**Engine Failure** Replacement Options?

[TNRacedoc]

Wife was driving home on the interstate, gets an error message regarding Stabili-track. Car isn't running or handling any different but she makes her way over toward the shoulder to stop and take inventory. Before she gets to the roadside, she hears/feels a loud "clunk", and the motor begins making "a horrible noise". Three different mechanics have declared the engine DOA at 140K miles. Each is also scratching his head, due to the reputation of this engine being historically durable.

Vehicle was well-maintained with no current mechanical issues. I have no idea why it tanked, but I guess I'm glad it didn't happen while we were far from home.

Anyway...dealer wants $9,900 to replace. Unacceptable.
Now we're debating between a "recycled" engine and a "remanufactured" one.

Any opinions/advice?

 

[about20ninj45]

What engine did you have?

 

[TNRacedoc]

6.2 L Vortec V8 (L94?)

 

[about20ninj45]

depending how bad the block internals are damaged, you could buy a new block for 800 and transfer over the usable parts. There are guys selling ls3 dropout shortblock for 2300 bucks. I would browse craigslist or lkq motors for just the shortblock and then transfer of the rest of the other things from your current block, like heads, intake, altenator etc etc. You could then( if not damdged badly) turn around and sell your old block if all it needs is a bore job done to it. Do you know what failed exactly on the engine?

 

[about20ninj45]

http://www.car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi

use this to browse for engines across the country

 

[TNRacedoc]

depending how bad the block internals are damaged, you could buy a new block for 800 and transfer over the usable parts. There are guys selling ls3 dropout shortblock for 2300 bucks. I would browse craigslist or lkq motors for just the shortblock and then transfer of the rest of the other things from your current block, like heads, intake, altenator etc etc. You could then( if not damdged badly) turn around and sell your old block if all it needs is a bore job done to it. Do you know what failed exactly on the engine?

I'm not certain. It all happened while I was out of town. My wife talked to the mechanics. All three, she said, just sort of shook their heads as if they were giving her news of a family member passing away... The last one (where the car is now) texted me, "the motor is toast...definitely going to need a new one."

 

[about20ninj45]

if you have basic hand tools, you can break that thing down yourself and have a look. Sometimes mechanics will tell you that becasue they dont want to crack it open. Cam had spun a bearing on mine, but the mechanic just told me i needed a new engine because they didnt want to tear into it. I bought a use motor, put that in and kept my old motor to tear into to see the damage, which wasnt bad. needless to say i had a machine shop clean it up and i later resold it.

 

[67RS427]

I'm not certain. It all happened while I was out of town. My wife talked to the mechanics. All three, she said, just sort of shook their heads as if they were giving her news of a family member passing away... The last one (where the car is now) texted me, "the motor is toast...definitely going to need a new one."

Toast meaning what? It dropped a valve? Spun a main bearing? I would say rebuild... Any shop can R & R an engine for $600ish and it would be way less than $9k for a rebuild. Even add some goodies while it's apart...

 

[RED TAHOE LS]

Michael, what a awful situation for you/yours, time to regroup. First, I don't see what year your SUV is, and definitely the dealer is absurd in their pricing. This requires major work, don't know if your equipped to tackle this type of repair or not.
Depending on the value of your ride, a major cost of this kind sometimes will put you upside down in your investment. Whatever the cost is, you will never recapture the added expense when it's time to pass this vehicle on to someone else. I was born/raised in TN. and there has to be someone who would tackle this job for you @ a fair price, @ least that's my gut feeling. Depending where you live, maybe I could give you a starting place. JMHO and good luck to you/yours.
David g................

 

[swathdiver]

Obviously, speaking in such general terms should send up red flags. If they're not willing to even investigate and want you to throw a bunch of money at it because they're lazy, have it towed home and go from there. Don't let those fools pressure you or your wife while you're away.

 

[TNRacedoc]

***UPDATE

Michael, what a awful situation for you/yours, time to regroup. First, I don't see what year your SUV is, and definitely the dealer is absurd in their pricing. This requires major work, don't know if your equipped to tackle this type of repair or not.
Depending on the value of your ride, a major cost of this kind sometimes will put you upside down in your investment. Whatever the cost is, you will never recapture the added expense when it's time to pass this vehicle on to someone else. I was born/raised in TN. and there has to be someone who would tackle this job for you @ a fair price, @ least that's my gut feeling. Depending where you live, maybe I could give you a starting place. JMHO and good luck to you/yours.
David g................

