Blew the motor

[LETZRIDE]

alright, heres the story for those of you who haven't read already. Went to the track today had two runs that the car refused to shift out of 2nd (even if I let off and went back on)...on the 2nd run (3rd of the day) I popped the motor. I heard it the moment I came around to collect my time slip...took a quick look at the scans and I was getting 15* of knock across the board steady anytime I was on the pedal. Pulled the car off, popped the hood. When I rev the car up it sounded like a marble was loose inside the engine...oil had a bunch of sparkly metal pieces on the dip stick. I knew she was done for, so I tried to limp her home...on the highway about 25k from the house I hear the knocking get alot louder...all of a sudden she goes clunk clunk clunk BOOM...shuts down, and she's dead at exactly 4:19pm.

Questions:

1) is there anyway that my cam might be damaged from this? what about springs/retainers/lifters, etc?

2) I'm assuming my heads should be ok, except with the possibility of a valve or 2, depending on what went in the motor?

3) Next...what are my options at this point? I know I've read about guys being able to swap in L36, L32, L67, and L26 short blocks? Can someone quickly clarify for me which ones are good towards an NA build? I know L36, and possibly L32 and L26? (not sure if those are s/c motors or not?

4) the object is to replace the motor as cheaply as possible...I'm tight on funds right now, however, I do have the other camaro I can drive until someone buys it...so what should I be looking at doing while replacing the shortblock that would help me out? My goals are to run a low 12, high 11 N/A...I'd love to do a stroker, but the price range is unrealistic...can I have anything done to the stock crank that would allow it to act as a mini-stroker?

Sorry for any stupid question...not exactly thinking straight at the moment...was not anticipating blowing the engine, so I am not in the slightest prepared for anything...Any help/advice is appreciated. Thanks guys.

[cam98aro]

Re: Blew the motor

1. i would take a good look at the cam journals to make sure they didnt get scratched from metal particles. your upper valvetrain should be fine IMO

2. its hard to tell you, you will find out when you start to tear into the engine

3. ???

4. you cant do anything to the stock crank to make a "mini stroker"

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Blew the motor

1. i would take a good look at the cam journals to make sure they didnt get scratched from metal particles. your upper valvetrain should be fine IMO

2. its hard to tell you, you will find out when you start to tear into the engine

3. ???

4. you cant do anything to the stock crank to make a "mini stroker"

Basically, I'm looking to replace the motor/shortblock. I know there are several interchangable motors that are all pretty much the same thing, except there is a difference with compression ratio, and strength in the rods etc...I'm looking to stay N/A...my goals with my car are to take it into the 12's and hopefully maybe even 11's stayin N/A...so what should I be looking for? and what should I be changing in that shortblock while it is out of the car...?

[cam98aro]

Re: Blew the motor

Basically, I'm looking to replace the motor/shortblock. I know there are several interchangable motors that are all pretty much the same thing, except there is a difference with compression ratio, and strength in the rods etc...I'm looking to stay N/A...my goals with my car are to take it into the 12's and hopefully maybe even 11's stayin N/A...so what should I be looking for? and what should I be changing in that shortblock while it is out of the car...?

im sorry, i just meant i didnt know the answer

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Blew the motor

got it...no problem, thanks for the other answers...now, when I heard the boom and the car shut off...it coasted fine as if I had just shut the car off...what likely shut the car down? (I'm really hoping that it is not because a valve and piston decided it would be nice to connect with each other) any ideas? I can't touch the car for probably about a week, so I'm trying to price out what I think I might end up needing, and trying to get things all lined up, then as I investigate I got everything lined up and I can decide easier...

[thedetailman]

Re: Blew the motor

http://www.ftpp.net/V6InterEngine.htm


Being that your only wanting to do this N/A the engine is going to have to be built with the strength of per say, a grand national motor.
Your going to need a much stronger rod and piston for a na build for 11/12 seconds.

the link at the top is highly recommended by me.
the domed pistons and a manly rod if you can get them if not then a set of eagles.
the pistons along with YOUR heads should be great.
should give you around 10.1 compresssion or higher.

[transamtom1]

Re: Blew the motor

Mike low oil pressure probably shut your engine down,your check gauges light should have come on if the computer sees zero oil pressure it stalls.

