update 3
pan came off, Kirk described there as being very little evidence of metal on the pickup screen. Bearing cap removal showed a bearing in good shape. The intake tract is to be checked. Timing belt, water pump to go on after we spoke. Overnighted vnt-17 from CA will not make it till tomorrow...last thing to go on. Valve cover pull to look at cam bearing was mentioned by me. I may insist on it tomorrow before turbo goes on.
When I decided to start the engine after sitting for two days without adding oil, it was a conscious decision to change as few variables as possible. For whatever reason(s) it started much easier than within the hour after the incident, during which ot didn't start at all. I let it run for a couple seconds. I then made a decision to add oil in increments to accomplish two things. First was to determine how much oil was left in engine after event. I determined that to be about one quart. The second, was to make sure I had enough oil present to cover the pickup, so I could run the engine longer than 2-3 seconds if I wanted to. I started it and it ran exactly as it had after cold starts in similar temps at home at sea level to 800 ft. Here I am a mile high. No oil pressure light in the 30-60 seconds I ran it, no funny noises, still had oil smoke coming from tailpipe, still had variable reaction of engine to same fuel pedal inputs as during the incident, but no sign of fundamental engine damage. I did not notice any turbo whine with increases from low idle as present under normal conditions. I am very curious about condition of turbo, but again no sign of engine I jesting lube oil, junk from this incident. It wanted to run at smooth idle or not much higher. I ran it up by downshifting once as I was pulling over, probably not best decision in himd sight, but it revved and sounded completely smooth and normal.
The engine is modified though much less so than many vehicles owned by those on this site. It has put out more than stock on several occasions over the years, why wouldn't it? Not sure about the def of hard driving you are evaluating me by and how you would do so all things considered.
when an internal combustion engine runs with less than ideal ignition timing for best power and or fuel efficiency, for any given speed and load, more waste heat is being introduced to the back side of exhaust valves, and stems as well as exhaust manifolds and turbochargers particularly the turbine section. It would appear my turbo failure initiated and may have stayed physically isolated to the turbine side. I am guessing this is the norm, but don't have the data. Not many people do, don't believe this data is published anywhere readily available. The turbine side is stressed the most thermally I think most would agree. I was heating it more than I needed to for all the work I was asking the engine to do, if timing was retarded from ideal which I believe I was based on evidence I have observed and discussions with people who should know. In this case I think I stressed the turbo thermally by shutting it down after a light to moderate hill climb and shut down at high altitude...about 7-7.5k ft on a warm afternoon, after being exposed to more heat than necessary due to timing, over many miles leading up to AND in the minutes leading up to that shutdown, restart and heavy accel. I'd drove it from LA through the Rockies the day before...100-110* heat from CA desert until an hour or two north of Vegas when I got to higher altitudes in Utah. I had the AC on most of the time, dragging those darned 225-17s all the while. I was cruising 70-75 true and can assure you I was getting passed by 80-90% of cars.
that's where we stand for update 3.
