SHATTERED Pistons And WHY Triumph ENGINE BLEW - Project Eddie 3

Following on from our previous video where we tried to get the Triumph 2500S engine out of Eddie, and failed due to bad weather and the sheer complexity of it, we not only get the 2500 engine out of Eddie, find SHATTERED parts AND also find the reason why the Triumph engine BLEW UP.
I also find botched work on the car, with parts hanging off and how someone tried to stick it back together, and ALL the other challenges we have with getting this Triumph 2500S engine out so it can be analysed as to how it blew up, and then what to do to repair it.
We find the SHATTERED cylinder head and other parts, a banana shaped con rod and engine parts that SHOULDN'T look how they do.
And one thing we also do is to actually find out what caused the engine to EXPLODE as we were driving from Scotland a few weeks ago.
You'll find it all here!
And if you would like to see more about the Triumph 2500S engine, but this time the Petrol Injection system, make sure to watch this video here:
• Triumph 2500 pi - Pet...
If you would like to see what happened when I went to collect Eddie, and where the engine blew up, watch here
• I Bought A Triumph 250...
And If you'd like to see what happened last time around, a year ago with another Triumph 2500S Saloon, again bought unseen, watch this video here:
• Triumph 2500 S Project
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/ arrythestag

[@classic_scrap]

I have got a 2500TC bottom end that came out of my Stag. It will need a rebuild but you’re welcome to have if you want it.

[@ArryTheStag]

Thanks Brian - very kind! Will bear that in mind! Best wishes TR T

[@adamwort7160]

@@ArryTheStag yes get that engine and have it rebuilt properly Don't even think of fixing the torpedo engine Thanks for the mention my name is pronounced wort same as port!!

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

Sounds ideal if it’s from a Stag !

[@ArryTheStag]

@@adamwort7160 Thanks Adam! Have a great week! Best Tony

[@paulbrinksman8753]

There’s a company called barum engines that recon engines been following them for a while on utube I’d give them a call seem really genuine

[@ArryTheStag]

Thanks Paul - appreciated! Best TR T

[@dekkerlundquist5938]

That block is toast. You will need to start looking for another engine.

[@ArryTheStag]

Looking kinda that way, I'll be honest! We will see! Best TR T

[@edwardkennedy9919]

@@ArryTheStag No more looking , sorry but you need another engine.

[@Vics251]

Forget trying to repair that engine, it’s scrap. 🙄

[@pbysome]

No it isn't.

[@grahambrooks2209]

As an ex mechanic years ago a chap I worked with had a auto Triumph 2000 that holed the block, I had a 2.5 pi manual that became hard to engage a gear. Both issues were caused by thrust washer wear which drop out and allow the crankshaft to float and wear the block away until catastrophic destruction.

[@ArryTheStag]

Thanks Graham - I've since heard about this too.. alarming isn't it? Thanks for posting Kind regards Tony

[@grahambrooks2209]

We used to carry out a simple basic check by placing a pry bar against the front belt pulley and timing chain case to see how much float it had. Regular oil changes should help reduce wear.

[@stevenhurst1740]

Hi, Sorry to see the problems you have had. I have sitting in my garden a Triumph 2500 six pot engine which you can have for free. Good points, it is a six pot out of an American spec TR6 which was in a P.I. car.. It never should have been in there as it was designed to be used with carburettors. After taking out the PI system, I used a pair of rejetted CD150's and it went well. Gone was the 12 mpg that I was getting with the injection, which was even better news. I took it out when the car was hit by a learner driver and it was too rare to chuck away. Bad points...It has been outside for a long time so will need a complete stripdown, but good KZbin camera time. You will need to collect it from Northampton and I am not home till July. You will probably need to use your carbs on it as the cd150's might have gone AWOL..When you rebuild it, forget the top 3 bolts, they are a pain to fit and the engine has more than enough bolts to keep it together. It is there if you want it..Steve..

[@ArryTheStag]

Thanks Steve - that's very kind. We have a number of options we are looking at, so sincere thanks for your offer, will bear it in mind. Give my regards to Adams Ave.. Up the Welly Road, where I used to house share when working at Visa above the old bus station back in the 90's! All the best Tony

[@Colin623]

Great video again, I have seen a 2.5 recon engine on Ebay for £950, and that's complete, and a block for £80 in a separate advert ! if you went for the recon unit you could recoup some of the cost by selling the head once you've cleaned it up.

[@edwardkennedy9919]

@Graham Cook EV vehicles are already catching on fire they are a safety hazard

[@isleofthanet]

@@edwardkennedy9919 Yes and not only cars, saw recently insurance companies not covering boats that have been converted to electric power. Seems once they catch fire they keep reigniting!

