By Steve Scott
This would likely ruin your day, especially if it happens just 52 miles after an engine was rebuilt. Figures 1 and 2 above show the damage the piston and connecting rod did to the cylinder block and oil pan of this ISX Cummins engine as it quickly began to destroy itself.
Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes it’s just one of those quick lapses in concentration that ends in a big problem. You’ve likely heard the idiom, “the devil is in the details” and the devilish detail that caused this engine to fail is in Figures 3 and 4. Do you see it? Here’s a clue, this is a Cummins ISX with “saw cut” connecting rods.