Connan1

So, I’m driving along, cruising at about 45 mph. I notice that my engine temp is going towards redline. Damn, not this again, I replaced the thermostat only about 3000 miles ago. So, I turn on the AC, as this worked in the past to bring the engine temp down to normal. Not this time though. Engine temp still approaching redline. Now I’m looking for a place to turn off, to get off the road, and turn the engine off. I shut the engine off, still rolling in neutral at about 45 mph, wait a few seconds till the car slowed to about 35 mph, then started the engine and put it in gear. I’m trying anything to get that thermostat to open, to keep the engine from burning up before I can pull off the road. So I finally get off the road and turn the engine off. The engine temp gauge was in the redline for about a minute before I cut the engine off. So I sit there for about ten minutes before trying to start the car. In the pasted, this procedure worked, the car would start, the engine temp would go back down to normal, and I would continue on my trip.

But this time the engine did not even start. The battery seems to have power to start the engine. What if I get a jump just in case I’m wrong about the battery? OK, I did that, same thing, nothing, not a sound from the engine.

Has my engine seized up?

92 Camaro RS, 5 speed Manual, LO3 V8, 5.0 liter, TBI, 104k miles

scottland

quite possibly.

just a tip for future reference, NEVER turn off an engine that is overheating. if it is seized, that is what did it.

keep the motor running at idle until the temp comes down, turn on the heater to full blast. the heater core will act like a secondary radiator to cool the motor down.

A/C will actually make it run hotter.

once you turn off your car, all the heat still retains in the cast iron. so as it sits, the water just sits in there, and isn't moving, and isn't cooling the motor. so the tempurature doesn't go down, it stays right where it was when you turned off the motor for quite some time. after an hour or two, the heat will begin to disipate on its own.

but if you had the temp up to 260, then shut it off

on the possitive side, go back to your car, and once its good and cool, try to start it again. maybe try jumping it. as the battery for some odd unexplainable reason might be drained. even if the motor won't turn over, listen for the starter solenoid to click. if you don't hear anything, your starter is fried.

but you may be looking at a re-build

ede

we had an old chevy truck at work and it never had water in the radiator because of a leak, you could make it anywhere on plant site and even ride around some, but it'd get hot and seize up. if you let it sit and cool down it's start up and run as good as ever every time. doesn't mean your engine will or won't but it's something to think about.

Connan1

Today I went back hoping that by some miracle that the car would start. It didn’t. The same thing happened. I turned the key, and no sound of the engine trying to turn over. It acted exactly like it acts when trying to start the engine without pushing down the clutch pedal. The clock/radio numbers would turn off, the temp gauge would go from cold to hot, and the “service engine soon” light would just stay on (evidence that the battery has juice). I used the jumper cables to make sure there is enough juice and the same thing happens. Note that the battery and the alternator were put on new about 800 miles ago.

Assuming the engine seized up, is it cheaper generally to get it rebuilt or to have it replaced with a remanufactured engine? What about replacing it with a slightly better remanufactured engine, like the ones that came in the Z28s (5.0 liter LB9 V8 TPI or 5.7 liter L98 V8 TPI). If the 5.7 was put in would I have to upgrade the transmission and suspension too? I’m trying to keep the damage under $1000.

Thanks guys. Your thoughts are appreciated.

92 Camaro RS, 5 speed Manual, LO3 V8, 5.0 liter, TBI, 104k miles

EvilCartman

iTrader: (1)

hummm... I wonder if it would be an idea to take the spark plugs out just to see if it's hydro locked? Only reason I'd see turning on the A/C would help cool it is the fans coming on. Maybe you've got a fan problem that caused it to overheat.

zerotosixtyV8

prolonged high temperatures can destroy your motor oil, rendering it useless for lubrication, especially if its a mineral oil. pull you belt off, get a breaker bar, put it on the t/c bolt and see if you can turn the motor over by hand. remove your spark plugs when you try to do it and turn it clockwise. if it doesn't budge then you might have a seized motor. if it is a seized motor

http://www.goautocenter.com/300hp_tpi_1987-89.htm
http://www.goautocenter.com/350_1971-85.htm
http://www.goautocenter.com/350_tbi_1987-9.htm
http://www.goautocenter.com/305_v-8.htm
http://www.goautocenter.com/320hp_alum__head.htm

these are nice replacements for a reasonable price with a warranty. Run synthetic oils to keep it safe at higher temps

