Last weekend I started to hear a slight tick coming from my engine bay while cruising however it was not present during acceleration, deceleration or idle. Only time you'd hear the noise was under a 0 load cruise.

Went up to Cabelas to look at some stuff for an upcoming fishing trip then got on the highway. Ambient air temp was pretty nice and the car was feeling pretty strong so I stuck it in third going into a corner onto the highway. Took third to redline and shifted into fourth when the car felt like it wasn't pulling anymore but still making full boost. About 5000rpm in fifth gear that slight tick I wasn't hearing anymore turned into a full bore knock for about 2 seconds and right after lifting on the throttle it exploded.

HUGE cloud of smoke coming from under the hood. Poked a nice hole through the drivers side of the block at the lower end of #4 cylinder. I'm really not all that upset about it, but kinda disappointed that I ruined a perfectly good block and most likely the crankshaft.

Crnrhrd came by to make sure I got the car loaded on the truck okay, three cops and a random motorist stopped to check on me so that was pretty cool. Blew up about 15 miles from my house and the tow bill was only $90.00 and my insurance should reimburse me for that I hope. After the car was loaded onto the truck Andy spotted a piece of pistol Piston laying on the shoulder in the massive puddle of oil leaked from the motor so I've got yet another souvenir of destruction.

Starting on tearing it apart tonight and will post pl0x...

 

too bad you couldn't find all of the pistol, then you could shoot someone.

 

damn that sucks!

 

I offer my condolences.

 

First motor I've actually blown up. Now I feel like a man.

 

after #3 it gets annoying...

 

after #2 is gets annoying....enough to sell the car

 

Then again, it allows us to be able to do things like the 15min timing belt job.

 

Try #5 kids....this poor Miata.

Sorry to hear about your motor. If you were close and had a 1.6L I'd offer you my spare block to rebuild.

 

and pull and engine and re-install quicker!

 

If you've blown 5 motors you are just retarded. There is a line... Scott is on it now.

 

Blowing 5 built motors would be retarded.....

he is just testing the limits of these motors for us.

 

Time for a built motor and MOAR BOOST!

 

I'm becoming increasingly apprehensive about my ****. It ticks and smokes, not much but damn. Everyone's blowing up!

Good luck with the future to all.

 

JB weld that bitch.

 

I didn't blow a single one, but thanks for assuming I'm retarded. I'm the one that still has a turbo coffin so there. This Miata's been in my famiry for almost 15 years, and all 4 of those died in someone else's hands.

I took the original motor to 189K miles before handing it back to my mom. She overheated one (1), her boyfriend overheated the one he installed with the timing belt off a tooth.(2) So they put the PWR radiator into it, and another motor.

My brother took it to school, and ran it out of oil on the way home one weekend. (3) It sat in storage for a year before they let me pick it up for free, and I put a motor in it. Lasted a year until I let my brother borrow it over the Christmas break. It came back burning oil like crazy(4). We swapped it out, now on motor #5. I've got one on the stand being built, and plan on testing the limits before the built motor goes in. Tired of 200whp...must have more.


EDIT: Now that I think about it I think the second motor that went in was rebuilt before my brother got it, so technically same motor...just as many swaps though.

 

dont let people drive your car anymore!

 

I'm on my 3rd block, 4th set of internals. Welcome to the club.

 

this is an expensive hobby!

 

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