Reliability question for Raptor...

[totq]

Have you had much (any) feedback from buick and ecotec owners running the Raptor after a while?

Such as broken engine parts. I mean, logically, force induction on stock engines/parts is only gonna last for so long due to accelerated wear.

[vy_2003]

just my 2 cents,

I've had mine running on an ecotec for a bit over a year now. Totally unopened motor, not even rockers.

I don't give her a thrashing all the time but occasionally i get on it. The only thing i've had to replace is the radiator, as it cracked on the plastic end tank, but that's a fairly common problem and was not the chargers fault at all.

[totq]

I agree, the radiator, alternator etc, is nothing to do with the charger.

I am talking about internal mechanical parts especially, crank bearings and piston rings. I recently spun a crank bearing on my rebuilt buick at Willowbank. It's done 30,000km since the rebuild, of that, the latter 15-20,000km was with the charger added. It's hardly driven, even rarer driven hard. It has done more work on the dyno being tuned than on the road.
When opened up, all the crank bearings showed severe wear - the failed one was so thin, it is no wonder it spun over. The crank and piston rings will also need replacing. This time, ACL bearings will be fitted to cater for the extra stresses from the charger.

I am raising this question for discussion because all I ever see/read is the hype of the raptors but nothing about reliability feedback. I jus want to know if anyone else has had any issues....yet.

I did my homework thoroughly before I went ahead with the raptor, and was assured it is developed as a bolt-on for stock motors. But now, I realise the stock motor was not designed for such power and stress, was it?

Why else would the same motor/car, but with turbo or charger come out with different cranks, bearings, pistons etc...compared to its naturally aspirated sibling?

[delcowizzid]

buicks need small bearing tolerances when building them or they heomorage oil out the bearings and die fast .finding an engine builder who is in the know on buicks is hard if they build it like they build a chev with lots of clearance bigends wont last long to much timing will kill bigends too.if you seen the pure abuse and torture we put the turbo v6's through daily you would wonder how one survives we have been killing diffs and T5 boxes like they are going out of fashion 3 diffs last week and the second T5 is getting noisy after 2 days but the stock old 200000km engine with a turbo cam in it is the only part replaced running 14psi all day every day

[one_and_only2004]

A fella on the ProUtes forum has been running a Raptor for 41,000kms on his VY. He's snapped a few internal belts on the charger but that's it. I'd say Delcowizzid has hilighted your problem.

[impulsesv6]

know a few ppl with raptors that have gone bang...

one with lifters going on a 10G Come racing 4.2L stroker built for boost...
then a stroked vs, decompressed heads and the VLC raptor charger... supplied with a 13psi pulley...
then there is another dude that just flogs his daily, when its on the road that is, this his on his 2nd or 3rd engine, 2nd box, 3rd diff... - doesnt care tho cos parts are cheap

radiators can be asociated with boost... same with thermostat...
the higher than usual engine temps, is compensated by the radiator, heaps of NA V8's replace their radiators to alloy as a precaution...

[Raptorsc]

I have seen the VR engine go down before - but not the VN VP 3800

It always occurrs after rebuild and apparently the VR engine requires a fractionally different bearing, its half common for rebuilders to use the VN - VP bearings, they usually do a few months (of constant work) and then fail exactly like TOTQ's has. Nothing to do with charger - everything to do with what parts went into the motor.

Had exactly this happen locally about 2 years ago, took them a while to figure it out but they did and used the correct bearings and it runs like a champ with 12psi every day of the week.

If its not right you dont have to use it much and your engine will die - just exactly as TOTQs has. Use the correct engine bearings and there is never a problem

To be honest all the stock unopened engines are fine, anything thats been opened up is always the first to have an issue - that goes as correct 95% of the time

I am definitely with DELCOWIZZARD on this one - if a 3800 is assembled correctly it will take so much abuse that you cannot believe it and ....... will live on

TOTQ, get it screwed together right and you will have endless fun, your issue has been seen before by many people and for the same reason, nothing to do with forced induction even - thats my reply to your question in the first post.



