Code Blue! She's down! 911! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Longhorn321 · 12-04-2009, 01:45 AM

Well I went to get the Christmas tree tonight and made it about 1/2 mile from the house when the motor made this funny noise and that was all she wrote. My best guess is that the timing chain slipped. It was running good and then it wasn't running at all. The carb still squirts fuel and there is still spark at the wires. That funny noise is what makes me think timing chain. At least I wasn't far from home. My neigbor pulled me home so she is back in the yard. Looks like the engine rebuild is gonna happen sooner rather than later.

tonypaul · 12-04-2009, 02:17 AM

take off your dist cap and see if the cap is turning when you crank it.. it turns while your cranking it, its NOT the timing chain...

unclewatts · 12-04-2009, 03:44 AM

Megabummer!

Andy4639 · 12-04-2009, 04:48 AM

Man Dewayne that stinks. If you need anything hollar.

Longhorn321 · 12-04-2009, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonypaul

take off your dist cap and see if the cap is turning when you crank it.. it turns while your cranking it, its NOT the timing chain...

I did take the dizzy cap off and it is turning. I also mentioned that I am getting spark.

Yeah, I know the chain is not broken but I think it may have slipped.

Bears63 · 12-04-2009, 11:15 AM

Did you experience a massive power loss at the same time as the noise right before it quit? I had a similar thing happen on a '68 I had, the chain slipped and I had a power loss and then it died for good.

Longhorn321 · 12-04-2009, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bears63

Did you experience a massive power loss at the same time as the noise right before it quit? I had a similar thing happen on a '68 I had, the chain slipped and I had a power loss and then it died for good.

Yes/No? No noticable power loss prior to BIG power loss when it shut off. It was like it was pulling and then it wasn't pulling (coasting) and there was this ratcheting noise that sorta wound down and then quit. Cranking sounds normal, dizzy turns, the one rocker I can see via the oil filler is moving.

Bears63 · 12-04-2009, 11:51 AM

That was kind of what I meant. When the chain slipped on my '68 it instantly acted like you put it in neutral until the engine finally quit a few seconds later. It was the same experience, fuel good, spark present, cranking sounded normal, but it wouldn't fire. I think you may be right on the chain having slipped.

69halfton · 12-04-2009, 11:52 AM

thats a serious mind-bender. you'l have to let us know what it is when you get it apart. if it slipped and the locked up again it wouldn't run but it would spin everything normally just out-of-time....

Longhorn321 · 12-04-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bears63

That was kind of what I meant. When the chain slipped on my '68 it instantly acted like you put it in neutral until the engine finally quit a few seconds later. It was the same experience, fuel good, spark present, cranking sounded normal, but it wouldn't fire. I think you may be right on the chain having slipped.

Were you accelerating? Was the engine cold or hot? I was under light to medium acceleration with a cold engine.

Bears63 · 12-04-2009, 12:15 PM

The engine was warmed up and I was accelerating up to highway speed. Medium acceleration, not getting on it, and it just went kaput.

Longhorn321 · 12-04-2009, 12:19 PM

OK, Thanks.

69GMCLonghorn · 12-04-2009, 01:30 PM

Here's a frightening story: About 5 years ago, I was hauling a Christmas tree to my buddy's house. The original engine was still in the truck and one lifter had been making some hellacious noise. What better time to DRAG RACE MY BUDDY up to about 95 MPH!! Believe it or not, it didn't blow up. BUT! When I left his house, the last thing he said is, "Well, if it blows up, at least it mostly downhill back to your house!" 3 blocks later, I turned onto the onramp, started accelerating, and CLANG CLANG BOOM BACKFIRE BANG BANG... and a RAINBOW of smoke came out both pipes...

The lifter/push rod broke, valve into the piston, piston into the cylinder wall, then pushed the valve back into the head... It was AWESOME!

67ChevyRedneck · 12-04-2009, 01:36 PM

That sucks Dwayne.

