Catastrophic failure

[jwrape]

Background: I rebuilt my motor for my 87' Chrysler Conquest Tsi and finished it back in May but had a knock that I couldn't figure out after the initial start up, and then the second time I drove it it fell apart. I made it home but barely.





It's not pretty. I finally got around to pulling the motor out after it failed not even 50 miles after initial start up.
I pulled the head completely off and inspected the #4 cylinder as I had felt around it before and it seemed to have some cracks in it, so I thought the block cracked.
Here is what I saw when I got the head all the way off.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/jwrape/Conquest/mime-attachment-10.jpg
So here I can tell something has went bad and wore a nice spot in the side of the cylinder wall. Not good.
After much more time and work I got the engine completely out of the car and drained the oil pan.
I drained about 10+ quarts of fluid out of the oil pan, it seems that ALL of my antifreeze was in the oil pan. Oh, and my magnetic oil plug was covered in crap.
I finally got the oil pan off after the draining and pulled these lovely jewels out of the pan.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/jwrape/Conquest/mime-attachment-12.jpg
Then I got the #4 piston out and low and behold the culprit showed itself
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/jwrape/Conquest/mime-attachment-8.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/jwrape/Conquest/mime-attachment-9.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/jwrape/Conquest/mime-attachment-11.jpg

I guess now I know what that knocking was that I couldn't find. It must have been a loose wrist pin or something and then when i got it to highway speeds it gave out. Now I have to start all over from scratch. I am tired of this motor and I haven't even got to drive the car but a couple times for a few minutes. I want to pull my hair out. Now what do I do? I guess back to the drawing board.

Do you think I can trust the other 3 pistons? Is there a way to verify they are sturdy enough?
I will tare the rest of the bottom end down later but for now I guess I will need to collect some new parts before moving forward.

[DeeAOne]

IMO, do it right the first time. you dont want to just fix #4 and put the whole motor back together, then #2 takes a **** on you or something like that a week later. while you are at this stage, go ahead and check the rest of the motor out. just my :2cents:

[jwrape]

Funny cause I did it right the first time and got a piston that fell apart for no aparent reason.
But yea, I have to take the entire thing apart and re-do another block I have, I will have the other 3 Weisco pistons checked and gone over and start re-rebuilding again.:(

[Kaiser]

I would not have the other 3 checked. I would go ahead and ditch them and get a whole new and balanced set together. Getting the three you have, plus a new one, could cause balance issues. Sucks to be in the position you're in, but one of two things must've happened here: You made a mistake, or there was a flaw. If there was a flaw in the product, go back to where you got the product from and see if they're willing to take care of you. If you made a mistake, then I guess it just sucks.

[DirtyMechanic]

sounds like the wrist pin wasnt matched to the pistons... i highly doubt now the other 3 "good" pistons have the right wrist pins... ditch the pistons and start again... its hard to do but its the right thing to do...

[SandM]

i agree with not-so-jesus-anymore

[DirtyMechanic]

^who is joo?