Worst case scenario?

Msg from Garry Kemp - Engine builder -following Freescan analysis from Dermot..

"I am sorry to say I think your engine may have suffered quite a bit of damage from the detonation; 1000 incidences of detonation is very serious. High speed det - which it looks like it is (Dermot has ID'd 6000rpm as a particularly lean area), is horendously damaging to engines. The inside of your combustion chambers and the tops of piston will almost certainly be damaged - the alloy will quite likely be eaten away. To be honest I am surprised it has held together. The big end bearings also typically get wiped out due to the shock loadings of the detonation - which the oil film just can't withstand.

High engine temps and a lean condition are a dangerous combination and it appears that yours has been functioning like that for some time; to make it worse it's been driven hard at the same time. The non-functioning chargecooler will have elevated the inlet temps; the fact you only had partial throttle opening may have prevented the secondary injectors triggering, which may have caused the lean condition and the high exhaust gas temps.

I suspect there may be some problems with the engine; these are likely ones:

The high cylinder temps will have taken their toll on the exhaust valves and valve seats; I suspect errosion of the valve-seat faces. Above about 800 degrees the valve and valve seat start to weld themselves together,when the valve opens they start to pull pieces out of each other. This then reduces the heat transfer from the valve into the seat - about 70% of the heat in the exhaust valve is transmitted to the engine coolant through the valve seat. So the next problem is the exhaust valve starts to run even hotter - this creates two further problems: above 8-900 degrees the creep strength of the steel in the valve reduces dramatically and the chances of the valve head falling off becomes very real. The other problem is that the very hot exhaust valve tends to become a source of secondary ignition; so the incidences of detonation become more frequent.

High speed detonation will probably be occuring near the exhaust valve due to the high valve temperature - so I suspect the pistons will be getting eaten away near the exhaust side - probably down the side near the top ring groove. The head may also be getting eaten away very close to the head gasket fire ring; again probably near the exhaust side. The alloy around the exhaust valve seats also tends to get eaten away; ultimately they can fall out - triggering the end.

The little end and big end bearings also tend to take a beating; so while they may still be intact I suspect they will have suffered accelerated wear as a consequence of the detonation.

I wish I could give you better news, but I would suggest not driving the car until the chargecooler and ECM issues are resolved. I would also see if you can get a bore scope into the chambers soon; or whip the head off and see how it looks in there. If your engine lets go at high revs it could lock up and spit you off the track; it has to be worth checking out before you drive the car again."

bu**er !!!