fix it or get a rebuild?

[MY85pontiac]

my 85 GP has a 3.8 with 130,000+ miles on it. i just got back inside from doing some exploratory surgery on the engine and something interesting had put me into a rage. 1.) i have a broken bolt on the left side. its the bolt closest to the middle of the engine that goes through the bracket for both the PS and the air pump. 2.) there were two bolts missing below it and to the right of it that hold the brackets together. i took the two off the 4.1 and put those in. 3.) the PS brack bolt that goes on the outside of the head (right below the valve cover) was loose by anout 1/4". i did tighten that back up. there is nothing i can do with the broken bolt except extract it, drill it out and put a helicoil in OR.....i can put a rebuilt 3.8 from GM in the car.

i was thinking about doing this to begin with but not for another year or two. i wanted to wait on it a little while longer but i dont feel like swapping heads or trying to remove this broken bolt on my own, i'll probably wind up screwing this up (i've never extracted a broken bolt before and my one attempt before was a miserable failure.)


so what would YOU do? get the bolt taken out at a shop and stick with the engine? its not a bad engine it just has high miles on it and i want to keep this car for a long time and it is a daily driver so i have to think of reliability, which a rebuilt motor would give me, i take my chances with an older engine. it runs decently (could run better with a q-jet or a rebuilt dualjet) but seeps oil from the oil pan and rear main seal. or should i get a rebuilt motor? if i get a rebuilt motor i'll have to have a shop put it in. i cant do it at my house, i lack the tools and room to do it. i can get a loan or use a credit card for the motor and labor to put it in. i just know that for the money it would take me to have the bolt removed i might as well put it into having a rebuilt motor put in. either way i'll have to take it to a shop.


but i want you guys to tell me what you think. have it fixed or get a rebuilt motor?

 

[Ttype83]

Originally posted by MY85pontiac
but i want you guys to tell me what you think. have it fixed or get a rebuilt motor?

Call around and get some quotes for fixing it.
Save up for a rebuild using the mods to increase hp to 250.
Some work I will not do myself

 

[MY85pontiac]

you know i was thinking about that later after i posted this and i think i will. i'll have them put on the 4.1 intake and carb and do some other changes to it. i figure why not? they have to put all that stuff on the engine anyway so its like getting a free mod!

cant change the internals though, that will void the warranty and i do love warranties, blame my GF for that, she's the queen of warranties and extended warranties thus the lifetime warranty on the tranny.

im gonna start calling around to seehow much its gonna cost to have this done. i hope its not TOO much.

 

[fc227]

I put Seven engine's in my Olds , I think only twice was it was done inside a garage. Did them all Myself (had help from my brother, he has a front loader tractor use to lift the engine in and out of the car).

The last engine(the one in the car now) I rebuilt on my porch over the winter. I had to take the headers off to get it out the door .

There is nothing like rebuilding a engine that took you (me) 4 years to do the way I wanted. doing it all your self , doule & triple checking everything. Then turning that key for the first time and hear that engine come to life.


I layed in Snow , mud , rain. But alway's did it my self to save money . Plus I like the challange. BUT if you are not comfortable doing it your self , always bring it to a Pro.


Has for the broken bolt , did you try a easy out ?


I would probly rebuild it , But thats the way I am. Has long has the rest of the car is worth it.

 

[Audiowizard]

I have had a few broken bolts in the block before but I have drilled them out and re-tapped and installed a stud or another bolt. No need to pull engine just for that reason, just my .03 cents.

 

[b4black]

I'd try drilling it out. Sometimes they are much easier than you expect. You have nothing to loose. You can't make it worse. I'd start with a small bit and keep it centered. Then work up bigger and bigger till only the threads are left. Then dig them out.


Take the fan shroud off and you will have PLENTY of room.

 

[MY85pontiac]

i tried an ez out on a broken valve cover bolt, i broke the ez out.
i just dont trust myself enough to try it again. i also figure if i take it somewhere i can have them do a valve job on the heads and put in new springs and all that good stuff, i think it needs it.


which leads to the reason for pulling the engine. its not because of a bolt its because the engine is rather old and since i plan on keeping the car around for quite a while still, i think putting in a fresh engine wouldnt be a bad idea. i figure for the price of having the top end taken apart and having a bolt extracted and having the heads rebuilt i could just have a fresh rebuild put in. i think in the long run it would probably be worth it. i'm the kind of person that doesnt wait for the engine to blow up before doing something about it. i prefer planning my trips to the shop rather than letting the car dictate them to me.


on top of the bolt and having the heads rebuilt i'd want the oil pan gasket and the rear main seal replaced as well. both are leaking and the rear main seal leak is causing a burning smell on the crossover pipe and it hasnt done that before (anyone have a pre 81 TH-350 convertor cover????), so i think its getting worse. at least with a rebuild i can have a neoprene seal instead of a rope type seal. it will also give me a good opportunity to use fel-pros perma dry oil pan gasket. cork gaskets suck for keeping the oil in your engine (at least ive had nothing but bad luck with them). so there are other things besides a broken bolt that i have to factor in here.


i dont have the time or space to rebuild it myself and thats why im leaning towards just buying a rebuilt engine from AC Delco. the car is driven daily and i cant afford the down time period. maybe a day or two but machine work alone would take a week or two. i know people who wait months to have work done. i dont have that much time.