Car engine stalled today. Oil Pressure Issue

[RogueSSEi]

I am not mechanically inclined to do a engine rebuild/swap. I don't have the kind of cash to spend thousands of dollars on new engine and labor for a car I spent $1350 for.

List it in the for sale section with some pictures and you might catch a sale. Good luck man, sorry for the motor fail.

[ImJJames]

Thanks bro.

[ImJJames]

Someone already offered $800 cash, and I did mention engine knock on posting craig. Should I just take it?

[RogueSSEi]

Someone already offered $800 cash, and I did mention engine knock on posting craig. Should I just take it?

Maybe push alittle more for it. But if thats the bottom dollar that YOU want for it then take it. It sucks but have to chalk them losses up.

[ImJJames]

I really want more...but engine is basically dead what more can I ask for lol. I told the person Ill think about it.

[MattStrike]

It might be worth getting prices on a junkyard engine and have a shop install it? Shoot, it's only a few hours for a competent mechanic to change a motor (If I can do it in 3 hours and I don't have a lift only an engine hoist). The local guy charged us $150 to swap a trans on a '99 Montana, and that's an 8-hour job for me.

Or search craigslist for the motor. I found a l67 in a rusted out bonnie for $400. Free spare parts! I think it's worth the effort for a Bonnie.

[ImJJames]

I just want to get rid of this thing. This is bad luck that I never want to see again.

[ImJJames]

Interesting part is I did a cold start just now and knock is gone. Even when revving knock is not present. Oil pressure around 50psi at cold.

So I guess once the engine gets hotter oil gets thinner and that is when I would hear knock again.

So I am thinking of replacing oil with much heavier oil just to bandaid the problem for now. How heavy of oil should I go?

[RogueSSEi]

Interesting part is I did a cold start just now and knock is gone. Even when revving knock is not present. Oil pressure around 50psi at cold.

So I guess once the engine gets hotter oil gets thinner and that is when I would hear knock again.

So I am thinking of replacing oil with much heavier oil just to bandaid the problem for now. How heavy of oil should I go?

Assuming you put 10w30 in to begin with, I dunno if I would go heavy.
Worse case scenario, you put in heavy oil just to make it to the interstate, knock gets worse and it throws a rod...
Just from experience, for the safety of you and others, I would not recommend driving it with that bad of a knock, just my 2 cents man.

[ImJJames]

Interesting part is I did a cold start just now and knock is gone. Even when revving knock is not present. Oil pressure around 50psi at cold.

So I guess once the engine gets hotter oil gets thinner and that is when I would hear knock again.

So I am thinking of replacing oil with much heavier oil just to bandaid the problem for now. How heavy of oil should I go?

Assuming you put 10w30 in to begin with, I dunno if I would go heavy.
Worse case scenario, you put in heavy oil just to make it to the interstate, knock gets worse and it throws a rod...
Just from experience, for the safety of you and others, I would not recommend driving it with that bad of a knock, just my 2 cents man.

I had a autoshop replace the oil so I don't even know what weight they used...

I am thinking of using 20W50 oil. I will replace tomorrow.

[Madcarpenter]

I'd take the $800 and consider this a $600 lesson learned, if you have no affection for these cars.

Another less appealing option would be to buy some 'motor honey' type sklullum, and replace your oil with 20/50 weight and the other additive, and drive it till it grenades, which probably won't be long, from the sound of it... And PLEASE, keep it under 100 mph, Speed Racer...

Really, if you have no desire or ability to put a new motor in your otherwise clean Bonnie, 800 bucks is not too shabby for a ticking bomb... BUT once it goes KABOOM, you're looking at maybe $300 from the junker for your dead rig's metal value only...

I'd take the $800 now were I in your shoes. You may not get another 500 bucks worth of transportation from this engine before it croaks...

[Madcarpenter]

Just a thought, but have you changed the cheapass oil filter that was installed by the garage who recently changed your oil? I mean, if it was shyt FRAM filter that took a dump into your engine, maybe a new, good oil filter might allow some more oil to circulate in your motor? Consider this a 'Hail Mary pass'...

[ImJJames]

I don't think the oil filter is a fram. When I looked under the color of filter was white and letteronblue.

[Madcarpenter]

Could be a FRAM in disguise.

The day after I bought a '95 SE for my wife, I took it to 'Oil Can Henry's' to give it a quick oil change, since the retiree we bought it from had it sitting in his garage for most of the last five years. (Who knows how often the oil got changed during that time, as he said the car rarely got driven). I wanted to change it myself, but the weather forecast was rain for a week straight, and I don't have access to a garage so I took it to them for $20... I asked them what brand of oil filters they used. The dude says to me proudly, "FRAM !" I replied, "Do you offer another filter option?". Nope. I couldn't wait to get that crap filter off there, and on the next dry day I switched it in my driveway for a NAPA Platinum and Castrol GTX 'High Mileage' oil.

Long story short, their oil filter was WHITE with blue letters, not FRAM orange. It didn't say FRAM anywhere on it, either...

[ImJJames]

lol that is interesting story.

Anyways I went out and bought Quaker 20W50 oil and Bosch Oil filter. I was thinking of buying a quart of Lucas heavy oil additive but for $13 I said no ty.

I will change it tomorrow myself and hopefully it will keep oil pressure slightly high enough so it does not knock to loud, LOL.

[RogueSSEi]

lol that is interesting story.

Anyways I went out and bought Quaker 20W50 oil and Bosch Oil filter. I was thinking of buying a quart of Lucas heavy oil additive but for $13 I said no ty.

I will change it tomorrow myself and hopefully it will keep oil pressure slightly high enough so it does not knock to loud, LOL.

Lol, in theory, your oil pick up that is in your oil pan area (that supplies oil to vital parts of the engine) obviously, is having a hard enough time picking up 10w30 (assuming that's whats in it) to deliver to critical parts of the engine....It's going to have an extremely hard time picking up a heavier weight oil (thicker viscosity) to supply and deliver. Like Mad also said, take the $800 and consider $600 a learning lesson.

[RogueSSEi]

Ok, I know the motor is FUBR, but here is the concept. Oil intake is the oil pick-up unit, pressure filter is the actually "oil filter" external that you change at 3k + intervals, the oil pick-up unit cloggs and well you can follow the routes oil takes to supply and demand, it no longer can do its job= engine fail.

[renchjeep]

Too bad, such a nice-looking Bonnie! But, as previously stated, if you have "no love" for these cars, take your losses, accept the $800, and get on. Really sucks, I know. I recently had to spend $2000 for a trans rebuild on my "free" Bonnie (REALLY..got her for free), but she has a new life, and just keeps clicking the miles.....almost 40k on the trans, and 221k on the original engine. These 3.8's are known to go 300k plus, with proper care.

Maybe take some time and research good used engines (with some kind of warranty, maybe 30-90 days?) in your area, and get prices from local shops for an engine swap. That is if the trans is in good condition, shifts nice, and has nice red fluid that smells good, not burnt.

You do know that the guy offering you $800 is going to do just that, right? Most likely, he is a mechanic, and has access to a good 3.8 engine.

[ImJJames]

Guy who sold it to me is willing to put up $500 on another used car. I guess that is some good news.

Also I change oil today and look at the metal shaving build up on oil plug. I am surprise this engine still runs.

[yonkerse]

That's not looking good....

These engines are known to take a beating...will be interesting to see how much time you get out of it.