Now a bit more


PS: The most hair tearing thing I have noted over the years is the 4.2 stroker for ECOTEC, really I believe these can be screwed together to be a good thing - but so many have been built and rebuilt - mostly always at the owners expense. The stock ECOTEC is by far the most reliable up to 12psi

[Raptorsc]

This video shows a Porsche 944 with a Porsche 968 engine - 4cyl

The motor is fitted with the standard Raptor V

The results of the race say it all - everything correctly prepared will do amazing things

Start your engines gentlemen and enjoy the race (An Endurance Race)

PBOC Enduro Race at Barber Motorsports, Nov. 2010 on Vimeo

[sircruisealotVS]

PS: The most hair tearing thing I have noted over the years is the 4.2 stroker for ECOTEC, really I believe these can be screwed together to be a good thing - but so many have been built and rebuilt - mostly always at the owners expense. The stock ECOTEC is by far the most reliable up to 12psi

I had my c.o.m.e. racing assemebled 4.2L stroker for about 2yrs without a raptor and 2yrs with one at the end of it's life.

During that time, i only had one drama which was breaking yella terra roller rocker arms twice - because they lifted too high for the cam i had, and i had some misinformation about the combo.
Other than that the engine was rediculously strong and coped quite alot of abuse from many dynos, down the 1/4 mile and on the road.

This was untill i received some more misinformation about my engine and bought a VLC system and changed to a smaller pulley size, which i thought would be for 11psi (up from 9.5psi). Instead when i finally got my car back on the road after many months waiting for my blower to come back - i cooked my engine with a massive 13.5psi on the dyno while it was being tuned.
The pulley i got was much smaller than expected and the VLC didn't make a difference at all - quite simply the engine was being forced full of over 100+degree air, maybe higher, but the air temp sensor only goes that far.
After this, my engine was a nightmare - it never ran the same again and it would try compress itself at the crank case and attempt to push out all seals, and all the oil out of the engine through the easiest place possible - usally the rocker covers.
The expensive, strong, rebuilt auto i never had a drama from before never worked the same after these events and my car basically became a massive pile of useless parts which wouldn't work like it used to.
After spending piles of money on my pride and joy - i couldn't drive it and i ended up spending months taking it to the mechanics and spending thousands more replacing parts with no results.

So i think the moral of my story is to only listen to people you can trust and know what they're talking about when it comes to your engine. Taking advice or trusting the wrong people can cost you thousands, not them, so it's up to you to do the research and only talk to people with a known, good track record with performance engines.

[immortality]

I had my c.o.m.e. racing assemebled 4.2L stroker for about 2yrs without a raptor and 2yrs with one at the end of it's life.

During that time, i only had one drama which was breaking yella terra roller rocker arms twice - because they lifted too high for the cam i had, and i had some misinformation about the combo.
Other than that the engine was rediculously strong and coped quite alot of abuse from many dynos, down the 1/4 mile and on the road.

This was untill i received some more misinformation about my engine and bought a VLC system and changed to a smaller pulley size, which i thought would be for 11psi (up from 9.5psi). Instead when i finally got my car back on the road after many months waiting for my blower to come back - i cooked my engine with a massive 13.5psi on the dyno while it was being tuned.
The pulley i got was much smaller than expected and the VLC didn't make a difference at all - quite simply the engine was being forced full of over 100+degree air, maybe higher, but the air temp sensor only goes that far.
After this, my engine was a nightmare - it never ran the same again and it would try compress itself at the crank case and attempt to push out all seals, and all the oil out of the engine through the easiest place possible - usally the rocker covers.
The expensive, strong, rebuilt auto i never had a drama from before never worked the same after these events and my car basically became a massive pile of useless parts which wouldn't work like it used to.
After spending piles of money on my pride and joy - i couldn't drive it and i ended up spending months taking it to the mechanics and spending thousands more replacing parts with no results.

So i think the moral of my story is to only listen to people you can trust and know what they're talking about when it comes to your engine. Taking advice or trusting the wrong people can cost you thousands, not them, so it's up to you to do the research and only talk to people with a known, good track record with performance engines.

sounds like a lot of bad information and bad luck there mate.

