What do?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 261
Likes: 73
From: Atlanta Georgia
What do?
So... just got some awful news.
Somehow a bolt got into my motor and destroyed a cylinder, along with a crack in the block.
Any idea what the car is worth in this state? I'm a bit lost at the moment.
Somehow a bolt got into my motor and destroyed a cylinder, along with a crack in the block.
Any idea what the car is worth in this state? I'm a bit lost at the moment.
Popular Reply
Feb 12, 2020, 01:26 PM
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,093
Likes: 4,017
From: New Braunfels Texas
I am assuming the engine is a 350/200 L-48. You could go roller cam, Trick Flow 175cc "camelback" heads, a nice intake and carb setup and have a real runner......
By the time you buy the LS engine, the mounts, headers, flywheel, exhaust, electric fuel pump and system as well as the corresponding electronics to run it all....you will be north of $5000 easy.....THEN you have to get someone to wire the EFI and tune it........
The internet idiots and magazine hype make it sound like installing an LS is a weekend job.....not by a long shot. Sure they make great power.....but if it isn't done perfectly with outstanding attention to detail throughout......the car will decrease value......
Rebuild the 350.....even stroke it to 383 if you want but it came out of that hole so stick it back in.
Now back to the bolt.......it either damaged the I or E valve going in.......my money is on the intake.......
Jebby
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,095
Likes: 213
From: The Buckle of the Bible Belt. Joplin Mo
Lots of Corvettes with crate engines. Curious where the bolt came from, and how it found its way in.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
That is very unfortunate news. Only you know how the bolt got there. Sorry to hear it though. Many people, and I guess I am one of them, value a nice new crate engine in a car and you can get such nice performance from them. If you have to replace then replace, and never look back.
Good luck with your decision.
David
Good luck with your decision.
David
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 261
Likes: 73
From: Atlanta Georgia
I honestly have no clue how the bolt got in there. I do the work on the car (mostly) but I just did have some work done. Regardless, the bolt was a header bolt (?????) that got in. Only strange thing is the headers were installed 2 months or so ago. Guess I'm going with the crate motor option... sucks because this WAS a new crate motor. My 100k mile original one gave up back in April.
Last edited by M4A3E2; Feb 11, 2020 at 02:02 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
Not a header bolt. Post a pic of the bolt. And what work was just done. And year of car, type engine, and pic of vin stamp in front of right head. Looks like it is a 68 to 72. Makes it fairly valuable even with trashed engine. Give you 500 bucks right now. Hell, I tried!!
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,268
Likes: 374
From: Randolph nj
The only way it got in there is from the exhaust someone dropped it down the header and it got sucked back in when you down shifted heavy there’s no way it got past the valves I don’t think it would open that much ... just speculating 🤔
Racer
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 411
Likes: 232
From: central Florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
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This header bolt was somehow dropped inside the header pipe 2 months ago and has been riding around since then? Now, it gets sucked back up, through the collector, up 28 inches or so of primary tube, past the exhaust valve and into the chamber? How much vacuum does it take to lift a bolt 28 inches?
Me thinks there is more to this story. It's more likely that it was riding around in the intake manifold, resting in a groove or notch until it came dislodged and found its way to an intake valve. Intake valve hit it and bent, allowing it to pass into the chamber. That's when things got ugly. It is a header bolt, or a small head intake bolt?
Got a pic of the intake valve on that chamber?
Me thinks there is more to this story. It's more likely that it was riding around in the intake manifold, resting in a groove or notch until it came dislodged and found its way to an intake valve. Intake valve hit it and bent, allowing it to pass into the chamber. That's when things got ugly. It is a header bolt, or a small head intake bolt?
Got a pic of the intake valve on that chamber?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 261
Likes: 73
From: Atlanta Georgia
Alas, I'm just going off what my mechanic texted me along with the photos. All in all, I find this entire situation to be INCREDIBLY strange and almost impossible. I can get a picture? But I don't have any on hand. Honestly, havent even seen the damage in person, as along with other things in my life, I'm too beaten down right now to go view my car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,450
Likes: 1,478
From: Little Rock AR
Looks like a header bolt. Block is trashed.
Hard to fit that big bolt past an intake valve.........Maybe went in thru the spark plug hole?
Piston came up and bent the bolt. Witness mark on the piston top.
Hard to fit that big bolt past an intake valve.........Maybe went in thru the spark plug hole?
Piston came up and bent the bolt. Witness mark on the piston top.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 34,453
Likes: 665
From: Republic of Texas
If you are determined to sell the car, you are probably better off installing a cheap long block and selling it verses selling without an engine.
Without the ability of a test drive you will get low balled because the potential buyer can not check the status of the transmission, rear end, suspension, steering, etc.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 278
From: Olmsted Falls, Ohio
My bet is for down the carb and into the intake manifold. It would not have to make it past the valve to cause damage. If just a edge of the bolt caught the valve it would destroy the valve and all the crap would drop into the cylinder to cause more damage. Whatever the reason, it is sloppy mechanics.
If I was offering to by the car with a destroyed engine still in it I would have to deduct at least $7-8 from the value of before damage.Yes, I know what a lowball crate engine can cost. But why would anyone buy one of those. Plus you got the labor of pulling the engine and dropping a new one in. Even if I would do it myself, I would sure as h.... figure my time was worth something.
If I was offering to by the car with a destroyed engine still in it I would have to deduct at least $7-8 from the value of before damage.Yes, I know what a lowball crate engine can cost. But why would anyone buy one of those. Plus you got the labor of pulling the engine and dropping a new one in. Even if I would do it myself, I would sure as h.... figure my time was worth something.
Last edited by KenSny; Feb 11, 2020 at 05:38 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 278
From: Olmsted Falls, Ohio
Maybe, maybe not. You have not told us how long the engine ran after the work was done.
Doubt if you would see any throttle difference because a bolt was sitting in the manifold. It might have dropped down the second you opened the throttle baldes.
Doubt if you would see any throttle difference because a bolt was sitting in the manifold. It might have dropped down the second you opened the throttle baldes.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 53,958
Likes: 9,345
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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I honestly have no clue how the bolt got in there. I do the work on the car (mostly) but I just did have some work done. Regardless, the bolt was a header bolt (?????) that got in. Only strange thing is the headers were installed 2 months or so ago. Guess I'm going with the crate motor option... sucks because this WAS a new crate motor. My 100k mile original one gave up back in April.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 53,958
Likes: 9,345
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist