Thread: Building A looper Beast

  1. #381
    Team Member R Austin's Avatar
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    The LOOPER BEAST will not be at Constantine Mi. this weekend. Due to an unfortunate mishap with the engine, its meeting with the water, will have to take place at a different venue at a later date.
    More information will follow as the damage is accessed.
    Was really looking forward to an action filled weekend, but that will have to wait.

  2. #382
    Team Member GHMiller's Avatar
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    Sorry to hear that you had issues, please keep us posted as your time allows.
    Gardner Miller
    Lone Star Outboard Racing Association

    "Water is for racing. Asphalt is for the parking lot."
    Remember....Freedom isn't...."Free".......

  3. #383
    Team Member R Austin's Avatar
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    After a week of forensic review and collection of pieces, I believe that I know what took place. I will give you the facts and hear what your thoughts are.
    The thing to remember is that all clearances in all cylinders are the same within 3 to 5 thou. Meaning head to piston ,skirt fit ect.
    I had set the timing to .150 BTDC, leaned the carbs slightly and did a test firing before loading on the trailer for Constantine. Carbs held good and fired right up. The jump in timing turned the mild engine into an animal. Rapped the throttle a couple times and bang.

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    This is the # 1 con rod looked like after collecting all the pieces, all of which remained in side of the engine.

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    #1 Piston. Notice that the damage to the piston is the slot at the bottom where the crank took the rod after coming off the crank journal. Nothing went thru the cylinder between the piston and the wall. the only thing that left the crankcase was a small piece of piston skirt found on the ground after shut down. The piston stopped with the exhaust port open near BDC. The piece traveled thru the transfer and crossed over the exhaust separator and out the pipe. Again no marks in the cylinder wall.

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    All the parts and pieces that came from the crankcase. Had to use a hammer and punch to remove the large pieces of the journal end of the rod from the rod slot in the reed cage area of the front cover where the crank hand driven them.

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    This is the top main bearing cap and evidence of the piston skirt hitting the cap in the relief cavity.

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    This is the #2 main bearing body block indicating again that the piston skirt was hitting the relief cavity of the main.

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    Piston skirt damage from hitting the main bearing housing.

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    The opposite side of the piston skirt indicating the contact with the main cap.

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    Top of the piston which indicates that the piston was also hitting the cylinder head. Ever so slightly as to make a maybe 5 thou impression. Not enough to stick the piston rings which were unstuck and removed undamaged. There was however a very fine almost dust type of metal that had been pushed into the piston and head. Almost so fine that it looked like tiny gas holes in the casting, which it was not.

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    Looking into the cylinder bore from the head end at the slot that the rod had knocked into the bottom of the #1 cylinder sleeve. Notice no apparent damage to the bore from debris.

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    The opposite side of the cylinder with no sign of any damage.


    What had happened was I had turned a crank journal into a 5 cylinder 84 cubic inch high performance 2 cycle blender. It did a job on the rod.

    The big question I know being ask is, is there anything left. Unbelievably, yes. I will follow with the pictures of the damage and repairs which should be completed in a couple of weeks.

    Things to think about. The piston hit the head, the piston also hit the main bearing blocks, fine pieces of metal between the head and the piston. I think I know what happened , do you. Your thoughts.

  4. #384
    Team Member Master Oil Racing Team's Avatar
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    My thoughts are that this is the most magnificient documented build of a motor and an unprecedented and open discussion about what happened. I think this is once again a lesson that engineering students would get a lot of gain from. Richard....I cannot ever remember such a thread as yours. I look forward to what is next and can feel for what you have gone through after all this time. But I know that you will get it right and what you are doing is showing in detail what the pioneers of building motors are all about. Your's is just a monster. Chris and Dieter did not have to tear as much down to rebuild and put it back together for another test.



  5. #385
    Team Member Gene East's Avatar
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    Dick, I'm so sorry this happened, but you're not a quitter. I'm certain you'll find a fix!

  6. #386
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    Thank heavens more damage wasn't done!

    I hope you pin point WHY it happened to a degree that it won't again.

    Jeff
    "We live at the bottom of an ocean of air." - General Marvage Slatington

  7. #387
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    Whoa Dick!
    Sorry to see your beast had a hiccup. Best of luck with the repairs.
    Tim

  8. #388
    Team Member BJuby's Avatar
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    The evidence of what happened is there in the pictures. I am admittedly confused as to how it happened though. This engine was fired a couple of times previously. I would have expected contact (between mains and pistons and pistons and heads) like what happened here to have caused the failure immediately; as in when it was first started up. Is a thicker head gasket at least the answer for the head/piston issue? You did say it was only around 5 thousandths.

    Dick, having seen this engine in person, I know that this is a labor of love and that if anyone can get it right it's you. Best of luck. Looking forward to hearing more from you on the process of getting it right.

  9. #389
    Team Member R Austin's Avatar
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    Yes, the answer is in the pictures. Remember all cylinders have like clearences. The guestion you have to ask is how can the piston hit at both top of stroke and at bottom of stroke.

  10. #390
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    Quote Originally Posted by R Austin View Post
    Yes, the answer is in the pictures. Remember all cylinders have like clearences. The guestion you have to ask is how can the piston hit at both top of stroke and at bottom of stroke.
    crank pin offset?

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