I hope the tuner forked over some cash cause i'd blame him for cooking it on the dyno. if he'd paid attention he would have noted the issues and stopped tuning long before the engine was fried. sounds like the rings were toast which led to the crank case pressurisation problem. probably also fried the trans in the process

[totq]

buicks need small bearing tolerances when building them or they heomorage oil out the bearings and die fast .finding an engine builder who is in the know on buicks is hard if they build it like they build a chev with lots of clearance bigends wont last long to much timing will kill bigends too.

Thanks for this info, it makes perfect sense. I'm not an engine builder and that is technical engine-building information I had not known before. Upon reading this I got straight on the phone to my engine builder who assured me he (and the machining shop) is well aware of this, and was so the first time he re-built the engine. The oil pump gears were also replaced to ensure oil is well supplied. He just got the engine back from the machinist and checked that the tolerance is "where it should be, it's very tight..." It's now sporting ACL race bearings.

However, in questioning this, my point is on used, stock motors. After 150,000kms, as most, if not all Buicks or Ecotecs have clocked up by now, the tolerance is no longer tight as new, due to normal wear. Wouldn't these bearings be now "haemorrhagging" oil?

if you seen the pure abuse and torture we put the turbo v6's through daily you would wonder how one survives we have been killing diffs and T5 boxes like they are going out of fashion 3 diffs last week and the second T5 is getting noisy after 2 days but the stock old 200000km engine with a turbo cam in it is the only part replaced running 14psi all day every day

I don't doubt what your saying but how would you know the bearings are or are not wearing down faster than otherwise in stock naturally aspirated form? The fact is, you don't, and it will continue perform great until sudden failure.

[Raptorsc]

I suppose a point of note is I have never seen bearing failure in stock V6 engines, even when boosted to 12psi with proper tuning, in fact there isnt a stock engine (since 1992) of any type/brand that will have bearing failure with supercharging.

Its only in situations such as TOTQ with the rebuilt engine that it shows up, it seems the VR 3800 is the worst but only because the correct parts arent being fitted. I have never looked but there is a possibility the VN - VP bearings are substantially cheaper ....... hence the reason they are chosen ....... hence the issue

[totq]

He's snapped a few internal belts on the charger but that's it

That's unreliable in itself wouldn't you think, that belts snap so often?

[Raptorsc]

Sircruisealot

She must have been doing some decent rpm to get 13psi into a stroker, we have 2 pullies- a 64mm (10psi) and a 61mm(12psi) STOCK ENGINE

The most pressure I have ever heard of with a Raptor V into a Stroker was 9psi (61mm) as the motor has the capacity to pump more air thus reducing the boost. However if the engine was given plenty more rpm then I believe it would get the pressure you mentioned, by 6500 or so you would be there.

All Raptor pullies are rated for their boost pressure at 5900 - 6000rpm engine speed - no exceptions

[Raptorsc]

The belt in a Raptor V is like a fuse, it protects the charger and more importantly the engine should anything go wrong.

Most things dont have a safety valve built in, the consequences are often severe.

If owners overboost the charger, order small pulleys but dont change BOV as advised, simply over rev the engine, forget about rags in the intake, or more we can rely on the belt to stop the action minimising damage and providing total protection of against over rev explosion.

It has saved a lot of DIYers and will continue to do so

[Raptorsc]

A very common thread is coming out of this discussion

If you use your Raptor kit as supplied on a stock engine the outcomes are great -

If your engine is then opened up and modified/reconditioned then it can be the beginning of problems - faulty workmanship, poor assembly or sometimes you get lucky and everything goes well. I personally will NEVER rebuild a motor ever, if a motor goes down I ALWAYS buy a quality second hand stock engine, its been a great policy. The factorys spend millions on getting their motors to withstand a LOT of abuse and they do.

Most people want even more boost/intercooling after a year or so - this is again the beginning of issues, the engine, the gearbox, the charger and whatever else can be tested. It doesnt matter whether you use Raptor, Twin turbo, single Turbo, screw blower, other centrifugal, once you WANT more you get more power and potentially MORE problems. There is most definitely a limit with all mechanical things - its almost always forgotten that there is and when it occurrs then its very sad moment.

^^^^^How many Subaru WRX owners found out this the hard way, bleed valves and more boost produced an enormous amount of broken cars, left with stock boost not a single car would have broken. Subaru certainly arent to blame.

