spun bearing - need advice

[Crazy Canuk]

My car hates me.

On Sunday I had a bad flat tire (rubber started to come off of the rim) after putting on a spair tire I noticed my car making a loud horrible sound that went away after it ran for a short time. (I took it into a mechanic to look for a rattleing sound in the summer that they couldnt find anything and thought it was a heat shield)

So now after looking at my car and having a few mechanics look at it he believes that it's a spun bearing and he said I should take it to a dealership to verify that it is it.

He said I will more then likely need a new engine if it is a spunn berring.

I start school part time in January which is $$ and have about 4k owing on the car as it is. My question to you is what would you do in my shoes. I will be bussing it for a while I know that

[Jeff_in_Atl]

What I would do is call my neighbor the engine builder over to listen to it. He's worked on so many engines I bet he could tell right off the bat if it was a spun bearing or something else internal. OK I know you are no where near Atlanta so do you know any place that builds engines? Not just some mechanic but a real engine builder.

[Crazy Canuk]

I personaly don't know one. I am in southren ontario so there are performance shops around I could look into going to for a check, do you think it's better to go there and not a dealership?

[Jeff_in_Atl]

You bet I do. You need a specialist like an ENT not a general practician.

[raroZ28]

hows the oil pressure.

could be noisy lifters, exhaust leak, etc... No way to tell for sure.

Drain the oil and look for metal shavings. After the sound goes away does the car run ok?

[Crazy Canuk]

Thanks for the advice Jeff.

After work I found a local performance engine place and talked to him about it. When I went there I notice the oil pressure dropping (at about 1/4 while moving but not pushing the gas where b4 it would sit at 1/2) and more of a vibration.

The guy went into my car and right away asked if the oil was normaly there also he listened to it and said he didn't need to take it for a test drive and knew right away what was wrong. He called it the 'knock of death'.

He told me I shouldn't drive it if possible (I drove it home) and said I should realy think about what I want to do with the car. Atm he said that the car is repairable as it is now however if I want to sell it he told me to throw a used engine in it and do so but he dosn't do that type of work.

He said if I wanted to keep it I will have to keep my car a minimum of 3 years to justify the cost of the repair (ball park 4000-6000 Cnd. depending what I wanted done with it). If I sell it before that I take a big loss and who ever buys my car gets a great deal.

At the moment I think I am going to do nothing and let my car sit for a month. Take a bus see how everything is. If I still don't know what I want to do (verry likly cause I Love the car) I will probably take my car to a relative and let it sit in her gerage as I save on insurance and gas and in 6 months or so if I have enough (or I can handle it) I will fix it then. Merry Christmas to me

This has been a ruff day anyways what would you guys do if you were in my case? If after sometime I do decide to do work to it I will be sure to ask all of your input in what realistily should be done.

Thanks for all of your help in the past it has been realy helpful.

[Trans Am]

sorry to hear that...that sux....
i would probably try and dind an used lt1 ( there was one in the for sale section for like $500 if i am not mistaken) , i d put it in my livingroom ( or the garage will do ) and rebuild it myself with upgraded everything, and when its done , put it in the car; or maybe just swap it wit a reasonable used lt1
Good luck!

[raroZ28]

since when is a spun bearing a 4-6k job? you could buy another f-body with like 80k on it for that much. That's a rip, IMO, but then again most shops charge like 2k just to pull a motor.

If you have the time you could do it yourself, bearings aren't all that difficult.

With all the parts in front of you, you could have it done in a few days.

You will most likely have to get your crank ground, and new size bearings. Maybe a new rod, or they might be able to recondition the rod if it's not too bad.

You're looking at about 300-400 for bearings, crank work, rod recon., etc... and a lot of hours. If you have the time, the tools, and the work space, that's what I would say to do. If you work long hours you could do it in a weekend. It's just finding a shop that can get your machine work done in a timely manner. Take your time and make sure that you learn how to do bearing clearances, or you'll be doing it again.

It isn't that hard man you can do it!! I've been in your shoes man, and it sucks, but when it's done you'll be so happy you did it and did it yourself.

[FroSSty]

+1

That is exactly what I am doing...My lt1 isnt gone yet but I have one in my garage in pieces (funds are limited) to go back together. Read up on how to rebuild the lt1 and I guarantee you will be glad you did it yourself. Not to mention the money you will most likely save.

[Crazy Canuk]

The problem is that I have next to no mechanic experiance and I wouldn't realy know what I was doing. Also I dont have anyplace to do that kind of work, I live in a apartment. If my sister lets me store the car in her gerage thats one thing but she wouldn't let me build an engine in there.

The 4k was to take out my engine, mechine the block and fix it and put it back together. If I wanted to do a little more it would be more. He told me if I could get the engine out and put it in it would save 1k. The noise that I took my car into the mechanics months ago (6months to a year) was the sound of the spun berring (not happy about that one bit) so I assume the damage wouldn't be exactly minor. And the way it has deteriorated in the last week I think I am on the last legs of it (if it has to move I think I will toe it).

Today I am thinking hard and sent out a few emails looking for a used engine I can switch mine out with localy. Then maybe sell it. Co-workers told me I should try to sell it now and let a buyer bewere but I am not like that and am not looking to scam someone and wouldn't want that happen to me.

How hard is it to put in a Corvette LT1 block in it with a 4 bolt main? I am also leary of building my engine up because it is only a 2 bolt main. Eventhough I don't realy know what that means.

It realy sucks but putting that kind of money into something that could again brake (who knows what else could go after the engine) just so I can drive it a couple of years and then keep it as a toy, I dont know how much sence that makes. There will always be faster cars out there not to mention newer, I realy like my Formula and always liked the look of it over other cars.

I am still under 30 so lots of time to do stuff but I need to save for a house and eventuly a wedding a few years down the road, I dont know if its worth it.

[wolfdogs]

i spun #8 bearing in my old Comp T/A. we rebuilt the motor and went back in with all gm hp parts... it was warranty and i paid the parts diff from o.e. to hp.

you dont need a new motor. we used my block and did it all from there. while its down, if you can get the bucks together, now would be the time to do a lt4 hot cam, roller rocks, and extrmeme duty timming chain and gears. water pump too......

[94 formula]

I haven't posted on here in a VERY long time but feel compelled too since your in about the exact same situation I was about a year and a half ago. My 94 formula had the same symptoms yours is having and after tearing out the motor I found 4 spun main bearings and all 8 rod bearings spun. The damage to the block was to much to even consider a rebuild. I found a used motor from a reputable salvage yard for $1,200, it came with EVERYTHING on it and with only 40,000 miles and documentation prooving it, from a 94 camaro. I don't have the best mechanical skills out there but I know my way around an engine and with the right tools pulled the motor out of the car (actually picked the car up off the motor) and replaced it with the used engine I had bought. It really wasn't that difficult to do. Before I put it in I replaced the oil pump, put on a new opti, plugs and wires, and swapped my headers over to the engine. I really didn't need to do anything but if you have the motor out of an LT1 and don't replace the plugs and wires especially in my case of putting in a used motor, you are crazy. It really wasn't that hard to do and the car ran like a champ after that, I had the car for about a year after that and never had one problem and from what I know its still running strong right now. I know you said you don't have the place or tools but if your area is any bit like mine look around for a small locally owned garage with an extra bay go in get to know the owner and offer him some money to rent out that bay while you do the work, more than likely he'll just let you use it and be able to give you a ton of advice\help along the way. Also with doing it myslef I ended up paying around $1,650 total (opti upped the cost $300) and a great running car. I know your tight on money right now but if you need your car back and are tight on money I feel this is the way to go.