Blew up my motor

imryannn

imryannn

New member
Sooooo
I was wondering if there is anyone on here that has replaced a motor, not had a shop do it, done it themselves.
I don't have the money to have a shop do it and I found a local recycler that I can get a take out motor for $600-700.
Just wondering if there's any helpful hints or things you learned along your process that would make this thing go a little easier.
I have a forklift and an assortment of tools and some knowledge mechanically.
Doesn't seem like a extremely "hard" job, looks like it's more a bunch of time and just making sure everything goes back the right way.
Also, the only specific question I have is "will any 3.4l work? Or is there any specific years that need to be matched to specific year trucks?"

Thank you in advance
 
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Plenty of people on here have done it, thankfully, I have not had to. I would try searching the forum, there should be several posts on it.

So, how did you blow it up? What mileage?
 
Pretty sure any 3.4L will work. The blocks/heads should all be identical across the board. I'd switch all electronics from old engine to new, including injectors so they match your old computer. Some claim differences.
And the oil cooler is important: Water pump has an extra leg and there's a do-dad under the oil filter. That's just another thing to do before install.
Otherwise, pretty straightforward.


Buuuut yeah, why'd the old one pop? Pretty important to address this issue as well

Good luck
 
Well when I bought it a few months ago, I wanted to do a full time up on it. I drained the coolant and it was pure rust water. So I did 3 flushes to get as much as I could out.
Then last weekend I was driving down the freeway and heard a squeal so I turned my a/c off really fast which stopped the squeal immediately, then the check engine like came on and the motor died. I coasted off the freeway and opened the hood to a bunch of coolant steam. After it stopped steaming I saw the radiator exploded the whole top of the plastic.
Trailered it somewhere and installed a new radiator, and attempted to make it back home. Which around 120 miles. Ended up only making it about 2/3 of the way and got towed home.
All my coolant is running into the exhaust and out the tail pipe. And the amount of white smoke that came out was unreal. And I went to try to start it tons how my mechanic buddy and it is now hydro locked or seized.
He told me it probably has a cracked cylinder and and would be easiest to just get a new motor and replace it
 
Hey I'm in your area, and I've removed engines before. If you are in the area and mobile hit me up, I am in the process of removing an engine right now and I can show you how I do it. I have an engine lift you can use as well.
 
It doesn't sound like you persisted in driving it for too long with no coolant, so perhaps it isn't fried. It might just be a bad HG due to old nasty coolant in the motor for too long.

Before pulling the engine, I'd go ahead and pull the heads off your current engine and give it a look. Changing headgaskets is a lot easier than swapping the whole motor.

And if you get the heads off and there's more serious damage inside, then the work of getting the motor down to that is mostly work you'd have done taking the motor out anyhow.
 
JohnMc said:
It doesn't sound like you persisted in driving it for too long with no coolant, so perhaps it isn't fried. It might just be a bad HG due to old nasty coolant in the motor for too long.

Before pulling the engine, I'd go ahead and pull the heads off your current engine and give it a look. Changing headgaskets is a lot easier than swapping the whole motor.

And if you get the heads off and there's more serious damage inside, then the work of getting the motor down to that is mostly work you'd have done taking the motor out anyhow.
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Well that's what I thought. But from what I've been told if I blew the head gasket the coolant wouldn't be going into the exhaust it would be going into the oil. And the oil is still clean.
Correct me if that's wrong because I'd love for it to just be a head gasket
 
gamefreakgc said:
Hey I'm in your area, and I've removed engines before. If you are in the area and mobile hit me up, I am in the process of removing an engine right now and I can show you how I do it. I have an engine lift you can use as well.
Click to expand...

I appreciate it!!! Yeah let me see what I can figure out and I'll hit you up and see if you're available!
 
imryannn said:
Well that's what I thought. But from what I've been told if I blew the head gasket the coolant wouldn't be going into the exhaust it would be going into the oil. And the oil is still clean.

Correct me if that's wrong because I'd love for it to just be a head gasket
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It can be either/or/both. Seen each combo. Coolant in exhaust is 90% head gasket identifier from my experiences. A shop or you can do a leak down test pretty cheap to determine where combustion chamber is leaking into.

Also check for elevated oil level on dipstick. Oil floats on coolant, therefore if it didn't "mix" to make chocolate milk then the oil would sit on top of the coolant in the oil pan and register high. Draining the oil would show you coolant in the oil pan as well. Coolant would exit first from the bottom.
 
4Reak Show said:
It can be either/or/both. Seen each combo. Coolant in exhaust is 90% head gasket identifier from my experiences. A shop or you can do a leak down test pretty cheap to determine where combustion chamber is leaking into.

Also check for elevated oil level on dipstick. Oil floats on coolant, therefore if it didn't "mix" to make chocolate milk then the oil would sit on top of the coolant in the oil pan and register high. Draining the oil would show you coolant in the oil pan as well. Coolant would exit first from the bottom.
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No elevated oil level.
I literally have coolant still dripping out of the cat and muffler under my truck, and this happened two mondays ago.
I pulled one spark plug out (front driver side) and it wasn't wet.
 
4Reak Show said:
It can be either/or/both. Seen each combo. Coolant in exhaust is 90% head gasket identifier from my experiences. A shop or you can do a leak down test pretty cheap to determine where combustion chamber is leaking into.

Also check for elevated oil level on dipstick. Oil floats on coolant, therefore if it didn't "mix" to make chocolate milk then the oil would sit on top of the coolant in the oil pan and register high. Draining the oil would show you coolant in the oil pan as well. Coolant would exit first from the bottom.
Click to expand...

Other than draining the oil, is there anything else I can do to check without taking it to a shop?
It's hard to get it anywhere, all my friends and family live 130 miles away so finding someone to get it over to a shop for a few hours to get a test done and then bring it back is a little difficult haha
 
imryannn said:
No it won't turn over now, just sounds like the starter is trying to spin but won't. I think it's hydrolocked with all the coolant.
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When my starter sounded like it tried to spin but wouldn't.

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Ooops ... meant pull all plugs out and turn over by hand ( un cork it ) to see witch cylinder(s) are water logged or if indeed it is forked up.
 
imryannn said:
Other than draining the oil, is there anything else I can do to check without taking it to a shop?

It's hard to get it anywhere, all my friends and family live 130 miles away so finding someone to get it over to a shop for a few hours to get a test done and then bring it back is a little difficult haha
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I hear you. Easiest is to pull the plugs and then try to turn her over like another member said. All it takes is one cylinder. The leak down test I was talking about requires an adapter and an air compressor. Essentially you introduce compressed air thru the spark plug hole while cylinder is at top-dead and see where the air escapes.

They also make a fancy dyed fluid you pump from the radiator cap while it's running but that doesn't seem to be an option until you can relieve the pressure.
 
Sounds like you are going to need a new engine, I wouldn't chance it, very hard to tell what may be wrong in lower end. I bought a 97 with blown head gasket. Coolant in oil, but still ran. Drove it on trailer, pulled it to my shop, wouldn't start, locked up. Currently wrapping up a jdm swap on that rig. Tore old engine down and couldn't find any obvious issues, but I'm no expert.

You may have a cracked head. If you end need a head, I've got a pair, hit me up. Good luck!
 
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