Seems it is the trend to show what happened...

My diagnosis of the causes are:

1. severe oil surge at Snetterton in March on a testing day caused by the extremely good handling and some rather great tuition from Phil Glew. The car cornered so well that the problem made itself evident with pressure dropping around coram to 2 bar !!!

... a Lateral Performance baffled sump was fitted the week afterwards - this solved this issue.

2. a split oil pick up pipe diagnosed last week and changed last saturday in the glorious rain at Knockhill.

3. 5 hot laps on a dying engine at Knockhill...

Anyway some pics.

Engine coming out on Monday on the way back from Knockhill:





Sump off to check:




The engine was then stripped and put through the parts washer, to clean off what it would first time around.

Nastiness of bearing wrapped around crank:

 

uh oh costly by look of it unless you chat to engine builder and negotiate rebuild-still it has done very well really hasnt it??
martin
ps you have car no engine i now have murtaya engine with no car yet lol

 

The engine has done remarkably well considering and upon inspection of the bores they are almost perfect..... one saving grace. If it wasnt for the liners being in great condition I would be using a new block.

No to the rebuild. Zen are doing it.

 

forgot zen are giving you time attack support,still thinking of turbos for mt murt lol
martin

 

..

 

Poor show is all I have to say. Shame on the supplier!

 

Very.

 

Sorry to see this, last year my boss had to rebuild one of Area 52's 2.5 linered engines that went bang, they managed to cause about £800 worth of damage to the engine parts when they disassembled it, seems if they can't get bolts undone they reach straight for the angle grinder so there's no telling how many corners these guys cut.

 

if it is true then that is an absolute disgrace D.

 

what power were you running?

 

hope you get this sorted mate !

You should shows these pics to your supplier along with covering letter stating ur not happy and see what they can do maybe supply you with new equipment leaving zen to fit it for you.

if not contact trading standards!

Im so gutted for you mate

 

It was running around 550 bhp but at Knockhill it was reduced to try and make it last through the day to about 450

 

i would expect new engine from old supplier or financial substitute as not good pr at all
martin
ps what turbos do zen do as still waiting for email lol

 

Bit naughty if it was a new block you paid for.

Mick

 

..

 

Won't they just say it was a new block and this failure has caused the damage? Can you 100% back up your findings from when you stripped the engine?

Just playing devils advocate. But you know that's what they will probably say first off...

 

..

 

I dunno... The motor trade is already considered to be potentially dodgy and this won't help any of the decent traders out there. Even if they do come to some arangement with you the damage is already done.

 

how long did you have the engine for? and sorry for your loss but you know what your car will only come back better

 

The engine went in in march last year.

 

shocking

 

Absoloutley shocking. Good thing though is youv'e highlighted the supplier, so others can be aware. Bad news all the same. Good luck with the new build.

 

so you been driving it since march last year thats just over a year. mate of mine barely drove his car and it cost all in all 14k-15k and he didnt even drive his car for a week everytime it came out it blew up and suprise suprise he didnt get a penny back. he 2.35 with head work. how long do you expect these type of big power builds to last?

 

Many of the big power builds can last some time providing everything is checked on a regular basis and people back off when the gauges are all in the red.

I think the trouble is that just because someone has built say 200 good engines they become complacent and don't factor anything in for the 201st engine that goes bang.

 

Area 52 Autosport have asked me to remove my comments as they felt that they were libelous regarding their company and the work done by them and in particular about the block supplied by them.

My 'allegation' is based on assumption and supposition and is in fact unfounded and that the conclusions drawn are based on a misinterpretation of what has been seen and assumptions based upon that.

I am moving on - life is too short to argue - I have an engine to get in the car for the weekend and run in.

 

Area 52 Autosport

 

Hats off to you mate. Best of luck getting the new engine in!

 

I retract my comments.

 

Thank you for that.

 

The pictures are fairly conclusive so people can make their minds up, when they damaged my brothers engine they had similar dismissive comments but they had clearly used an angle gringer on the engine and damaged the exhaust cam wheels (and broke several other parts) he never got an apology or any compensation, he has decided to move on aswell.