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darkwolf45

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Timing chain was ok, something else towards the back of the engine is blocking it from turning over. He's still quoting me with $2300, $650 for an engine he's happy with, $100 for new seals, $100-150 for fluids, freeon, etc, the rest for labor.. If I remember his rates, that would be around 9 hours of labor, or maybe a little more. He also questioned the reputability of a couple of the places I mentioned with engines for sale.

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I was suggesting that you buy one of those cars for the engine, not to keep. You would be able to hear it run, plus you would get an extra transmission, alternator, starter, etc. And after you scrap the car you pulled the engine out of you would net about the same as buying an engine.

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I would question his reputation. Even if you changed EVEY fluid in the car, $50 gaskets for engine swap, $50(at most). What is he charging $125+ an hr? Also part and fluid prices are retail, not what he can get them for with his shop discount(usually 10-25%)

Timing chain was ok, something else towards the back of the engine is blocking it from turning over. He's still quoting me with $2300, $650 for an engine he's happy with, $100 for new seals, $100-150 for fluids, freeon, etc, the rest for labor.. If I remember his rates, that would be around 9 hours of labor, or maybe a little more. He also questioned the reputability of a couple of the places I mentioned with engines for sale.
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I talked to the other guy, who quoted me around $850-$1050 for parts, labor to install the engine, but he didn't have a quote on the engine itself. He was recommending redoing the intake manifold before installation, which IS included in his price.

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Redoing the intake would be good, make sure he is using a top of the line metal gasket.

 

still voting for a grenaded piston/rod... or hyrdolock. ie pop the spark plugs out and see if it turns.

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I asked about hydro lock, that isn't the issue. At this stage, is it really worth it to take the engine apart further to see if it's a rod? I would love to save this engine, but I don't really want to keep spending money to just dive deeper into the rabbit hole. The shop where it's at, he's laid out my option as replacing the engine, so I think he's done with diagnosing. At $2300, I'm not too keen on paying for a new engine there either

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He shouldn`t done with diagnosing until he can tell you what is wrong with it other than the engine doesn`t work. You knew that when you brought it to him. If he got your timing cover off might as well remove the valve covers and check the rods, might have to rock the engine to get at the rear ones better.

Edited by rich_e777
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Well, I'm pretty disappointed. I might have been more receptive to the high cost of a new engine if he hadn't been in a rush to unload the car, thereby damaging the bumper skirt, and paint job- again. he knows how hard I've worked on this, and the dude didn't so much as bat an eyelash when it happened. I have the other mechanic looking over what would be needed, he's already quoting a lower price for labor and parts, and one thing you can say about him is he's a straight shooter.

 

If I did it myself, I'm guessing it would be more than a weekend project, and I would also have to convince my girlfriend to let me occupy her little garage to do it, which would present chellenges of its own.

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DO IT!!! :) Nothing like driving a car that you got running, not to menrion the $ savings. :)

Well, I'm pretty disappointed. I might have been more receptive to the high cost of a new engine if he hadn't been in a rush to unload the car, thereby damaging the bumper skirt, and paint job- again. he knows how hard I've worked on this, and the dude didn't so much as bat an eyelash when it happened. I have the other mechanic looking over what would be needed, he's already quoting a lower price for labor and parts, and one thing you can say about him is he's a straight shooter.

 

If I did it myself, I'm guessing it would be more than a weekend project, and I would also have to convince my girlfriend to let me occupy her little garage to do it, which would present chellenges of its own.

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Well, I'm pretty disappointed. I might have been more receptive to the high cost of a new engine if he hadn't been in a rush to unload the car, thereby damaging the bumper skirt, and paint job- again.

 

I would have just said "Stop, you're done, if you treat my car like this before even working on it, you've already dropped the ball, No job for you. GOOD DAY SIR!"

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Well.. the gf isn't on board with DIY.Not sure that bothers me, cuz based on my measurements, I don't think there is enough space in that garage to fit a cherry picker to lift and engine out.

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Would there be any problems in installing a 3100 from a 1994 Grand AM? I see two 3100's up north of the twin cities, and am trying to compare if there would be any issues with one from a W-Body (another '95 cutlass) and a Grand AM.

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Dude said his note were incomplete on the 95 Cutlass engine, but he thought it had 158k on it, needed new intake gaskets (was gonna replace those anyways) and was willing to give it to me for $150. I'm hoping this will pan out as good as it sounds.

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U=HAUL, $19.95 for a pick up.

