Drat!

[IdahoKidd]

I got my 72 out of storage this weekend and fired it up, taking it on a 300 mile drive. Everything is going along swell 150 miles in when in third gear, 35 mph up a slight grade it appears that #4 or #5 rod came out the bottom of the pan, breaking the block. There goes my 44K original miles numbers matching heritage right down the terlet. Made me sick. So now, I have to travel back with truck and trailer to haul it home. I have another L24 I can put in it, but it will never be the same.

I know I am whining, I'm depressed. I won't get to tear it down for some time to see what happened as I just had rotator surgery and have one working arm. I can't imagine why it failed, fresh, oil, had been running for several hours, no indication of a problem of any kind. Drat is an understatement..................

[SteveJ]

Sorry to read the bad news, Leonard. I haven't seen you post in a while. Too bad it couldn't have been something better.

[Oiluj]

Sorry to hear that. I'm too far away, but perhaps some closer CZCC members can help you with R&R of the engine.

[hr369]

what were the rpm's when it blew?

[northernz]

Wow that is really unlucky/unusual! These engines are almost bulletproof, my condolences on the loss of your numbers matching motor.

Mark

[IdahoKidd]

Thanks guys. I don't know what the rpms were. It wasn't much of a load as I was going up a gravel road as it was. I'm guessing 2500 ish. I had it up to 4 in third 20 miles earlier just to listen to it. My friend was reading the owners manual saying to shift at 90 but was hardly near that. The car had sat for the last couple of years with occasional starts. It had set for 15 years before that but I had put some 900 miles on it during the first summer I had it just playing. If I were to guess, I'd guess it rusted a bearing, maybe a wrist pin and it let go. I'm with the others, I've never heard of this happening before. I've had 5 Z's but haven't put that many miles on any one of them to speak of. Other than that, it was a nice drive

[CG240Z]

Sad to hear, I've been there too. My 1970 240z also literally blew a hole in the side of the block with the #2 piston.

[hr369]

If the piston bore is ok couldnt a machine

Shop weld the block hole up?

Ive arc welded metal thicker in the

Army when i repaired tank armor.

[Jetaway]

Damn. I got sick to my stomach just reading about your unhappy day. My condolences for your loss.

Chris

[Jeff G 78]

Sorry to hear about your engine. Like you said, something must have corroded/stuck during storage.

[FastWoman]

Leonard, ahhhh, geee....

I've never heard of such a thing happening! I don't know enough about the heavy mechanicals to venture a guess, except that it sounds like something fell apart, rather than broke. Was it making any noises before all hell broke out?

Depending on the condition of the entire car, it might be worth trying to repair the block, if that's possible. I've seen skilled welders and machinists do some pretty tricky stuff. It's too bad you don't live in my neighborhood. We have Naval shipyard machinists and welders, both active and retired, all over the place! They'd fix you right up!

[mjr45]

Leonard, that really sucks, sorry for your loss.