88IROC350TPI

I think you would atleast hear the starter try to jolt the flywheel when you first turn the key... Try turning the motor over by hand like suggested. If it turns over with a breaker bar then gather up a few people to push start.

ede

try to spin the engine by hand, that would tell you if it's seized or not,

josh1988

What exactly does the starter do? Disregard this if you explained it already, but I don't recall seeing it, the only reason im asking is because starters do not like heat, i've gone through 3 of them, 2 of which were before I got headers, and it seems to me that theres a chance you killed your starter with prolonged heat like that, I could be wrong though, just thought it might be worth checking out before you bought a new engine.

Connan1

There is no sound coming from the engine bay when I try to start it, including the starter motor. Now I’m worried about the starter motor. Although it would be better that the starter went and not the engine. I just hope both didn’t go.

Tomorrow I will have the car towed to my mechanic’s garage. He’ll probably try and turn the engine manually, and then I’ll decide what to do from there. Right now I’m thinking that if the engine seized, having it rebuilt would be the least expensive way to go, but I’m not 100% sure on that.

Thanks for the feedback guys, I’ll keep you posted.

88IROC350TPI

I'm almost certain thats its your starter that died or maybe wiring to it melted. I think if your motor was going to seize it would have made some ruckus while it was still running. You'd also be able to hear the starter attempt to spin the flywheel when you turned the key.

scottland

lol, i can push start my car by myself, when it is 40F outside on a cold motor with 9.1:1 compresson.

just use 1st gear instead of 2nd, and hold on. lol

but yeah, definatly before you pay to have the car towed, grab a 1/2" breaker bar, and a 5/8" socket and a 4" extension. and turn the motor clockwise, using the bolt on the crank pulley. you can't see it from looking at it, but stick your hand in the center of the crank pulley, its there. also remove one of the spark plugs before you do it. like the #1 plug that is nice and easy to get to.

then see if you can turn the engine with the breaker bar, as 88iroc said, if you can push start it, drive it home slowly so it doesn't overheat, and figure out the problem from your driveway

my money is on a shot starter/wiring. or its hydrolocked.(remove a spark plug)

jpk91rs

Back to the question of rebuild or remanufactured, you need to have the engine fully inspected, if indeed it is seized. The block or heads could be damaged. Just make sure everything is fully inspected, if you have to go that route.
:rockon: :rockon:

Connan1

Do you know that electrical safeguard that requires the clutch pedal to be pressed down for the engine to start? Well that electrical connector/safeguard went bad. My mechanic bypassed it so the car can now start without the clutch pedal needing to be pushed down. Apparently it was just a coincidence that it went bad at the same time the car overheated. The car starts without a problem and the engine purrs like it did before. No noticeable engine damage, thank G o d.

With respect to the overheating problem, he suspects that there is bad circulation in the radiator/cooling system b/c when I pour coolant into the radiator, it takes a little while for the fluid level to go down into the radiator. He asked me if stop-leak was ever used in the radiator, and I told him yes. He suspects that the stop-leak that was used may be what causes the poor circulation of coolant in the system, which leads to the overheating.

However, the overheating is an intermittent or inconsistent problem. It doesn’t overheat every time the engine warms up. So that is why I thought in the past that the thermostat went bad (I replaced the thermostat about 3000 miles ago). But now I’m not sure what causes the occasional overheating. I mean, it can happen while I’m cruising down the road at 45 mph and it is cold outside (40ºF), like it was this time.

dimented24x7

iTrader: (2)

Jsut for future reference, thats a sure sign of a bad fan switch in addition to any other problems it may have with the cooling system. Selecting the A/C on the HVAC automatically closes the fan relay and turns the fan on. Simple part that can cause BIG problems if left unchecked.

my84firebird

Glad to hear you car made it!!!!!! I would advise fixing the overheating issue though cause that will eventually kill it..........