mfeusaf

Sorry for the long post,
So I bought a 1980 L48 AT less than a month ago. The guy I bought it from just drove it, never worked on it, I don't even think he changed the oil. I got it for a steal and took it home and did a full tune up. plugs, wires, flushed and serviced oil, (pensoil 30w) air filter, etc. Reset carb, (waaay rich) and timed the engine, (way off, was set at about 3*) everything seemed to run smoothly. took it on a long trip (500mi) to shake out any gremlins.
On the return from the trip, about 300 miles into the trip, there was a ticking, sounded like noisy valves, but was out of the norm. So I slowed down to about 60MPH to get a better listen. Was looking for the next exit when the ticking got louder, fast. It sounded to me like a spun rod bearing, but the engine quickly started to overheat (while coasting to a stop, within 1/4 of a mile) so I cut the engine off and pulled over.
I am waiting to get a transport to bring it back to GA so I can pull the Engine.

Any guesses? I plan on taking pictures while pulling engine to find the exact culprit.
All fluid levels looked good before I left back home, I was only 50 mile into the return trip.
The suspense is killing me

garygnu

time for a new engine .hopefully you can use the block ,and maybe build a 383 or a 396 .

mfeusaf

Im very much hoping to salvage the block, but if it was a rod bearing im sure it jacked up the crank. hmmmm.. rotating assy for a stroker kit is only around $600 on ebay......

BlackC3vette

What did the oil pressure gauge read?

7t9l82

didn't have zinc in the oil did you?

SinnerZ06

If you lost oil pressure it could have certainly been a bearing. Spun bearing + no oil = overheat. Or, your pump died, you lost pressure, and spun a bearing due to that. Either way, no good!

jnealg

What part of GA? keep us updated but I would look at this as an opportunity

scrappy76

You said ticking not knocking, am I correct. If it was ticking that got louder and turning into a clatter, then the engine was over heating, like as if the water pump went out, thermostat stuck, head gasket blew, fan belt broke, sprung a leak and didnt notice. any of these should have set off the temp gauge if working. Now if it was a knock that got louder, then thats when oil starvation took over and spun bearings pursued, causing a rod knock. also could have have had a wrist pin go bad. You will soon find out.

Easy Mike

Open it up and take a look.

rcread

My money is on ecoterrorists.

widowmaker221

You said you "flushed and serviced the oil". If you did a motor flush they are famous for clogging the oil pump pickup? That's my guess!

persuader

Using any kind of engine flush on an old engine is just looking for trouble. I would be be willing to make a bet that that stuff caused all kinds of crap to wash down into the pan and cause the oil pickup screen to get blocked off or submerged in crud. I have seen many a engine destroyed in this way. If the motor does not knock or tick than you now the saying', If it aint broke….
Hate to say it but it sounds like you fried the bearings when the pump pickup clogged. Once the ticking and or knocking starts, the damage is done.

Kacyc3

agreed

Scottd

How HOT did it get? If you were below 240, I wouldnt panic yet. Although you probably fried it, Ill tell you a little story....
Years ago I replaced a cam on a Dodge 318. I was young and this was my first V8, and I had no one to teach me. Anyways, I knocked a bunch of crap into the oil pan and didnt think much of it. I buttoned the car up, took it for a drive and after 10 minutes started getting real bad valve chatter. Pulled over, inspected everything, started the car...everything was fine for another 10 minutes.....then the valves started ticking again.
When I explained this to a guy at a parts store, he told me all the crap was slowly being sucked into the oil pickup, and then falling off when I turned the engine off. I took his advice, pulled the pan and cleaned it out ( to include a bunch of sludge, several carbon chips, two screws and the ring from twist off oil cap-the part that usually stays on the bottle) I put it all together and the car ran for another 35,000 miles until I sold it.

Sooooo....maybe you didnt fry everything. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

mfeusaf

I didn't get a chance to look at the oil press.. But when I "flushed" the oil I just added a qt of fresh oil and let it drain before putting plug in and refilling.. No weird additives.
Oil starvation sounds like it fits the bill though.
The car is still in SC, I'm hoping to pick it up by Tuesday, then I can start pulling things apart.

scrappy76

So your saying you did not use any type of flush stuff. Thats a good thing if you didnt all that stuff does is break gunked up oil lose and then all the broken up particles start clogging up every passage and also the oil pickup screen. So still curious to know, was it ticking and then clattering, or was it knocking ?

mfeusaf

No flush stuff.. I think the first thing I'm going to do is pull the oil pan and look at the pump and rod bearings. At first it was a top end tick, then got louder quick in the bottom end. I just hope I shut it down before it tore much up..

scrappy76

The ticking to knocking is definately oil starvation process. no oil at the valve, they start ticking, then no oil at the bearings = rod bearing knock. Pump went out or pickup screen got clogged. if you caught it quick enough, a replacement of the pump and rod bearings could be all you will need. Not sure about the cam though.

63mako

When it was ticking, then knocking you didn't look at the oil pressure guage? Did you check the temperature guage? If the answer is no then my guess is the car had a loose nut behind the wheel that cased the problem.

BlackC3vette

I am thinking that not everyone is the age hardened, cold, analytical machine that some of us are.