[@antking8847]

I had the head of my 1933 Rover 10 Special fusion welded by a company in Leicester. They essentially build a brick kiln around the casting and heat everything up to high heat and then gas weld. This was for cracks though - not a hole but they were really helpful and might sort you out. Whilst it won't be cheap - a second hand engine will be an unknown unless you do a complete strip and rebuild. Might want to give Anglia Triumph Services a shout as well. Good luck.

[@ArryTheStag]

Thanks Ant - much appreciated! Best TR T

[@davidspicer2082]

That engine would make a great coffee table. Think of the stories you could tell. :)

[@edwardkennedy9919]

What more than likely caused it was worn bearings the engine was knocking when you first started it up anything can happen after this.

[@steveworth544]

The car looks so shiny, like it has been resprayed very recently. Has it been given a quick bodge up for sale?. Certainly the engine failing like that so soon after purchase is suspicious and makes me concerned that that shiny finish hides a multitude of other sins

[@mrcogginsgarage7062]

That bottom end is scrap Tony bin it and move on would be the best thing to do unless you know of someone needing a boat anchor! Sorry that you've been had by this bad luck. At the very least you need a short engine.

[@ArryTheStag]

Coffee table anyone? We'll see! Best TR T

[@colinblick4903]

If they were super rare I’d have it repaired…… but several guys on here are offering you bottom ends…. Go for it….. I’m amazed the head is untouched But still I’d rebuild it ….. good hunting😎💪🏼

[@ArryTheStag]

Thanks Colin! All the best Tony

[@niclaswelander4509]

blown headgasket.sludge the oil,spun the bearing.seized and bent the rod...bang! the answer is inte sump!

[@barrieainge4937]

Definitely Murray Walker! That doesn't look repairable to me although my engine knowledge is limited and it's been years since I worked on one.You have a few kind offers at your disposal which may help and I wish you the best of luck. I look forward to the next installment.

[@MegaReddevil71]

Big end Shell picked up on crank journal they either spin inside rod or sieze to journal hence bent rod in your cause it siezed then tried to push piston through side of block usually lack of oil that bottom.end block crank rods everything is scrap head is salvageable and will go again

[@philipgreenwood841]

Great Vid. My twopenneth as a qualified auto tech. Looking at the colour of the big end cap and the crank in that area, it looks to have got REALLY hot hence the failure. The only way it would get that hot is lack of lube. Looking at the horrible black pasty oil and the stripped shells etc its more than likely the oilway in the crank was blocked. The pushrod is bent as it suffered a bit of shrapnel hitting an open valve, so the valve is probably damaged too. Looks like a replacement block crank and pistons/conrods. Bit of work on the head and all should be good.

[@richardglen9761]

New block Tony looks like there's plenty on offer keep head and bolt ons boat anchor the block good luck

[@davidormes8516]

You can get a 2.5 bottom end easy I think, And use your cylinder head. There's lots of spares for them, Also try the Triumph 2000 2500 register

[@davedavis7589]

Top video as ever, Harry - and hats of to yer missus for filming and showing enthusiasm, unlike a lot of UK wives who would have a face like they were chewing a lemon ...

[@ArryTheStag]

Lady Throop is most pleased!! Just told her! Thanks Dave! Best Tony

[@gavinralph2910]

Block Scrap, Crank Scrap..........check bent pushrod in relation to the valve it was operating and check that valve (remove it and inspect) If valves and head look good, then the top end can be saved....bonus if you can find a good bottom end. I would avoid non standard / non factory engine.....try for another 2.5, will keep the car to original spec, helps with insurance and market value.

[@klaasbloem]

I do not agree with your conclusion, I think the number five big end bearing was worn and destroyed by a lack of lubrication because of heavy wear. It pulled out the thread damaged bolt and snapped off the other bolt. A bent push rod can never be the cause becouse it only bends when a valve hits the piston, when a push rod decides to bend of it's own no damage will be done to the engine at all.

[@edwardkennedy9919]

Well said and i have come to exactly the same conclusion .

[@mikeenglish6401]

Hi Tony Forensic, detailed and hugely enjoyable. Fingers crossed that it may be recoverable. Given my age and hearing issues, it would be even better without the background music! Mike

[@ArryTheStag]

Thanks Mike - we will see and yes the editing team do try and make it entertaining! Top Job! Best Tony

[@lauskanaal4260]

@@ArryTheStag The entertainment is from what you tell and show us, not from all the added sounds and animations, it believe. I think they are just annoying.

