I think I cooked my engine
 

Driving to the bank after being in Kensington I was on the I15 north where it was starting to merge with the CA163. I was in the fast lane going like 75 and noticed it would accelerate and I was like wtf. I pressed the gas a bit and it wouldn't go faster, then it downshifted in to second and still no go. So I turned down the stereo and heard it stutter and all of a sudden it stopped so I pulled over and instantly smoke and steam is pouring from under the hood. Well I pop the hood and see no fire, I go back in to the cab and notice BOTH the engine and oil temperatures pegged all the way to the right. I also noticed there was a splooge mark under my hood where coolant had shot on to it. I noticed no loose hoses so I'm wondering wtf. I get it towed to the shop, which was only 2 exits up. Found out a little bit ago the lower radiator hose had ruptured. Having this problem after I just spent $1100 to get the new cam in (parts and labor) and getting the car back last week.

I had only been driving about 10 minutes before it overheated and shut off. Think it's time to park the vette till I can afford a new engine, or do you think it'll survive a few more weeks till I've got my class M license so I won't have to drive it all the time?

doubt you did that much damage...i would change the oil before starting the car...

Yea - a small block chev motor can be overheated, it's done every day!
Definitley change the oil before driving it though. :iagree:

So y'all think it'll be alright? Of course change the oil, hehe. Barbeque chunks don't seem to help keep friction at bay.

Glad to hear that. I hope my Rider Course certificate gets here soon. I needa hurry up and start using the motorcycle, instead of the vette, to get around. Gas is just KILLING me with this new lower paying job.

i would also suggest changing the oil and filling the coolent and then start the car and listen for any knocking or any noises that were not there befor. as long as you do regular oil changes and use good oil then the oil should have protected your engine from failure. ive had this happen twice on my car first with the lower hose then with a belt snaping and tearing off the upper hose and both times i was running about the same speed as you and never had any major problems other than replacing hoses and belts. also you might want to pull the valve covers and make sure all the pushrods are ok and none are bent. good luck and hopefully everything turns out ok for you.

everything above is based on the assumption that the engine will, indeed, still turn over. i've had a similar experience with no adverse effects. i'd also check to make sure there is no oil in the water and vice versa.

Your lucky your NOT driving 'RICE', they only get one shot at overheating :lol: Thank GOD for American Steel... :flag:

The shop said the engine turned over but it smells horrible (duh, oil doesn't smell good hah.) I'll take the valve covers off myself, when I get it back, I don't feel like paying them to take them off for me.

The oil was changed last week, when the new cam went in. You all did notice that the oil was at like 340+ degrees and the engine was around 300 degrees, also, right?

Long live overhead valve engines!

doesn't matter if the oil is one day old, change the oil, the high temp broke down the oil's viscosity...

So bad news from the shop. It's leaking coolant in to the cylinder. Probable blown head gasket and possible cracked head. What do y'all think? He's worried that the lower half of the engine could be fuxx0rd if the rings are burnt up now.

Compression check will verify a blown head gasket...better yet, a leak down test

Leak down test? Elaborate?

I already told them to go ahead and yank the heads off. I need suggestions on where to get the best deal on a new set of heads.

Wow...this can happen to any of us so quickly and easily. Has anyone installed some sort of warning buzzer etc to alert the driver if over a certain temp?

I'm gonna make sure to do such a thing after I have my new engine put in :banghead:

Yeah I've just put some numbers together and I found a recently rebuilt 350 for $400 in Tucson. I'm probably going to just rent a truck, haul the Vette out there, and have my dad's mechanic put the new engine in. After renting a truck, hauling the vette out there, buying the engine, and paying a local chevy guy to put the new engine it, it's cheaper than just replacing the heads and praying that the rings didn't bugger up.

take it home and put some of that block seal crap in it to see if you can plug the leak.

What the hell you're gonna shi+can the engine anyway?

Costs more to fix than to put a newly rebuilt one in.

I definitely agree if he is looking for a stock like replacement. IMO only rebuild if you are trying to stay numbers matching or to build up custom horse power engine....eg stroker

Yeah hopefully I'll have the vette back by next week, doing it this way. I've already done the math. $400 for the engine, $125 for the trailer rental, $500-$600 for labor, $~80 in gas towing it to Tucson (having my Grandpa tow it with his Tundra). Hopefully I can get it towed out there by this weekend and it'll be done with. I've gotta call the salvage yard I'm buying it from tomorrow and find out the rest of the info on the engine. When it's done I'll road trip with my buddy out there and drive it back.

Warning buzzer ? After 26 years driving a vette (115,000 miles) one eye on gauges (oil/water temp) is the norm.Habit for me,even knowing cooling system ok.
Not the vette,but had a truck (thermostat) stick closed,and all of a sudden,temp shot up.Just noticed in time to bring the thing to a halt.Not good to have an engine stop/quit on its own due to overheating.
Kalway:wish you luck and hope things work out.