Common engine failure?

[NebraskaSHO]

What seems to be the most common engine failures in the V6's? Rod bearing's would be the big one, but what about the valve train. If the motor doesn't get the valves shimmed does it finally just crap out? I'm looking at a 93 ATX with a bad motor and a decent body.

All I know is it doesn't run anymore and I can get it for cheap. Free if I can unload my Chevy LUV on a high schooler here in town.

I just know that the rod bearings seem to be a big problem if they aren't taken care of, but I'm more of a V8 guy and don't know alot about these V6's.

 

[Yamaha V6]

Nope, bearings is the big thing on the V6. Valvetrain usually won't destroy the whole engine (just the heads / cams worst case, if you eject a shim or similar). These are pretty rugged engines.

Winding it up a lot / keeping it up there on poor oil pressure is a no-no too, but that can be bearing related - the oil pumps usually last a good long time (which is good, because they're discontinued).

 

[jelloslug]

The vast majority of the "just does not run" SHOs only need a minor repair to get them up and running again. Most of the time it's a bad crank sensor or something along those lines.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

Thanks. I'm hoping it's a sensor and someone just gave up on the car, and not a set of bad bearings. The car's been sitting in a junkyard for a year now and hopefully hasn't locked up. Also what if the plug oil well seals start to leak? Car would probably look like it had bad rings and would burn alot of oil wouldn't it?

 

[SHOMurph]

Thanks. I'm hoping it's a sensor and someone just gave up on the car, and not a set of bad bearings. The car's been sitting in a junkyard for a year now and hopefully hasn't locked up. Also what if the plug oil well seals start to leak? Car would probably look like it had bad rings and would burn alot of oil wouldn't it?

get a battery in it....run the codes. Replace any sensor thats bad. Fire her up and see if you get the dreaded knock knock.

If you hear knocking. Pull everything worth of value off the car and pay for the parts.

 

[Yamaha V6]

Actually, an ATX w/ "bad engine" might be an overheated / warped head / HG problem too.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

Good ideas everyone, thanks.

 

[SHOMurph]

Actually, an ATX w/ "bad engine" might be an overheated / warped head / HG problem too.

hear hear....stay away from ATXs.

 

[TYSHO]

Three times I have bought an ATX with the motor not running, got everything working and the motor fired up. Two of those times, they started up with knocking that turned out to be the timing belt tensioner, not the rod bearings. Therefor, don't be so quick to say it's rod bearings and part the car out like some people would.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

I really don't want to part it out. No dent's and only one spot of faded clearcoat on the roof. Also it's got a nice Black full leather interior and 4 slicers with matching caps that arent faded different colors.

And I already drive an ATX so i'm not put off by them at all. No if the tranny was bad I would have to say ATX to MTX swap.

So that makes:

Rod Bearings
Belt tensioner (knocking noise)
Sensor's
Head Gasket's and/or Warped Heads
Shot valvetrain

Bout it?