detonation (and preignition) sounds like marbles inside a jar, rattling around.
it can be from the mixture lighting off on its own or from leanness, too much timing, heat, C.R. being too high, low octane fuel, carbon build up in the chambers, etc.
prevention: to treat the symptom, you can back timing off or run more octane. those are the most common. keep the chambers clean.
what happens when you force a shrinking cylinder open....(force a compressing piston down).....the piston and rods (weakest link) take the brunt of the force...so sooner or later somethings gotta give....