1990 engine problem
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
1990 engine problem
So a couple of questions. the engine overheated and now the oil and water have mixed 1) what could be possible causes, 2) can that motor be rebuilt or does it have to be replaced? 3) with a budget of around $7k what is the best option to build a strong , reliable, fun car to drive with 400+ hp? It’s not my car and this is all I know now. Thanks for your input.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,432
Likes: 3,285
From: Hartford WI
Who is doing the R&R? Also remember, I can dump a 383 on it BUT now your trans is the weak point and at some time, you will have to upgrade. Then if you have an D36, you now find that is a weak point.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,332
Likes: 397
From: Clay New York
Is the rest of the car worth spending that much $$$ on a new motor plus the associated costs? Repairing the head gasket is certainly the cheapest but then if the heads were damaged this means more $$$. Then you have the possibility of a cracked block/cylinder. It truly can snowball out of control so again you have to ask if the car is worth spending the $$$ ?
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 1,312
Likes: 383
From: Northern California
By the way, that can also happen if the intake manifold gasket leaks at the water passage and the leak is into the engine valley. But at 160K miles I think the head gasket is probable as others have said. If you have a compression check run on the engine and it's okay, then the intake is your likely source....