Thanks David.
As an update...as mentioned above, we pulled the vehicle immediately away from the dealership based on their price quote. Seemed suspicious, so took it to the "family mechanic". He spent some time with it, confirmed the blown motor and quoted a much lower price...but couldn't get to it right away. Had it towed to a mechanic in the next county with a very good reputation...he kept it overnight, gave it a look and drew the same conclusion. He called me later and said he'd never seen such a thing... Rod was thrown, block was damaged (irreparably) and the crank was broken. Had a friend of mine, who is a GM/Cadillac mechanic, go by and stick his head under the hood on his way through town on vacation. He called and said, "oh man...what a mess". He is the 4th mechanic to concur with the diagnosis and the "treatment". He located a low-mileage used engine that has been compression tested and comes with a decent warranty. Seemed the best option given the vehicle's age and the likelihood that we'll trade it in the near future...

Cost savings is around 50% from the original dealer quote. Still a chunk of change, but not as bad as originally painted.

 

[Kenny D]

***UPDATE



Thanks David.
As an update...as mentioned above, we pulled the vehicle immediately away from the dealership based on their price quote. Seemed suspicious, so took it to the "family mechanic". He spent some time with it, confirmed the blown motor and quoted a much lower price...but couldn't get to it right away. Had it towed to a mechanic in the next county with a very good reputation...he kept it overnight, gave it a look and drew the same conclusion. He called me later and said he'd never seen such a thing... Rod was thrown, block was damaged (irreparably) and the crank was broken. Had a friend of mine, who is a GM/Cadillac mechanic, go by and stick his head under the hood on his way through town on vacation. He called and said, "oh man...what a mess". He is the 4th mechanic to concur with the diagnosis and the "treatment". He located a low-mileage used engine that has been compression tested and comes with a decent warranty. Seemed the best option given the vehicle's age and the likelihood that we'll trade it in the near future...

Cost savings is around 50% from the original dealer quote. Still a chunk of change, but not as bad as originally painted.

Short block would seem your best bet if just the lower end was crap. Top end if in good shape would save you tons.

 

[RED TAHOE LS]

Short block would seem your best bet if just the lower end was crap. Top end if in good shape would save you tons.

Times 2!!!!!
David g.........

 

[TNRacedoc]

Times 2!!!!!
David g.........

Certainly has been a live-and-learn experience... If you guys had been around when the decisions were being made on the fly, maybe stuff would have turned out different. I had no real choice at the time but to go along with the consensus of 4 different mechanics, one of which who had nothing to gain from telling me to swap the whole engine...

 

[RED TAHOE LS]

Certainly has been a live-and-learn experience... If you guys had been around when the decisions were being made on the fly, maybe stuff would have turned out different. I had no real choice at the time but to go along with the consensus of 4 different mechanics, one of which who had nothing to gain from telling me to swap the whole engine...

So which route did you go @ what cost ? Like Kenny D mentioned a short block is option, also a Goodwrench price could be affordable. You mentioned another county you went to, where in TN. are you ?
David g......

 

[Warriorpluto]

Wow I wonder how that happened. Sorry to hear. I have an L9 2nd and out in Texas right now. Hoping nothing catastrophic happens lol

 

[TNRacedoc]

So which route did you go @ what cost ? Like Kenny D mentioned a short block is option, also a Goodwrench price could be affordable. You mentioned another county you went to, where in TN. are you ?
David g......

I went with a low-mileage "recycled" engine as opposed to a remanufactured one. Picked an extended warranty for a few more bucks. It's still being installed. Total estimate is <$4K.

I live in Bradley County (Cleveland) and work in McMinn County (Athens). Private mechanic in McMinn is doing the work.

 

[TNRacedoc]

Wow I wonder how that happened. Sorry to hear. I have an L9 2nd and out in Texas right now. Hoping nothing catastrophic happens lol

Seems this was a fluke and those engines have a generally good expected lifespan. The mechanic who is doing my work has one in a truck he drives that has 400K+ miles on it.