Blown motor. What do these symptoms mean?

I figure the motor is shot.
I passed a guy on the highway. I felt something. I had a CD playing, so I didn't hear a noise. Just as I thought, "did something happen to the motor?", the Oil Light came on and the motor lost power. I costed to the side of the road.

When I tried to start the car, the engine turns over real fast. Not the usual, Na-na, Na-na, but a Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na real fast.

If I threw a rod, or something like that, wouldn't I hear a clanking noise? When the motor turns over, It sounds OK.

When I passed the guy, he speed up, so I had to go pretty fast to get around him.
Any ideas from this description?

Thank you,
Chris.

From here it sounds like you have the best answer, check compression for starters, no mention of year, as usual here, but maybe the timing chain let go.

1997. Hopefully it's the timing chain.

I can't remember the word, but there is a word that describes a certain kind of car. One, when the timing chain goes, it takes the valves and/or something else. Another is the chain can go without wrecking other stuff.

Which one is the 97 3.8?

no mention of year, as usual hereSorry, year was one click away in Profile.

Sorry, year was one click away in Profile. Chris, if you keep forgetting to post the year of your car, why don’t you just add a signature with that info. It is very easy to do; just click on “User CP” and select “Edit Signature” then insert you car make, model, year & miles and hit save. You can even provide a pic if you like! It would save you a lot of time, rather than answering the same old question every time you start a new thread.
I can't remember the word, but there is a word that describes a certain kind of car. One, when the timing chain goes, it takes the valves and/or something else. Another is the chain can go without wrecking other stuff.

Which one is the 97 3.8? The “words” you are looking for is; interference and non-interference. The 97 3.8 LeSabre is an interference engine, so therefore, if the timing chain breaks, more than likely you will have several valves bent on both heads! :crying:

check compression for startersIf the timing chain let go, could I check compression?
For anyone else in the future who reads this, I was told take off the oil cap (on top of the valve cover), look in at the rockers and turn the key over. If they don't move, it's a good indication the timing chain is broken.
I will do it and post back. Is this true?
Thank you,
Chris.

I was told take off the oil cap (on top of the valve cover), look in at the rockers and turn the key over. If they don't move, it's a good indication the timing chain is broken.
I will do it and post back. Is this true?If the rocker arms move up & down, your timing chain is still in place, however, this will not indicate if the crank and cam are in time with each other; like when the chain jumps teeth on the sprocket. (Good start, but not 100% accurate)

I had a friend go out with me and look in the hole at the rockers to see if they move. I turned the key, when the motor started to crank, BOOM!! A big puff of smoke came out the oil filler hole.
He won't help anymore, so I will try it again with another friend. I am kind of afrade to look now.
The night it happened I turned the motor over several times and it didn't do this, so maybe it's just a one time thing.
Does this tell you anything?
Chris.

That sounds really bad...

I was pulling the Mountains when i noticed I had an issue with my 3800 Series II... Mine did a down shift and ran to about 4000 Rpms... I noticed that the engine seemed weak as compared to normal( It wasn't the altitude ) It was really weak even for the air I was in... Then I felt the engine buck here and there and noticed the oil pressure change with the bucking... The bucking turned into a slight knock, with very low oil pressure at idle..

Made it to my home town but the #4 Rod and Rod journal were destroyed..

Its possible the motor may be toast, especially when puffing through the crankcase

What did you do with yours?

well this was the problem I had... Spun the #4 Rod Bearing, its hard to tell from the pic but there was an overall .030 missing from the crank( making it garbage )..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/Jr3800/Engine%203800%20K%20L36/WVMoonVacationBadengine066.jpg


The Rod was No better also making it trash... Not a great pic, but you'll see the damage... The rust is from me letting the rod get wet after removal...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/Jr3800/Engine%203800%20K%20L36/L36RodPiston008.jpg

This is the section of the piston that was kissing the head for 120 Soft miles..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/Jr3800/Engine%203800%20K%20L36/DSC02402.jpg


In the end I actually had the Engine replaced with a Low Mileage JY unit.... Been 1 year and it still runs good.. But I have noticed it has a slight thud thud thud when the oil is changed signifying to me that it has a bit more rod clearance than I'd like... It only does this when the oil is changed, You will never hear it again untill the next oil change..


The engine that spun the number 4 Rod bearing was tossed to the melt down pile.. I did get the heads and related items... The Block was scrapped...

Finally got someone to look. Nothing moves when we look at the springs turning over the motor.
What should I do next?
Thank you,
Chris.

Thats pretty bad... Means the chain is off the gear or the chain snapped...

Now you may want to make sure that this did no damage to the valves.. The Pistons on these engines do not have much of a Dish at all.. I am wondering if you may have kissed a piston with a valve or two..

Not a good thing, but may be repairable if no damage was done

Thats pretty bad... Means the chain is off the gear or the chain snapped...Now you may want to make sure that this did no damage to the valves.. It is highly unlikely that several valves are not bent. Do you have any other mechanic to take the car to other than the the two fellows shown below:



http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/8797/brotherscx4vm9.jpg

Been looking over what it takes to remove the timing cover. Quite the project. I read where the timing gear on these motors is almost indestructible. Wonder how mine broke?
Not sure if I'm just negative, but seems like it couldn't be just a timing chain breaking. Has to be something a lot worse then that.
Chris.

