Not usually. It usually takes out a lot more on its way out. The only way to find out is take it apart and see what the damage is.

 

At the very most you might be able to save the block. When a rod lets go it takes at least one crank journal with it, and frequently damages whichever cylinder head that was on the side where the rod broke. I didn't see if anybody suspected a broken oil pump drive; if that somehow sheared it could explain the inside-out hole in the pan but probably not the oil/water milkshake. Get the pan off and see what happened down there, most likely the motor's gonna have to come out. If you can save the block don't try to put it back together without having it magged or otherwise checked for cracks. If anything could have been saved you probably did help your chances by shutting it off immediately...best of luck.

 

Normal wear and tear ?

 

If its been driven any amount of real time with coolant in the oil theres a chance the bearings are gone. Just yank the whole motor and tear it apart.

 

If the cooling system had gotten pluged with debris, you would have had an over heat issue before the rod siezed. It would be interesting to see pics of your engine as it comes apart. I'd like to see the rod and main bearing halves of the rods that didn't spin. That will give insight to what may have caused the failure.
I'd suggest finding someone who deals in engines and understands them to get your advice.
If you get those bearing haves that didn't spin, send me one of each, and I'll be able to tell you how much wear since new there was at the time of the failure.

 

This sounds logical to me since the OP said he did not hear any unusual noises at the time the engine went. Spun bearing, thrown rods, something flying through the oil pan would make a noise that the OP would have mentioned. Will be interesting to see what it ends up being..

 

If it was a rod, it would have made one hell of a bang, and I doubt it'd roll over after such a failure. Sounds like Tim81 might have something, the only way to know for sure is to pull the pan.

 

And to me as well

A tossed rod is one noisy, clacky, clanging ordeal. Igniting fuel in the lifter valley could've easily blown out the intake gasket which would explain the coolant in the oil. I do wonder about that hole in the oil pan though. Seems like the gasket would've given out way before there was enough pressure to actually rupture a steel pan? Dunno ... guess I've seen weirder things. Good luck and please keep us in the loop, OP.

 

Fuel in the pan would have blown seals and gaskets, not a hole in the pan. Fuel would have drained to the pan just like oil does.
There is only one reasonable cause of a hole in the pan from the inside. We all really know what that is.
Hope all we can, a bottom end part doing what it shouldn't be doing caused that hole. I suspect below the oil pan hole that the pan will have plenty of a combination of oil and coolant.
Coolant in the oil after what we know as fact (hole in the pan) would indicate the block has passed away. Crank may be able to be saved, depending on damage. Rods that didn't sieze or spin can be saved normally. With 72,000 if I remember correctly, I'd replace all pistons.
To be truthful, I'd be looking for a shortblock and hope I could save the heads. If budget is an issue, and it normally is. Crate motor or have one built.
Crate motors are built by someone also. There is no reason to believe that whoever built the crate motor is any better than a shop built motor.
The term crate engine seems to give a sense of confidence that a shop built motor doesn't. I think that happens through some poor engine shop built stories are on the internet.
If the warm and fuzzy feeling that goes with crate is there, I'd go that route. If you'd like to meet the guy who built your engine, go to a shop.

 

I'm wondering if when the radiator was flushed it cleared out some stop leak and created a hydrostatic lock condition, it's happened before. something likely broke as a result

 

The straws are getting smaller and smaller. Pull the pan and answer all these questions.

 

Sounds like you guys are having a contest to see who can come up with the wildest scenario.

 

I like this reply as brown oil can result in gas and oil mixtures....and then boom.....

 

The obvious answer is that a hard part hit the pan from the inside. An explosion in the crancase would baloon the pan quite a bit before it split it, seems like the seals would all blow out first. It's gonna need some new hard parts.

 

We can speculate what happened until the cows come home. Once the OP opens it up (and he will have to), only then will we truly know the damage. As to the cause - don't know. It doesn't sound good.

 

Could be a combo of bad things happening here. Hope the OP post some pic's of the damage once the motor is opened up.

 

remember the guy who had a pushrod go tru the pan?

 

I offered to mic the bearings that didn't sieze or spin. It would be interesting to learn from this experience, how much wear there may be, based in type of oil used and miles between changes. For the educational value that we may gain from this misfortune.

Tim81, are you going to the Car Show and swap in Canfield in a couple weeks?

 

I know the OP had a second thread running on this. Anyone ever hear back about what he found?