I'm just interested in those that have anecdotes of a modern (say about the advent of SJ oils in 1996 or so) suffering a catastrophic failure before say 150K/240K miles/km when it was even minimally maintained. The last time I heard of this was maybe three years ago when I stopped for lunch in a mall bar-restaurant and met an irate man whose VW Golf GTi's engine exploded, presumably due to a bad timing chain. He said he alway used syn 0/5W-40 and knew is was the chain because he had an internal VW TB on the issue...
Modern Engine's Grenading?
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My uncle has a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.0 I6. It blew a rod out the side of the block for no reason one day at around 170k miles. It was always maintained very well with regular oil changes, and he never beat on it. He had a junkyard engine put in and he's still driving it.
GM DOHC 3.5L V6 up to 2011 or so maybe. Timing chain and guide replacement, this can be over a 2K repair due to need to remove engine in many cases. This is the reason for Dexos oil specifications.
Northstar and Shortstar V8 V6 head bolts pull out of block.
Nissan 3.5V6 The small cats right next to exhaust manifold fracture, and the abrasive pieces get sucked into engine.
Chrysler V6 there was one where the water pump driven by cam chain, wateroump leak dumped coolant into oil, took out bearings.
Rod
Northstar and Shortstar V8 V6 head bolts pull out of block.
Nissan 3.5V6 The small cats right next to exhaust manifold fracture, and the abrasive pieces get sucked into engine.
Chrysler V6 there was one where the water pump driven by cam chain, wateroump leak dumped coolant into oil, took out bearings.
Rod
I'm betting that GTI had a bad timing chain tensioner that let go. Has nothing to do with oil, just a bad design from VAG.
Originally Posted by Nickdfresh
VW Golf GTi's engine exploded, presumably due to a bad timing chain.
What year was the GTI, just curious?
VW Golf GTi's engine exploded, presumably due to a bad timing chain.
What year was the GTI, just curious?
Honestly, I want to say about 2013 or so, it wasn't brand new. The guy was middle-aged and looked like he was car guy, and changed his oil regularly using the VW spec oil...
Originally Posted by skyactiv
I'm betting that GTI had a bad timing chain tensioner that let go. Has nothing to do with oil, just a bad design from VAG.
I agree it sounded chain-related and wasn't oil related. Even if it was, you can't ask an oil to correct design flaws...
Originally Posted by skyactiv
I'm betting that GTI had a bad timing chain tensioner that let go. Has nothing to do with oil, just a bad design from VAG.
I agree it sounded chain-related and wasn't oil related. Even if it was, you can't ask an oil to correct design flaws...
Originally Posted by exranger06
My uncle has a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.0 I6. It blew a rod out the side of the block for no reason one day at around 170k miles. It was always maintained very well with regular oil changes, and he never beat on it. He had a junkyard engine put in and he's still driving it.
4.0s are relatively long lived engines unless they break a piston. Very likely that's what the problem was. Just a random shattered piston.
My uncle has a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.0 I6. It blew a rod out the side of the block for no reason one day at around 170k miles. It was always maintained very well with regular oil changes, and he never beat on it. He had a junkyard engine put in and he's still driving it.
4.0s are relatively long lived engines unless they break a piston. Very likely that's what the problem was. Just a random shattered piston.
Originally Posted by Nickdfresh
I'm just interested in those that have anecdotes of a modern (say about the advent of SJ oils in 1996 or so) suffering a catastrophic failure before say 150K/240K miles/km when it was even minimally maintained. The last time I heard of this was maybe three years ago when I stopped for lunch in a mall bar-restaurant and met an irate man whose VW Golf GTi's engine exploded, presumably due to a bad timing chain. He said he alway used syn 0/5W-40 and knew is was the chain because he had an internal VW TB on the issue...
Just about any engine can "grenade" when it's not serviced. That service includes allowing outstanding TSB/Recalls to go unaddressed. I know Toyota had some sludge problems back in the early 2000's and of course there is the tappet issue with late model VW diesels.
I'm just interested in those that have anecdotes of a modern (say about the advent of SJ oils in 1996 or so) suffering a catastrophic failure before say 150K/240K miles/km when it was even minimally maintained. The last time I heard of this was maybe three years ago when I stopped for lunch in a mall bar-restaurant and met an irate man whose VW Golf GTi's engine exploded, presumably due to a bad timing chain. He said he alway used syn 0/5W-40 and knew is was the chain because he had an internal VW TB on the issue...
Just about any engine can "grenade" when it's not serviced. That service includes allowing outstanding TSB/Recalls to go unaddressed. I know Toyota had some sludge problems back in the early 2000's and of course there is the tappet issue with late model VW diesels.
Originally Posted by Brigadier
My 2006 Colorado 3.5L I-5 grenaded at 114k miles, needed a complete rebuild. Meticulously maintained. 'Something inside the engine broke and went thru the oil system.'
I heard the valve seats had issues in the early Colorados, one could drop and take the engine out. The Ford Focus had the same issue with some engines.
Surprised the Chrysler 2.7 V6 wasn't mentioned yet. It was such a piece of crap finding a good used one in a salvage yard in nearly impossible.
My 2006 Colorado 3.5L I-5 grenaded at 114k miles, needed a complete rebuild. Meticulously maintained. 'Something inside the engine broke and went thru the oil system.'