[@ArryTheStag]

@@lauskanaal4260 Thanks Lau - will feed that back to the production team. All the best and thanks for your support Kind regards Tony

[@birdy695]

Get in touch with Lee at Barum Engines, he has a channel so you can see the quality of their work.

[@elwynjordan9492]

Definitely a write-off, that engine! I wouldn't have considered repairing it right from when I saw that huge hole in the side. (Even given the welding thing that was suggested). I would think there should be a a few of those engines kicking around somewhere. Wreckers, Triumph clubs etc.

[@ArryTheStag]

Thanks Elwyn - we're on the case! Best wishes from Blighty! Kind regards Tony

[@davidelliott5843]

That engine "could" be repaired, but it's only worth the cost if it's impossible to get a replacement bottom end. The battered liner can be replaced and he crank repaired. However, you can't trust any of the con-rods because one with stripped threads suggests the others have suffered similar abuse. After all that, you are far better with a "new" short engine. Strip it down and check everything before use. Regards Jaguar parts, the 4.2 is much bigger and probably wont fit the car. The Nissan probably will fit but what about parts costs? A new short engine is likely to be your best option.

[@onelegdis]

The 3 litre Jaguar AJ30 V6 from the S-Type would make an interesting conversion and bring in lots of KZbin views.

[@5rgs17]

Beware the difference between rebuilt and reconditioned. See Barum Engines KZbin channel as Lee runs a machine shop. Great video 3 times a week.

[@stevesalvage1089]

yes I would go with what you say , looking at the journal it got very hot and I would say badly fitted big end shell, seized up and pulled the bolt out ,, i would look for another engine as close as possible spec , if the engine was the original engine , as a restoration and important you could transfer the original number onto donor block , as the factory renumbered replacement blocks once did , , if not just rebuild with the best parts , I wish you luck , very interesting !

[@plechaim]

You should keep the gown on and call your self the Car Doctor 😁

[@martinjackson565]

That engine was knocking when you first started it up no5 has been starved of oil hence the big end has blown out putting the rod through the side of the block and a piston hitting a valve and bending the push rod

[@whitemonkey7932]

I wouldn't worry about pushrod order🤣

[@johnlawrence9066]

Before you do anything to try and recover the block and crank , you need to get them crack tested .

[@ArryTheStag]

Hi John - thanks for posting... in the end we got another second hand short engine and had that one worked on. It's nearly ready now to pick up, which is exciting! All the best Tony

[@ingtoningtonington149]

My uncle had one of these that rattled badly on start up due bearing wear but it didn't fail like this one

[@philbreakspear1027]

Just had a quick look on eBay, there is an completely rebuilt engine ready to fit, or an 2.5 engine block…worth a look at I’m sure….

[@retromechanicalengineer]

I think you need to pick up another bottom end and rebuild that. Still plenty about. Your existing bottom end has had it I'm afraid. Dean at Retromeccanica, Oxfordshire.

[@gregorystokes5965]

I think the piston gudeon pin circlip failed causing it to move and big end bolts have also come loose maybe not tighten.

[@shabbos-goy9407]

utter carnage! a new short lump required

[@ArryTheStag]

Defo not pretty, I fully agree! Best TR T

[@damienvlodderdjek4635]

What bad luck you’ve had Tony. You could try Lloyd, Chris Witor or Roger Carnell in Fife for a second hand engine. Looks a very nice car otherwise. Best of luck!

[@frenchhornwoman]

Me and husband were discussing this earlier. He watches lots of things like this, I used to restore classic and vintage motorbikes and owned 50's cars. Despite being a girrrllly... ;-) looks like there wasn't an oil issue but due to everything being broken who knows as oil get everywhere, unless a blockage somewhere which would then lead to bearings overheating.. And also due to the large amount of coking something was wrong, or poss a leak somewhere. What was the gasket like when you took the head off? Before I watched I did wonder if a bearing on the the con rod had seized but it doesn't look like it. I, personally, wouldn't try and fix it, I would always worry the patch might blow.. I will say the bent con rod is an interesting one, especially as it was on the next cylinder .... I did have a Standard 10 that needed a new to it engine so managed to get a Spitfire engine in it..... As for what would be good for you, I am not sure I haven't done mechanics for about 10 years due to my dumb back... Be safe.. Emma xx

[@ctiley2212]

A great candidate for a Toyota 1JZ.

