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Engine Go Boom: Haltech Find Limit Of VR38DETT's Stock Internals


Gaz Walker

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From JCPN:

 

It was only a matter of time before it happened, but it seems that an Australian workshop has managed to take the engine of their R35 GT-R right to the raggedy edge - and beyond.

 

Yep, somebody's managed to destroy Godzilla's plasma-lined heart in the pursuit of ultimate power. The car, which was being used by ECU firm Haltech to conduct some fairly exhaustive R&D, suffered a catastrophic engine failure at Eastern Creek Raceway near Sydney at the end of last month, and it's only now that a complete teardown of the VR38DETT has revealed what went wrong deep inside the R35's engine bay.

 

It appears that the culprits were the number 1 and number 3 pistons, which split horizontally at the wrist pin and sent the crown up into the valves and the skirt down into the depths of the crankcase. The number one and three conrods, no longer being confined by the pistons at the small end, then proceeded to smash their way through the remainder of the engine, destroying the block, oil pump, sump and the plasma-lined cylinder bores. Needless to say, Haltech's VR38 is now one hell of a paperweight.

 

GT-R owners need not be worried just yet, as Haltech's spectacular engine failure doesn't necessarily mean there's anything inherently wrong with Nissan's new wunder-car. Haltech's GT-R was reportedly cranking out a massive 400kW at the wheels (543hp) when the engine, for want of a better phrase, shat itself :rlol: That's a huge increase over stock, and big power by any measure. In fact, it's practically miraculous the standard cast pistons lasted that long in the first place, given the extreme testing Haltech inflicted upon them.

 

The story doesn't end here though. Haltech are in the process of shipping over a brand-new block with Darton sleeves, while proper forged pistons and stronger conrods will also be specced for their new motor. Given all their previous experiments were run on a stock motor with stock ancillaries, it'll be interesting to see how much power they manage to extract with the stronger aftermarket goodies whirling away within the bowels of their GT-R. We wish them luck.

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I was expecting the stock engine to have a tolerance greater that that, but I guess if you go in search of power beyond the factory level you are taking the risk it goes bang

 

I think the days of engines being massively overbuilt are long gone- why carry more weight than you need?

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Bet Nissan are gonna be VERY interested in that engine. Had to happen I suppose

 

I don't think they will be in the slightest bit interested. They'll have tested it to death for the performance levels they wanted to sell it at. End of.

 

As already mentioned, the days of massive over engineering are long gone.

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You've got to bear in mind this is a light alloy V6 not a cast iron straight 6 behemoth like the Supra!

 

I think the days of engines being massively overbuilt are long gone- why carry more weight than you need?

As already mentioned, the days of massive over engineering are long gone.

 

 

I blame computers.

 

Design parts to be just strong enough, rather than the old method of using a slide rule, then adding a bit for luck. :)

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