The GTP is running right...

[curado]

If it's hydrolocked, the motor will spin freely without the plugs installed. Fix the problem and then turn the motor over a few times.

Suspect causes would be the o rings between the blower and LIM, the blower gasket, or the lim gaskets. If the blower was ever off the motor then that would explain it maybe. Also it needs to be bled decently after the coolant system is closed, or you will get air pockets and heat.

If it has been run without enough coolant or oil though, then it could be seized due to heat. That's solvable too, as long as the problem has been corrected......

 

[02BlueGT]

Where do I go from there if its hrdro locked?
I had to drain some of the oil on Saturday, He had about 2-3 quarts too many in the engine

What color was the oil, when the coolant seeps past the LIM, It can look like you just have too much oil, when it is actually oil and coolant

 

[99PONTIACGP]

What color was the oil, when the coolant seeps past the LIM, It can look like you just have too much oil, when it is actually oil and coolant

Actually the oil didnt look right, it seemed watery. It almost looked like chocolate milk and thats exactly what i said when I looked at the pan that I drained the oil into.

 

[02BlueGT]

Actually the oil didnt look right, it seemed watery. It almost looked like chocolate milk and thats exactly what i said when I looked at the pan that I drained the oil into.

I'd be willing to put money that you just have a LIM gasket failure(very,very common), which could also cause a hydro-lock situation

 

[curado]

Well, that kinda points ya in a direction. Pop those plugs out and see whats going on in there.

Was this motor fully assembled when you got it?

 

[99PONTIACGP]

I'd be willing to put money that you just have a LIM gasket failure(very,very common), which could also cause a hydro-lock situation

So.... look at the LIM gasket and check the spark plugs for water.

If it is a hydro lock and change that gasket and plugs, will the motor still be saved or is it garbage?

 

[10sec]

So.... look at the LIM gasket and check the spark plugs for water.

If it is a hydro lock and change that gasket and plugs, will the motor still be saved or is it garbage?

If i was a doctor i'd say :gives: try it and find out!

 

[99PONTIACGP]

Well, that kinda points ya in a direction. Pop those plugs out and see whats going on in there.

Was this motor fully assembled when you got it?

Long story short...I bought the car as a roller and i bought the motor off a guy at the body shop at the dealership I used to work at. The motor is from an 02 which had a fuel rail recall and they started on fire. The only thing that was damaged was the wiring harness and valve cover. When the mechanic put the motor in, he took it apart and changed all the gaskets, pretty much an overhaul and put the motor in the car.

 

[curado]

If i was a doctor i'd say :gives: try it and find out!

Yeah, get it fixed and back together before it has time to rust up. It will probably be fine if that's all it is.

 

[curado]

Long story short...I bought the car as a roller and i bought the motor off a guy at the body shop at the dealership I used to work at. The motor is from an 02 which had a fuel rail recall and they started on fire. The only thing that was damaged was the wiring harness and valve cover. When the mechanic put the motor in, he took it apart and changed all the gaskets, pretty much an overhaul and put the motor in the car.

Bingo. Which gaskets? Hopefully the heads never came off the motor.

 

[99PONTIACGP]

Ok, I jsut got off the phone with the mechanic and he said it wouldnt be hydro lock. He said it wouldnt be the case for this issue. He said when he got the car running, if it was hydro locked, then it would be smoking. But, when it did run, he said it was lamost like there was a "brake" on the motor.

 

[99PONTIACGP]

UPDATE: My brother also talked to the mechanic and told him before the car stopped running that the motor was ticking. With this information, he said that it would be the oil pump that made the motor lock up

 

[02BlueGT]

Ok, I jsut got off the phone with the mechanic and he said it wouldnt be hydro lock. He said it wouldnt be the case for this issue. He said when he got the car running, if it was hydro locked, then it would be smoking. But, when it did run, he said it was lamost like there was a "brake" on the motor.

If you ran for a while with coolant in the oil you could have siezed bearings...... If he really replaced all the gaskets, than there is no way for the that much coolant to have gotten into your oil...... get the car back, and call one of us, or find a new mechanic

 

[02BlueGT]

UPDATE: My brother also talked to the mechanic and told him before the car stopped running that the motor was ticking. With this information, he said that it would be the oil pump that made the motor lock up

While possible, oil pump failures on 3800's are few and far between

 

[99PONTIACGP]

If you ran for a while with coolant in the oil you could have siezed bearings...... If he really replaced all the gaskets, than there is no way for the that much coolant to have gotten into your oil...... get the car back, and call one of us, or find a new mechanic

Yeah, I figured Ill just get the car towed back to my house and see what i can do. I really didnt want to get it towed to this mechanic but i really didnt have a choice, i needed it fixed. I originally thought it was just a starter issue

 

[curado]

What was the reason for replacing the gaskets if the motor was relatively low mileage to begin with? What was he trying to solve? Choose someone to work on it who is familiar with the 3800.

 

[99PONTIACGP]

Either way, thanks Curado and 02BlueGT for your help. Ill try and keep you guys posted. I really dont want to sell/part out the car but we'll see what happens

 

[99PONTIACGP]

What was the reason for replacing the gaskets if the motor was relatively low mileage to begin with? What was he trying to solve? Choose someone to work on it who is familiar with the 3800.

The motor sat in the body shop for a year or two and he wanted to make sure everything was good inside and I didnt waste my money on the motor

 

[99PONTIACGP]

Could the ticking while the car runnng be the oil pump?

 

[curado]

Yeah. But maybe it could also happen if you had a lot of water getting into the lifters. They probably wouldn't stay pumped up. When they start to collapse you will get ticking.

 

[99PONTIACGP]

Yeah. But maybe it could also happen if you had a lot of water getting into the lifters. They probably wouldn't stay pumped up. When they start to collapse you will get ticking.

Thanks pal, Im going to get the car towed back to my house today or tomorrow and Ill check it out a little more.

 

[01BlkGTGP]

i broke down the motor originally to overhaul it for my brother...in means of making sure everything was fine because of the fire that it was in..i work at a dealership and i have all the parts to do it and i even cleaned every part i took off but i dont think we took the heads off at all...i just bought the gaskets and cleaned every part before installation...basically we wanted a freshly overhauled motor with ever gasket possible replaced to reduce and problems in the future and obviously we got the shorter end of the stick

 

[curado]

Did you take the front or rear covers off? What about the oil pan?

 

[99PONTIACGP]

Just the front cover was taken off becasue of the fire, not the rear or the oil pan

 

[curado]

Lemme know what you find when you get it home.