Bummed Out!

[Libertad]

Just when I thought I had the mechanical stuff done with and I was getting ready to lower my 75' C10 LWB in the coming weeks now this happens:

I was driving to work last night and my motor made a rough growling noise with shaking and white smoke out of the exhaust then it died on me, just prior to that it sounded like a push rod was ticking and my oil pressure went down. Once on the side of the road it wouldn't crank over anymore. I had to leave it there and had it towed home this morning. I haven't been able to look at it yet.
The motor never leaked oil and just recently I noticed what seemed to be a rod knocking every once in a while that would last for a minute and then go away.

Where should I start looking for what went wrong. I have come to the realization that I may have to rebuild the motor or maybe find another 350 to drop in there but could it be anything external. Any advice on where to start is appreciated.

[GmtGmt]

what i would do is to get socket and ratchet and put it on the pully/harmonic balancer and try to turn the engine to see if its seized if you cant turn it then you know its an internal
if you turn it a bit one way back and forward you might have something in the valve train maby a dropped valve.
and then i would remove the engine, drain the oil and take the heads off if there isnt anything wrong then its lower crank, con rods etc
if its lower then i would get a new engine it might be cheaper

[old Rusty C10]

If the motor doesnt turn as described above then id look for a new 350 for it... it sounds like a major internal problem that would require a rebuild. The only other advice is when you hear a banging in the motor the time to take it apart and make it a less expensive repair is before it up and quits on ya then its usually FUBAR

[Libertad]

Thank you GMT and Old Rusty. I will try to turn the motor and if not I will look for another 350.

[Libertad]

Is this a good deal for a 350? http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/pts/1417642736.html

[87Bob]

I have a quicker diagnostic trick. You said it puffed white smoke right? Pull your dip stick I'll bet you find milky oil. Also look at the level it's probably way above the fill mark. In either case your in for a rebuild. Then you can try the other idesa this is quick and easy.

[Libertad]

Originally Posted by 87Bob

I have a quicker diagnostic trick. You said it puffed white smoke right? Pull your dip stick I'll bet you find milky oil. Also look at the level it's probably way above the fill mark. In either case your in for a rebuild. Then you can try the other idesa this is quick and easy.

You are exactly right 87Bob. Way above the full mark and milky. Thanks, time to start removing stuff.

[bitchin85]

id say that motor is a good deal it it runs and doesnt smoke.. did he say if its 2 or 4 bolt?

[Libertad]

Originally Posted by *****in85

id say that motor is a good deal it it runs and doesnt smoke.. did he say if its 2 or 4 bolt?

What is it that I need?

[bitchin85]

to find out if its a two or four bolt main? or what?
i think i misread that lol it doesnt matter but the four bolt main motors have a lot stronger bottom ends in them then two bolts. a two bolt is fine though. if its a four bolt main motor it would be a steal for 250

[old Rusty C10]

i would want to hear it run b efore i gave em anything for it but its a great price for a motor... i spent $400 for a 4.3 out of a scrap yard and im looking about $500 for a good v8

[bitchin85]

yea thats why i sed it would be a great price if it ran.. i got screwed once on a motor i bought a while back before i knew much. he said it was rebuilt with a race cam, roller rockers, forged internals and what not but it was a stock 2 bolt 350 with a cheap edelbrock intake and carb on it. and the cylinders had such a big ridge at the tops of them i couldnt even get the pistons out. stock junk 882 heads, stock valvetrain, internals, cam..etc.. thats what i got for taking someones word and being ignorant

[Libertad]

Ok *****en didnt know that.

I started to remove things to get the motor out and this is what started leaking and from where when I turned the harmonic balancer which I was able to do:










No leaks anywhere else:








So any ideas on what it could have been??

[bitchin85]

could have been a blown head gasket. it looks like antifreeze in the oil. it happened on my freinds cutlass.

[Libertad]

Yeah but with a blown head gasket it shouldnt have made the noise it did and why would it be leaking by the rear main seal? The truck wouldn't even crank over after the loud jerking growl that it made when it died on me. Not even one turn with the ignition. And when I turned the harmonic balancer today, the oil really started to come out by the rear main seal.

[midnite]

was it hard to turn over?

[midnite]

also the rear main seal could have been worn out before and now with the extra coolant up to if not above the hright of the seal when turning it might leak, unless there was metal shavings chewed up the seal .... but with the extra coolant in the oil it would leak if the seal is bad

[N2TRUX]

Sounds (and looks) like you blew a head gasket. If so water in the cylinder will cause hydro-lock.

[Libertad]

Thanks for the replies guys! I plan on opening her up and changing the head gasket. Anything I need to look for when I have her top off? Valves, springs..etc...

[old Rusty C10]

looks like there is alot of rust in the cooling system id prolly want to do a complete flush on it...also how long before the thing dying on you did you check the oil? if this was a matter of days its prolly time for a complete rebuild... If you see no damage to a head gasket ( obvious leak) and no damage to a head its time to trash the block.... id seriously start lining up a motor .. also if the RMS is leaking you gotta pull the thans so with all that off its just as easy to pull the motor and do it right..... its better to do it right than do it ten times

[Libertad]

OldRusty I had checked the oil the day before and was fine. No leaks either. No smoke coming from the motor when it died only from tail pipe. So you dont think it is a head gasket? I didnt see any obvious leaks.

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Libertad

So any ideas on what it could have been??

It could be several things other than a head gasket too.

I had a fuel pump diaphragm leak a bunch of fuel into the engine oil once. See if it is fuel or water you see mixed in with the oil.

Could also have been an intake gasket failure that leaked water into the lifter valley. Had that happen too.

Cracked cylinder head will do the same thing. Had that too.

Cracked block could do it too. Had to deal with that one several times.

[68 TT]

Water in the oil will destroy your bearings and the crank very quickly. If it hydro-locked it also probably bent a rod and / or broke a piston.

You really need to tear it all the way down and check out the crank & bearings. With the heads off you are nearly there anyway so it is not that much more work to go the rest of the way.

Your cam is probably toast too.

[Libertad]

Originally Posted by 68 TT

Water in the oil will destroy your bearings and the crank very quickly. If it hydro-locked it also probably bent a rod and / or broke a piston.

You really need to tear it all the way down and check out the crank & bearings. With the heads off you are nearly there anyway so it is not that much more work to go the rest of the way.

Your cam is probably toast too.

Thanks 68 TT I am leaning towards getting a new crate motor, just too much that could be wrong with this one. I do plan on opening it up and see what damage has been done and will keep you all posted.

This truck is no longer a "Budget Makeover" for sure.

[sailed2japan]

I suggest checking with a couple local machine shops and seeing what they get for a SBC before you buy a crae motor. I found a place hear in austin that would sell a rebuilt long block w/ a 36k warrantee for $2000.