I heard the valve seats had issues in the early Colorados, one could drop and take the engine out. The Ford Focus had the same issue with some engines.
Surprised the Chrysler 2.7 V6 wasn't mentioned yet. It was such a piece of crap finding a good used one in a salvage yard in nearly impossible.
I think BMW wins this one. You can check out N20 timing chain failure, N52 cam bearing ledges, N62 valve stem seals, and of course that alternator bracket seal. N63 client care package, some have had entire motors swapped out at under 35k for failure. Some cars have had internal repair costs (warranty repairs) of over $25k!!!! Plus Mini N12/n14 timing issues.
Originally Posted by Audios
I think BMW wins this one. You can check out N20 timing chain failure, N52 cam bearing ledges, N62 valve stem seals, and of course that alternator bracket seal. N63 client care package, some have had entire motors swapped out at under 35k for failure. Some cars have had internal repair costs (warranty repairs) of over $25k!!!! Plus Mini N12/n14 timing issues.
Well if you want to go down that road, lets not forget the bearing problems with the S54, S65, S85. Timing Chain: N47, M50
I think BMW wins this one. You can check out N20 timing chain failure, N52 cam bearing ledges, N62 valve stem seals, and of course that alternator bracket seal. N63 client care package, some have had entire motors swapped out at under 35k for failure. Some cars have had internal repair costs (warranty repairs) of over $25k!!!! Plus Mini N12/n14 timing issues.
Well if you want to go down that road, lets not forget the bearing problems with the S54, S65, S85. Timing Chain: N47, M50
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I never realized chains were this problematic. Maybe timing belt system is better?
Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
Originally Posted by Audios
I think BMW wins this one. You can check out N20 timing chain failure, N52 cam bearing ledges, N62 valve stem seals, and of course that alternator bracket seal. N63 client care package, some have had entire motors swapped out at under 35k for failure. Some cars have had internal repair costs (warranty repairs) of over $25k!!!! Plus Mini N12/n14 timing issues.
Well if you want to go down that road, lets not forget the bearing problems with the S54, S65, S85. Timing Chain: N47, M50
The S85 in my manual M6 is doing fine. When it's driven, it gets to taken to redline every drive, after proper warmup. I am running Redline 10w60 as I saw better results over the recommended Castrol TWS.
Originally Posted by Audios
I think BMW wins this one. You can check out N20 timing chain failure, N52 cam bearing ledges, N62 valve stem seals, and of course that alternator bracket seal. N63 client care package, some have had entire motors swapped out at under 35k for failure. Some cars have had internal repair costs (warranty repairs) of over $25k!!!! Plus Mini N12/n14 timing issues.
Well if you want to go down that road, lets not forget the bearing problems with the S54, S65, S85. Timing Chain: N47, M50
The S85 in my manual M6 is doing fine. When it's driven, it gets to taken to redline every drive, after proper warmup. I am running Redline 10w60 as I saw better results over the recommended Castrol TWS.
Porsches 986 and 911 from say 1997 to 2008. Up to 8-10% failure rate for 2001-2005 models, 1-2 % for the other years. The IMS bearing would grenade and take the whole $20-30k engine with it in as early as 10-20 k miles. A lucrative upgrade/ replacement industry kept many bearing purveyors and mechanics eating well. A lot of internet hysteria, in my opinion.
I read BMW warranty costs for the 700 series were $100-200K a car.
I read BMW warranty costs for the 700 series were $100-200K a car.
Originally Posted by ragtoplvr
Nissan 3.5V6 The small cats right next to exhaust manifold fracture, and the abrasive pieces get sucked into engine.
I didn't realize the VQ had that issue with the pre-cats. I know that some QR25 engines did from about 2002-2005 and some had issues with the butterfly valve screws coming loose and getting sucked in.
Nissan 3.5V6 The small cats right next to exhaust manifold fracture, and the abrasive pieces get sucked into engine.
I didn't realize the VQ had that issue with the pre-cats. I know that some QR25 engines did from about 2002-2005 and some had issues with the butterfly valve screws coming loose and getting sucked in.
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
I never realized chains were this problematic. Maybe timing belt system is better?
My thought is that chains are better overall. The switch back to chains from belts did not include the wide type chain we used to see way back when. These look more like bicycle chains. The design or metallurgy may not have been enough for the new stresses of tgdi engines thus the failures.
I'll bet most of the failures are the result of poor maintenance led by non regular oil changes.
I would take chain over a belt anyway.
I never realized chains were this problematic. Maybe timing belt system is better?
My thought is that chains are better overall. The switch back to chains from belts did not include the wide type chain we used to see way back when. These look more like bicycle chains. The design or metallurgy may not have been enough for the new stresses of tgdi engines thus the failures.
I'll bet most of the failures are the result of poor maintenance led by non regular oil changes.
I would take chain over a belt anyway.
2012 Nissa Versa with the piece of garbage Renault 1.6, engine was hammering at 21,000miles. Took it to the dealer 3 times before a decent tech agreed and put a new motor in it. I then unloaded it on them and got talked into a 2013 Sentra with the 1.8. Same piece of Renault junk, started knocking before it had 20k miles on it. Oil changes were done at the dealer as they were free and all were done at recommended 7000 miles.
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