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ash7
05-07-2010, 10:03 PM
I was driving the car back from work last Monday afternoon, just cruising along with traffic - when suddenly i heard the sound of what sounded like thirty cracked out hamsters gnawing on my engine all at the same time...

the engine immediately seized up. :cry:

I had the little sucker towed home, and i rolled him into the garage where it awaited The Doctor for a diagnosis.

Upon inspection a few days later for the first time (last night), i immediately noticed that the timing belt had stripped itself out. :(

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/hatch77/GEDC0431.jpg

"Awh F*@k..." i said to myself - but i've been open to the idea of upgrading to stainless types for a little while now anyways. Called up Jim at Motorvations Motorsports to get the ball rolling on that, and had a talk with him about getting some head work done and larger valves installed. And agreed to bring the cylinder head to him tomorrow. :goodjob:

Tonight, when i took the valve cover off, i noticed this:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/hatch77/GEDC0425.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/hatch77/GEDC0426.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/hatch77/GEDC0427.jpg

OH NOEZ!

Valvetrain configuration:

KMS dual valve springs
KMS titanium retainers
Crower 402 cams
Valve last specs are: .003 intake .005 exhaust (stock)

My questions are these: is this issue connected with the timing belt failing, or is this a separate issue that i need to address? What can cause the cam caps to crack like that? Now that i think about it, is it possible that the cams are bottoming out the valve springs at higher RPMs (since the lash is so close) and causing breakage?

And lastly: is there any type of machine work necessary when installing new cam caps on a head like this in order to match the two journal halves?

Update:

thanks to Barefoot for the answers. :)

After many distractions this evening (texts, laughing at Avatar wannabees, providing tech support for a client) - i finally got the cylinder head off, and almost had a stroke when i looked at the valves. Yeah, i've seen some bent valves before - bla bla bla...

but this kinda takes the cake:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/hatch77/GEDC0439.jpg

all of the exhaust valves have visible damage:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/hatch77/GEDC0438.jpg

and there are seriously visible valve strikes on the pistons:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/hatch77/GEDC0436.jpg

Saturday afternoon update

Just got back from Motorvations, while i was there i informed Jim that most of the cam caps had been destroyed - he then told me how the heads were actually made at the factory, and suggested that perhaps it'd be a better idea to get a junked head with intact caps. (i wholly agreed)

Then we dismantled the head to remove the springs, retainers, and valves. A lot of the valves were bent in the actual stem, and we had to use a hammer+extension to push them out of the valve guides. Which means that the valve guides were probably toast anyways and needed to be replaced. Another reason to just start over with a new head.

This is the damage to the exhaust valves:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/hatch77/GEDC0440.jpg

I'm surprised that the head did not snap off of this one and destroy the combustion chamber. Whoever "TAE" is, they make one heck of a valve:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/hatch77/GEDC0442.jpg

I plan on updating this thread as things happen - so check back. But that's it for now, more later! :goodjob:
-jonathan

Da_unknown
05-07-2010, 10:24 PM
AHHHHH DAMMMMM......................... that sucks... i know the rebuilt will be better

ash7
05-07-2010, 10:29 PM
AHHHHH DAMMMMM......................... that sucks... i know the rebuilt will be better

yes sir :)

Here's another thought i just had - is it possible that the valve contact was so severe that the valves pushed the rocker arms up INTO the cams and the force cracked the caps?

...sorry for the random thought - i'm eating a bowl of Wheaties right now though - can't help it.
-jonathan

Da_unknown
05-07-2010, 10:43 PM
lol

SoLJames95
05-07-2010, 11:37 PM
I heard about this. Sorry man, that sucks. The sad thing is you will still get your car up and runnng faster then Richs RSX. :tragedy:

TougeGTR-33
05-07-2010, 11:42 PM
Damn dude!

cprtyler
05-07-2010, 11:45 PM
ouch

Barefoot
05-08-2010, 12:13 AM
ive fix lots of broken belts first ive seen with broken caps also. i do believe they have to be line honed to fit right again.

ash7
05-08-2010, 12:34 AM
ive fix lots of broken belts first ive seen with broken caps also. i do believe they have to be line honed to fit right again.

took a couple pictures as i got the head off of the valve damage...

It's pretty intense.

updated the OP.
-jonathan

chinitoxamor
05-08-2010, 12:44 AM
damn, sorry to hear that bro, hope you get it up and running again soon

ash7
05-08-2010, 12:47 AM
damn, sorry to hear that bro, hope you get it up and running again soon

it'll take a few weeks for the machine work and everything to be completed - but it won't be too long. :goodjob:

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes for my poor beat up car in the "hospital."
-jonathan

chinitoxamor
05-08-2010, 01:15 AM
it'll take a few weeks for the machine work and everything to be completed - but it won't be too long. :goodjob:

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes for my poor beat up car in the "hospital."
-jonathan

no problem man, hopefully everything works out for you, im waiting for my build too

sang
05-08-2010, 01:50 AM
oh man that is harsh. i hope all goes well for you bro

Barefoot
05-08-2010, 06:54 AM
np man

ash7
05-08-2010, 05:33 PM
Updated the OP again.

love it.
-jonathan

noridetoolow
05-11-2010, 04:48 PM
DANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG PIMP! When you break something you do it right!! Sorry about all this but I know your excited about the new build and with all the driving you have to do it will be worth it to have a basically new motor!

ash7
05-12-2010, 10:44 AM
DANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG PIMP! When you break something you do it right!! Sorry about all this but I know your excited about the new build and with all the driving you have to do it will be worth it to have a basically new motor!

:) You know it pimp!

-jonathan