So this happened last Saturday at the road track.
During my 3-lap warmup, the coolant overflow hose popped off the head (clamp wasn't seated correctly) causing me to lose close to a gallon of coolant. As a result of the engine overheating, something in the oil circuit failed (not sure what yet), causing the loss of 3-4 quarts of oil.

Before we realized what was going on (we were refilling the coolant system with water), the engine stopped and/or seized. It wasn't until then that we realized there had been a serious oil leak as well.

Fortunately, I trailered the car so I could get it home easily. I drained the remaining oil and there was MAYBE a quart and a half left, which looked like this:




Those specks look to be gold colored. There were no bigger chunks of metal that came out, but to me it doesn't look good.

This weekend we plan to see if we can hand crank the engine to determine if it is actually seized or not.

In the meantime, I am fundraising for the purchase of an LDK long block just in case, by selling some of my parts. Although I'm trying locally first, I have a brand new set of gunmetal OZ Ultralegerras for sale. PM me if interested!

I'll update here as we find out more...

 

Noooooo. that sucks dude.

 

So 3+ quarts of oil was draining onto the ground while you were dealing with the coolant? Just want to clarify.

 

Correct. Unless I lost some on the track already. To clarify, car was standing on gravel when this happened so everything drained quickly and didn't run from under the car...

 

Looks like metal shavings for sure. More than likely bearings or turbo.

 

Not sure what materials your bearings are made out of. I know copper is usually inside the turbo bearings.

 

Car was idling to burp the coolant system. It looks like the oil feed line to the turbo maybe the source.

 

There was no metal to metal noise (at least that I recall) it just stopped.

 

I wonder if the turbo seized then, and that shut the car off?

 

I don't know if it would stop the motor like that. It was idling fine to dead stop. Usually exhaust gases can still pass a seized turbo and certainly doesn't airlock a motor

 

Yeah I'm just thinking out loud. It still doesn't make any sense.

 

Damn that sucks man!!

 

Wow, sorry about that man

 

I was waiting to see what happened to it, and I'm so sorry it was this. I can't believe that a clamp failed, and at the same time the oil line to the turbo. I'm also wondering if it's like some have said- the turbo failed and locked. I hope it's not that motor.
Are you going to potentially do what you have talked about before- go back to stock on e and have fun with it? If you are going to need a supercore for the turbo I know where you can get one for $953 with free shipping. Comes with the whole compressor side of the turbo.

 

I've had my oil line go 3 times! I have some serious heat shielding on it now plus with my new block it comes from a different spot and won't be an issue

 

If I need a new motor, I will most likely just run a bone stock LDK for right now with my 6758 unless it died, in which case I will run a new K04. Would still plan to upgrade later but for now I just want to get back on the road (read: track) quickly and at the lowest possible cost.
That said, in for more info on said supercore lol

 

If it turns out it was on oil line I'll be contacting you to get the dirt on making it bomb proof

 

Need some AN fittings.

 

For sure I've been through it once or twice

 

In all honesty, the clamp didn't fail. It was just not installed properly. I can't believe I didn't catch this. Went over the whole car the day before the track day with a fine tooth comb, torquing all suspension bolts, checking fluids etc etc.
Worst part is I went back through my phone pics and zoomed in on this one that was taken on June 10th (!), which incidentally was BEFORE I participated in a 1/2 mile race event...
I think I failed to re-install that clamp after I installed my custom oil cooler manifold and topped off the coolant.
How it hasn't popped off earlier, I will never know...
Just goes to show that small things can have huge consequences...

 

Going to AN lines and using a DEI cool tube worked well on the install for leemanfor's zfr. We'll find out what the issue was this weekend Adrian

 

*runs out to check coolant line on my car*

But seriously, that really sucks man... I have watched lots of your videos on Youtube. It is great to see someone that drives their cobalt like you do at the track. And it definitely sounds like you had the supporting mods for the track racing. Of all things, this is the last way I would have ever expected the engine to go after that many track days.

 

You and me both brother! I finally had the car at a point where she was as "bomb proof" as you can make it (considering anything mechanical can break). Then something stupid (on my part) like this happens. Oh well, I keep thinking she'll be even better when this is all over

 

I would be really interested in what design you all go with as I will be doing the same over the winter.

 

I don't know how many times I have seen 1 small inexpensive part do major damage to a motor. Even if you are OCD things can still get missed. Sucks it happened to you and I hope it was just confined to the turbo.