Ok guys, i need help big time.
I have an 84 trans am with a 305.
The other day, i was driving my trans am. I was moving along, probly doing about 100mph. I slowed down and turned into the gas station for a soda. When i came out, i noticed i had antifreeze pouring out my overfill bottle. Not a big suprise, as she's been running hot lately. (my coolant temp went out a couple days ago).
I got in and started it, and started down the road. Then when i started to slow down again, the car killed. It wouldn't turn over, so i let it col down. Then finally i got it goin again.
I kept going, until she killed again. Now she was totally dead. I got a trailer, and by the time i got back, she turned over easily, but it took a lot of pedal work to get her goin, and when she did, she deffinetly ain't firing on all cylinders.
What the heck i wrong with my car. The only thing i know it aint't is head gasket, the oil is clear.
Please, any help is appreciated.
Aaron

 

ummm, you were running your engine till it flamed out from gettign soo hot. thats a very bad thing. i don't know what all you could've f'k up but that was very very bad for your engine.

as for why it was running soo hot, check your coolant, water pump, 'stat (is it opening) , rad. all the normal stuff.

 

Not good to shutdown too quickly after a hard run....you ran that motor hot enough to seze it...most likely you have done some damage.....but what the heck, start her up and drive til she stops.

 

Why in the world would you keep running her with a problem like that? With all due respect your foolishness probably cost you an engine. First thing is drain the oil and look for evidence of any metal flakes or anything abnormal. If there is none, then you may get some time out of it assuming you correct the overheating problem. You will need to do compression checks on all cylinders. With the rough running it really could be anything, none of it good.

 

Jeez guys, its an LG4. I knew exactly what i was doing, what the heck do i care if its blown.
I got some other engines i can swap in, but before i take the time, i'd like to know for sure that this one is toast. I drained the oil and its free from coolant, debris and anything else. I started pulling plug wires on the distributer, and it seemed like only the wires for the passenger side made any difference in how it ran. What could be bad on the other side?
aaron

 

well if i were you i'd do a compression test on each cyl. and if they were alright i'd get new oil, drain & flush coolant, and replace the plugs (since they're probably fried from running soo hot)

and if it still ran after that, enjoy till you actually do kill it.

 

I made another observation i thought i'd pass along. The passenger side head is burnt brown and the rest of the engine is greasy. Right above the timing chain cover its oilyer then i remember. Don't know if any of this means anything, just thought i'd pass it along.
aaron

 

As far as overheating a 305 V8 ..... I must've boiled over my poor 305 in my 85 Caprice about 10 times one summer while I was trying everything to figure out the problem. I didn't shut off the engine though, except for the first time it happenned (since I found the afreeze on the ground later). So, overheating in istself doesn't hurt the 305 too much, at least doesn't kill it. My 305 has another 100K on it since that bad summer ( a new rad fixed it), and I now have 338K on this engine.
Maybe the plugs are glazed, or fouled, etc, on one side ???
Let us know what happens. Good luck.

 

Overheating hurts ALL motors! Sheesh! Good chance you fried the head, cooked some bearings, and a whole lot more...better get one of those motors you have laying around prepped. And try to be nice to it.

 

could vapor lock be why it wouldnt start back up? or possibly a heat soaked starter? i know when my car gets hot it takes a min for it start because of heat soak....just a couple questions im 17 so im trying to learn what i can on these boards

 

i replaced all the spark plugs, and its running better now. It still has a miss. through spark plug pulling, i've found that the middle two cylinders on the drivers side aren't firing.
I'm hoping to get a compresion tester tommorow.

 

I suppose heat soak Could. But I would be looking at my heads and bearings if it cranked at all, Never keep driving a hot motor. @min can make the difference. I doubt vapor lock,,,that would still turn over. Stuff expands when Hot Re bearings..maybe you will get lucky, maybe not , but you certainly shortened the life of the motor. Do as mentioned above Change everything....and stop driving next time.

 

Are the two wire at least firing? It could be something to do with the distrubiter. I would check the wire for spark, and make sure they do not touch. You could be jumping spark because of wires going bad. Just me .02

 

good point...maybe there is some moisture in the cap from the steam....

 

nope, i got spark everywhere. I started by pulling the boots with my fingers. Obviously, now i'm not doing it that way.

 

not good. Do a comp check then get back to the board. Here is how..

As for the compression test, you first run all the cylinders in the normal fashion (all plugs out, coil disabled, choke and throttle held full open, crank each cylinder until max pressure reached, record each cylinder's pressure, etc.). That's the dry test. Then, you put a tablespoon or so of oil in the cylinders through the spark plug holes, turn the engine over a few times to spread it around the cylinder, and then repeat the compression test. If the rings are worn, the oil will tend to enhance the seal and raise the compression pressure significantly from the dry test. You have to do both in order for the wet test to have any meaning. If the dry test numbers are close cylinder-to-cylinder and where they should be (say 150 psi), and no significant change to the dry test, then everything's fine. If the dry test is low and the wet test is low, then you have valve sealing problems.
Hope this helps.
Compliments 5seven kid

 

Middle 2 cyl on driver's side not firing after overheating episode = ~99% chance the head agasket is blown between those 2... very, very common

Do a compression test; if those 2 come out real low, and if you hear compression escaping out of one while testing the other, then your engine is normal for the situation. it needs head gaskets.

I would add to the instructions quoted in the above post, disable the injectors if you have FI, by unplugging them.

 

did a compression test. Two cylinders not firing about 60 psi max. all others were good. Oil made no difference.
We tore the engine down, the head gasket looked ok, except right around the coolant passages it looked kinda melted.
I'm gonna be putting in the other engine a little later this week.
Thanks to everyone who helped out.
aaron

 

Not surprised...your welcome.