Yet another balancer gear failure M16

[AlexR 2,913]

A friend gave me this engine that I assume the balancer gears let loose first and broke the rod.

What's interesting is I am finding no damage on the camshaft

 

Or anywhere on the block other then maybe a few scuffs. The bottom apron of the cylinder walls are all good no cracks or broken pieces and the oil pan is good as well. 

 

The crank shaft is very galled up with aluminum from the rod, hoping that cleans up good.

 

I was half thinking I could convert the block back to a K series but there is one thing preventing that and that is there is no hole (not even plugged) for the points plunger and no threaded holes for the points or cover either. And I am about 95% sure that the camshaft has a lobe for the point, I can feel a machined surface behind the gear. 

But honestly the magnums ignition system are way better anyway the only thing is I would like the K series tins better, might be able to work a tin to fit. 

 

One other thing I thought I read that the Magnums had 3 balance gears this one had 2, with no place for a 3rd one to even go. 

Edited 3 hours ago by AlexR

[WHX?? 56,610]

11 minutes ago, AlexR said:

no damage on the camshaft

Some one got lucky then. that coulda easily went the other way.

Crank will buff out. 

13 minutes ago, AlexR said:

had 3 balance gears

I thought they only had two. 

[AlexR 2,913]

8 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

I thought they only had two. 

Found where I saw it on garden tractor pulling tips

I missed the part where it says certain magnum engines had the 3 balance gears not all of them.

[WHX?? 56,610]

 learn something new every day. 

[AlexR 2,913]

7 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

 learn something new every day. 

Sure do! Key is to stay humble enough to know you will never know everything, and someone will always know more then you. 

[ineedanother 2,405]

I've never done a bunch of forensics on failures but it looks like the rod was destined to fail regardless of what might have been going on with the balance gears. I'm wondering if the oil had ever been changed or occasionally checked.

[WHX?? 56,610]

1 minute ago, ineedanother said:

oil had ever been changed or occasionally checked.

Good point Ineed 

Edited 1 hour ago by WHX??

[AlexR 2,913]

I was kind of wondering if possibly the rod went first, due to the amount of galling. But that's crazy that it would take out both balance gears and nothing else.

I don't know on the oil part the small amount of oil left in the pan was obviously dirty and full of metal but that doesn't really mean anything in this case. 

[WHX?? 56,610]

2 minutes ago, AlexR said:

that's crazy that it would take out both balance gears and

Luck of the draw when a rod goes it generally takes out the cam or goes the other way and hole the block. Balance gears might have saved the block so they are good for something.

Kinda like when lightning strikes ... all bets are off on what's gonna happen.