This is why you should stop your engine if you land in a gravel pit

[Megaflea]

Just a quick one to help you save your engine.
One of my customers ended up in the gravel on a track session and his car started to run like crap. He carried on despite the spluttering and poor performance.
By time he got home the car barely ran.

Here's what I found
(Stone had got into the timing belt cover and danced with the sprockets)


Timing was out on both cams by roughly 20degrees .


If you hit the gravel and stall best to wait for recovery.

Fortunately new belt kits and retimed no serious damage done.

 

[DSee]

I did this at Donington... never again.

 

[PhillipM]

For our offroad stuff you either make an ally cover that's clamped together and completely sealed, or you leave them wide open with just a couple of stone shields so that anything that gets in goes straight back out - anything in between is big trouble.