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93/LT1; engine self-destructed, what should i do??
Racer
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 456
Likes: 0
From: FL
Get engine book from library. If you can read it can save you several thousand doll. Buy compression tester and check compression if starter can crank engine. If starter doesn't work spin crank by wrench. I would buy your car but you are too far from me and you have lean on it. It is time to get a book!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,856
Likes: 293
From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
i was driving to work, 4th or 5th gear, about 45 mph. engine started running a little bumpy, and my first thought was that maybe a cylinder wasnt firing. accompanying this was a lack of power that got progressively worse, and the engine started getting less and less smooth, or more bumpy/hiccupy/whatever. if i gave it throttle there would be a very loud knocking sound from the engine bay and little to no acceleration. (i remembered that the night before, it felt like this but very briefly, and then seemed to be normal again.) anyway, within about a half mile this problem went from running a little rough to the car dying, barely restarting a couple times (as i was trying to get it off a busy road) and then not starting at all. the "threw a rod" diagnosis i mentioned is just kind of hearsay, and i dont know if thats what happened.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,856
Likes: 293
From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
Have you joined a local Corvette club?
They're a great resource
They can help you out, a lot of them work on their own cars, and those who don't will know who to send you to.
Here's a good place to start
http://www.corvettesnccc.org/
They're a great resource
They can help you out, a lot of them work on their own cars, and those who don't will know who to send you to.
Here's a good place to start
http://www.corvettesnccc.org/
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 373
Likes: 0
From: Lenexa Kansas
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,294
Likes: 37
Well, if it was an engine knock, it wouldn't go away and come back the next day as he described. . . . .yes indeed, it could be something as simple as a distributor (opti ) problem. The knocking would come from severe ignition advance firing, and preignition caused by the mis-firing opti,
.....that is easy to diagnose BTW.......find someone with an ignition scanner.....
.....that is easy to diagnose BTW.......find someone with an ignition scanner.....
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,286
Likes: 6
From: Palm Beach
Well, if it was an engine knock, it wouldn't go away and come back the next day as he described. . . . .yes indeed, it could be something as simple as a distributor (opti ) problem. The knocking would come from severe ignition advance firing, and preignition caused by the mis-firing opti,
.....that is easy to diagnose BTW.......find someone with an ignition scanner.....
.....that is easy to diagnose BTW.......find someone with an ignition scanner.....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,799
Likes: 2
From: Cape Coral FL
Let a pro look at it, you'll be money ahead
Racer
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 288
Likes: 1
If Money is tight I would stick to a stock reman from either Jasper or Rhino.
Both sell re-man LT1's right at $2000 for a long block, Rhino includes shipping. That's with full machine work and warrente.
If you have a place to work you can save between $1200 and $1800 on the install.
Time to get a shop manual and learn?
At those price it's worth bringing almost any Corvette back to life w/o the uncertainty of junk yard or Ebay motors. At least get to drive for a couple of years and pay it off.
Sorry, I feel your pain.
Both sell re-man LT1's right at $2000 for a long block, Rhino includes shipping. That's with full machine work and warrente.
If you have a place to work you can save between $1200 and $1800 on the install.
Time to get a shop manual and learn?
At those price it's worth bringing almost any Corvette back to life w/o the uncertainty of junk yard or Ebay motors. At least get to drive for a couple of years and pay it off.
Sorry, I feel your pain.
Last edited by mvitacco; Sep 24, 2008 at 02:02 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,261
Likes: 2
From: Prather, California -1990 ZR-1 White/Flame Red- -SOLD!!-
If you were able to crank the engine over with the starter and you didn't hear any noises that were out of the ordinary, your engine is probably fine. I agree with the ignition or fuel problem suggestion; it could just be your optispark. If it's the original and it has 90K on it, then it's due for replacement anyway.
If you had bad mechanical damage inside the engine, it would either not turn over at all or it would make really nasty sounding noises. I really doubt you need a new engine.
If you had bad mechanical damage inside the engine, it would either not turn over at all or it would make really nasty sounding noises. I really doubt you need a new engine.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,659
Likes: 82
From: Toronto ontario
If you were able to crank the engine over with the starter and you didn't hear any noises that were out of the ordinary, your engine is probably fine. I agree with the ignition or fuel problem suggestion; it could just be your optispark. If it's the original and it has 90K on it, then it's due for replacement anyway.
If you had bad mechanical damage inside the engine, it would either not turn over at all or it would make really nasty sounding noises. I really doubt you need a new engine.
If you had bad mechanical damage inside the engine, it would either not turn over at all or it would make really nasty sounding noises. I really doubt you need a new engine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,139
Likes: 482
From: H-Town Texas
Many years ago I had a car spin a bearing. The sound came first, then the failure. Just from my limited experience it I agree with looking at the opti-ignition first. When you get a severe mis-fire situation the engine is going to knock because everythings out of timing. Do a search on this forum for opti and see if you find similarities in your symptoms compared to others. There's alot of experience here.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: Portland Oregon
old thread, and thank you for all the super helpful replies!
just to tie up loose ends though, the problem ended being a wily gas gauge. it ran out of gas, even though the fuel mileage left calculator told me i had 20 miles of range left. so, word of warning: the gas gauge may not be very accurate! just the other day it read half a tank, and then i filled up, and it took 16 gallons.
just to tie up loose ends though, the problem ended being a wily gas gauge. it ran out of gas, even though the fuel mileage left calculator told me i had 20 miles of range left. so, word of warning: the gas gauge may not be very accurate! just the other day it read half a tank, and then i filled up, and it took 16 gallons.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,482
Likes: 196
From: folsom california
the cheapest diagnostic: pull oil pan drain plug, its probably magnetic, inspect for metallic "hair"; drain oil, inspect for metal; pull oil filter; cut can apart, inspect filter medium for metal. If there's little or none, you're probably okay; if there's a lot, especially chunks...well the news isn't going to be good. lots of luck.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 34
old thread, and thank you for all the super helpful replies!
just to tie up loose ends though, the problem ended being a wily gas gauge. it ran out of gas, even though the fuel mileage left calculator told me i had 20 miles of range left. so, word of warning: the gas gauge may not be very accurate! just the other day it read half a tank, and then i filled up, and it took 16 gallons.
just to tie up loose ends though, the problem ended being a wily gas gauge. it ran out of gas, even though the fuel mileage left calculator told me i had 20 miles of range left. so, word of warning: the gas gauge may not be very accurate! just the other day it read half a tank, and then i filled up, and it took 16 gallons.
I just read this whole thread.
WTF...
we know the gas guage on these things suck. actually I think most here will say it is useless under 1/4 a tank. Maybe a a 1/4 of those people will say under 1/2 a tank and they are finding a gas station.
so repairs were from 5K to a tank full of gas. LMAO
I knew one guy who carried a stick with marks on it to know how much gas he had.