[@johnmarsh2078]

I don't think someone cross-threaded or stripped the big end cap bolt. I think it was pulled out of the threads in the con-rod when the bearing siezed on the crank journal. A piece of dirt/carbon probably occluded the oilway and the big end bearing seized. The crank kept turning pushing the rod through the block. When you ask the engineering shop if the block can be stitched I suspect that the laughter will be heard in the next county. Nice car if you like PRNDLs. I reckon you'll find another engine.

[@laurelgreentriumph]

Tony don't discount the Triumph 2 litre 6 cylinder as per the Triumph 2000/Vitesse/GT6 they are pretty much unburstable compared to the 2.5 and would share the same dimensions as the 2.5 would fit straight in and you could probably use that cylinder head as that top end looks to be in good shape apart from the bent pushrod. With a bit of tuning it could equal the power of the 2.5 too.

[@itsalldoable]

The block is the same as the GT6 ot Vitesse block which is a 2ltr. It is the longer through crankshaft that gives you the extra 500cc. Kind regards Paul from 48 Spokes which is my channel dedicated to restoration and build of my 1971 Vitesse 2Ltr Mk2 based replica of a 1955 MGTF

[@ArryTheStag]

Thanks Paul - channel looks good! All the best Tony

[@itsalldoable]

@@ArryTheStag Thank you Tony, I really felt for you collecting your lovely looking 2500S and that happening. Your findings have made me wonder about my engine (2ltr 6 cylinder) as I fully refurbished it 35 years ago and have had it running recently, sounded really sweet. But I have a few oil leaks that I need to address but I may remove the big end shells and refit new bolts just to be on the safe side. I believe that should be the case with big end bolts anyway and I probably did that when I was in my early 20's but I would sleep better knowing that I have just checked them. Kind regards Paul

[@itsalldoable]

@@ArryTheStag just had another thought. You could get in touch with those heathens who convert classic cars to electric. They may have a perfectly good "still beating heart" that you could buy 🤔 Kind regards Paul

[@petershepherd6889]

Have you spoken to the person you bought the car from. Considering it failed so soon after buying it he should give you a refund or at least a partial refund.

[@streetkaaccord344]

Unless they are a trader, it's 'buyer beware'. But I understand where your sympathies are coming from.

[@shabbos-goy9407]

Err ok. Oh look I can see some pigs flying overhead!!

[@peterbell4662]

Scrap - Engine just went beyond the point of no return - Chuck the bottom end and be wary of the cylinder head if any thought of reuse

[@niceviewoverthere4463]

Surely there must be a few 2500s in wreckers in the UK with rusty bottoms. Engines from these would need a recon but those sixes last for a very long time once done.

[@ArryTheStag]

All options are still open! Best TR T

[@kirand483]

A Stag V8 please. With an overdrive box.

[@g0fvt]

Although the short engine is repairable it is a big and expensive job.. Best to put the flywheel and sump somewhere safe and scrap the short engine. Not a rare engine if you look hard enough... that previous offer of the 2500TC short engine sounds ideal.

[@1magnit]

You must have heard it knocking? Then the rod bolt broke.

[@davidelliott5843]

Renault 2.2 diesels are noted for throwing con-rods. They often keep running on the remaining three cylinders despite the hole in the engine side. But that means metal scrap going into the oil system. Your's stopped so the engine internals might be fixable. BUT as one rod got thrown, what's the chances the others will go the same way?

[@bobstacey9311]

Looks more like the top of the piston sheared across the top of gudeon pin bearings and the conrod punched a hole through the block before thrashing around till the bottom bearing cap gave way. Oil pump failer would have caused siezing & scoring in all cylunder mains etc

[@pbysome]

Perhaps could have left the gearbox attached.oil pump needs measuring to see if it's ok, looking at it isn't really sufficient, burning oil on the rear three suggests maybe loss of oil pressure due to wear, the "good" big ends should indicate the wear on the bottom end. Obviously the bigend has let go all rest of the damage is peripheral. Any competent welder/fabricator could repair those cases , distortion being the main worry,it just depends on cost/availability of other cases. The other issue is it the original engine? If so you may want to retain the cases. I thought these where a V8? Those straight six engines where quite reliable.

[@artyberkhoff8878]

I think as I saw no balance holes in the crank it vibrated 1 of the confod bolts loose and that was the result.

[@MrMaxeemum]

Incorrectly set piston ring gap? I believe the top of the piston separated initially possibly due to cracks in the piston. As the piston was on its way down the piston failed seizing it in the bore the big end bolt stripped but the other held and bent as the big end cap was being pulled away from the seized rod / piston which then gave way and all chaos ensued.

