Cracked block
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8
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From: Houston(Fort Bend County)
Cracked block
My 1993 LT1 with 75,000 miles on it has a cracked block. It sat, driven sparingly, from 2006-2011. Since I've had it(two years) I have put 10k miles on it, it has never overheated running in the 220-230 degree range in city and cruised between 190-200 degree range on highway. I had fun with it but never pushed it beyond 3000 rpm while in sixth gear. Anyone have insight on this as I am at a lost for words and about $3000 at this point....
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
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From: Gay WV
I don't know where your from,but Have you ever checked the antifreeze?,I may have been really weak,but I would think if that were the case I would think that it would have boiled over at 220-230..Are you sure that it's not freeze plug, head,or intake related?..Good Luck.
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8
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From: Houston(Fort Bend County)
Well, this is the most dependable opinion i can trust in, he is has undeniable knowledge with vehicles and also has a c4. He and my dad used to ride together so he also knows the car, maintained it since 1997 when my dad got it. This opinion is gold. Just wondering if anyone else heard of this and if anyone knows whether sitting for five years may have led to this. I know I didnt dog the car, u know 
Drifting
Joined: May 2012
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From: Mechanicsburg PA
Central PA Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
For myself personally... just hearing that statement of a cracked block without any corroborating signs or clues of evidence still is implying a second opinion. If it came from my mechanic... I need to see something to prove that statement.
What happened... water in the oil?
What happened... water in the oil?
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Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
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From: Gay WV
If it's not leaking externley ,and you actually see a crack,or if you tore it down,and saw a crack(most likely above the lifters),then the coolant could be coming from any of the sources that have been mentioned in this thread....I have seen a few cracked blocks in my time,one was a 318 in an old car I bought as a kid,The people I got it from had straight water in it and it froze..The other was on an inline 232 jeep motor that I got from a junk yard,it was on the outside.I found it while cleaning the motor off..I took it back,and got another one and it was a great motor..I know a guy that bought a tractor cheap that had some kind of crack,or broken spot on the motor,and he welded,or braized it he still uses it as far as I know.
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8
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From: Houston(Fort Bend County)
As far as signs, the last time a drove it was on NFL wild card weekend, easy to remember. It produced heavy white smoke when sitting at idle. I was heading out on a 1.5 hour fun run to watch football at my moms house. On the way out it started, made it to the freeway then decided to turn around, the heavy white smoke appeared at every stop light and the engine shook pretty bad before I parked it in garage. It never started again. It tried to turn once after adding fuel treatment, it has been dormant ever since. Never had any issues until that day. Even drove it from Houston to New Orleans back in September 2012 with know issues.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,691
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From: Phoenix Arizona
So it sounds like you lost a head gasket, or possibly a cracked HEAD. The odds for it being a cracked block....1 in 100. One of the reasons for the LT1 going to reverse cooling is the propensity of Iron block/aluminum head engines to blow head gaskets. The two metals expand and contract at different rates causing them to scrub against the head gaskets. Leaving coolant in the oil for extended periods of time is a recipe for bearing failure down the road.
Drifting
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,336
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From: Mechanicsburg PA
Central PA Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
So it sounds like you lost a head gasket, or possibly a cracked HEAD. The odds for it being a cracked block....1 in 100. One of the reasons for the LT1 going to reverse cooling is the propensity of Iron block/aluminum head engines to blow head gaskets. The two metals expand and contract at different rates causing them to scrub against the head gaskets. Leaving coolant in the oil for extended periods of time is a recipe for bearing failure down the road.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
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From: Gay WV
You need to tear into the motor ,I'm hoping that the coolant all steamed out of your cylinders but you need to do something as soon as possible to prevent rust,and corrosion .I think that what you've heard here is good news ,compared to the 3,000 you thought you needed to spend yesterday...Good luck
Thread Starter
8th Gear
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From: Houston(Fort Bend County)
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A hole in the side of the block is a catastrophic failure, like from a broken rod at high RPM. Does not sound like what happened to you though, and would not happen from being parked. Pure water in the engine and a deep freeze might do it, but you're in Fresno, right?
Either way, you cannot repair a hole in the block. Just find a good used engine to replace it.
Either way, you cannot repair a hole in the block. Just find a good used engine to replace it.
Drifting
Joined: May 2012
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From: Mechanicsburg PA
Central PA Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
Wait a minute... something is not adding up.
You had the car for a number of years - driven for the last two years.
First mentioned a cracked block... then its a hole in the block... sitting still?
How can a hole just appear without running?
Someone... somewhere... had to have it running when the block broke... trailing fluids if its an external hole.
You had the car for a number of years - driven for the last two years.
First mentioned a cracked block... then its a hole in the block... sitting still?
How can a hole just appear without running?
Someone... somewhere... had to have it running when the block broke... trailing fluids if its an external hole.
Last edited by Bandit's C4; Apr 14, 2013 at 11:38 PM.
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