Hello everyone
Can anyone tell if this was caused by lugging the engine??
It is an Ultima 120" with less than 2k miles.

please see the attached pics
THANK YOU!

 

bike was not too lean, plugs have normal coloration and carbon, nothing is showing any discoloring or 'blueing' from excessive heat, but the exhaust valve looks to be cooked as well as the top of the piston

This is not my bike it is a friend's. I don't have all of the specs, however this is a factory built stock 120" El Bruto

also note that the bottom side of the rod journal is severely scored from the wrist pin and the top side is fine... and the second piston's skirt is showing signs of slapping and wear
what I see also the valve appears to have been red hot

I have read elsewhere that this is caused by the severe detonation force from lugging

all of these telltale signs indicate detonation

from rennlist
You lug an engine by opening the throttle wide, but at low rpm in a high gear. What happens is that big explosions occur in the combustion chambers, hammering the pistons, but unlike in a low gear or at high rpm, the piston can't move quickly. The effect is something like firing a cannon, but with the cannon ball jammed too hard in the barrel. It produces massive forces that the machinery is not designed for. The excessive force is transferred from pistons to rods to crank to transmission. Not good. Damage can include piston / barrel scuffing, bearing damage, etc.
Also at low rpm, oil pressure may be too low, which will quickly cause damage under the extreme stresses of engine lugging.

According to S&S here is what they have to say about the affects of lugging your engine.

"Lugging an engine means putting the engine under an extremely stressful load. A common way to lug an engine is to operate it at an extremely low rpm while the transmission is in a higher gear (for instance, leaving the transmission in fourth gear when it should be in second or third where engine speed is better matched to transmission speed). Lugging causes extreme stress between the rear thrust faces of each piston and the cylinder walls. Small bits of piston skirt can break away causing the rear surface to scuff. The best prevention for lugging an engine (either old or new) is to downshift to a lower gear where the engine runs more freely, and the transmission assists the engine in delivering peak power to the rear wheel."

all of these telltale signs indicate detonation

from rennlist
You lug an engine by opening the throttle wide, but at low rpm in a high gear. What happens is that big explosions occur in the combustion chambers, hammering the pistons, but unlike in a low gear or at high rpm, the piston can't move quickly. The effect is something like firing a cannon, but with the cannon ball jammed too hard in the barrel. It produces massive forces that the machinery is not designed for. The excessive force is transferred from pistons to rods to crank to transmission. Not good. Damage can include piston / barrel scuffing, bearing damage, etc.
Also at low rpm, oil pressure may be too low, which will quickly cause damage under the extreme stresses of engine lugging.

According to S&S here is what they have to say about the affects of lugging your engine.

"Lugging an engine means putting the engine under an extremely stressful load. A common way to lug an engine is to operate it at an extremely low rpm while the transmission is in a higher gear (for instance, leaving the transmission in fourth gear when it should be in second or third where engine speed is better matched to transmission speed). Lugging causes extreme stress between the rear thrust faces of each piston and the cylinder walls. Small bits of piston skirt can break away causing the rear surface to scuff. The best prevention for lugging an engine (either old or new) is to downshift to a lower gear where the engine runs more freely, and the transmission assists the engine in delivering peak power to the rear wheel."

 

pics prior to meltdown

 

crate motor or was it assembled? where was the timing set? we always get ULTIMA motors unassembled,check all clearances and assemble them in house. (I run a 127" in my personal bike too)

 

I seen a lot of issues in an engine, but have yet to witness what you have.
Was there not noises long prior to this occuring?
Usually when catostrophic engine issues of this arise, that piston and rod would be outside the cylinder.
Never have seen that before............wow.
Scott

 

I think the oil pump wasn't working. Maybe a key missing or sheared.

Looks like oil starvation, piston scuffed, got hot, skirt collapsed, stuck in cylinder then turned.

 

Looks like someone tried to decarb it by spraying water in the intake. Only problem was they thru a big slug in at 5600 rpm. Some people do strange things. I have a friend with a fairly new CVO Dana. We were standing out in front of a burger joint and he fired it up. Sat there an held the throttle wide open. The tac was bumping off the rev limiter. I was standing there rather startled. I personally do not want to be next to one that blows up. I ask him if he thought that might hurt it. He told me he does it all the time. That they are made to take it..?

 

your buddies a jerk

 

I wouldn't ride to close or stay near your buddy...............it's a matter of time, but he'll F*#K it up !

 

crate motor factory set timing..but was checked and correct