Of course there is the wild card of tuners - I wont say anything more on this score, they can defend themselves should that be necessary


Use the kit as supplied in its original form on a stock engine and there is rarely any issue ever, it does just exactly as it is promised to do. Safe, reliable power that you can DIY on a weekend and experience the power that boost gives


The most impossible thing I have found is to talk someone out of increasing boost - no matter how it goes they always make the decision to have MORE boost pressure - I increased the price of high boost pulleys significantly to counter this - didnt work. Therefore a firm choice is made on the part of the buyer to have it their way no matter what.

[totq]

Raptorsc, this thread is not (and was not) intended to finger-point blame at your product or anyone including my engine builder or tuner, nor intended to seek compensation, nor bring your product or reputation to a bad light.

I accept my engine has suffered a major mechanical part failure, that's it, that is part of 'performance'. The issue I have raised for discussion is relevant to this type of failure and important for other novices looking to mod their cars.

You know me personally and know I call things as I see them, I rely on facts and common sense. I hold no bad feelings about this debate at all.

I raised a question (Post 1) for discussion but I am instead reading a 'defence' and 'off-track waffling' from you, rather than a direct answer or on-topic discussion.

I will now respond directly to your comments in the spirit of healthy debate, not ill-feeling argument.

Your posts however, with direct reference to my example implies me as a bad example. That what I have done hasn't been done right when, in fact, I have done everything right. Especially direct consultation with you right from the beginning through to the end set up. Every step of the way, I consulted with you before embarking. Every KEY component, has been supplied by YOU.

And to list as fact, the majority of what you anticipate (performance) would result of what I plan to do next, has been unrealised. Quite disappointing for the money, frankly.

But again, I accept that not all cars/engines are the same - as you suggested too.

Continue...

[totq]

Reference: Post #7.

"It always occurrs after rebuild and apparently the VR engine requires a fractionally different bearing, its half common for rebuilders to use the VN - VP bearings, they usually do a few months (of constant work) and then fail exactly like TOTQ's has. Nothing to do with charger - everything to do with what parts went into the motor. "

This implies my engine was put together badly or inferior bearings were used, then an immediate defence of your charger, lol.
Fact - better than standard bearings were used, which I paid more for and put together by a mechanic/engine-builder with 30+ yrs experience who I personally know and trust.

"Had exactly this happen locally about 2 years ago, took them a while to figure it out but they did and used the correct bearings and it runs like a champ with 12psi every day of the week."

I consistently read your praises and boasts for the Raptor whenever anyone reports a good dyno output, but never about anything wrong after installing a raptor, such as this example 2 yrs ago. This information is very very useful. Following my failure, I tried numerous times to contact you for advice/comment, but from the lack of enthusiasm to reply, I must assume you're not interested or brushed me off because it is 'bad news' ? However, I gave you the benefit-of-the-doubt that you are simply too busy...

"....it runs like a champ with 12psi every day of the week"

This is the sort of "hype" I referred to earlier. Comments like this one, if just taken at face value is misleading. The reality is, to achieve 12psi, the thing is running at full throttle ie. flat out! Now, running any car flat out, every day, isn't going to last long, will it?

"If its not right you dont have to use it much and your engine will die - just exactly as TOTQs has. Use the correct engine bearings and there is never a problem"

Ditto, TOTQ did not use the right bearings, so it died. Nothing to do with the raptor etc...
My rebuild will now use ACL racing bearings, do you think they will be "right bearings" ?

"To be honest all the stock unopened engines are fine, anything thats been opened up is always the first to have an issue - that goes as correct 95% of the time"

I'll put it to you that purpose rebuilt engines are stronger than stock - do you agree or not?
This comment has credit ONLY because the number of rebuilt engines numbers in the few compared to the many of unopened ones, so the percentages will be in favour of unopened engines. Lets rebuild 10 engines and compare with 10 unopened ones, put all 20 under the same test and see how many rebuilds will fail compared to unopened?

"I am definitely with DELCOWIZZARD on this one - if a 3800 is assembled correctly it will take so much abuse that you cannot believe it and ....... will live on"


LOL. OF COURSE YOU WILL! IT EXONERATES THE RAPTOR.
And I do agree. But this also implies my engine wasn't assembled properly.

