I had a slight engine problem with my .15 practicing at Easley this weekend. The picture speaks for itself.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/510/Broken_Rod_2.jpg

I poped my .012 engine racing there one year, racing in the Sportsman class. Blew it up on the last lap.My piston stuck in the motor, and the glow plug was sitting in the motor laying in there. My piston ended up like yours, Sam.

Looks like it got a little hot. What does the top of the piston look like?

The top of the piston was pretty clean. I was trying an A3 plug and I think it caused the problem because it melted. Also, I bought this engine secondhand, and even though it hadn't been started it had sat for a long time and rusted the crank, bearings, and wrist pin. We replaced those parts, but this was the original rod. I know that is the most catastrophic failure I've had with a nitro engine.

I don't know Sam- BUT it sure looks like you got smurfinated. DANGIT One of them probably originaly had the motor- tryed something with it to make it illegal- they were not smart enough to put it back together correctly so they just stuck it back together ---PROBABLY had the piston in it the wrong direction --bang bang you get the picture. Beeeeeeppppinnnnggg SMURFS.

Later RED RIDER:p

WOW!! That is bad.

How does the inside of the block look?

If you melted the A3 that engine was HOT HOT HOT, my guess 325+ at time of failure. I have run the A3 plug at Montgomery in the .15 with good results.

What size restrictor did ya have in it?

We're thinking the rod bushing was corroded with the other parts and we didn't catch it, because the rod bushing completely disintegrated. You can see at the bottom end of the rod where it has turned dark from heat. The block didn't appear to be damaged because the engine shut off as soon as this happened, and I think it locked down and therfore didn't spin the pieces of rod around much. We have it back together and ready to attempt to break in this weekend, although I have been warned about smurfs showing up so I may have to put my good one back in to race, this is my backup. As far as a restrictor...I like to push the envelope. It didn't have one.

No restrictor and you melted an A3 Plug? That thing was smokin!!

That is lots of fuel and lots of air, I hear ya hot rod!

Yeah, when everything stays together its fast too. Thankfully for the rest of the car's sake it wasn't a Michael Waltrip-style blowup, but it would have looked cool!

How fast is fast?

What does the watch say?

Ok, I'll tell you since we're probably going to race this weekend and they'll be all over the internet anyway. 5.3's and 5.4's...or better.

OUCH!!!!! I have blown two motors since racing R/C nitro. The first was an Enya 11 that I stupidly "free-wheeled" and popped it........and the second was breaking in one of those "bad batch" of OS12's we got a year or two back. That one was a manufacturers defect, and I locked it up on break in. Other than that, I can't remember having breakage problems. But, It doesn't take much if its too hot, or just too old. Sorry that happeneded Sam. I was there when Andrew fried his at Easley........ it just went "POP!!!

OUCH!!!!! I have blown two motors since racing R/C nitro. The first was an Enya 11 that I stupidly "free-wheeled" and popped it........and the second was breaking in one of those "bad batch" of OS12's we got a year or two back. That one was a manufacturers defect, and I locked it up on break in. Other than that, I can't remember having breakage problems. But, It doesn't take much if its too hot, or just too old. Sorry that happeneded Sam. I was there when Andrew fried his at Easley........ it just went "POP!!!
Blew it up on the last lap, and didn't make it past the finish line. I was full throttle in the corners, lifting my left front tires up like a dirt late model in the corners

Andrew Simmons #44 GASCAR
#45 BRP CAR
#44 BRP Truck