[@nigelpinnock9934]

Tony, I'm sure this will have already been suggested to you... but - if not - the Triumph 2500 Register is a great resource for information and parts (including engines)! Might well be worth joining them to see if you can source a 2500 straight six engine. Keep it Triumph and keep it straight six would be my advice!! Wish you well in sourcing a replacement engine. Cheers, Nigel.

[@ArryTheStag]

Thanks Nigel - much appreciated! Best wishes Tony

[@Ampex196]

The 'top' of the piston is the 'crown', and the 'bottom' is called the 'skirt. Sorry to be so pedantic. Your diagnosis re. failure mode is same as mine. The insidious 'paper clip fatigue' effect! It's the straw the breaks the camel's back. Other components will have been badly stressed.. eg. the 'wonky' pushrods for a start. Personally, I'd scrap the engine. Had it been a whole car I'd say Cat.B I worked for a firm back in the 70's with a fleet of Triumphs (inc. a couple of Stags). I got to drive all of them as nearly new cars. The 2000 six pots were much nicer than the stroked 2.5 in terms of smooth power delivery, and not as stressed. Why not 'blueprint' a 2 litre engine. It would be a great project !

[@Mercmad]

I work on a lot of rare engines during the year ,and to me a Triumph engine is not rare. Many of the 2000 and 2500 cars simply rusted away leaving good mechanicals behind .Now would be a great opportunity to build a better six with decent thrust bearings and pistons to give smoother power, more torque and reliability. The dead engine would make an interesting planter in the garden.

[@robertreavley7145]

Get the crank checked for balance warping and stress cracking! A machine shop will tell you if it’s good or bad! My educated guess is the shell bearing or bolt failure

[@robertreavley7145]

Yup definitely bolt failure. Used bolts and incorrect torquing sequence and protocols! Some fxxxwitt has created this! And your paying the price!!! Good luck with the news from your machine shop!

[@ettiennevermaak4246]

That block is scrap, internals probably not too far behind. What you have there sir, is a coffee table. (I only watched 55 seconds of the video) 👍

[@GoSlash27]

There's no point in messing around with that block. The entire bottom end is scrap. The head still looks fine, so get a new short block and build around it.

[@liveroom4235]

It'll be an expensive repair and probably uneconomic but there's a Triumph 2500 engine on eBay (claimed to have been professionally rebuilt) for £950 in Newark. Might be worth contacting to see whether it's a better bet, subject to condition?

[@jonathaneastwood2927]

Take that engine along to Ivor Searle in East Cambridgeshire, They soon have that old engine repaired for you. Thats all they do engines reconditioned

[@ArryTheStag]

Great feedback Jonathan! All the best Kind regards Tony

[@robstirling3173]

The Rover V8 was a standard replacement for the wimpy stag V8 engines when they overheated, plenty of those around.

[@djtaylorutube]

Except it's not a Stag and most people run the Triumph V8 now, few with the Rover engine. According to howmanyleft, of the 5600 Stag's which are on the road, only about 250 are showing as NON 3 litre V8, so we can assume that's the Triumph V8. Less than 0.05%.

[@johnburns4017]

@@djtaylorutube Over time third party people found solutions to the Tr V8 problems while Triumph did sweet FA, to the point it is now a workable reliable engine. Using suitable fully synthetic oils and waterless coolant helps prevent the problems re-occurring - also gives longevity.

[@djtaylorutube]

@@johnburns4017 Indeed. My Stag has been in the family since 1976.

[@johnburns4017]

@@djtaylorutube What mods have you done?

[@djtaylorutube]

@@johnburns4017 Few as yet to be honest but my father always had it will cared for. I've stuffed an electric fan on as an additional insurance and got the Ford v6 water pump kit to apply one day. I've collected bits to do a header tank but I do so few miles and all local that it's never stressed too much or far from home.

[@kpsmithz]

I would Keep it as original as possible to retain it's value

[@scottkeefe3969]

Stag V8 is the way to go. That would be a hoot to drive!

[@peteredwards9147]

I should imagine the bolt had worked loose over time, causing the big end bearing to wear more rapidly and in the end bang. I don't believe it would be best practice to try and repair the block, together with the crankshaft. Over time the push rods do slightly go out of shape, that's the reason you ensure you reinstate them in the same order that they are removed.

[@humourless682]

If the crank can be saved, then if there is no damage to oil or water ways on the block, it can be repaired by TIG brazing. Crank needs to be carefully inspected, then if not visibly scrap, should be crack tested, and checked for straightness. I would guess getting a replacement motor is going to be difficult? If thats the case, then well worth looking at the possibility of repair and rebuild.

