He thinks it's a stupid one but that's the better way you can learn, reading and asking what you don't know. To avoid that just don't use stupid, incoherent, silly.... adjectives in post title.
Going to the engine, I remember narain crash in china 2005, i'm not sure if it was a side one but it may help to answer your question
It can be damaged but the engine and chassis are not connected as stiff as possible but to enable that engine brakes away from the chassis under heavy crash. It is of no importance if it is damaged or not since such crash already kills chances for any result.
There was one year at Monza where John Watson crashed at the Lezmos and, probably with mild concussion, sat their trying to start the engine again, which he didn't know was in two peices on the other side of the racetrack. His carbon fibre tub didn't have a scratch, although the impact managed to split his gearbox and crankcase in half.
Murphy's 9th Law of Technology:
Tell a man there are 300 million stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he'll have to touch to be sure.
So you guys mean there is a 50% chance that the impact can crush the engine? And 50% that the engine will not be crushed? I don't pay attention into crashes so I don't know much.
It is enough that radiator leaks a bit duet to side impact or that exhaust manifold starts blowing a bit into sidepod and it will lead to overheating and death of engine.
The exhaust gases are from the inside of an engine, assuming the outside is made of the same material, it should survive, no? Plus, if the engine stalls or has been switched off, the flow of exhausts stops so I don't think there's much potential for heat damage.
There was a NASCAR crash a few years back involving Mike Harmon. He was at Bristol(best small track ever built) and he hit a small opening that was for emergency vehicle access to the track. The wall had that tiny little opening, and wouldn't you know it, he hit that very spot dead on. It split the car completely in half all the way to the rear end. He had not a single scratch on him. It was awesome.
f1 cars dont have bonnets...and stop being a post whore again...for the third time
Simon: Nils? You can close in now. Nils?
John McClane: [on the guard's phone] Attention! Attention! Nils is dead! I repeat, Nils is dead, ----head. So's his pal, and those four guys from the East German All-Stars, your boys at the bank? They're gonna be a little late.
Simon: [on the phone] John... in the back of the truck you're driving, there's $13 billon dollars worth in gold bullion. I wonder would a deal be out of the question?
John McClane: [on the phone] Yeah, I got a deal for you. Come out from that rock you're hiding under, and I'll drive this truck up your ass.
