5 replies to this topic

[dmq]

Hi guys. My name is Dave, I live in New Orleans, I read the forum lots but usually only post when something breaks and unfortunately something broke. My dad was borrowing my '91 1.6 SM for a lapping day. A few laps in he heard a loud metallic bang/clank and the engine locked up.  At the time I had dislocated thumb and couldn't do much about it. I didn't even pop the hood. So the car got parked in front of my workshop and sat for a little over 6 months while my thumb healed and I finished a renovation on the house. So finally now I'm clearing out my workshop and preparing for the worst.

I have a good spare engine I can swap into the car but it probably makes 10 hp less than the Drago engine that was in it. I also have another engine that overheated and at least has a blown head gasket, but should have lots of good parts.

 

I'm not much of a mechanic but did manage to build this car myself and have swapped the engine twice.

 

My first question is... are there any possible scenarios that the engine doesn't need to be pulled out? Just based on my dad's description it sounds to me like something catastrophic in the bottom end.  But if anyone has any ideas on things I should check before pulling it out, I'm all ears.

 

Second question is... if the answer to the first is bad bottom end... should I just put in the spare motor, or pull the head off the Drago motor and swap to one of the other motors? All suggestions are welcome. my budget is tight and a new pro motor is just not in the cards right now.

 

thanks in advance.

[Jim Drago]

Give me a call, I will walk you through a plan of attack

Jim

901 647 1700

[Mike Collins]

how do you know the engine is locked up?

[Mike Collins]

Call Jim! 

[Jim Drago]

He called... On the bright side I think the engine is 6-7 years old at this point I think it lived a good life

[Tom Hampton]

At least it died doing what it loved.