[@1magnit]

You won't save that one.

[@brianwhittington5086]

Too badly damaged, the rotating crankshaft has knocked the con rod through the block and taken a chunk off the bore skirt out too. It would be a huge expense to even attempt to repair, and no guarantee it would work. You would just be throwing money down the drain as there's a good possibility the crankshaft has suffered terminal damage. Best option is weigh in the scrap parts, sell the head and any unwanted ancillaries. Then put the money into a replacement engine of some sort.

[@humourless682]

@@brianwhittington5086 It's not a common engine, and I imagine finding a replacement might be very difficult? If the crank checks out OK, it's probably repairable. Had it been an easy to find engine, would have agreed with what you suggested 100%!

[@brianwhittington5086]

@@humourless682 I agree it's not an easy to find engine now. Trouble is that it's suffered catastrophic terminal damage. There's a chunk taken out of number 5 bore too to contend with, as well as a huge hole in the iron casting. Having had exactly the same thing happen on a low mileage Rover 3 litre P5 back in the 80s, I knew it will be a huge and costly gamble to even attempt it on mine. The force it took will undoubtedly have travelled to other parts of the casting, and it will cost a fortune just to confirm it's scrap. Best option is find something that will easily fit in the engine bay.

[@chrisbenn8691]

Forget that Pommy boat anchor. I would swap in a Holden red motor. 🇦🇺 Piers Morgan could sell you one 🤣🤣🤣

[@ArryTheStag]

I'll defo have to perfect the impersonation!! Thanks for posting! Best TR Tony

[@1258-Eckhart]

OK, so because of the faulty big end bolt, the lower half of the Nr. 5 big end fell off on the downstroke leaving the piston stuck at midstroke, the crank continued to rotate ca. 350° before BAM! it hits the dangling upper half of Nr. 5 piston big end, mangling it out of the way, and does this probably 100 more times whilst the engine is seizing, each time creating more debris in the sump and punching a hole in the crankcase with said upper half of Nr. 5 big end. Interesting.

[@ArryTheStag]

It was the sight of various bits of engine I could see in the rear view mirror bouncing down the inside lane of the motorway that I’ll always remember!! Best wishes Tony

[@1258-Eckhart]

@@ArryTheStag What did it sound like, Tony? You never said, I would have been terrified 😰 ?

[@ArryTheStag]

@@1258-Eckhart pretty terminal.. trouble was we were doing 70mph and nowhere to go….apart from we could see a small layby ahead bout half a mile.. so freewheeled into that.. just.. before we lost all momentum! I was glad we were in safety at least!

[@hannchris2762]

Hi Harry I think wot happened was a big end bolt came loose and caused all the carnage ??

[@ArryTheStag]

Hi Hann - yes I think the bolt was stripped when putting it back together by a previous owner..perhaps we'll never know though! Best Tony

[@stefanallan6377]

More cost effective and time affective to buy a recon engine

[@pauloconnor7951]

Suspicious that they sold it .... 90 ? miles before it blew !!!. They knew it was a grenade. I bet stripped bolt was installed by power tool; NOT finger started; and powered all the way "tight". But it wasn't tight and let go - big time !!!

[@StevenArnott77]

Try a 6 cylinder bmw engine/box.

[@1magnit]

An RB or JZ

[@hashprompt]

How loud did you have your radio? That big end melted, not instantly.

[@DJDinaggio]

That engine is cream crackered. Period. A spun rod bearing due to oil starvation is the most likely cause.

[@wculshaw1576]

Thankfully none of this stuff is rare. What makes a triumph engine 2500cc is the crankshaft stoke so any 6 cylinder block will work except an early GT6 that had a different cylinder head. You just need to keep all the bits that go around it. The only problem you may encounter is the flywheel to crankshaft mating flange changed. So if you have an early crank you need an early flywheel. Go grab another triumph 6 cylinder block and a TR6 crankshaft and you’re back in business. If you were in Canada I could send you three engines. Lol William

[@richaddulieu1967]

Looks like Brian in comments is coming to the rescue with his bottom end

[@kevinhughes4129]

Shame you live so far away got a complete s motor lying in the back of my workshop you can have for free was going good when removed.cheers kev from australia

[@ArryTheStag]

Cheers Kev that's very kind...maybe an 'Arry The Stag! trip coming up??!!! Best TR T

[@straylightOz]

same here, country South Australia, gave away a 2500 engine to a TR6 owner just over the border. I'm surprised 'arry just cant go to a wreckers and pull out a second hand engine to recondition.