Longhorn321 · 12-04-2009, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69GMCLonghorn

Here's a frightening story: About 5 years ago, I was hauling a Christmas tree to my buddy's house. The original engine was still in the truck and one lifter had been making some hellacious noise. What better time to DRAG RACE MY BUDDY up to about 95 MPH!! Believe it or not, it didn't blow up. BUT! When I left his house, the last thing he said is, "Well, if it blows up, at least it mostly downhill back to your house!" 3 blocks later, I turned onto the onramp, started accelerating, and CLANG CLANG BOOM BACKFIRE BANG BANG... and a RAINBOW of smoke came out both pipes...

The lifter/push rod broke, valve into the piston, piston into the cylinder wall, then pushed the valve back into the head... It was AWESOME!

Let's hope mine is not that bad!

surfacerust · 12-04-2009, 07:57 PM

hmm.. run #1 up on TDC and pop the valve cover to see if there is a valve open that shouldnt be???
if it jumped time.

would you be able to see it if it was only a tooth or two out?

just tryin to help.

CCCC · 12-05-2009, 12:11 AM

Every time I have removed a t-chain cover have found a fiber material gear - maybe plastic - so this must have been OE on SBs - and maybe BBs. So, I always replace with a steel gear. Have heard that the fiber gears eventually wear/break and that a problem like yours may occur. If so, and the chain slipped a couple of teeth or even if the gear stated to disintegrate, it may not be a disaster - as long as it did not do any off-time pushing of valve rods, etc. I would do the TDC check with #1 valves as noted by someone here - that should tell if it is in the chain/cam/valve train. If it is, the job is not too bad (if it is not a cam issue) - radiator out, fan and belts off, puller for the balancer. Be sure to use a new seal in the pan. Good luck,
CCCC

tonypaul · 12-05-2009, 12:16 AM

next thing is do a compression test of all cylinders. Take your plugs out and get a free tester from Auto Zone or something... Do you have HEI or standard ign? If it is something in your valvetrain, like a broken rocker it would still start but you would hear a bad sound... It should start on seven cylinders, just wont sound good.... did you check all plugs for fire or just 1 or 2? Sounds like a broken crank to me...

71tahoe · 12-05-2009, 12:30 AM

There's no way it's a broken crank if the distributor is still turning.

tonypaul · 12-05-2009, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 71tahoe

There's no way it's a broken crank if the distributor is still turning.

yea brain went dead for a second..... gotta be a broken wrist pin or something... has fire, has gas, hmmmm.......

67ChevyRedneck · 12-05-2009, 12:49 AM

Dwayne, are you planning on an actual rebuild, or crate engine? Is it a 350? Just curious.

*highperf4x4* · 12-05-2009, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 71tahoe

There's no way it's a broken crank if the distributor is still turning.

Actually I was driving an engine once when the crankshaft broke. Someone had put the wrong balancer on it and it had a vibration to it. When it broke it sounded bad with alot of clunking. However, the engine did start again but hammered quite a bit so I shut it off. The noticeable difference is that it made the hammering noise even when cranking. I didn't know it was a broken crankshaft until I tore the engine down. Weird huh?

I would pull the timing chain cover before I pulled the engine out though. There is a mark on each timing gear. If they line up then the chain did not jump (the mark on the crank gear will be at the top while the mark on the cam gear is at the bottom). They have to line up dead center though.

roger0080 · 12-05-2009, 03:09 AM

That just happened to me this fall as I was going to put it away for winter in the shed. It was idling and then it just suddenly stopped like right now.

Has spark, blows fuel back up the carb like yours too, sounds "different" when cranking it over, won't pop off or run. Me thinks timing chain too. Disgusted we pushed it in the shed and I'll deal with it in the spring. Just got done putting in new radiator and water pump. Ugh.

If you get to yours, please post what you find. Thanks.

**Ron 586** · 12-05-2009, 06:03 AM

Sorry to hear that Dwayne. Hope it is a simple fix so you can keep driving that Longhorn.

Longhorn321 · 12-07-2009, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surfacerust

hmm.. run #1 up on TDC and pop the valve cover to see if there is a valve open that shouldnt be???
if it jumped time.

would you be able to see it if it was only a tooth or two out?

just tryin to help.

