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Re: POS Engine is now Locked Up-What now?!?
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 6:35 pm
by 94SilverSSEi
Already done. Pulled #1 cylinder spark plug and the coolant was POURING OUT for like a minute pulled all spark plugs and all cylinders were filled to limit turned motor over a bunch pumped *hopefully* all coolant out. Pumped cylinders full with oil and pump that out. Next will be turning motor over more to make sure everything is out of cylinders and then a compression test to make sure none of the rods are bent
Yeah we pulled the plenum back off and the whole intake manifold was just filled with coolant. I dont see any other place it could have come from except between the metal tube and the little plastic hole in the plenum.
Ill be ordering a new plenum kit and hopefully itll be back on the road but the end of next weekend.
Also since the coolant is pumped out and most of the oil is pumped out and the spark plugs are still all out itll be ok to leave till next weekend right?
IS there anything else I should do?
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:05 pm
by 00Beast
I'd put the plugs back in a few threads just to keep crap out of the cylinders. Other than that, it should be ok.
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:18 pm
by LeSabre in Buffalo
Change the oil and filter and crank the motor to circulate the new stuff if you haven't done so already. It's $10 of insurance you'll have a motor in a week.
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:29 pm
by 94SilverSSEi
Since the coolant went down ALL the intake ports and filled ALL the cylinders. Is there any way that it could have gotten into the crankcase?
It shouldnt have, should it??
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:30 pm
by J Wikoff
It very well could have made it's way past the piston rings.
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:32 pm
by 94SilverSSEi
So it is possible?
And I should drain the oil immediately then?
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:32 pm
by J Wikoff
Yes.
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:33 pm
by 00Beast
Yes, drain the oil ASAP and get some fresh stuff in there and circulated.
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:49 pm
by chris c
a coolant system pressure tester is cheap insurance against such a problem. i paid $80 for mine; prior to the purchase i always thought they were silly. use it all the time now.

Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:11 pm
by willwren
That would be a help, but careful assembly should insure success.
Use LIGHT oil. Air tool oil in the cylinders would be best. It's light enough to get past the rings. Do anything you can to prevent rust. That coolant made it into the oil and inside your bearings. Any new oil you buy and crank through there would be cheap insurance. By the cheapest crap on sale at any store. Use the oil to help purge out the water/coolant. Unlocking is a good sign. It nearly rules out any bent rods or other parts.
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:46 pm
by 94SilverSSEi
Already changed the oil once but that was before the engine filled with coolant. So I'll be draining it and flushing again. Then get everything put back together. Now just gotta get the plenum ordered and well be set to go.
What is the coolant pressure tester for?
Also I will be getting a compression gauge and make sure all the cylinders are good before reassembling engine.
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:24 pm
by LeSabre in Buffalo
Good luck. If you go to Wal-Mart you should be able to get some SuperTech 5w-20 and a filter for about $10. I'd say 5w-20 because it's much thinner than 5 or 10w-30 and will circulate better when cold. You don't want thick oil, you want a thin oil to get everywhere to flush out whatever coolant is in there. An Xw-30 oil can always be used when you're ready to fire the engine.
Also, take out/loosen the plugs before you crank it with the new oil. That'll give the starter an easier job since it won't be fighting to compress the air in the cylinders.
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:08 pm
by willwren
Very good advice on that light oil. That'll do.
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:25 pm
by 94SilverSSEi
So can I just try to start the car like a normally would and itll turn over and flush everything out.
Obviously it wont run because spark plugs and top half of motor would not be there
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 11:37 pm
by LeSabre in Buffalo
Yeah, crank it for 10-15 seconds at a time with a minute in between attempts to let the starter cool. Do this ~3-4 times, then drain the oil and put new oil in. This new oil you can leave in for a little bit since much of the coolant will be in the pan with the oil just flushed around the engine.
Did we mention you're going to go through a lot of cheap oil to save the engine?
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:12 am
by 94SilverSSEi
[quote="LeSabre in Buffalo"]Yeah, crank it for 10-15 seconds at a time with a minute in between attempts to let the starter cool. Do this ~3-4 times, then drain the oil and put new oil in. quote]
Ok so do this and then I can leave the new oil in for a week and change it again with a new filter?
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 7:40 am
by sandrock
Yes.
Now keep in mind oil won't be the only things you need to change. Spark plugs and O2 sensors are not fond of coolant at all. I guarantee those will need to be replaced as well. (Clean up your old plugs as good as you can first, then buy new ones after all the coolant has burned out of it. O2s.....remove both of them, and plug the O2 bungs. Your car will run pig rich, but you won't be driving the car anyways while it's clearing its lungs)
You will also be spitting out white smoke for a VERY long while. That'll be the converter burning off the coolant.
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 11:10 am
by bill buttermore
The procedure for flushing coolant away from the bearings is given (in red type) in the
Techinfo article on changing the UIM/LIM gaskets.
Cut and pasted here for your convenience:
If you are performing this work because your LIM gaskets or UIM have failed, rather than as preventive maintenance, you will need to perform the following preliminary tasks to minimize the risk of premature bearing failure in your engine.
Drain the coolant. Drain the oil. Change the oil filter. Pull all six spark plugs. Rotate the engine through several revolutions by hand with a wrench on the crankshaft bolt. This will safely expel large quantities of coolant that might have entered any of the cylinders. Replace the oil drain plug and refill the crankcase with thin, cheap oil like 5W-30. Unbolt and pull out the connector to the ignition control module (ICM). Crank the engine for several ten second periods, allowing the starter to cool for a minute between each period. This is done to circulate fresh oil to the bearings and to flush residual coolant into the pan. Pull the drain plug and drain the oil.
It is critical that you do this to minimize bearing damage.
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 11:19 am
by Bob Dillon
Despite the fact that a few years ago I made some sleeved uppers for some members here (including me) I've never been convinced that the throttle body heat that the coolant loop around the throttle body provides is needed.
If you want to just slobber it together to get it running, you could just plug the two coolant holes in the LIM with small core plugs (1/2", drill the holes out to 15/32"). Tap them in with a drift punch slightly below the surface and then seal them with 5 minute epoxy. That will solve the coolant leak problem, and if you add a 5/8" stovepipe, that should work.
I'm getting ready to swap out my lower with such a manifold because I think I need to change the LIM gaskets. I know you live in a cold climate, but the exhaust loops up to within a 1/2" of the throttle body. Given that, I don't see the heat provided by the coolant loop as necessary.
Re: Engine unlocked-Now to get it running
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 11:47 am
by LeSabre in Buffalo
I can see where they want the coolant going through the TB in cold, wet climates where the TB can ice over.
To the OP: Let us know how things turn out!