[@ArryTheStag]

@@straylightOz Hiya - we've had a number of very kind offers, which has been great! Will reach a decision soon I reckon! Thanks for all your supportive comments! Best wishes TR T

[@OMEGOOLIEBIRD]

Great opportunity to stick a small modern engine or electric power train in there..

[@skylinefever]

I don't know how rare a rebuildable core is. I suppose you could read enthusiast forums and look for one. Also, sometimes you can buy one piece at a time. Maybe you could resize the 5 remaining rods. Sometimes a specialist in these sort of things will buy a bunch of cores. They will save the rebuildable parts and scrap the rest. You might have one guy who had a rebuildable crank, so they regrind it and offer it for sale. Another guy might have a crack-free block that just needs to be rebored. Other times they may have already rebored it, and you just need a set of pistons of the correct oversize. Often a rebuildable block is cheaper than repairing a badly cracked old block. I don't know whether it is more economical to buy a new cam and lifter set for this engine, or get regrinds. Just look at the cam and lifters carefully, as the parts store might not accept them as cores. If they don't consider your cores rebuildable, all new stuff might be cheaper. I'm sure there are a few engines that have a few rods that were still good. You could buy those rods, fit ARP bolts and resize them. You should balance them or have them balanced. When engines are built, the assembly line tends to choose rods that are close in weight to each other. That might not happen when getting rods from multiple cores. That in mind, how well balanced the stock set of rods are can vary, and you would probably benefit from balancing them anyway. That cylinder head looks rebuildable, but you machinist would have to inspect it. That head doesn't appear to need much work, it looks like it was rebuilt once before. Heads tend not to have much sludge if they were rebuild halfway into the car's life. You might still have good springs, good guides, and hardened valve seats. Exhaust valve #5 looks bent. It may have crashed into the piston. However, if might be possible to regrind the other valves. Have you had a look at the rocker arms and shaft? Sometimes the rockers need regrinding at the time of rebuild. Other times the bore is in bad shape. The shaft should be measured and if out of spec, replace or hard chrome. I have to use some general rules here, I'm not familiar with British cars.

[@ArryTheStag]

Some great tips there - thanks very much. Really appreciated! All the best TR T

[@skylinefever]

@@ArryTheStag Glad to help.

[@neiljarvis8911]

Judging by the the pair of fully intact (No 5 ??) big end bolts in the sump, I'd say that these were never fully tightened after the last rebuild and have vibrated out. I would have expected the bolts to be snapped and mangled if if the bearings had failed at high speed and torn the big end cap off. I would be interested to see those bolts cleaned up to see the threads, if the are intact then the were screwed out under vibration and could be the cause if this mayhem! I should have watched to the end.... yes that cross threaded bolt came loose (pulled out) and then pulled the big end cap off until the other bolt snapped off. With the rod detached on th down stroke, probably induction, the No 5 big end journal probably came up beside the detached rod and pushed it out of the side of the block. I would junk the block and crank and sell the head and other rods and ancillaries to recoup some of your losses. As the engines are so rare you might be better putting a rover 3.5L V8 ( or later larger displacement variants) into it as they are common cheap and light, probably not much worse economy than the triumph and will make a really nice car. They were good enough to go into many a blown up or overheating stag in the seventies, and many say that they were the engine that Leyland should have put into the stag in the begining. If you got on from someone taking one out of a stag there would be certain irony wouldn't there?

[@ArryTheStag]

Great tips many thanks Neil! All the best TR Tony

[@captaccordion]

Lovely car that needs a new engine. Anyway, you're getting plenty of KZbin mileage out of being silly enough to drive a car with what must have been a hugely loud bigend clatter. I'll bet that if you look at the rest of the bearings they'll be worn down to the bronze.

[@ArryTheStag]

Will double check - looks like it has been rebuilt fairly recently!

[@edwardkennedy9919]

@@ArryTheStag If it was rebuilt recently then it was a poor rebuild and they fitted that bent pushrod because a bent pushrod can only come from a piston hitting a valve.

[@ronaldwarren1267]

don't fuck round put l s chev into it Ron nz

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

Didn’t Murray Walker live somewhere down your way TR T ?

[@leaflee2066]

Looked interesting but I couldn't watch with all the sound and visual affects.

[@fixitnige]

Sorry for your problems but if it was me I would throw it in the bin and find a rover v8 to replace it.