Same thing happened to my LT1,hopefully your damage isn't as catastrophic as mine was.

Your connecting rod could possibly hit your cam if it broke,if your cam broke you can mess up the valvetrain.

It happened to me, a rod through the block,cam broke in three,one piece of cam exited out the rear of the block cracking my flex plate damaging my converter,bent two valves.

I knew it was real bad right away,I didn't need to wait for the teardown.

Good luck with the rebuild.

[flamingchicken]

Re: Blew the motor

im not sure how it is in canada but here i was able to buy a 2008 series 3 long block for $850. i had to change out everything, which meant i tore the engine down to the short block, and put all the accessories on the series 3. oh, and i failed to mention the engine had 11,000 miles on it. runs like a champ.

it sounds to me like you spun a bearing which wollowed out the journal. running it just created more problems and you more than likely slung the rod, and created more havoc. worst case i believe would be the crank of course needs to be turned at least two steps, new rod/rods, bearings. now comes the worst part, either one of two things could have happened, the rod probably ruined the cyl. wall, or the rod journal ruined the cyl wall. either way worst case the block is effed.

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Blew the motor

awesommmmme...my check engine lights didnt come on...I was monitoring oil pressure and it was actually at normal levels the whole time...then all of a sudden it sounded like something just broke under the car and gave way....

[flamingchicken]

Re: Blew the motor

i just read the part about what type of engines. i put the fwd engine out of a buick lacern. have you pulled the dip stick?

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Blew the motor

im not sure how it is in canada but here i was able to buy a 2008 series 3 long block for $850. i had to change out everything, which meant i tore the engine down to the short block, and put all the accessories on the series 3. oh, and i failed to mention the engine had 11,000 miles on it. runs like a champ.

it sounds to me like you spun a bearing which wollowed out the journal. running it just created more problems and you more than likely slung the rod, and created more havoc. worst case i believe would be the crank of course needs to be turned at least two steps, new rod/rods, bearings. now comes the worst part, either one of two things could have happened, the rod probably ruined the cyl. wall, or the rod journal ruined the cyl wall. either way worst case the block is effed.

see, to me I don't mind if the bottom end is toast...it is cheaper for me to get a short block and swap everything over...probably faster to. Worst case scenario for me is the heads are gonzo...if the cam is shot, it's not the end of the world...my valvetrain like my springs and such should be fine...so I would likely just possibly need a new cam if that got damaged...if the heads are damaged I need to really think about things...and I need to seriously consider if both the cam and heads are damaged....I can't go back to a stock engine and start fresh having to buy everything over again...I'll loose my mind lol.

Transamtom mentioned that when things went sour on his LT1, it also cracked his flexplate and grenaded his converter.

^ if all that is toast on mine, it might be easier for me to look for an LS1 swap, atleast I'd be back to 13's...if the damage is only to the shortblock then I would love to stay with a v6...I'm determined to getter down to 12's N/A...

lastly, what car did you find your motor out of? Newest 3.8L I knew of was the 2005 lesabres...I found one (not sure if they still have it) that has 2,500 miles on it for $402 (I'm thinking it's probably just the short block though, I need to call to see)

Btw, thanks for the link detailman

[cam98aro]

Re: Blew the motor

Mike low oil pressure probably shut your engine down,your check gauges light should have come on if the computer sees zero oil pressure it stalls.

Same thing happened to my LT1,hopefully your damage isn't as catastrophic as mine was.

Your connecting rod could possibly hit your cam if it broke,if your cam broke you can mess up the valvetrain.

It happened to me, a rod through the block,cam broke in three,one piece of cam exited out the rear of the block cracking my flex plate damaging my converter,bent two valves.

I knew it was real bad right away,I didn't need to wait for the teardown.

Good luck with the rebuild.

97-02 f bodies will NOT shut down due to low oil pressure.

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Blew the motor

i just read the part about what type of engines. i put the fwd engine out of a buick lacern. have you pulled the dip stick?

dipstick is full of tiny sparkles....

[ssms5411]

Re: Blew the motor

Go with a L26 NA engine if you go that way , about $650 shipped or about $400-500 from local scrap yard. Good luck to you Mike.

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Blew the motor

if the cam is damaged, I think I want to go to something more aggressive..what would be something like a race cam that I could run on this engine?