Don't know about a tooth or two but that's what I'm gonna do as soon as I get the chance. Looking a little busy 'tween now and new years but maybe I'll get to it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonypaul

next thing is do a compression test of all cylinders. Take your plugs out and get a free tester from Auto Zone or something... Do you have HEI or standard ign? If it is something in your valvetrain, like a broken rocker it would still start but you would hear a bad sound... It should start on seven cylinders, just wont sound good.... did you check all plugs for fire or just 1 or 2? Sounds like a broken crank to me...

I have the compression gauge. I only checked one cylinder.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

Dwayne, are you planning on an actual rebuild, or crate engine? Is it a 350? Just curious.

Rebuild.

Quote:

Originally Posted by highperf4x4

Actually I was driving an engine once when the crankshaft broke. Someone had put the wrong balancer on it and it had a vibration to it. When it broke it sounded bad with alot of clunking. However, the engine did start again but hammered quite a bit so I shut it off. The noticeable difference is that it made the hammering noise even when cranking. I didn't know it was a broken crankshaft until I tore the engine down. Weird huh?

I would pull the timing chain cover before I pulled the engine out though. There is a mark on each timing gear. If they line up then the chain did not jump (the mark on the crank gear will be at the top while the mark on the cam gear is at the bottom). They have to line up dead center though.

I could see that but it would be a freak thing. The part of the crank being driven by the starter would still have to drive the broken off front part of the crank to drive the cam which drives the cam. This would be possible if the crank broke at an angle but extremely unlikely.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron 586

Sorry to hear that Dwayne. Hope it is a simple fix so you can keep driving that Longhorn.

Yep. I hope it's simple too but I think it's gonna wind up being a rebuild cuz it's smoking anyway.

12-04-2009, 02:17 AM	#2
tonypaul Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Austin Tx Posts: 639	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! take off your dist cap and see if the cap is turning when you crank it.. it turns while your cranking it, its NOT the timing chain...

12-04-2009, 03:44 AM	#3
unclewatts 70 Chevrolet=Obsession Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: nice ca Posts: 1,067	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! Megabummer! __________________ I'm Just like my truck. Old, Ugly and Grouchy. Except my truck starts easily in the morning and doesn't smoke! IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN! -Kermit the frog 1970 Chevrolet C-10 Longbed Stepside : 350, Muncie M20, 3.08 GM corp. positraction Forest green exterior/light green interior(Where all my money goes) 1996 Toyota Corolla (Parts runner)

12-04-2009, 04:48 AM	#4
Andy4639 Old member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Liberty, & Garden City S.C. , U.S. Posts: 19,945	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! Man Dewayne that stinks. If you need anything hollar. __________________ 1971 LWB Custom, 6.0LS & 4L80E, Speedhut.com GPS speedometer & gauges with A/C. 20" Boss 338's Grey wheels 4 wheel disc brakes. My Driver Seeing the USA in a 71 Upstate SC GM Truck Club 2013,14 and 2016 Hot Rod Pour Tour http://upstategmtrucks.com/ Get out and drive the truck this summer and have some fun! It sucks not being able to hear! LWB trucks rule, if you don't think so measure your SWB! After talking to tech support at Air Lift I have found out that the kit I need is 60811. Per the measurements I gave them. Ride height of truck inside spring and inside diameter of springs. Last edited by Andy4639; 12-04-2009 at 05:01 AM.

12-04-2009, 11:15 AM	#6
Bears63 ...just another truck junkie.. Join Date: May 2009 Location: Watertown, SD Posts: 698	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! Did you experience a massive power loss at the same time as the noise right before it quit? I had a similar thing happen on a '68 I had, the chain slipped and I had a power loss and then it died for good. __________________ Mike "Bear" Shea

12-04-2009, 11:51 AM	#8
Bears63 ...just another truck junkie.. Join Date: May 2009 Location: Watertown, SD Posts: 698	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! That was kind of what I meant. When the chain slipped on my '68 it instantly acted like you put it in neutral until the engine finally quit a few seconds later. It was the same experience, fuel good, spark present, cranking sounded normal, but it wouldn't fire. I think you may be right on the chain having slipped. __________________ Mike "Bear" Shea

12-04-2009, 01:45 AM	#1
Longhorn321 Size Matters Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lyman, SC Posts: 9,189	Code Blue! She's down! 911! Well I went to get the Christmas tree tonight and made it about 1/2 mile from the house when the motor made this funny noise and that was all she wrote. My best guess is that the timing chain slipped. It was running good and then it wasn't running at all. The carb still squirts fuel and there is still spark at the wires. That funny noise is what makes me think timing chain. At least I wasn't far from home. My neigbor pulled me home so she is back in the yard. Looks like the engine rebuild is gonna happen sooner rather than later. __________________ "Reading the owners manual is only for quitters." Jason Harper, Bloomberg News. ...WOOOO HOOOO!!!!

