have never herd of a pushrod going at idle. I wonder what could have caused it?

He had a connecting rod let loose at idle,,,thats why it's so bizzar to me.

**Firebirdjones** · 06-18-2008, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by LS-T

well it was supposed to be idleing .... i couldn't hear it from inside.. i'm in the process of taking the motor apart now which is a big pain in the arse... since all my piping was welded for my turbos

Are you hinting that maybe it wasn't idling??? Reving on it's own or someone hopped in????

Sounds like alot of damage for something idling.

**LS-T** · 06-18-2008, 08:02 AM

thats why i say it was supposed to be b/c i've never heard of a rod going at idle i called a local shop and asked about it and they said no way that could happen the guy i talked to acted like i was smoking crack

**67CamaroRSSS** · 06-18-2008, 08:25 AM

Parts can (and do) fail at the most inopportune times and in the most bazzar ways. Most con rods go thru the bottom or the side (I have a souvenier rod that went out the side of the block). I once had a push rod get stuck part way thru a rocker arm (still got that too). And like Firebird I once saw an entire crank w/flywheel still attached come out the bottom of the block at the track. I've had a clutch come apart and pepper the trans tunnel like a shotgun blast (I'll never race a manual w/o a scattershield again). I've even seen a torque converter come out thru the roof of a car at the track.

**joker_01z28** · 06-18-2008, 01:56 PM

when i was working at a place in reno, i have seen, an 86 firebird idleling next thing ya know blam, oils everyonderthe car. but Never thought id hear about a similar instance

**LS-T** · 06-18-2008, 02:46 PM

glad to know i'm not crazy!! i'm curious if GM will warranty the engine since it was less than 2 years old... but it was boosted... maybe they might cut me a deal on another LS2

**Spikito** · 06-18-2008, 05:06 PM

even at idle you gotta remember, you're motor compresses. So only pushing a few pounds still gets multiplied by your compression ratio. thats a lot of stress.

I have a feeling you had a rocker arm going bad and it broke, or possibly a weak cam. If the push rod slipped off the cam lab, I'm sure something could shove it out the bottom.

but yeah, ive seen push rods come out everywhere. A guy i knew couldnt figure out why his motor and trans blew at the same time....push rod came out of the motor and into the tranny....no shit

**third_shift|studios** · 06-19-2008, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Sure they go out the bottom in most all cases I have seen,,,,but at high rpms...shucks I have seen the entire crankshaft come out of a car once and it still had the flywheel attatched to it,,,,lol.

i would pay to see that!

**Insert** · 06-19-2008, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Sure they go out the bottom in most all cases I have seen,,,,but at high rpms...shucks I have seen the entire crankshaft come out of a car once and it still had the flywheel attatched to it,,,,lol...

we had one of these drop by the shop where i work last year. but the funniest thing i ever saw was an engine that was full of little ball bearings... i mean its like someone dumped a handfull of these little ballbearings through teh intake, and they somehow made it past valves without bending them (the heads still held vaccuum). the guy must have made a bad enemy.