[DeTomaso] Autopsy

[Will Kooiman]

I have an upgraded dist shaft.  It isn't twisted.

There was some debris stuck to the inlet to the oil pump (the screen).  I
haven't taken the oil pump apart.

It looks like the camshaft broke when debris wedged between a lobe and the
block.  The intake valve head is still stuck in the camshaft.  That's
probably what did it.

Even if there was a failure with the oiling system, why would it burn the
journal that had 2 rods, but only 1 piston?  The others are overheated, but
I'm guessing that's from getting water in the oil.

My brother said he had looked at the tach and the oil pressure gauge just
before it blew.  He said the tach was just below 5,000 and the oil pressure
was good.

I changed the oil in Ft. Stockton the day before the race.  We put in 8 qts
of either Mobil 1 or Chevron Delo.  I don't remember.  I have an 8qt pan.  I
probably should have put in 10qts, but 8 should have been plenty.

It blew on a straight section of road.

Will.

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Thomas [mailto:dt at ieee.org] 
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 2:37 AM
To: Will Kooiman
Cc: Pantera List
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Autopsy

Will,

Sorry to hear about your engine...

To me, and I am no expert, but it sounds like the Oil pressure went away,
either before or after the initial piston failure.

Did the Oil Pump have any damage??... Was the distributor shaft twisted in
anyway?

I was just wondering if a fragment from the failed piston caused the Oil
pump to fail... if it did... you might see the shaft to the distributor snap
or twist.  Thus causing more damage, like what you described... But again...
I am no expert.

But I am not sure that if the oil pump failed... if that could cause a cam
shaft to break in half???...

Were there any symptoms or signs leading up to the failure?

-dt