Engine problems?

Grizzly

Hi all.

This is my first Post so take it easy 😉

Ok, I have a 2001 Vectra Sri 150 with the Z22se motor fitted, about 3 months ago i had a Cam Chain fail on me, Luckily enough i was reversing off my drive so there was little to no load on it.

I repaired the Motor quite easily (3 valves, 2 Guides and the chains etc), Whilst the head was off i had a good look at the Pistons and measured the Piston to Block top. All looked good so i built it back up and it started first time 🙂

Moving on to now, i have just had to be recovered back by the RAC as i have a large Hole in the side of the engine where one of the Con rods has decided to make a run for it.

What i am thinking is do you think the two problems are related? maybe the Pistons hitting the Valves have in some way fractured the Con rod? Thing is i know there was little load on the engine when the chain went but its a coincidence that both problems happened within Months and there had been no other issues with the car from new....

What do you think?

JohnnyN

Welcome to the site. I think that this was a related problem. When the chain initially failed it would probably put enough stress into the engine to cause some damage to other components. The fact that you were only reversing off the drive may have saved it from happening straight away. Its very unfortunate but you really can't tell the extent of chain failure damage unless you strip the engine down and 9 times out of 10 you just wouldn't go this far.

You'll be on the look out for a new block now then?

;-)

Grizzly

TBH i have not thought about what i'm going to do with it, i'll pull it apart and Asses the damage.

This time it went at 70mph hence all the damage so i'm not looking forward to taking the head off again........ I am praying the Valves are not damaged but i think they probably will be 🙁

Did you have a Block in mind 🙂

Its a bit academic now but would there have been any way of checking for Con rod damage without pulling the sump off? I did measure the block to piston level but it seemed fine, there was next to no damage to the face of the Pistons so i am a bit gutted that i missed damage that has killed the engine.

JohnnyN

No block in mind. It may be worth a trawl around ebay for a complete engine. Its worth joining VVOC too. There's a chap on there called jaysvectras and he breaks 2.2's along with any other Vectra. He's based in Milton Keynes.

Even if you could have had the conrod in your hand, there's no definate way that you could have said that it was damaged and would fail. The grain structure in the rod could have fractured in such a very small amount that it wouldn't have been visible to the eye.

Grizzly

Do you think its common for a Rod to go like this or am i just unlucky?

I have spent the last few hours thinking about it, i have never driven it hard at all i also own a trackday car which i take it out on so my Vectra doesn't get used in Anger, i am probably just trying to think of reasons to make me feel better but do you think it may have been a weak casting that just needed some thing to set it off rather than the Cam chain Snapping and causing the damage?

I'm just thinking of all that Valve grinding i did wasted 🙁

Grizzly

🙂 Just been looking at your car, that's serious!! (Loveing the Supercharger) 🙂 I have always had a thing about cars that are modified but look like there manufactured like that, That's a work of art you have there.

JohnnyN

Thank you very much. I really do think that you were just very unlucky to have the rod fail like that.