12-04-2009, 11:52 AM	#9
69halfton Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: King City, Ontario, Canada Posts: 974	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! thats a serious mind-bender. you'l have to let us know what it is when you get it apart. if it slipped and the locked up again it wouldn't run but it would spin everything normally just out-of-time.... __________________ - Jason If you can turn, Youre not going fast enough. Favorite caption: first car to 200 mph in the 1/4 mile, no parachute, drum brakes all the way around.. ..back when men were men.

12-04-2009, 12:15 PM	#11
Bears63 ...just another truck junkie.. Join Date: May 2009 Location: Watertown, SD Posts: 698	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! The engine was warmed up and I was accelerating up to highway speed. Medium acceleration, not getting on it, and it just went kaput. __________________ Mike "Bear" Shea

12-04-2009, 12:19 PM	#12
Longhorn321 Size Matters Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lyman, SC Posts: 9,189	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! OK, Thanks. __________________ "Reading the owners manual is only for quitters." Jason Harper, Bloomberg News. ...WOOOO HOOOO!!!!

12-04-2009, 01:30 PM	#13
69GMCLonghorn Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Porter Ranch, CA Posts: 978	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! Here's a frightening story: About 5 years ago, I was hauling a Christmas tree to my buddy's house. The original engine was still in the truck and one lifter had been making some hellacious noise. What better time to DRAG RACE MY BUDDY up to about 95 MPH!! Believe it or not, it didn't blow up. BUT! When I left his house, the last thing he said is, "Well, if it blows up, at least it mostly downhill back to your house!" 3 blocks later, I turned onto the onramp, started accelerating, and CLANG CLANG BOOM BACKFIRE BANG BANG... and a RAINBOW of smoke came out both pipes... The lifter/push rod broke, valve into the piston, piston into the cylinder wall, then pushed the valve back into the head... It was AWESOME!

12-04-2009, 01:36 PM	#14
67ChevyRedneck Hittin E-Z Street on Mud Tires Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 23,090	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! That sucks Dwayne. __________________ Jesse James 1967 C10 SWB Stepside: 350/700R4/3.73 1965 Ford Mustang: 289/T5-5spd/3.25 Trac-Loc 1968 Pontiac Firebird: Project Fire Chicken! 2015 Silverado Double Cab 5.3L Z71 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L 5spd 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premium 2.0L Turbo 2011 Mustang V6 ~ Wife's ride American Born, Country by the Grace of God 1967 CST Shop Truck Rebuild! My 1967 C-10 Build Thread My Vintage Air A/C Install Project "On a Dime" Trying my hand at Home Renovation! 1965 Mustang Modifications!

12-04-2009, 07:57 PM	#16
surfacerust Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Tunnelton, WV Posts: 38	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! hmm.. run #1 up on TDC and pop the valve cover to see if there is a valve open that shouldnt be??? if it jumped time. would you be able to see it if it was only a tooth or two out? just tryin to help.

