lsx engine blows up--update

[NickJRE]

Originally Posted by motorhead

I see your point and understand your reasoning ,but the motor is sold as making around 600HP not 970HP. So to me if your going to do a massive HP increase like that then the motor should be disassembled and checked throughly. If I was building the type of motor your customer was searching for ,I believe I would have started with a full on race block to begin with.
I understand the guy from GM telling you that the motor will handle the kind of power you were making is the biggest reason you proceeded with the build and that was wrong of him to make that statement without in turn backing it up when the failure happened. This is where I believe you might have a glimmer of hope if you can prove that GM or a GM rep told you that or sold with that thought in mind.

Either way I'm glad this thread was started. It gives many of us a lot to think about.

Agree!

[firengnred]

GM has been in this business long enough that they have done their homework....and most certainly their bean counters have. They know there is a probability of manufacturing defects, what those defects most likely will be and what percentage. Example...........

GM puts out a crate motor. They know the likely and potential defects in material and manufacturing. They know the percentages. They determine a threshold of what power can safely be produced without these defects popping up and spec out the motors keeping all of this in mind. Said specs being within their comfort zone they offer a end user warranty for the motor AS IS when it leaves the manufacturing facility.

Scenario..........

Supersonic speedshop buys GM's crate motor and starts adding power increaser's that violate warranty and, as luck would have it, they do have one of the motors with the expected POTENTIAL defects and because of the end user added power, the defect rears it's ugly head and motor fails.

Now, if supersonic speedshop had installed the motor with no power adders and there was a failure, warranty should be honored and motor replaced following an inspection by GM to determine cause. But in this case we have the "SCENARIO".

Sonic tests and anything else that would prove a defect is irrelevant considering the warranty was violated. Not to mention the chances that something being found that GM wasn't already aware of is slim to none. GM put out a motor built to specs they were comfortable offering a warranty on and it was taken beyond this point by the shop.

[Russell James]

Crate motors are covered by warranty, even if supercharged. In the warranty statement it indicates any damage caused by a supercharger is not covered. It does not say a supercharger voids the warranty. They are still covered for defects in material or workmanship.

If you ran it on 99% nitromethane and it broke a couple wrist pins... upon inspection and testing showed half the wrist pins were not heat treated. That would be a warranty claim. The key is diagnosing the cause of the failure.

[OldSchoolCamaro]

Epic Fail

[20Camaro11]

Originally Posted by OldSchoolCamaro

Epic Fail

agreed...on multiple levels and on multiple points. This thread is worn out...

[Rip]

Originally Posted by Russell James

Crate motors are covered by warranty, even if supercharged. In the warranty statement it indicates any damage caused by a supercharger is not covered. It does not say a supercharger voids the warranty. They are still covered for defects in material or workmanship.

If you ran it on 99% nitromethane and it broke a couple wrist pins... upon inspection and testing showed half the wrist pins were not heat treated. That would be a warranty claim. The key is diagnosing the cause of the failure.

[HumanWiki]

Looks like GM hasn't learned anything by their failure and bailout... Maybe it's time they fail again... I'd have 0 sympathy for them either...

[fastfaster]

Originally Posted by Russell James

Crate motors are covered by warranty, even if supercharged. In the warranty statement it indicates any damage caused by a supercharger is not covered. It does not say a supercharger voids the warranty. They are still covered for defects in material or workmanship.

If you ran it on 99% nitromethane and it broke a couple wrist pins... upon inspection and testing showed half the wrist pins were not heat treated. That would be a warranty claim. The key is diagnosing the cause of the failure.

a great point!

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by Russell James

Crate motors are covered by warranty, even if supercharged. In the warranty statement it indicates any damage caused by a supercharger is not covered. It does not say a supercharger voids the warranty. They are still covered for defects in material or workmanship.

If you ran it on 99% nitromethane and it broke a couple wrist pins... upon inspection and testing showed half the wrist pins were not heat treated. That would be a warranty claim. The key is diagnosing the cause of the failure.

and what if it is determined that the extra cyl pressure from supercharging caused the damage?
I'll even go as far as to say the block was defective, but who's to say that it wouldnt have held up under N/A cyl pressures?

just sayin.


there's a lot of "ifs" that could be thrown at this issue. I'm with GTA on this that GM should at least inspect it (or return a call/email/etc).

[2010victoryredss_ron]

ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!

[firengnred]

Originally Posted by CamaroSpike23

and what if it is determined that the extra cyl pressure from supercharging caused the damage?
I'll even go as far as to say the block was defective, but who's to say that it wouldnt have held up under N/A cyl pressures?

just sayin.


there's a lot of "ifs" that could be thrown at this issue. I'm with GTA on this that GM should at least inspect it (or return a call/email/etc).

This was my point

[LOWDOWN]

Sadly, there's enough "epic fail" to be spread around in several directions...

1) If you have a "problem", the best way to resolve it is DIRECTLY with the manufacturer/supplier involved...NOT on the 'net...UNTIL such time as there is a FINAL RESOLUTION. I know that was tried, initially, but then things went horribly "offside"...and a lot of verbal "damage" was done BEFORE the "final word" was handed down. Once you lift the lid on Pandora's Box, "stuff" happens...quickly... Any "upside" to assisting goes out the window when the world "thinks" your product and/or situation is compromised (been there, seen that). Quickly, any support can/will evaporate if you find yourself in a "can't win" situation. "Why bother...?!"

2) For "engineering's sake", I believe there is validity and worth in fully examining the block...and I'm disappointed there is no interest at this time in doing that... Did you get around to a sonic check? If so, what were the results?

Beyond these points, BEWARE OF POWER-ADDERS...with anyone's block and/or shortblock assembly, and especially when starting with a "high static compression" combo in the case of a turbo or supercharger. Even when starting from a "turn-key 'crate' engine". Partial disassembly is prudent to confirm "what is" and, just as important, "what isn't"...

Sorry for your pain, both emotional and economic. I'm sure, though, that more prudent steps will be taken with the rebuild...

This is a lesson for us all. In several ways...

[Berean]

This thread has more mods than your engine.

[Hutch52]

Good luck on this one, GM is also getting alot bad feed back on their manual transmission, its not good and GM needs to step up to the plate.