Road Course Track Day Ended with Bad Engine Knock :-(

[stringfellow_po]

Car had been running really well, came out of a left hander after long right and noticed a change in engine note, let off the throttle and the engine was making a bad knocking sound, noted the oil pressure was still good and shut it off. Starter struggled to turn it over after a few minutes so I did not try any further. I am now preparing to pull the motor and guess I have spun a bearing (maybe oil starvation as there are some long corners). Motor is a mild 360 of unknown build. I have checked the flexplate bolts and they were tight. Anything else I should be checking for ? I'll report back once the motor is pulled and I have the pan off. I want to try and get it back together asap so I don't miss the season with a full rebuild, I can pull it again at the end. Any tips appreciated as always

 

[pschlosser]

Have you fully diagnosed the problem? Don't be in too much a hurry to pull the engine, if you want to run it a bit more to troubleshoot.

I would expect oil starving on a long curve, long enough to cause engine damage, should have given a low oil pressure indication, for several minutes or more.

 

[Katfish]

Agree, check the flex plate bolts before doing anything else.
Happened to me, sounded horrible, thought I threw a rod, bolts had backed out and were hitting.

*** Edit, looks like you already checked this

 

[Chryco Psycho]

You may be able to drop the oil pan & inspect / swap main & rod brgs without pulling the engine

 

[413]

Do not start this engine again! Since it is knocking and hard to turn over.

pull the plugs amd turn it with a breaker bar on the crank while you remove flexplate bolts. It is a cold engine now and the tight spot might have gone away verses a hot engine but don’t be fooled. It needs checked out and much easier on an engine stand. You are not going to roll some bearings in it and go try it again.

an unknown engine you are running hard on a track day.
it needs to be taken apart and fully checked out so this doesn’t happen again. Measure clearances, check the parts, etc.

 

[stringfellow_po]

Do not start this engine again! Since it is knocking and hard to turn over.

pull the plugs amd turn it with a breaker bar on the crank while you remove flexplate bolts. It is a cold engine now and the tight spot might have gone away verses a hot engine but don’t be fooled. It needs checked out and much easier on an engine stand. You are not going to roll some bearings in it and go try it again.

an unknown engine you are running hard on a track day.
it needs to be taken apart and fully checked out so this doesn’t happen again. Measure clearances, check the parts, etc.

Turns over with the breaker bar, going to get it on the stand tomorrow

 

[Mopar Mitch]

I'll tell you from experience (48 years of it all with my Challenger!)... when attempting road course events (or autocross) -- these are addictive!!!... the #1 needed modification to your car should be a baffled oil pan. The BB engines can simply use a 440-6 baffled pan... having factory front and rear baffles... at a minimum.

However, for SB engines, MaMopar NEVER had any oil control baffles in the pan (windage tray doesn't count)... for the sump area. Oil starvation is guaranteed always for any type of spirited driving... and the longer you run the car in that fashion... the greater and quicker your bearings will be starved of oil.

You can simply weld in some horizontal baffles above the sump (with a slight channel cut for the oil pick-up....and a small hole for the dip stick). Or better yet... just buy the Milodon road race/touring pan (and the Milodon oil pick-up, windage tray and four center replacement main studs)... and be prepared that you may have to do a little extra fitting/grinding into your K-frame (by the motor mount areas) for best clearance. BUT... the effort and expense will be well worth it!

Also, its possible that an HV oil pump (being slightly taller) may have slight interference with the rear of the pan... requiring some hammering of the pan at that area.

Having a baffled oil pan (especially for road course tracks or autocross events) is an absolute requirement!

PS: Adding an Accusump or similar unit is also good, but they are best used as a pre-oiler from long standing startups. A baffled pan is still mandatory while driving.

 

[stringfellow_po]

I'll tell you from experience (48 years of it all with my Challenger!)... when attempting road course events (or autocross) -- these are addictive!!!... the #1 needed modification to your car should be a baffled oil pan. The BB engines can simply use a 440-6 baffled pan... having factory front and rear baffles... at a minimum.

However, for SB engines, MaMopar NEVER had any oil control baffles in the pan (windage tray doesn't count)... for the sump area. Oil starvation is guaranteed always for any type of spirited driving... and the longer you run the car in that fashion... the greater and quicker your bearings will be starved of oil.

You can simply weld in some horizontal baffles above the sump (with a slight channel cut for the oil pick-up....and a small hole for the dip stick). Or better yet... just buy the Milodon road race/touring pan (and the Milodon oil pick-up, windage tray and four center replacement main studs)... and be prepared that you may have to do a little extra fitting/grinding into your K-frame (by the motor mount areas) for best clearance. BUT... the effort and expense will be well worth it!

Also, its possible that an HV oil pump (being slightly taller) may have slight interference with the rear of the pan... requiring some hammering of the pan at that area.

Having a baffled oil pan (especially for road course tracks or autocross events) is an absolute requirement!

PS: Adding an Accusump or similar unit is also good, but they are best used as a pre-oiler from long standing startups. A baffled pan is still mandatory while driving.

Great advice thanks! I did drive it harder this time. Got the engine on the stand, hopefully will figure out what has happened later this week. Top end looks fine.

 

[stringfellow_po]

Definitely 1 rod bearing gone, thoughts if crankshaft can be saved ? Will need to tear into the rest. Bores look ok, heads look ok. Sump wasn’t baffled.

 

[pschlosser]

Remarkable lesson for me. I would not have thought laps on a track could damage the engine on my e-body.