My car spit out the connecting rod through the oil pan...

kiudog · 28th March 2009, 21:35

Hi everybody, I would like to share this with you. This happened this morning:
I know it´s happened before as I searched and read about it here. I toke the car for a ride this morning and the engine was still warming up. I was driving it as it should be driven, not taking the RPM´s high, shifting at about 2500 to 3000 when all of a sudden I hear this noise like something metalic hitted the bottoms. I was going like 80 kph at the 4th gear. I managed to stop within 20 meters or so and there was smoke coming out of the engine compartment...i thought: holly crap!

Yes, when i looked under the bonnet, nothing different, and i looked under the car. The vision was nothing but a desperate vision. The bottom part of the connecting rod was on the tarmac and the oil was coming out like from a hose.....oh dear.....i have a hole at the oil pan and an engine to rebuilt.

I called a truck to pick us up and left her at a parking lot close to the shop because it´s closed on saturdays....

My dream became a nightmare?

I didn´t toke pictures yet...I was too sad to do it. monday i´ll take her to the shop and will take pictures for you to take a look. I´m now at my own saga of " there´s a hole in my pocket"....

The thing is: should we change the bearings, bearings shells, guides, bolts and so as a preventive maintainence?

My car has only 71.000 km on the clock, am I so unfortunate?

cheers guys...

pspassos · 28th March 2009, 21:39

puta que pariu amigo!

what a bad thing to hear and to happen! when you closed up your motor last time, everuthing was in good shape or you havent even looked at anything?

pspassos · 28th March 2009, 22:43

see what you need and rebuild the beast!

maybe the Gurus here can tell you what would be a good idea, since you are going to open it to rebuild anyway, of what to change for brand new parts and make it brand new once againg, like it was in 1995

///Manuel · 29th March 2009, 04:16

Wow I'm sorry. This is odd at such a low mileage.
However, this is a great opportunity for a rebuild and having a strong and healthy E34 M5 for the years to come!
I feel for you and hope that you recover quickly from this ordeal both financially and emotionally.
Hang in there!

inertia8 · 29th March 2009, 08:59

It's posts like this that make me cringe every time I go our for a drive!

I feel your pain and expect to have a similar traumatic experience during my ownership of the beast (given i'll own it for life).
If this were to happen to me now, given my current circumstances, I'd have to lay mine up for about 5 years

.

I hope you find it in your heart to rebuild your beast to be better than it was in 1995

.

raymondw · 29th March 2009, 09:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///Manuel

Wow I'm sorry. This is odd at such a low mileage.

First off all, my condoleances. But I have seen a few documented cases of piston rod bearing wear on low mileage S38B38 engines so it doesn't really surprise me.

The S38B38 has been strectched to the limits with the enlarged bore and stroke, but without any true changes to the lubrication system. Furthermore, it is the use of the first owner that does affect short engine life. First owners can hardly be called enthusiasts and they bought the car for everyday transport.

My educated guess is that (unlike the other members of the S38/M88 engine family as can be seen here in my own rebuild saga), preventive maintenance in the form of replacement of the piston-rod bearings is very recommendable for the 3.8ltr versions.

davidoli · 29th March 2009, 11:13

I am truly sorry to hear of your misfortune and hope that you get everything sorted to your satifaction soon !

D

roortube · 29th March 2009, 15:08

dude, that sucks. When I read this last night it prompted me to order a set of main bearings and big end bearings. Please rebuild the beast, and please don't forget to replace the oil cooler and lines along with all the obvious parts...don't want a random chunk of old rod finding it's way into your fresh rebuild!

kiudog · 29th March 2009, 20:59

thank you all for the reply and words, tomorow i´ll take her and try to figure it out. of course i´ll need some help from you, as i plan to rebuild it. i will post pictures and the causes as soon as possible. what makes me wondering is what i missed, since i take very good care of her, minding no expenses to do so....

pspassos · 29th March 2009, 22:39

spent the day thinking.....
silly question..... have you checked the oil level before the ride,,,,?
because, if you were 4th gear 80km/h, the only reason for it, in a 70k km motor, is a lubrication problem.... OR you had some sort of leak and/or some oil consumption (taking the fact that you recently changed your damaged head gasket).... this could be because of the instalatin, or some defect, I dont know.....
just a thought.....

If you want, we can rebuild it "bigger" and stronger.... if I had the money right now, I would buy your motor, giving mine, and rebuild it as the ultimate N/A S38 version, running in ethanol.... but since I cant, I will help you out with everything you need to rebuild it