Engine Failure

[DAVID GAGNARD]

For a price their are labs that can analize that bolt, and they can tell how many cracks started at exactly what points. I don't think it would be worth the price tag to analize it that far.

Where it broke is just above the joint line of the cap. Perhaps it was nicked when pulling the cap on a bind or something along those lines. The imperfection could have been when the bolt was manufactured.

Zacctly,and in the end,whichever occured first,(rod bolt backing out or rod bolt breaking), the results are the results, I can't un-do them...Live and learn.....I've certainly learned from this "event" and the advise received here, mainly I screwed up by not changing the rod bolts.... That will not happen again because I didn't change rod bolts.... Seems that's the way I learn a lot of lessons, the hard way.....

I've seen other broken bolts over the years and this one seemed very similar to a lot of bolt failures I've seen..... too many torque cycles,too much stress, whatever, something failed and I've got the results to prove it..... In the final analaysis,I'm pleased with the service the motor gave me and really can't complain about it and I'm not complaining about it, just showing what happened.......

I'll build another one, race another day, and if I can get almost four years of racing/use out of the next one like I got out of this one, I'll be one happy racer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David