I was in a DE event this weekend at Summit point, shanendoah, West Virginia. Had made a turn in third gear and had accelerated getting ready to shift to fourth at 5500 rpm when all of a sudden something happened - lost any power and engine smoking from oil on exhaust - engine kept running but not good and lots of noise. Before I got the car home I found that the fan sheared all three bolts off - I found the bolts. Trying to start the engine - it sounded like no compression and would not start. Once I got it home I found that the flywheel bolts were also sheared. I found a loose valve adjustment bolt loose in one head. I took the heads off and see no damage on the heads or the pistons. the pistons and the lifters go up and down when I rotate the crank. The crank turns a little tight but evenly rotates. I did have a MSD with rev limiter at 6000 and it was working. The motor was a big bore 914 motor with 103mm cylinders and stock crank. This was the third DE event and I also ran 3 autocrosses without incident. I plan to split the case to continue the investigation but would like any advice out there.

Hey

Sorry to hear it...
I've got some theories on what may have happened but I think shearing the flywheel bolt will now require a line bore

You sound ready to open it anyways, keep us posted, and don't forget pics.


Later

we have to meet up some time. I am in Capon Bridge WV right now, and just got together with a bunch of 914 people in Fredrick MD today. I was wondering what was going on out at the track today. All the way back up until about harpers ferry, every other car was a porsche. Even saw one 914 on the way back. Sorry to hear about the engine. I have heard of the fan bolts sheering off, but I havn't heard of the flywheel bolts doing it..??...

The cooling fan and the flywheel bolts sheared? Damn. That is some major

stress to do that.

Can you tell where the oil that was causing the smoke was coming from? The

engine never locked up? Pics.

I have a guess, but it's not a "good news" guess.

I am guessing that you threw a rod, which has since disintegrated. It probably cranks fast now because only 2 pistons are still moving. Take a close look at the case, see if you can find any bulges, cracks or holes.

I saw a wasserboxer that was "running poorly and leaking a lot of oil". The mechanic was still able to drive it up on the lift. There was an approx. 3"x10" hole in the top of the case, and the rods of the front two cylinders were almost completely gone. It's utterly amazing that it still ran.

sounds like the crank split in half ...

Andy

Nevermind, I missed the bit about the pistons still going up and down.

sounds like a stock 2l crank?

humm... i spin mine to 6k no problem....

what did your oil pressure look like at "critical incident" time....?

I almost wonder if the tranny siezed, which in turn caused the engine to want to stop breaking the flywheel bolts. Then maybe the forces causd the crank to break?

Only speculation tho.

when josh split his crank in half, the motor would turn over fine in the pits with hand spinning, but not under motor power...

I'm guessing broke the crank in 2 also.

brant

there is a fellow in the DC area selling a type IV motor. maybe you two could get together... check out the for sale section of dorkiphus.com