TOTQ, get it screwed together right and you will have endless fun, your issue has been seen before by many people and for the same reason, nothing to do with forced induction even - thats my reply to your question in the first post.

Nothing to do with force induction...
I'll put it this way, as per my first post.
Two stock engines - designed for N/A with N/A parts etc.
Put after-market force induction on one, putting on more stresses than it was designed for to achieve much higher performance.

Which one will last longer (or which one will wear faster) ? Just a direct answer.

Must go now, have things to do now, will continue later.

[Raptorsc]

TOTQ

Refer to Post #7 in that case - that you needed a direct answer - only addressed to you


Which will last longer




I certainly never had a determinable life difference on my VY with or without boost, I speak only from my own experience. Maybe it does/did wear faster but at such a slow rate it couldnt be determined. . Thats the best info I can give you. We can assume or believe it wears faster but I didnt tear my engine apart to find out because there was no reason to, no oil consumption and good fuel economy - both good signs the motor is alive and well. Bearings all functioning sweet etc

Based on the above

I couldnt pick the difference or maybe there wasnt/was one.

Just becausese something is boosted doesn't mean its life is going to be zero in 2 years -

When you get your crankshaft/bearings sorted you will wonder why you ever made such a fuss - it will run without further issue.
Are your ACL bearings the right ones? How can I know, which box, what part number, how the crank has been ground (size, surface finish etc etc etc etc), its not a brand thing, its machining tolerances - as an engineer you would know this ........... Engine oil pressure, engine balance really there are just so many things that need to be right so you dont have a recurrence of the issue. Trust me, if its not right it WILL OCCUR AGAIN, wont happen on any other Raptor owners vehicle but it could get you again, its a engine problem specific whatever it was and yes I know you didnt do it, not your fault, not mine but you could be at risk yet again.


I can see I cant help you about the bearings, nothing I am going to say is right or worth hearing. Knowing about it 2 years ago would not have in the least helped you, if it could have tell me how and how could you know just exactly what was inside the motor? Of course you know now but its the only way you could have found out or maybe there were tell tale signs that you missed - how can I know - beats me

I could have even talked to you but still I dont have anything to solve a bearing issue for you, that should be apparent by now, but maybe I am not up with the agenda

Anyone else got ideas on how to explain bearings and things to TOTQ

[Raptor Charged VX]

i had a raptor running 12 psi on an ecotec and i drove it hard for a solid 18 months before i got power hungry and upgraded to a V8 the motor was stock apart from rockers and i never had an issue with motor apart from radiator and the clutch, i have a mate the killed 3 buick motors over that 18 months and they where stock but just flogged all the time , i think if you had a vortech or procharger or even turbo the life span would be the same, i dont know what oil you use or how ofter you change but that factors as well on a boosted motor.

[sircruisealotVS]

Sircruisealot

She must have been doing some decent rpm to get 13psi into a stroker, we have 2 pullies- a 64mm (10psi) and a 61mm(12psi) STOCK ENGINE

The most pressure I have ever heard of with a Raptor V into a Stroker was 9psi (61mm) as the motor has the capacity to pump more air thus reducing the boost. However if the engine was given plenty more rpm then I believe it would get the pressure you mentioned, by 6500 or so you would be there.

All Raptor pullies are rated for their boost pressure at 5900 - 6000rpm engine speed - no exceptions

I was supplied with a re-ground 64mm pulley (my stock one) which had been taken down to 58mm supplied by yourself when i had the VLC installed. It boosted on up to 13.5psi on only 5400rpm - my rev limit installed on the stroker at the time.
Chiptorque only did one power run during the tuning - as clearly that was too much boost for an un-intercooled engine and the intake temps were through the roof.
They recommended i immediately change the pulley to a bigger one to reduce boost, as it definately wasn't safe for the engine the way it was set up and the VLC was't reducing intake temps like suggested.

Unfortunately for me, the damage was done by this point of time and my engine was steadily failing.