Yes, I know the best mechanic in the world. Problem is, he's swamped right now. He can't have me bring the car over and look at it, then take the car away to fix it when I have the money. He wants me to bring it over when I can fix it.
Another friend who would help me looked at the procedure and was kind of bummed when looking at what it takes.
Chris.

Yes, I know the best mechanic in the world. Problem is, he's swamped right now. He can't have me bring the car over and look at it, then take the car away to fix it when I have the money. He wants me to bring it over when I can fix it.
Chris.Typical "best mechanic in the world"!

You can find the best mechanic in the world, who knows everything about certain kind of cars. He knows everything about everything. No matter what kind your talking about, he knows everything about it.

Well, bless his heart, he sounds a lot like me "swamped right now"! :grinyes:

You know I like to think I am pretty good... But I learn something new all of the time... Its when you think you know it all that you stop learning...

As Much as I know about the 3800 Series engines its amazing to em that there are things I still didn't and don't know... But thats all good as it leaves more room for me to learn..

When you can have it fixed, take it back to him..:)

Good mechanics are few and far between sometimes..

I got a friend who has tomorrow off (Tuesday). He wants to take off the trimming cover and take a look.

Haynes says I have to drain the oil. I don't see that at Autozone.com.

Does anyone have advice on what other things I can expect? Things to watch out for? Do or not do?
I know it's short notice for answers. Hopefully I can get a reply before we start in the morning.

Thank you,
Chris.

I got a friend who has tomorrow off (Tuesday). He wants to take off the trimming cover and take a look.

Haynes says I have to drain the oil. I don't see that at Autozone.com.

Does anyone have advice on what other things I can expect? Things to watch out for? Do or not do?
I know it's short notice for answers. Hopefully I can get a reply before we start in the morning.

Thank you,
Chris.

Yes, you should drain your oil because it is hard to do the job without removing the oil pan. It is much easier to get the front cover back on without an oil pan in the way (in fact it is almost impossible to get it on with an oil pan in the way.)

My advice? Take your time. Get ziploc bags, a legal pad, a pen, a black marker. Write each step on the legal pad (for example):

1. Disconnect battery 8mm
2. Remove serp belt 18mm
3. Remove alternator bolts 2 x 13mm (note locations when there are differences in length of bolts)

Etc.

As you remove parts, write on a corresponding ziploc with a black marker the number of the step you are on and put the part(s) in the bag. Keep a box or something to collect all the bags. [Note: only put small parts/bolts in the bags. Big things like the alternator should simply be set aside somewhere.]

Before removing the old timing chain put the harmonic balancer bolt back in until you can turn the engine with a socket and then line up the timing marks so that you know you are at #1 cylinder top. In general the lower sprocket will have its mark at the top middle and the upper sprocket will have its mark at the bottom middle. Doing this will make it easier to install the new gears and chain.

You will likely need to replace your chain tensioner and it usually does not come with the timing chain and gears so buy that as well.

Putting an oil pan back on is a pain. Use those little plastic helpers that come with your gasket. They are lifesavers.

After you get everything disassembled wipe the front cover and engine area down good and clean it good and scrape it good with a good putty knife or exacto knife or utility blade or similar (but don't gouge the metal!) After all this wipe the metal where the gaskets will go with acetone to get them extra clean and grease free.

Chris, have you got it apart yet?
:feedback:

Yea, we took it off.
As I took off the cover, I first saw the timing gear and chain in place. My first thought was, the forums where right, the chains never break on these motors. I wondered how could the rockers not be moving when the motor turns over?
Just then, my friend saw a bolt. He picked it up and we found the bolt broke off the end of the Cam Shaft. The W.N Woodruff Key was broken also, so the gear was spinning.

As we where looking around at the motor, my friend found some chunks of metal in one of the water jackets. A few more minutes of looking we could see through a little opening in the motor, little chunks of pot metal.

Not sure if the Key/bolt broke off, then the motor went, or if the motor went, then it broke off the bolt. Whatever happened, my motor is pretty much toast.

This leads me to another question, but I think I'll post it in a different thread (Engine Swap).

Thank you for all the help I received in this thread.
Chris.

Was looking on the web about my 3800 Motor. I found this.

"1/4/2008

Buick 3800 VIN K Cam Problems

Some of the 1995-’99 Buick 3800 VIN K cores are showing up with the keyway in the snout of the cam all wallowed out. When this happens, the cam gear rotates back and forth on the snout which not only ruins the cam, but also changes the valve timing and leads to abnormal combustion. We have seen valves that are bent because they collided with the pistons and heads that are cracked from the excessive heat.

Watch for bad cams, bent valves, broken guides and cracked heads on these engines and anticipate the additional cost of parts and repairs when pricing them."

Never knew this was a problem. Makes me feel a little better.
Chris.