Rods Made of Glass
09-12-2017, 06:16 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Rods Made of Glass
Hello everyone,
So I was drifting my practically stock 2004 350Z over the weekend. I has a welded diff, plenum spacer, intake, testpipes & catback, along with an oversized rad and uprev tune. The car was performing very well all weekend until the last 10 minutes of the event. As I was straightening out from a corner with out warning my DE threw a rod. From my understanding the bottom end should have been good for close to 400whp which my NA slug was not even close to touching.
That being said the car has no oil consumption, just under 160K, and had fresh fluids all around before the event. I may have been revving a little high but at my power levels I didn't think it would cause enough strain to blow the bottom end.
Has anyone else felt like their bottom ends were made from glass, or did i just get super unlucky?
So I was drifting my practically stock 2004 350Z over the weekend. I has a welded diff, plenum spacer, intake, testpipes & catback, along with an oversized rad and uprev tune. The car was performing very well all weekend until the last 10 minutes of the event. As I was straightening out from a corner with out warning my DE threw a rod. From my understanding the bottom end should have been good for close to 400whp which my NA slug was not even close to touching.
That being said the car has no oil consumption, just under 160K, and had fresh fluids all around before the event. I may have been revving a little high but at my power levels I didn't think it would cause enough strain to blow the bottom end.
Has anyone else felt like their bottom ends were made from glass, or did i just get super unlucky?
09-12-2017, 06:43 AM
#4
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Thread Starter
i meani tried to keep it between 4-6k but a couple times I had to power through it i may have bumped limiter a couple times but never held it at redline
09-12-2017, 07:26 AM
#5
Oh, I though you were going over stock limit (6600 I think?)
No, that isn't the issue.
People usually bring the stock DE to 7000-7100 without issues (I have and I'm at 300whp and 340tq)
Something was wrong, but you'd pretty much need a autopsy to figure it out.
The DE motors don't blow from driving hard around stock power levels.
No, that isn't the issue.
People usually bring the stock DE to 7000-7100 without issues (I have and I'm at 300whp and 340tq)
Something was wrong, but you'd pretty much need a autopsy to figure it out.
The DE motors don't blow from driving hard around stock power levels.
09-12-2017, 11:43 AM
#7
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09-12-2017, 12:11 PM
#8
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At 160K, your VQ has seen a lot of action. Adding a welded diff (even with a standard clutch) and drifting all weekend is sure to put considerable stress on your powertrain. Count me as one who is not surprised a rod or main bearing got nicked and seized.
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seymore4 (09-13-2017)
09-12-2017, 06:00 PM
#11
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Could be an oil starve situation, could be an oil pump failure or could be many other issues that caused it
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KingBaby (09-18-2017)
09-13-2017, 06:07 AM
#12
They aren't made of glass. You are just stressing your car.
People don't get the amount of stress and abuse drifting, burn outs and hard launches do on a drivetrain. But no it's not because of the VQ, my friend threw a rod on his 1.6 Miata and I've seen guys kill KA 240's all the time.
Again drifting and "hooning" is hard on any car. But like others have said, you probably lost some oil pressure, already did damage with the 150k+ miles or just got a weak rod or bearing by chance.
But this would, could and does happen to any kind of car/engine. You're VQ has probably just seen better days.
People don't get the amount of stress and abuse drifting, burn outs and hard launches do on a drivetrain. But no it's not because of the VQ, my friend threw a rod on his 1.6 Miata and I've seen guys kill KA 240's all the time.
Again drifting and "hooning" is hard on any car. But like others have said, you probably lost some oil pressure, already did damage with the 150k+ miles or just got a weak rod or bearing by chance.
But this would, could and does happen to any kind of car/engine. You're VQ has probably just seen better days.
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Atreyu'z 350 (09-13-2017)
09-13-2017, 07:51 AM
#14
Weaker is a subjective word.
Weaker compared to what? These engines are very stout. People just give these engines a hard time, when in reality they are quite good. Hardly any stock engines can accept and hold the amount of HP/TQ DE's can.
But yes the rods, bolts and sometimes bearing are usually the first things to let go in these engines. But again they take and produce decent numbers for stock engines. But as is normal with most engines, those being the weakest points of most factory motors.
Weaker compared to what? These engines are very stout. People just give these engines a hard time, when in reality they are quite good. Hardly any stock engines can accept and hold the amount of HP/TQ DE's can.
But yes the rods, bolts and sometimes bearing are usually the first things to let go in these engines. But again they take and produce decent numbers for stock engines. But as is normal with most engines, those being the weakest points of most factory motors.
09-13-2017, 12:12 PM
#16
Registered User
Thread Starter
I found another DE from a G35 that Im going to check out and compression test. I understand drifting puts a lot of stress on the motor but I didnt expect a rod to throw that easily. There are a few other DE guys that drift and two of them are over the 200k mark. So thats why i feel something really must have buckled to die
Im wondering if some ARP rod bolts would help solve my issue? Im planning on throwing in another DE and testing my luck again
Im wondering if some ARP rod bolts would help solve my issue? Im planning on throwing in another DE and testing my luck again
09-13-2017, 12:57 PM
#18
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Thread Starter
I will be tearing it open when i have the time. The car got towed to my house but Im away at school right now. Just trying to wrap my head around it and see what other VQ owners think so i can prepare myself.
09-13-2017, 01:07 PM
#19
Registered User
Weaker is a subjective word.
Weaker compared to what? These engines are very stout. People just give these engines a hard time, when in reality they are quite good. Hardly any stock engines can accept and hold the amount of HP/TQ DE's can.
But yes the rods, bolts and sometimes bearing are usually the first things to let go in these engines. But again they take and produce decent numbers for stock engines. But as is normal with most engines, those being the weakest points of most factory motors.
Weaker compared to what? These engines are very stout. People just give these engines a hard time, when in reality they are quite good. Hardly any stock engines can accept and hold the amount of HP/TQ DE's can.
But yes the rods, bolts and sometimes bearing are usually the first things to let go in these engines. But again they take and produce decent numbers for stock engines. But as is normal with most engines, those being the weakest points of most factory motors.
The best thing to do is tear the motor apart and go from there.