[totq]

just my 2 cents,
I've had mine running on an ecotec for a bit over a year now. Totally unopened motor, not even rockers.
I don't give her a thrashing all the time but occasionally i get on it. The only thing i've had to replace is the radiator, as it cracked on the plastic end tank, but that's a fairly common problem and was not the chargers fault at all.

A fella on the ProUtes forum has been running a Raptor for 41,000kms on his VY. He's snapped a few internal belts on the charger but that's it. I'd say Delcowizzid has hilighted your problem.

i had a raptor running 12 psi on an ecotec and i drove it hard for a solid 18 months before i got power hungry and upgraded to a V8 the motor was stock apart from rockers and i never had an issue with motor apart from radiator and the clutch, i have a mate the killed 3 buick motors over that 18 months and they where stock but just flogged all the time , i think if you had a vortech or procharger or even turbo the life span would be the same, i dont know what oil you use or how ofter you change but that factors as well on a boosted motor.

These 3 posts are similar so I'll try to answer them all in one go.

I am stating that putting on force induction to a stock N/A motor will shorten its life expectancy due to accelerated wear from higher stresses of FI.

The type of FI - charger or turbo, brand of charger/turbo is irrelevant, its all FI and pretty much does the same thing.

I am not, and can not say when it will fail - how many kays it will last or how many years. Many factors will determine that. But I am saying with certainty, it will not last as long as left alone in its stock N/A form.

Just because one ran perfectly for 40,000kms doesn't really say anything to my statement. It just means it hasn't reached a point where the parts, in this context the bearings, has reached its end. It could be 50 or 60,000. But left alone in N/A form, it will certainly be far more than that.

Let's say for example, a certain N/A motor has 10yrs of life left. Put on FI, and it will not last another 10yrs, that's for certain. And, after FI, you'll agree it'll be driven harder than before, that's the reason to put FI on it, to enjoy the extra performance!

I had the motor rebuilt at 270,000 kms. It didn't need to, didn't burn oil or bad fuel economy. But it was surely tired. I did so to give it a new lease of life with a bit more go with cam, head work, stally etc...because I can. Simple as that. I am sure it would still be going today.

When pulled apart, at 270,000 kms, the bearings were worn by 30 thou....but it was still running. So new N/A bearings were fitted, all required machining done and assembled.

A year later, after 10-15,000 kms, I jumped on the raptor bandwagon. On full consultation with the engine builder and Raptorsc.

Its now spun a bearing at Willowbank after 315,000 kms - say 30,000kms after FI (raptor). All the bearings are significantly worn.

And that is another point. Just because your car is still running good, doesn't mean the bearings haven't worn more than they should have. How will you know the bearings are about to go? Unlike worn rings, you can see oil burn or bad fuel economy. Or lifters that you can hear etc etc. You can only know if you physically gap-measure it, right? An oil test won't tell you which part specifically is wearing or about to be worn out, will it?

I questioned the engine builder why the bearings went so fast... The reply was, the bearings he put in there are better than stock and would have lasted at least as long as stock. And the most likely cause is the much higher loading/stress place on it from FI.

That makes sense to me, and I agree with it, and have not blamed the engine builder.

I'll put it in a common sense way. The bearings ultimately 'bear' the compression loading from the piston via the rods. Put FI into it and the compression is even higher, so putting more pressure on the bearers...and any clear mind would agree that would make it wear faster!

Why else would the factory use different parts between there NA and FI engines?

Btw, I don't thrash my car because most of the time it has my kids in it. Of the 10% of the time I drive it alone, it only gets the occasional squirt of acceleration, not even burnouts. And the two track days within 3 yrs. It always runs on Penrite synthetic and religiously serviced by me before it even reaches 10,000kms. It did not fail due to poor maintenance, neglect or abuse. As I have said, the only 'abuse' it copped was from the dyno tuning and the handful of track runs.

[acarmody]

I don't get the point your trying to raise here? Boosting an engine will put more stress on its components as opposed to N/A, OK, we all know that, and everyone who has attached a supercharger/turbo likely knows that too. Its part of the risk you take to have more fun.

Also I jump on one comment you made, some types of F/I do put more stress on a motor. Whipple and PD blower are harder on a motor, than say a centrifugal blower.

