I think it finally happened. (update: its blown)

[Brett]

So in the process of putting in a new transmission clutch 60k etc. My motor was sitting at my fathers small engine repair business. He got bored one day and put in the rod bearings which was fine with me, hes a mechanically competent person. After i had everything buttoned up upon start up i hear a knock. So i asked him about it, he tells me when tightening one of the rod bolts with the torque wrench that he heard a pop and it got easy and he just kept going. nice right? So im assuming he stretched a rod bolt.

Anyways i have a 3.2 waiting and have been waiting for this thing to pop all summer and into this winter. Last couple weeks ive had the oil light flicker so i knew it was on its way out. Im on my way to work this morning, about 5 blocks away the car bucks some and dies. I figure it finally seized, but had no battery power at all. So after i got some free time at work i drove over, discovered the battery terminal was shot.

Put on a new terminal car started up, made some nasty noises beside the usual knock, like something had fallen into the pulleys kind of noise. Car dies. I now have full battery power and the car turns over but will not start. It doesnt turn over any easier or harder then it used to. So im confused? If it seized the motor wouldnt turn at all, and if it threw a rod thats not something you miss either. Is it possible for it to have blown and still turn over like normal?

Any help would be appreciated as its on the side of the road. Thank you all, i dont have time to trouble shoot as im working a 13 hour shift and work 13 hour shifts until sunday.

happy thanksgiving!!

-Brett

 

[Whydah91]

Timing belt, betcha.
Mike

 

[SuperHO]

my old 3.0 slung a con-rod clean through the oil pan, and it still drove itself onto the car dolly and back off again...

 

[kevinspann]

I wonder what he torqued the rod bolts to.

 

[Brett]

Its definitely blown. Thank you all for the responses!

While towing it to my shop i popped the clutch in 3rd (battery couldnt turn it over) and its pretty nasty. Sounds like someone dumped a bucket of rocks into my oil pan. Kind of lame i was expecting something dramatic i.e. rod through the block.

But, instead of building this 3.2, i had a guy come up to me with a white 2nd gen thats been sitting a year or two with a blown transmission on sunday (weird how that worked out). car only has 89,000 miles. I'm picking it up sunday or monday, putting my transmission that bizzy rebuilt into it.


Not looking forward to doing it again but for some reason i just cant let these cars go.

Next question. My new shop has a lift, but its a drive on older style. Has anyone ever pulled an engine on one of these and how did you do it?

 

[Whydah91]

I love those lifts, for rear wheel drive cars. Going to be a bear to pull a Taurus engine with that type. Ya have to move the front suspension to drop the engine cradle, which I'm sure you know. Ya could just about do it on the ground as easy.

 

[SHO'Leary]

I can't wait!! (sarcasm)