Blazer Broke

[novaboy16]

Hey Everyone...

I currently have a 99 Blazer 4x4...Just recently the valve cover gasket, pcv valve, and alot of other stuff was replaced (60K tuneup and stuff...)

Well...Last night I was coming home probably doing about 80mph on the Autobahn and then my oil pressure dropped lower than 20 and I was losing speed but still pressing the accelerator. I pulled over, popped the hood, turned the key and it stuttered on startup. It turned over but made a sound like a valve tapping the piston ( I am a VW guy so the first thing I thought was I jumped timing) I was pretty loud coming sound coming near the firewall but was inside the engine.

I think it is the oil pump, but could I have bent a valve or tapped the piston...

It is bone stock

Thanks guys

Dave

[novaboy16]

Anyone?

[ZR1 S10]

Mabye a lifter died?

[bvr775]

is it running now? it's kinda hard to say with the info given. It definitely sound like an oil pressure issue. I think they were equipped with a fuel shutoff if the oil pressure dropped though so it could be as simple as a bad oil sender.

give us some more current info on your ride and we see what can do for you. diagnosing issues like this online can be tricky.

[novaboy16]

Well....It runs... but like I said before It makes a sound like a valve tapping one of the pistons, I am not driving it

Like Tap tap tap coming from the back left piston...

Oil pressure real low...

The car has 66K miles No mods...Automatic...

Let me know what you need to know about the car

[bvr775]

is it a brite tap(like a tap shoe) or a muffled tap?

[novaboy16]

Bright tap....

[bvr775]

it's most probally a lifter noise. possibly bad lifter, sticky valve, worn cam lobe or bent push rod.

Is the truck lobeing or missing?

change your oil filter and see if the oil press comeback up. your engine should run between 20-40psi at idle

[novaboy16]

No not lobey or missing...

The filter was just replaced two weeks ago...

[bvr775]

Ok it's not lobing or missing that's good, but your going to hate this next part, but read it all before jumping to conclusions.
sounds like You've got a bad lifter. They'er cheap and a head set(upper gasket kit) only cost 40bux and I would go ahead and change the pushrods while you in there. If you do it yourself it shouldn't cost more than a 100bux(but I don't know how german prices are either) the bad part is you have to remove the valve covers and and intake manifold to replase them.

quick fix is run some marvel mystery or seafoam trough the engine and change the oil(don't leave this stuff in the crankcase) you may just have some trash in the pan cloging stuff up. Like I said before sometimes old gasket matiral drops into the pan after changeing gaskets. It will eventually hurt the engine to run with bad lifters, but it's not serious.

here's the main thing keep an eye on your oil pressor because it really sounds like you have an issue there.

[novaboy16]

Well...it is at the GM dealer here...

That is the only place I could get it towed that night.
I dropped off the keys this morning. Hopefully it will all work out.

Thanks dood for all the info. that is what I was thinking to hear. german prices do suck, but there are different benefits.

Thanks again, I will keep you guys posted

Laters

Dave

[novaboy16]

So it looks like I spun a bearing and pistons are phucked

I am looking into a crate motor right now. Anyone want to fly to germany and assist in replacing my engine? I will buy the beer!

Let me know what you guys think

Dave

[blazen]

road trip

[bvr775]

they've already pulled rhat engine apart?

you said the dealership replased your valve cover gaskets recently. I'm thincking they used those little sanding pads and got grit in the engine.

[novaboy16]

I dont know what they did...

They are german I dont like the germans sometimes...

No they did not pull it apart already...They just said that is the problem.

Would the sediments from the sanding block cause that if they changed the oil?

Would a leak from the intake manifold gasket do that? They should have used a scraper...This has been a huge night mare for me

[T Man]

you know, a crate v8 is as much as a crate 4.3..............................

[bvr775]

you know, a crate v8 is as much as a crate 4.3..............................



good point.



the little 3m sanding pads that dealerships use come apart and put sand in the crank case(like scraping the sand of an 80grit piece of sand paper into your engine). No just changing the oil won't get rid of all of it. It's a major issue right with the GM dealerships now because their changing a simple gasket and ruining a whole engine. The more experienced tech won't use these sanding pads
A Bering noise usually sounds like a muffled metallic thump, but i have heard bad Bering's that sound like bad lifters, but these are the easy est to fix sense most of the time you can replace them without having a ton of work done on the block. A spun Bering however will usually seize an engine fairly quickly and tears up the Bering journals. This requires over-sized Bering and a line bore to true everything up. If your going this far you might as well have the whole engine machined and throw a master rebuild kit on it with new rotating assembly. .

[novaboy16]

Is there anyway I can prove this? What backing do you have that they are detroying engines...I need backing if I take this to court

[Sparky2263]

The abrasive grit will be stuck in the main bearings. GM issued a bulletin addressing this issue years ago but lot's of guys just don't pay attention. Here's the kicker, dealerships have the plastic roloc discs that don't do this. They're just a little slower.

Replacing the valve cover gaskets wouldn't require discs (but who knows). If I read you right, you had the intake gaskets replaced? Bingo. That's where the abrasive came from.

Get the motor torn down and take a peek. You probably spun one or more rod bearings but the evidence will be stuck in the main bearings.

[novaboy16]

The germans are on holiday until monday...I will keep you posted

[novaboy16]

Thanks for all the replies...You guys have been very helpful