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Went to Dallas this last weekend to procure a C3 corvette for a project. Since there weren't many (or any) C3's with a manual, ac, and decent body work in the Houston area the girlfriend and i found a few in the DFW a to take a look at and visit a friend in the process and see a bit of Dallas, a rather decent weekend actually.
Cutting to the chase we found what we thought to be a diamond in the rough, with some kinks to work out.
Here she is:
Awesome: 1979 L82, 4-speed, Blue metallic exterior, white leather interior, factory AC thought we were good!
So we put it through the paces and determine we can make it Houston since it was the guys daily driver. Mind you he did not go to far, he was in school and was an electrical engineer ... RED FLAG lol. Me and the GF are both Mechanical engineers and very into the automotive scene, had a feeling about this.
So we bought it put a bit of oil in the engine for good measure and begin our 3.5 hour drive back to Houston.
Bit of a scary drive, was getting hot up near 80 MPH and it was HOT outside, so had to keep it near 65-70, and inexplicably the oil pressure was a bit low mid dial was 40 it was leaning towards 20 psi. Got myself pretty scorched with the t's off and the hot sun beating down on me driving for several hours (Ac not functional)
60 miles north of the outskirts of Houston.... POP Grind Hiss...
Plume of white smoke engulfs the car and im dead in the water on the side of the road.
sunday wrecker
No mo go for this baby... As icing on the cake the entirety of the coolant has been drained out of the right exhaust ..
Damnit
Needless to say we have some problems... Got it home and put in the garage with its counterpart (my 2011 ss) (this is technically my GF's baby lol) And now the engine teardown and real assessment begins!! will update as we go.
..... he was in school and was an electrical engineer ... RED FLAG lol. Me and the GF are both Mechanical engineers and very into the automotive scene, had a feeling about this.
HAHAHA!
Chemical engineer here.
Can't trust those EE's. Booksmart, don't know one end of a wrench from the other.
HAHAHA!
Chemical engineer here.
Can't trust those EE's. Booksmart, don't know one end of a wrench from the other.
More pics of GF
Same with most chemical engineers lol. Mechanical engineer is best engineer.
Here's what my parents driveway looked like after I dropped my '75 off after buying it 5 miles away. Thankfully it was just a blown line at the radiator. Attachment 48366541
Over the last couple days we've been taken the engine apart to see what the damage is...
First of all the alternator was basicall hanging on by a thread... not a good sign... But we are getting there most of the accessories taken off.
Then we get the valve covers off and the real fun begins!!
****
Looking under the car and there is also a rod just ever so gently bashed thru the oil pan..
What are we thinking here ? Timing chain?
Regardless the call has been made for a buddies engine lift and mount.. its gonna be a bit more $$ then previously thought !! lol
Im thinking one of two scenarios
1)Judging by the rocker arm being off.. dropped valve (could be thanks to a wiped cam lobe, broken tip on pushrod, collapsed lifter) said valve then hits top of piston and as connecting rod can't go up.. it goes sideways taking out the oil pan and the piston probably did some damage to the cylinder wall into the water jacket (hence the coolant in the exhaust)
or b) cylinder heat gasket pops, puts coolant into the combustion chamber, which goes out the exhaust, the added cylinder pressure pushes the rod out sidways and probably bends the valve.
sorry to say..I thyink its a lot more than a timing chain.
Im thinking one of two scenarios
1)Judging by the rocker arm being off.. dropped valve (could be thanks to a wiped cam lobe, broken tip on pushrod, collapsed lifter) said valve then hits top of piston and as connecting rod can't go up.. it goes sideways taking out the oil pan and the piston probably did some damage to the cylinder wall into the water jacket (hence the coolant in the exhaust)
or b) cylinder heat gasket pops, puts coolant into the combustion chamber, which goes out the exhaust, the added cylinder pressure pushes the rod out sidways and probably bends the valve.
sorry to say..I thyink its a lot more than a timing chain.
Thanks for the thoughts. I originally thought head gasket myself. Only time will tell once we get it taken apart if the block is even salvageable.