12-05-2009, 12:11 AM	#17
CCCC Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: San Pedro River, SE Arizona Posts: 734	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! Every time I have removed a t-chain cover have found a fiber material gear - maybe plastic - so this must have been OE on SBs - and maybe BBs. So, I always replace with a steel gear. Have heard that the fiber gears eventually wear/break and that a problem like yours may occur. If so, and the chain slipped a couple of teeth or even if the gear stated to disintegrate, it may not be a disaster - as long as it did not do any off-time pushing of valve rods, etc. I would do the TDC check with #1 valves as noted by someone here - that should tell if it is in the chain/cam/valve train. If it is, the job is not too bad (if it is not a cam issue) - radiator out, fan and belts off, puller for the balancer. Be sure to use a new seal in the pan. Good luck, CCCC __________________ CCCC 67 Sting Ray Coupe 327 4sp; 68 K10 Suburban 327 4sp; 69 K20 Lifted 383 4sp; 69 C80 Fire Truck 478 V6 5sp/2sp; 69 C20 Longhorn 327 4sp; 70 C30 Wrecker 350 4sp; 70 C30 Flat Bed 350 4sp; 71 C20 LWB 350 4sp; 72 K5 Blazer 350 4sp; 72 C30 Flat Bed Gooseneck Hauler with sleeper 350/TH400; 72 C20 Longhorn 402 4sp; 52 Mack LTL Supercharged Cummins 5sp x 3sp; 01 Dodge 5.9 HO Cummins 6spd; 02 Safari Trek 2430 8.1 Vortec on Workhorse Chassis; 03 Silverado 2500 HD 4wd Duramax/Allison Moved but still in the family 70 C20 Custom Camper 350/TH350; 72 K5 Blazer CST Highlander 350/TH350 Recently sent to new homes 72 C30 MoHome 402 4sp; 72 K5 Blazer Conv 350 4sp; 75 GMC 6000 Aerial 350 w Allison; 72 GMC 3500 Utility 350 4sp; 70 GMC 3500, 350 4sp

12-05-2009, 12:16 AM	#18
tonypaul Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Austin Tx Posts: 639	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! next thing is do a compression test of all cylinders. Take your plugs out and get a free tester from Auto Zone or something... Do you have HEI or standard ign? If it is something in your valvetrain, like a broken rocker it would still start but you would hear a bad sound... It should start on seven cylinders, just wont sound good.... did you check all plugs for fire or just 1 or 2? Sounds like a broken crank to me... Last edited by tonypaul; 12-05-2009 at 12:23 AM. Reason: had to add some stuff

12-05-2009, 12:30 AM	#19
71tahoe Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Jonesboro, AR Posts: 916	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! There's no way it's a broken crank if the distributor is still turning.



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12-05-2009, 12:49 AM	#21
67ChevyRedneck Hittin E-Z Street on Mud Tires Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 23,090	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! Dwayne, are you planning on an actual rebuild, or crate engine? Is it a 350? Just curious. __________________ Jesse James 1967 C10 SWB Stepside: 350/700R4/3.73 1965 Ford Mustang: 289/T5-5spd/3.25 Trac-Loc 1968 Pontiac Firebird: Project Fire Chicken! 2015 Silverado Double Cab 5.3L Z71 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L 5spd 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premium 2.0L Turbo 2011 Mustang V6 ~ Wife's ride American Born, Country by the Grace of God 1967 CST Shop Truck Rebuild! My 1967 C-10 Build Thread My Vintage Air A/C Install Project "On a Dime" Trying my hand at Home Renovation! 1965 Mustang Modifications!

12-05-2009, 03:09 AM	#23
roger0080 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Carver County, Minnesota, USA Posts: 626	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! That just happened to me this fall as I was going to put it away for winter in the shed. It was idling and then it just suddenly stopped like right now. Has spark, blows fuel back up the carb like yours too, sounds "different" when cranking it over, won't pop off or run. Me thinks timing chain too. Disgusted we pushed it in the shed and I'll deal with it in the spring. Just got done putting in new radiator and water pump. Ugh. If you get to yours, please post what you find. Thanks. __________________ 72 Chev C-10 90% restored (former AZ truck) ... 71 Chev K-20 Cheyenne my vacation crusier... 72 Chev C-10 Now retired and striped after many faithful miles... 72 GMC 1500 Retired to the junk yard after bought new in '71...

12-05-2009, 06:03 AM	#24
Ron 586 RIP Mr Ron Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Big Sandy, Tn. 38221 Posts: 8,150	Re: Code Blue! She's down! 911! Sorry to hear that Dwayne. Hope it is a simple fix so you can keep driving that Longhorn. __________________ Ron (Mr Round Tuit) Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle TN Message Forum TN Facebook Group SETN Truck Show My Photobucket

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