Chery Picker Rental, call around, or get one off craigslist for not that much money.

 

Expand your education into your OLDER car, DIY, will only make you better...especially for next time or for others. Love, even for a car, is always worth fighting for!

 

I don't know your area, or where you can find a spot to do the work. I once had a simular experience, ended up putting a Tarp and 2x4's up in my driveway.

 

"Success is the determination in between failures." Winston Churchill

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U=HAUL, $19.95 for a pick up.

Chery Picker Rental, call around, or get one off craigslist for not that much money.

 

Expand your education into your OLDER car, DIY, will only make you better...especially for next time or for others. Love, even for a car, is always worth fighting for!

 

I don't know your area, or where you can find a spot to do the work. I once had a simular experience, ended up putting a Tarp and 2x4's up in my driveway.

 

"Success is the determination in between failures." Winston Churchill

 

I thought about that.. The city where I live it's literally illegal to change a tire unless its inside your garage. I have garage stalls for my Cutlass and Bonneville int he apartment building where I live, but they don't even want me to open the hood. They actually threatened to fine me because I had a full sized spare for the Bonneville in there (and nothing else). The thing that pisses me off is that I had double checked with the office before I put it there. Without consent from the girlfriend to use her cramped garage, I really don't have any options to do it myself. I'm still looking for other options, but the best ones I had are out right now.

 

There is a guy I know who is willing to do it for around $850, possibly a little more depending on parts taht are needed, so this is starting to get a little more affordable.

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Long term, I will be changing my living situation so I can have a place to do this. Short term, I will take your advice to heart and put out some more feelers. The shop where I plan to take it says he can't take it in until the 18th, so I will have some more time to sort stuff out.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well....

 

Not exactly any good progress on the car..

 

A week ago last sunday I picked the Cutlass up from the shop to find that the engine was still largely disassembled and I couldn't close the hood. After a lot of moving parts around and bustin my balls, i was able to get it loaded onto a tow dolly. From there I brought it over to my parents' place to leave it there for a couple weeks until another mechanic had an opening or I came up with a better solution.

 

In the process of trying to dislodge the car from the dolly by myself, because my brother was too tired to come outside and help.. I tore my achilles tendon. Of course a much simpler solution became apparent as I was lying on the ground, but, que sera..

 

The short? I have time to consider more options, and who knows, maybe in the week and a half since then my brother has actually pushed the car off the street.. But I will likely not be able to make my appointment to bring it in to a new mechanic on the 18th because I am not in a condition to push it right now.

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Well....

 

Not exactly any good progress on the car..

 

A week ago last sunday I picked the Cutlass up from the shop to find that the engine was still largely disassembled and I couldn't close the hood. After a lot of moving parts around and bustin my balls, i was able to get it loaded onto a tow dolly. From there I brought it over to my parents' place to leave it there for a couple weeks until another mechanic had an opening or I came up with a better solution.

 

In the process of trying to dislodge the car from the dolly by myself, because my brother was too tired to come outside and help.. I tore my achilles tendon. Of course a much simpler solution became apparent as I was lying on the ground, but, que sera..

 

The short? I have time to consider more options, and who knows, maybe in the week and a half since then my brother has actually pushed the car off the street.. But I will likely not be able to make my appointment to bring it in to a new mechanic on the 18th because I am not in a condition to push it right now.

 

Yikes! that's a nasty injury! Hope it gets better soon!

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Thanks, Getting back to the car, I may have a lead on someone north of the cities who could help with an engine swap and actually let me do at least part of it on the cheap. The other thing i discussed with my friend was the possibility of just a partial rebuild of the engine. The mechanic I took it to focused completely on the timining chain, and the only solid words I got from him was that the timing chain was not broken. I'm not particularly concerned about his diagnosis of the engine needing to be replaced, since he never actually tracked down the problem, the idea he floated initially was wrong, and I paid $400 for the priviledge to have him do so, he damaged the front end of the car and left the engine in pieces. In short, though he has done some good work for me in the past, his credibility is gone with me.

 

Since a good chunk of the engine is apart already, what are the odds that it's just a blown rod? What is the likely culprit? How much work would be involved in reparing that damage, rather than taking my chances on another used engine?

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My 94 I had did the same thing came out to start it would not turn over thought my motor had gone bad but it was only a locked up AC pump took the belt off the motor and it turned over and started right up. So I just change the AC pump and put on another 75000 miles with out a problem

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