So we put it through the paces and determine we can make it Houston since it was the guys daily driver. Mind you he did not go to far, he was in school and was an electrical engineer ... RED FLAG lol. Me and the GF are both Mechanical engineers and very into the automotive scene, had a feeling about this.
Hey, watch it!! I was an EE early in my career before moving to the dark side, more lucrative. Been turning wrenches long before going to college. During college the EE's had to take ME courses and vice versa. Thermodynamics was never my thing nor were electrical courses to the ME's...
Sorry to hear of your misfortune, happens. I had my 70 for only a month when I noticed my oil pressure went to 0 after a spirited run onto the highway. A lifter retainer had come loose, got into the oil pump, jamming the pump, snapping the shaft. I ended up having to buy a new crankshaft from the dealer. Reconditioned cranks for a 454 were hard to come by at that time. As they say, **** happens...
You have a chance to make things right with the engine. Best of luck with your rebuild.
Hey, watch it!! I was an EE early in my career before moving to the dark side, more lucrative. Been turning wrenches long before going to college. During college the EE's had to take ME courses and vice versa. Thermodynamics was never my thing nor were electrical courses to the ME's...
Sorry to hear of your misfortune, happens. I had my 70 for only a month when I noticed my oil pressure went to 0 after a spirited run onto the highway. A lifter retainer had come loose, got into the oil pump, jamming the pump, snapping the shaft. I ended up having to buy a new crankshaft from the dealer. Reconditioned cranks for a 454 were hard to come by at that time. As they say, **** happens...
You have a chance to make things right with the engine. Best of luck with your rebuild.
No offense intended, I'm sure there are 1 or 2 mechanically minded EE's out there LOL
Yea **** indeed happens and this will be a great story when we have it rebuilt but at the moment it sucks! Thanks cheers
If you see evidence of a rod kissing anything you are looking at a complete engine. That rocker arms off is not a good sign either. I would say a dropped valve and then it got stuffed in the cylinder and broke the rod. I'm afraid you won't find much good in there.
On the upside a complete new engine with HP upgrade should make the GF happy! Probably not your wallet but nobody ever said women or Corvettes are cheap!
If you see evidence of a rod kissing anything you are looking at a complete engine. That rocker arms off is not a good sign either. I would say a dropped valve and then it got stuffed in the cylinder and broke the rod. I'm afraid you won't find much good in there.
On the upside a complete new engine with HP upgrade should make the GF happy! Probably not your wallet but nobody ever said women or Corvettes are cheap!
"but nobody ever said women or Corvettes are cheap!" the truth!
I'm assuming the engine is gone unfortunately, not really hoping for any miracles in there. I've already been pricing out some rebuilt/refurbed 350s. Looking to find a local shop here in Houston that might have something for a decent price.
I just want to compliment you on how well you seem to be taking all of this.
My thread would have been titled "I'm about to kill everyone I see and this is why".
Way to take it like a champ. Great looking car. Much luck.
I just want to compliment you on how well you seem to be taking all of this.
My thread would have been titled "I'm about to kill everyone I see and this is why".
Way to take it like a champ. Great looking car. Much luck.
Nick
Much appreciated! I have already had gone thru the 5 stages of loss lol its on to acceptance and beast building now!
When life gives you a lemon, rip out its faulty guts and put something better in it (or insert any other terrible pun on lemons lol)
Plus, this was supposed to be a project car... just got more than we bargained for. .. but I tell ya I'm gonna learn everything there is to know about these type of engines from this experience. I mean i had to do like a day of research on how to remove the distributor cause i didn't know how to time it properly when i had to put it back in .... (not that it matters now but u get the picture)
Working on a modern LS engine with all new clean shiny bolts and quick write-ups for every procedure on every corner of the internet is a world apart from this 36 year old L-82.
07-29-2015, 12:30 PM
My corvette almost made it home...
Thanks for the thoughts. I originally thought head gasket myself. Only time will tell once we get it taken apart if the block is even salvageable.
