MGA-Kaboom!

Last weekend, I did a pretty grassroots version of vintage racing (at Watkins Glen). Since I had blown the normal 1500 engine in my Spridget, I dragged an ancient 948 out of a garden shed (where it had been sitting for 20+ years), cleaned the spiders out of the inside of block (with a pressure washer) and put in a mix of whatever oil I had laying around (I'd estimate I was running something like 11W-39). And had a ~great time~ running all weekend.

But anyway, my pal John ran his 1600 MGA and it experienced one of the most catastrophic engine failures I've ever seen. When his engine seized (due to one of the front rods failing) the crank bent in the middle, blowing out both front sides of the block in the process. After they towed it in, I noticed the dipstick was hanging at a funny angle. When we pulled up on it, a piece of the block weighing about 5 lbs came with it.

I actually caught the engine failure ~on camera~ (he had just passed me when it failed). If you slide to about 1:20 and watch, you'll see it.....followed by a view from HIS in-car camera of the failure.

John just sent me a note in which he says: "The centre main is still attached to the crank but no longer to the engine. Part of the torque reaction of the sudden stoppage was absorbed by the bell housing which reacted by cracking all the way around!" John's a good-natured Brit and he simply laughed it off. He'll have it put right by next race season. The blue car in the first photo is John's MGA. The second and third photo are shots of the engine.

I bet that made the old heart skip a beat!

Glad everyone was ok...

Thanks for posting that. Looked like a really nice day to be out on the track. Looks like John has a good winter project ahead of him.

Nice camera placement. We can see the cars behind and in front of you. Mr. Yellow Elva seems to have caught a case of the red mist toward the end of the video. BTW, are you guys required to run scatter shields around the bell housings? I'm amazed more of the block didn't get taken out. And yet the crankshaft didn't snap. That's a surprise.

That's certainly the most broken MG motor I've ever seen.

most broken engine I have ever seen.. period. Did you friend hear anything funny as a warning before it let go?

A little JB weld and some duct tape and he could have finished the session. Pansie.

triumph5 wrote: ..........Mr. Yellow Elva seems to have caught a case of the red mist toward the end of the video. BTW, are you guys required to run scatter shields around the bell housings?....

LOL, Yeah I teased the crap out of him about that. ("You have to work ~that~ hard to get passed a 35 HP car!")

No scattershields required in vintage racing. Some run them anyway.

mad_machine wrote: ........Did you friend hear anything funny as a warning before it let go?

No. In fact if you look at the video, you can see him giving me a cheerful wave as he passes me.......just before it exploded.

pinchvalve wrote: A little JB weld and some duct tape and he could have finished the session. Pansie.

LOL. Yeah, I think he heard "That'll buff out." about ten times.

Nice looking cars!