ill_driver

Hey,
I've only posted a few topics, but I am in dire need of your sympathies and suggestions. I have a 76 Stingray that I rebuilt about ten months ago with the help of a guy I know. I have a pretty basic working knowlege of my 350, but anyways here is my predicament.
I was driving down the interstate a week ago going about 80, and with no warning I hear a large clang, and white smoke immediately pours through my dash. It all happened so fast, but I am pretty sure the car completely shut off because my brakes went out. Luckily I was able to cruise to a stop on the shoulder, but for the last couple days I have been tearing her down, and am curious if any of you for description can give a diagnosis.
When it got towed home, I tried to start it and it turned over for about half of a second then locked up which makes me think I threw a rod. I took off everything down to the block, and am about to drop the oil pan, but needed a break. when i took off the heads there was antifreeze in the cylinders, which would make me think head gasket, but when looking at my oil pan it has two penny sized holes in it that look like someone took a .45 to it. So I am wondering if, since the initial "bang" was so violent if it is possible to throw something threw my oil pan, and if so if I could have somehow Internally cracked my block to allow antifreeze in the cylinders. Also opposite of the holes in the oil pan the piston that would most likely have made the holes is angled slightly, which I dont know is normal or not but the part of the head of the piston is over the block and the other half is maybe a 1/4 inch below the block.
Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Thanks,
Karl

tshort

Karl,
Do you have access to a digital camera? I know that 2 eyes are better than one (or is it 4 are better than 2? :crazy: ) Anywho, if you can post some pics maybe you could get some good opinions. Sorry to hear about it though. Hope it turns out to be rebuildable and get it back on the road soon.

mrvette

Hate to say this but 80 mph is a nominal 4k rpm's which is a bit too high on a fresh engine, with no significant break in....

I think you tossed a rod/valve...something is not happy....

I suspect strongly some terminal damage....need pix to tell for sure...but hold on to your wallet...you need it....

GENE

chewy

It's dead, pull it apart and see what you can save.

Fevre

Sounds like you need to do what I did when I had an eng go, buy a cheap GM eng, or a running used one, to run while you figure out what went wrong and try it again. Hang in there bro. :grouphug:

inqbus383

Sounds like a piston/rod broke. When pieces of the broken metal fall down past the crank they can get knocked out of the oil pan by the crank counterweights. The counterweights on the crank come very close to the oil pan. Ask me how I know....

VegasJen

sorry karl, the prognosis is terminal. :(
it will be interesting to see what the culprit turns out to be. please keep us posted.

MikeC

A rod bolt would be about the right size for a 45 bullet wouldn't it???

Sounds like a head gasket went and filled a cylinder..... which then when the piston comes back up it cannot compress the fluid..... then engine go bang. I figure if this happened you engine is garbage.... rods crank and probably block will all be destroyed.

Tear it down and find out what went wrong....... and save as many parts as you can but make sure you get them inspected by a machinist for straightness and cracks.

Good luck!

The Money Pit

You'll see the anifreeze in the cylinders most anytime you pull the head if there's still coolant in the block.The hole in the pan means something downstairs broke,with any luck the crank and block are OK.Unless you blew a freeze plug or maybe were overheating,the white smoke has got me stumped.

Wish you luck.

goofygrin

The smoke was probably his oil on his exhaust...

Time to get the Summit catalog and that second job. Think ZZ4 :D

Wrencher

Say goodby to your lower end. The suggestion of a temporary cheap engine works for me. That way you can decide what you want to do in the long run, unless you don't mind storing a dead car. Those GM crate engines sure seem to work well in the vettes like yours... Sorry.

Hans

Brettmc

So, any further news on the cause of the death of your engine?

Brett :thumbs: