[jcocke23]

Hey guys,

I don't post on here very much, just use the forum for research and reference, but given my current car situation I have been persuaded to start a build thread.

Why a build thread? Well last month my Camaro engine blew while on track. The car was a full bolt on car, running e85...it let go without any warning, spun a rod bearing as best I can tell and grenaded the whole motor. I found pieces of connecting rod and piston in the intake manifold. When I pulled the heads off, I was missing the #7 and #8 connecting rods, the #7 piston, and the complete lower half of the #8 piston. Block was destroyed, head was destroyed, but luckily it never punctured the block and sprayed hot oil on the headers.

I chose Katech to supply a forged bottom end along with all the other parts to complete the final assembly. I'll be doing the final assembly and documenting as best I can lol. I'll also be upgrading some suspension and brake stuff along the way while I have so much taken apart.

Here are a few pics of the carnage, the disassembly, and the youtube link of the PDR to the car behind me when the motor let go.

https://youtu.be/rw_H9Fvb8pk

[Calubi]

Damn! That's quite a mess! Sounds like there was no fire and everyone was okay?

What are you going for with the new motor? H/C? FI?

[jcocke23]

Tail pipe fire out of the drivers side was the only fire, but it did mess up the rear bumper cover. I'll have pics of that later.

New motor plan is a 416 heads/cam...staying NA for the road course stuff I do.

[appleman22]

subscribed!

[Redlinez]

That sucks bad, especially just being a bolt on car. Doesn't give much confidence in these stock engines. Where in VA are you from?

[jcocke23]

Lynchburg area

[Boost Creep]

Ouch.

Should be a monster when finished.


What engine oil were you running, what weight/brand?
Just curious.

[Redlinez]

I grew up in Callway/Boones Mill/Roanoke area. I had an aunt in Lynchburg. Good deal

[Paintslinger16]

Ouch indeed, would you sell one of the other pistons?

[Tim M]

If I ever lose the engine in the Camaro...I want it just like that! Grand exit...

[jcocke23]

Originally Posted by Boost Creep

Ouch.

Should be a monster when finished.


What engine oil were you running, what weight/brand?
Just curious.

Valvoline MST 5w-40 per the manual. Looking back, I should have gone a notch thicker with the e85, and run an oil that is more resistant to alcohol based fuels. I did keep it changed every 4 days on track. Goal moving forward is to have enough power where I don't crave e85

Ouch indeed, would you sell one of the other pistons?

Possibly, I hadn't thought about that really. I still have 6 whole ones lol

[Boost Creep]

Originally Posted by jcocke23

Valvoline MST 5w-40 per the manual. Looking back, I should have gone a notch thicker with the e85, and run an oil that is more resistant to alcohol based fuels. I did keep it changed every 4 days on track. Goal moving forward is to have enough power where I don't crave e85



Possibly, I hadn't thought about that really. I still have 6 whole ones lol

This thread had me thinking the 15w50 mentioned in the manual might be the track oil to use just to be safe.
I run, or did run the Valvoline 5w40 until discontinued, and I think it's a good oil for the street, but like you I think the oil needs to be a little "heavier" for sustained high rpm, high G driving.

[Calubi]

Originally Posted by Boost Creep

This thread had me thinking the 15w50 mentioned in the manual might be the track oil to use just to be safe.
I run, or did run the Valvoline 5w40 until discontinued, and I think it's a good oil for the street, but like you I think the oil needs to be a little "heavier" for sustained high rpm, high G driving.

But what do you do between track days? The 15w50 isn't recommended for street use.

[Redlinez]

Yea, like I drive 5 plus hours to get to the track. I used to run the 5-40 Valv MST for 3 years. His issue may not have had anything to do with oil. From what I've seen, these engines have quite the range of acceptable internal machining specs and require substantial machine work to get them up to snuff if you're gonna build one. Maybe that's typical of all Ford/GM/Mopar V8's. That constant high rpm load for extended periods may have just been all it needed. It does make me think twice about going E85 on this car, but I wouldn't have been running it during HPDE anyway. Rods and pistons are the known "weak" point in these. My 99 TA spun a rod bearing making 430rwhp. Seems they haven't really stepped up in the bottom end.