Opinions Please: Blown Engine, Aluminum in Oil

[SirEspo]

So back in October, my engine developed sudden and severe rod knock on the thruway, I made another post about built block engine suggestions with more details. I only have bolt ons and a street tune to even out the torque dip, no major mods otherwise.

Long story short, I got a call earlier this week from the shop handling the new short block and top end clean up/rebalance/reassembly that it looked to be aluminum casting in the oil, not a brass type material as the rod bearings tend to be.

Knowing there's a wealth of information and experience on here, I'm just curious as to whether or not anyone has any suggestions as to what it might be. My initial thoughts were either rod bearing or oil pump, knowing the pump can shatter and is internal on this engine, and I have an early build (2013) engine. Anyone have any suggestions on what else this could be? Or is the oil pump pretty much it?

[Grady]

We can speculate but the shop tearing it down will know the exact answer.

My guess is someone left a miller light can in the engine while assembling it.

[ls1ac]

The rod bearings are usually babbitt not brass, it looks like aluminum (dull silver).

[ermax]

Originally Posted by ls1ac

The rod bearings are usually babbitt not brass, it looks like aluminum (dull silver).

Only the top layer, then you get into the brass. I’ve never had a bearing failure that didn’t result in gold colored flakes in the pan.

This is what my failed bearing (left two halves) looked like on my car. The babbitt is gone and the brass is gone, it’s all in the pan.
https://imgur.com/a/65FhN9p

You can see the brass layer peeking through on the two half’s on the right but that one hadn’t failed yet.

[Matt93SE]

As others have said, it could be from a multitude of places. what's the stuff look like? casting slag, small fine bits, small shavings, large shavings, big chunks, etc etc etc.. the size and shape of them is a start to tell you what 'process' made them.

Shavings could be blown over from the guy porting a head on the next bench over. they could also be from an aftermarket part that didn't fit properly (windage tray, larger rods hitting something on the block, etc etc etc)
chunks could be from broken parts that weren't cleaned out properly before the build or from improperly clearanced parts in this build. I know you said it's only bolt-ons, but you never know once someone else opens the engine...

The possibilities are endless without more information. your builder might as well have called and just said "it's broke". you got about the same info.

[TommyW]

Originally Posted by SirEspo

So back in October, my engine developed sudden and severe rod knock on the thruway, I made another post about built block engine suggestions with more details. I only have bolt ons and a street tune to even out the torque dip, no major mods otherwise.

Long story short, I got a call earlier this week from the shop handling the new short block and top end clean up/rebalance/reassembly that it looked to be aluminum casting in the oil, not a brass type material as the rod bearings tend to be.

Knowing there's a wealth of information and experience on here, I'm just curious as to whether or not anyone has any suggestions as to what it might be. My initial thoughts were either rod bearing or oil pump, knowing the pump can shatter and is internal on this engine, and I have an early build (2013) engine. Anyone have any suggestions on what else this could be? Or is the oil pump pretty much it?

I'll tell you though regardless of what it is make sure in rebuilding that everything that came in contact with the shavings is well cleaned and if you can't clean it replace it especially oil cooler if you have one. Guys don't do that and they're in for another new motor.