What do you guys think would cause this?

Looks like the valve was hitting. then maybe detonation broke rings too lean??
Just a guess

Was the head gasket gone between the cylinders??
is that piston turned in the block??

exhaust valve is hitting the piston


do you have a pic of the head

yes that piston is turned and i see what look like 3 separate cracks running down the cylinder wall. looks like it is engine tear down to me. Mopar65

About 90* turned..... looks like it was lean on the edge

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I thought it was a rare offset hemi

Good chance it's water damage then???
now a broken rod cap and or rod??

My car sputtered off the line like the rev limiter was stuck on after i let go of the transbrake, and after 60 feet... Poof !

At least 5 bent valves, 1 broken pushrod and several badly bent.

Two connecting rods #3, and #4, completely broken off and melted looking. Thats how it was able to twist...Bottoms of those pistons broken from the carnage. And #4 piston having an area on the crown melted??? Timing chain is broken , 1 set of roller lifters stuck in the block.

Broke the block and even trashed my brand new Charlie's oil pan.

Keeps the ideas coming.

Piston to valve clearance was .060" which is close, but steel rods Eagle H beams.

Worked fine for 4 seasons but just put on a terminator Alcohol injection system and had 3 good runs, 2 runs w/ a little sputtering mixed in, then the last run.

Tune up was not lean.

Check the valve springs... you could have had a broke
spring causing the sputtering

I was going to ask if you were running alcohol but you answered that. although your tune-up may have been ok, i would lean towards a plugged nozzle in that cylinder. that will lift a ring land like that in a hurry.

Howard

Hard to tell from the pix but looks like things got real hot, is half that cly wall blue?

I will check the nozzle right away. Good sugestion.

The problem was that the first pass on Alcohol was fine, 2nd sputtered off the launch, 3rd pass was fine.

Nest weekend , first pass was fine, 2nd sputterred and 3rd ... Poof!

Being so intermittent is what puzzles me???

I have about 5 bent valves, so they will all be checked including springs.

Would the melted crown happen after the carnage, or before ???

Thanks, Arnie

Can you post a pic of the spark plug from that cyl?

My guess would be and I'm no expert!
My scenario the motor was leaning out bad. that would not only melt pistons but pound out the bearings and likely rod ends of the rods. this would allow the pistons enough free travel to hit the heads/valves and thus more vent valves. I'll bet the rod bearings are pounded out of it???
Dam that makes me feel bad to see that. bin there as many of us have. You just have to suck it up ad start moving on. I say you play hard you pay hard!!

Piston to valve clearance was .060" which is close, but steel rods Eagle H beams

Arnie,

Is that on the exhaust or intake? If your springs were weak ouch!....

Mike

I'm thinking it all started with a spun rod bearing
then the piston hit the valve and then all he11 broke
loose.... just a guess.