[@markb3146]

Personally I doubt the bolt was cross threaded, to me it would be flogged bearings and I bet it had big end knock on startup. that BE flogged about until one bolt failed in half and then the other under enormous stress pulled/stripped out. Looking at the other bearings would give a clue. OR the other is the engine was way way over revved until it failed. Most Triumph engines tended to just wear out until there was no compression left or they blew clouds of oily smoke. That engine is a write off in the bottom end, I would not use a thing. I'd get another 2.5l motor and rebuild that with mazda pistons to make a 2.7l motor, i would have the whole she-bang balanced and today would EFI it. Plenty of engines floating about in UK and even where I am in Australia. My 2.7 PI motor pulled hard to 6500 rpm with no issues. These days if i still have Triumphs I would convert to EFI using haltech computers that all the rage here in Australia. There are also billet cranks in quite a few engines, look for cranks that allen key plugs in the cross drillled planes, stay away from the cast shite.

[@ArryTheStag]

Thanks Mark - great comments. Thanks for posting! Best TR T

[@trams66]

At this point it would be a good excuse to stuff the rover V8 in it👍 MINT👌

[@David_Walker16-3-51]

If it was the only one in the World and worth £21 zillion, it could be fixed, but realistically it ain’t worth it. Find a good bottom end or better still, a whole lump and forget about this one. As other commenters have pointed out, the salvage could have some value.

[@stefantrzoska]

i would say that engine is kaput.i would check the other bottom end bearingsfor wear

[@gedman9527]

That's just a slightly worn engine in India they would sharp rebuild it repair it 😲

[@davidgoodwin1311]

given the increasing scarcity of these lumps, reconditioning is invariably the preferred choice. The first thing to look at IMHO is the block. It needs to be properly cleaned and degreased then tested with magnaflux ir similar to reveal the extent of the damage. Right now, i feel it's borderline. I don't think stitching or welding are appropriate solutions to to seal the block: I think a corked hatch with tapped bolts is the way to go. Going by the cylinders, I believe they can be resleeved. I think that's a better solution than reboring the cylinders: The bottom of 5 is too damaged to support a rebore anyway. The crank, although insulted, looks salvageable. I'd hazard that the oi pump is toast. Nice vid.

[@ArryTheStag]

Thanks David - some great points there! Best Tony

[@edwardkennedy9919]

The oil pump will more than likely be ok., a lot of people are quick to put failures like this down to the oil pump, but experienced engineers have seen oil pumps to be fine in most of these types of failures, engine bearings being worn out was the problem here.

[@junior1138]

@@edwardkennedy9919 I wasn’t suggesting that the oil pump was the cause of the failure. I believe it should probably be replaced as it will have ingested a significant amount of swarf during the engine spooling down after the failure. The video even mentions scoring to the faces.

[@ArryTheStag]

@@edwardkennedy9919 thanks Edward - also someone mentioned that the original oil pumps are far more reliable than the modern aftermarket ones. Thanks for posting! Best Tony

[@edwardkennedy9919]

@@junior1138 yes I know what you are saying but in reality this engine is beyond economic repair and Arry needs to find a replacement.

[@struanrobertson3417]

Original would be good but if not available it has to be a Stag V8.

[@ArryTheStag]

Will see what we can find! Best TR T

[@raymondpettigrew1744]

Not that bad especially for rare engines send crank to be ground depending on cylinder damage bore an or sleeve patch hole get parts for reassembly.

[@johnburns4017]

Yes, the engine can be saved. But only if there is no alternative.

[@robstirling3173]

If it was just the bolt thread, it wouldn't show that drastic overheating..You don't show the other big ends and mains, are they oil starved or not? What is the shell wear like on the others? Did it spin a shell? What was the oil pressure and temp when it started knocking? Why didn't the driver stop immediately?

[@ArryTheStag]

Other big ends and mains seem ok from what we can see. Pressure and Temp were all normal and couldn't stop as on a three land motorway with limited pull off area. All the best Rob Kind regards TR T

[@malcolmrobinson7284]

I’m still advocate of putting a TV8 engine in.

[@garypeatling7927]

Could equally be seized broken up piston ,

[@pauloconnor7951]

Find a Rover 3500 :)

[@keithriley3159]

Given that you know nothing of the car pre-purchase I'd say a lot of your findings are conjecture. The root cause could have been one of many scenarios. Pontificating aside, it's fcuked, some parts salvageable maybe, kept as spares but new block and crank are a minimum.

[@markholroyde9412]

Put a V8 Rover in it would be my plan.

[@alexchana3036]

short block or long block

[@ArryTheStag]

I know there is a difference and think the 2500s is a short block compared to e.g. the TR 6 but I may be corrected on that! All the best TR T