[totq]

Reference: Post #19

"I certainly never had a determinable life difference on my VY with or without boost, I speak only from my own experience. Maybe it does/did wear faster but at such a slow rate it couldnt be determined. . Thats the best info I can give you. We can assume or believe it wears faster but I didnt tear my engine apart to find out because there was no reason to, no oil consumption and good fuel economy - both good signs the motor is alive and well. Bearings all functioning sweet etc"

It is fundamental that when two surfaces rub, they will wear - no exceptions. The rate of wear is irrelevant as it is all relative. Push these surfaces harder together as they rub, and they will certainly wear faster - again, no exceptions. That's a simple analogy of FI on the bearings. That's why the factory uses different spec parts between N/A and FI. Parts on FI are tougher etc hence, cost more, which in turn is why the upspec FI models cost more as the higher costs filter up the line.
There is no need to "assume" it is wearing faster or not, it is fundamental that it is. Refusing to agree on this fact is denial by choice, frankly.
And I agree, the only way to determine wear is to measure it, but that doesn't excuse my point that it is wearing! lol.

"Just becausese something is boosted doesn't mean its life is going to be zero in 2 years - "

Of course, and no one can say when either, I never did. I am now adding/saying with confidence, all the stock engines fitted with FI at the approximate same time will, more or less, most likely see some form of failure at the relative same time in the future. Earlier than if they stayed N/A.

"When you get your crankshaft/bearings sorted you will wonder why you ever made such a fuss - it will run without further issue.
Are your ACL bearings the right ones? How can I know, which box, what part number, how the crank has been ground (size, surface finish etc etc etc etc), its not a brand thing, its machining tolerances - as an engineer you would know this ........... Engine oil pressure, engine balance really there are just so many things that need to be right so you dont have a recurrence of the issue. Trust me, if its not right it WILL OCCUR AGAIN, wont happen on any other Raptor owners vehicle but it could get you again, its a engine problem specific whatever it was and yes I know you didnt do it, not your fault, not mine but you could be at risk yet again."

All the variables you stated here really goes without mention. I accept that you can do everything right and bad luck can still strike - a mechanical part failure is beyond anyone's control. It's 'just one of those things'. How often have we seen fresh racing cars, put together by the best hands and technology in the business, with the endless supply of cash they have ....and yet some do blow up at the starting line. Track cars, F1's, dragsters etc...
But, it is not I who have made a big fuss out of this but YOU. I see it that I have been dragged into a debate and justifying my point.

"I can see I cant help you about the bearings, nothing I am going to say is right or worth hearing. Knowing about it 2 years ago would not have in the least helped you, if it could have tell me how and how could you know just exactly what was inside the motor? Of course you know now but its the only way you could have found out or maybe there were tell tale signs that you missed - how can I know - beats me

I could have even talked to you but still I dont have anything to solve a bearing issue for you, that should be apparent by now, but maybe I am not up with the agenda

Anyone else got ideas on how to explain bearings and things to TOTQ"

Once again, it appears you are 'defending' yourself... I did not ask for help or an explanation, nor blaming you for not helping. The bearings failed, big deal (expensive deal though, hahaha), and it's getting rebuild, I'm moving on etc.

I asked my engine builder what guarantees do I have with this rebuild. He replied the guarantee is the parts are of quality that are suited for the application, the machining and tolerances will be as it should be, and it'll be assembled correctly. However, he can not guarantee whether a part will fail or not, or when.

I have owned my own business before, I have had to offer guarantees etc. and that sounds fair enough to me.

[totq]

I don't get the point your trying to raise here? Boosting an engine will put more stress on its components as opposed to N/A, OK, we all know that, and everyone who has attached a supercharger/turbo likely knows that too. Its part of the risk you take to have more fun.

Also I jump on one comment you made, some types of F/I do put more stress on a motor. Whipple and PD blower are harder on a motor, than say a centrifugal blower.

Not meaning to antagonise you mate, but perhaps you have not read previous posts thoroughly.

You have just repeated my point. The others, are saying my bearing failure is more to do with improper rebuild than FI stresses or that the bearings (or other parts) are wearing any faster at all.

Your point that some FI do put more stress on a motor than others only reinforces my point. Thanks.