You're not gonna believe this one. Went to the parts store this afternoon and the car was running fine. Pulled away from a stop sign under normal throttle. Accelerated to about 45mph and suddenly-- a horrible grinding noise-- sounded like the engine was trying to turn inside out!! Immediately let off the gas and started looking for a place to pull over, didn't quite make it. Engine shut down on it's own. There was some smoke and the smell of oil. Car ground to a stop. Called the wife to come and tow it home. While waiting for her I looked under the hood and under the car. Huge puddle of oil under the car!! Nothing looks out of the ordinary in the engine compartment. It is dark outside by now so hard to see anything. Decided what the hell and tried to restart, engine turns over but sounds like lots of loose parts inside. And of course it wont start. What the hell happened?? I wasn't pushing hard and not under boost at all when it happened. This engine has less than 3k on rebuild (before I bought it). Where do I start to figure this one out. By the way it's an 86 GN............... Thanx for any inputs
This is not good!!!
- Thread starter airwolf
- Start date
Steve Wood
Active Member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2001
start at the hole the oil came out of. Sounds like a rod let go.
blackbuick87
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
Better find out who did the rebuild. Since it turns over it is probably not a snapped crank. If its a rod the block may or may not be scrap
Thanx guys, for the quick response and advice. Hope you're wrong but I know that won't be the case. My luck isn't that good! Oh well, time to move forward. I don't know much about these cars yet so I guess I'll use this as another learning experience. My biggest question is what would cause it to throw a rod?? It showed no symptoms, no strange noises, nothing!! Don't know who did the rebuild. Apparently not the right person! Would it be smart to just start from scratch and get it done right?? Sorry to make this so long but I'm pretty clueless here!!
blackbuick87
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
You need someone who knows what they are doing look at it before we can help you make a decision. Everything now is purely speculation until its apart
The Radius Kid
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2002
Yup,it's "drop the oil pan" time.
WHOAA!!! Major Bummer...
If you don't already know, there is a real good bunch of guys that will be more that willing to help you out in the OKC area. I'm in NE Oklahoma, so it's not quite as handy.
Go to www.okbuicks.com and send Steve Monroe or D**k Walker and e-mail. I have there phone #'s at home if you need them.
Great bunch of guys in the OKC chapter....they'll get you on the right path.
Good Luck,
John
If you don't already know, there is a real good bunch of guys that will be more that willing to help you out in the OKC area. I'm in NE Oklahoma, so it's not quite as handy.
Go to www.okbuicks.com and send Steve Monroe or D**k Walker and e-mail. I have there phone #'s at home if you need them.
Great bunch of guys in the OKC chapter....they'll get you on the right path.
Good Luck,
John
machinegun
Active Member
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
Without being there this is very hard to answer. You could have any number of things wrong from a snapped timing chain to a bad thrus bearing caused by a ballooned convertor. I would get in touch with some of your local turbo buick guys. They should be able to help you out to find the problem and the best solution.
Hey guys, here's what I see so far. I pulled the valve covers and found bent push rods on both rear cylinders And that was just the beginning. I then pulled the intake, that's when the fun really started. Found ground up chunks of metal under the intake!! Found three lifters missing, totally gone!! Also one push rod missing. Then looked through the hole where the lifter is supposed to be, guess what, no camshaft back there. It's sheared completely off just forward of the two rear cylinders. Looks like a freakin bomb went off in there. Tomorrow I'll pull the oil pan and see what falls out. Haven't gotten underneath yet to see where the hole is. I've blown up a few engines in my time but never seen anything like this!! I knew these cars are special but this takes the cake!! Oh well, life goes on. I'll probably post again tomorrow after I get the pan off. Should be interesting. Stay tuned!!
And that was just the beginning. I then pulled the intake, that's when the fun really started. Found ground up chunks of metal under the intake!! Found three lifters missing, totally gone!! Also one push rod missing. Then looked through the hole where the lifter is supposed to be, guess what, no camshaft back there. It's sheared completely off just forward of the two rear cylinders. Looks like a freakin bomb went off in there. Tomorrow I'll pull the oil pan and see what falls out. Haven't gotten underneath yet to see where the hole is. I've blown up a few engines in my time but never seen anything like this!! I knew these cars are special but this takes the cake!! Oh well, life goes on. I'll probably post again tomorrow after I get the pan off. Should be interesting. Stay tuned!!Originally posted by airwolf
Hey guys, here's what I see so far. I pulled the valve covers and found bent push rods on both rear cylinders
TR Custom Parts
Mark Hueffman - Owner
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
Wouldn't bother with taking it apart in the car. Might as well just yank it out of there and get it on a stand.
blackbuick87
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
You really need to find out what boob built this engine
Originally posted by airwolf
Hey guys, here's what I see so far. I pulled the valve covers and found bent push rods on both rear cylinders
THAT SUX!
Vendor Defendor
Out the window
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2002
Originally posted by airwolf
Hey guys, here's what I see so far. I pulled the valve covers and found bent push rods on both rear cylinders
yikes thats not cool, i was with a friend when he blew up one of his engine, a rod broke, it sent the cam through the intake, and a piston half way through the hood, it was scary....
-neil
Bob Avellar
Member
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
That's exactly what happened to my original 150,000 mile motor. Cam went out the back of the block, through the flywheel, and a rod went out of each side of the block. Car continued to run and got me home. Didn't run too bad on the remaining 4 cylinders.
blackbuick87
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
Yeah at that point you might as well keep going, there is nothing left to saveUpdate:
I pulled one of the heads to see what else was destroyed. Pulled only the drivers side. Rear piston is completely gone. The other two are full of ground up metal. Rear cylinder wall is blown out, hole about the size of a baseball. Found pieces of missing lifter blown through cylinder wall. This one is just a memory! Searching high and low for a new block. Considering an Lt1 v8 conversion( please don't smack me too hard!!) What do you guys think??
I pulled one of the heads to see what else was destroyed. Pulled only the drivers side. Rear piston is completely gone. The other two are full of ground up metal. Rear cylinder wall is blown out, hole about the size of a baseball. Found pieces of missing lifter blown through cylinder wall. This one is just a memory! Searching high and low for a new block. Considering an Lt1 v8 conversion( please don't smack me too hard!!)
What do you guys think??Dangit, I hate when the piston fairies come and steal pistons from under your heads in the middle of the night.
I think you'd be happier keeping the V6 Buick engine in there (both for power, exotica, and value of the car) but you gotta make YOU happy....so regardless of what everyone says, do what YOU want to do and dont look back.
I think you'd be happier keeping the V6 Buick engine in there (both for power, exotica, and value of the car) but you gotta make YOU happy....so regardless of what everyone says, do what YOU want to do and dont look back.
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