KSira

The tuner was not the same person that built the engine. The engine builder blames the tuner. I have not spoken with the tuner yet (a tuner the engine builder recommended and arranged mapping with), but highly doubt that any of them will admit that it was their fault.

Tom M'Guinn

+1

Could also be a combo of issues -- ill-suited pistons, tight clearances and a persistent tuner who apparently carried on despite knock and trigger problems? If it was just the tune, you'd think the head gasket would have blown...

333pg333

Try and get the tuning logs before they 'disappear'.

KSira

The head gasket did blow, the car started smoking a little and ended with a white cloud on the last pull. The head gasket looks perfectly healthy, but if there where knock, it could be head lift?

Dave W.

If the trigger count was really bad it could have been firing the wrong cylinder at the wrong time. This wouldn't be knock, it would be pre-ignition 180* out of phase. Def a recipe for lifting the head.

Dubai944

Sorry to hear. I can't believe an engine builder and tuner just hand back a broken engine and leave it to you to deal with?

gruhsy

That seriously sucks. Sorry to hear.

Paulyy

Shouldn't the tuner be taking responsibility for the damage?

Eric_Oz_S2

If the head gasket blew, it would have caused the damage you see. The question is why did it blow? Either incorrect torque, poor surfacing or detonation. It seems the last is most likely.

Duke

Sorry to see this. To me it seems more likely that this was caused by the pistons/ring/cylinders combo rather than tuning. Tuning wise the head gasket would have gone out the window very quickly and the engine noise would have been horrible. Foreign objects would have caused more damage to the head and piston crown.

As far as I know Lindsey stopped selling the Wiseco pistons a long time ago and they never had a real Alusil coating in the sense that Wössner and Mahle have.

KSira

Pistons where Wössner. Wrote Wiseco by mistake

It was a Cometick gasket, so i guess it would seal again as soon as the boost went down.

Thom

Really sorry to see this, I feel for you...

Aside from possible tuning error, and now that you mention using Wössner pistons, do you know the actual piston to cylinder clearance chosen by the shop that did your block?

blade7

Check the profile of the rings also, possibly a mistake was made and it isn't Alusil spec ?

KSira

I have not been given the clearance, but assume that this was within the piston manufacturers specifications. Unfortunately I do not have this.

If anyone has the Wössner install specification and recommended ring gap, please send this to me. I will investigate this so I can find an answer to why this went so badly wrong.

Duke

Heavy detonation can destroy a Cometic gasket as well. And head lift can usually be seen on the gasket surface.
Hopefully the builder gapped the rings..