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Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Bumbazor on 15 August 2010, 19:34:54

Title: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: Bumbazor on 15 August 2010, 19:34:54
So I lost oil and seized my engine...

Now I'm still not decided whether to drop a replacement engine in, or work on trying to see what damage has been caused and replace bearings etc.

The question is, what would I have to remove (with the engine still in place) to get at the damage and replace what is likely to need it? Sump? Heads?

What parts am I likely to need?


Please, no comments about why not put another engine in it's too much bother to repair, or anything like that; I would like the questions above answered. Yes of course I know a replacement engine would be quicker and easier but I want to know as much as possible about the other option before deciding for sure what to do.

Thanks
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 15 August 2010, 19:38:57
Quote
So I lost oil and seized my engine...

Now I'm still not decided whether to drop a replacement engine in, or work on trying to see what damage has been caused and replace bearings etc.

The question is, what would I have to remove (with the engine still in place) to get at the damage and replace what is likely to need it? Sump? Heads?

What parts am I likely to need?


Please, no comments about why not put another engine in it's too much bother to repair, or anything like that; I would like the questions above answered. Yes of course I know a replacement engine would be quicker and easier but I want to know as much as possible about the other option before deciding for sure what to do.

Thanks


A complete engine out and full strip down is in my opinion the only way you are going to cover all parts of the engine for inspection / replacement / rebuild ;) ;) ;)
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: Entwood on 15 August 2010, 19:43:45
IMHO it would be extremely difficult to properly inspect/check all the internal parts with the engine in.  Running without oil can damage every thing from bigends to piston rings. A complete stripdown/rebuild is the only true way of doing the job, and that means engine out and preferably on a spinning dolly for ease of access.

As to parts needed ..... how long is a piece of string .... it all depends on what is found on the strip down, might be nothing .. might be every moving part .. :(
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: lee4206 on 15 August 2010, 19:47:56
To do with engine still in car will be almost impossible.
  It depends on what has seized to what you have to remove
. You could be looking at cam bearings(and poss cams) crank shaft bearings (poss crank regrind) big end bearings,  piston rings(poss pistons, cylinder rebore if scored) cam followers if collapsed(worst case)   ect.
Only way to know is to strip it but min is going to be cam covers and sump off ..
Good luck if you do decide to repair but be prepaired for a lot of work and expence.
Lee
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: CaptainZok on 15 August 2010, 19:47:57
Don't think you'd get the sump off with the engine in situ anyway so engine out then complete strip down.
Replacement engine would be the easiest and quite probably cheapest way to go.
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: Bumbazor on 15 August 2010, 19:48:38
Thanks for those answers, it confirmed what I thought.

So as I would be removing the engine anyway I might as well replace it.
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 15 August 2010, 19:49:37
Quote
Thanks for those answers, it confirmed what I thought.

So as I would be removing the engine anyway I might as well replace it.

Yes, probably!! :D :D ;)
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 15 August 2010, 20:09:56
Quote
Quote
Thanks for those answers, it confirmed what I thought.

So as I would be removing the engine anyway I might as well replace it.

Yes, probably!! :D :D ;)

Agreed. Engine needs to come out for a proper inspection and to get it into a clean working environment to inspect bearings, etc. Notwithstanding, the time taken to get it out on a stand you will save several times over during the rebuild due to easy access.

Financially, a known good 2nd hand lump would be the best option.

Kevin
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: omegadan67 on 15 August 2010, 20:22:34
i would replace the engine with a known good 2nd hand engine if you need help i may be able to hoist tools and poss engine from a 67,000 mile warentted  00 v plate
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: ted_one on 15 August 2010, 20:29:05
Just a word of warning based on my recent experience of buying a  "replacement engine." I have just paid over £2000 + for a 3.0ltr V6 and auto trans from a company in Wales and it's already been back too them for an oil leak which was supposedly fixed (rocker cover gasket I was told) But guess where I'm going Wednesday? yes,125 miles down the M4 with the same problem so I guess all I'm trying to say is, if you do take the replacement option then you should insist on a build sheet because I did'nt and I'm really wondering now wether I've bought a pile of trouble.Theres a lot of companies out there that talk the talk but don't walk the walk!! Good luck and spend wisely..
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: Teebee on 15 August 2010, 20:38:26
I don't know the full details of your engine deal but if they are reusing your old plenum/breathers and it is blocked i'd imagine it's highly unlikely the fitters will clean it out so you could blow your rocker cover gasket on a weekly basis.
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: ted_one on 15 August 2010, 21:23:09
It's a long story but James V6 stripped the top half of the engine down and we cleaned everything within an inch of its of it's life and replaced  every thing under the bonnet,and as the car was originally brought as a non runner with the head gaskets gone we thought that was the only problem but we could'nt get it started due to a compression problem so I  decided to replace the engine rather than scrap the car.So if they have used the old top half I can't see that could be the problem.I am inclined to  think it's more likely to be a shoddy job,so as a precaution I am taking a set of new gaskets down with me and hopefully I will try to watch them being fitted.. :y
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: markspark on 15 August 2010, 21:58:20
Quote
It's a long story but James V6 stripped the top half of the engine down and we cleaned everything within an inch of its of it's life and replaced  every thing under the bonnet,and as the car was originally brought as a non runner with the head gaskets gone we thought that was the only problem but we could'nt get it started due to a compression problem so I  decided to replace the engine rather than scrap the car.So if they have used the old top half I can't see that could be the problem.I am inclined to  think it's more likely to be a shoddy job,so as a precaution I am taking a set of new gaskets down with me and hopefully I will try to watch them being fitted.. :y

What was the name of the garage that did the engine
Title: Re: Replace engine or unseize?
Post by: TheBoy on 16 August 2010, 09:21:22
The problem is you cannot tell how much damage is caused until stripdown I'm afraid....