Suspected V8 seizure - Oh no

[LotuStuart]

10 hours ago, fjmuurling said:

Hope you get the car back on the road soon.

Looking at your pictures of the plugs L1, R2 and are R3 which are the same as the bad pistons. Looks like one thing led to the other or at least they are connected. Maybe someone has an idea about it.

Looks like the damage to the tops of the plugs is long term water damage-could that have leaked in from somewhere, and into the cylinders down the thread? (unlikely I think) but a coincidence, and the car has been sat unused for a long time

[mike_sekinger]

Water ingress into the plug wells was a common problem.  Later cam covers had drillings added to combat the problem.  The plug condition is consistent with that.   If you had those cylinders misfiring, then cylinder lubrication could be a factor.  Bore washing with unburnt fuel would not help cylinder health.

You'll have a much better idea in some weeks when the engine is opened.

[Alex Carter]

to put my two penith in use a battery jump start cable from the block find a clean space and run it to the battery ignoring all possible problems see if the electrics come to life .

as for the noises when mine let go on the left bank it wasnt so much a bang more of a fast pop and biiig flames out the exhaust . 

sorry to see your worst expectations come to fruition but as everyowner does , take a breath roll them sleves up and get stuck in . you have enough people with knowledge to help and advise and you will learn more about your car it becomes ever sweeter 

 

Edited July 30, 2018 by Alex Carter

[LotuStuart]

Not sure if this was covered, but if the engine seized, didn't that transmit to the rear wheels locking up?

i must admit I can't see what the inside of the cylinders look like from the endoscope pictures. 

[Steven162]

I also cannot work out what's happened in the cylinders from the pictures, the hot end of the plugs look OK, no obvious sign that some cylinders were not firing.

Good luck with the rebuild, I am intrigued to see what you find when you open the engine.

 

 

  

[LotuStuart]

16 hours ago, LotuStuart said:

Not sure if this was covered, but if the engine seized, didn't that transmit to the rear wheels locking up?

i must admit I can't see what the inside of the cylinders look like from the endoscope pictures. 

I've had another look at those endoscope pics.

The damage does not appear catastrophic to me-although I freely admit It isn't at all clear from those photos. 

If anything, I'd say the top of the pistons look like lightly water damaged aluminium(!), but the walls are shiny and reflective. I'm hoping a valve broke and jammed one piston, but before the car is stripped and £thousands spent I'd really want the insides to be investigated with a good camera inside them, checking out all "corners" and any other non-destructive/taking apart of the car-ative investigative work done first to be sure of the issue. Can you get the exhaust off and see the turbo vanes like I can on my old audi turbocharger? To see if they are loose/damaged/missing? maybe get he boroscope in there too? IDK how possible that might be!!!.

Incidentally, I have just taken apart a motorbike engine with a snapped valve. The valve jammed the piston on the upstroke, but not the downstroke-by which I mean I could turn the engine back "down" but not to TDC. if you can find a broken valve head....

good luck anyhow

[Mightymetro]

It's tricky to get a good view of the pistons as the ones that I think are broken are on the up stroke so they are quite close to the head and hard to see because of this

 

from the pictures I can see the piston top has come away and the shiney part is actually the top of the piston ring that is exposed.  Fingers crossed it isn't.  I'm dropping the car off next week so hopefully we will know sooner rather than later what's caused it.

[Barrykearley]

The only way of telling what’s occurred is a full strip down.  It might not be utterly catastrophic and my fingers and toes are crossed for you 

[910Esprit]

What's the deal with the Nick Warren V8 motor that's on Ebay, looks cheap at £2.5k if any good at all.  Presumably would be a good source of spares if nothing else

[LotuStuart]

38 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

The only way of telling what’s occurred is a full strip down.  It might not be utterly catastrophic and my fingers and toes are crossed for you 

My fear is the recurring threads I read about rebuilt v8's busting their head gaskets. So I'd want to avoid that if at all possible. Even If one bank stays together that's better. 

Ikay cant see the top of the piston having come away in those pics. The shiny part looks like the cylinder bore reflecting the piston 

maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part. 

The Nick awareness v8 was , iirc (and please correct me) water damaged so an unknown quantity and been sat a while. 

[Mightymetro]

Well, she has arrived at her new home for the next few months.  Will let you know what the diagnosis is over the coming weeks 

[LotuStuart]

Is really want to know more about the inside of each cylinder before committing to a strip down. If you find it really is fubar, no harm done. But if it's just one bank and a broken valve then that's much better. I would ask for diagnostics before instructing a rebuild. 

[Barrykearley]

This engine has smashed itself once before by the sounds. It needs proper attention not just a patch up 

[Mightymetro]

So........the results are in.

 

full rebuild needed including crank 😩

 

It seems the the previous engine builder used excess silicone sealant in the engine that has blocked the oil ways etc , mainly to 2 and 6.  So, all the other cylinders seemed ok but 2 and 6 had got so hot they literally welded the rods to the crankshaft.  

Crankshaft to be sourced and 8 pistons / rods / liners as I'm going to change them all.  Just deciding whether to use forged pistons or standard pistons .  Parts are pretty scarce aren't they, as in there isn't much choice around.  Did Omega ever make a set of v8 pistons ?

Gutted and broke 👎🏻

 

[Stuart Monument]

Sorry to hear this. Once it’s back together at least you will have a Engine you know and trust for years to come . 

[Tim H]

As above sorry to hear, and be glad for you when it is rebuilt. Just goes to show they didnt do it right even something small as sealent can cause so much damage...... and cost a full rebuild and a new crank!!......Looks a cracking car in the pictures👍

[Steve V8]

What a mess that is...the silicon strikes again.

It's a scenario I wouldn't want to be in, but one which any owner of a high performance car must consider a possibility at some point, unfortunately for @Mightymetro it came sooner rather than later.

So now it's happened, use it as an opportunity to upgrade and improve, forged pistons should be a no brainer at this point if you intend to keep her. Why Lotus didn't use them as standard is beyond me.

[LotuStuart]

Absolutely gutted. Sorry doesn't really cut it, but I feel for you. 

[cbclotus]

Good luck .Mike

[Steve V8]

@mike_sekinger has a crankshaft for sale, and possibly other parts required. 

@Mightymetro @Blackngolds3turbo

[silverfrost]

Gutten for you chap, the engine looks a real mess  That crank and bearing shells is enough to make anyones eyes water !   Cant  get over why folks gunk the repairs in silicone 

Wish you all the luck in the world that the rebuild and parts comes as cheap as possible for you .

Very sad postion to be in with this type of engine, bad enough when it happens to the four pots let alone the v8s

[mike_sekinger]

14 hours ago, Mightymetro said:

 Did Omega ever make a set of v8 pistons ?

Yes, Omega did produce forged pistons for the 918.  I used a set in the re-birth of the ex-5th Gear Esprit project car.

 

[silverfrost]

Stunning work Mike,     I think it is about time you built another GT replica