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Whitetail Crazy · 07-24-2008, 08:17 AM

So my nephew buys a truck with a knocking engine (2002 Chevy 3/4 ton 6.0 liter). He plans on having the engine replaced (by me of course) so he has a truck that he can use on the farm or for hunting or whatever- not a primary vehicle. I start the search for a good used engine and in April I find a 6.0 liter complete on E-bay ($800). Ad says ran great when pulled, 85k miles, pulled because the body was involved in a wreck. We drive the 422 mile round trip to pick up the engine. Since it is not his primary vehicle, there is no rush to get it installed. I started a couple of weeks ago and run into some problems finding flywheel bolts so I just get it to the point where I am waiting for a set of exhaust manifold gaskets to come in. I figure I will crank it over and build some oil pressure but not start it. With no spark plugs in it, it cranks freely then a slight hick up and another then the engine locks. It will not turn over at all. I turn it backwards and then it turns over again by hand freely. I use the starter and the same scenario. So I think, what could cause this? Intake was off, did I or the guy that removed the engine drop something down one of the ports and is now on top of the piston only hitting at a certain point. The engine cranking faster than I can turn it by hand would allow it to move more. I am sure there is something on top of a piston!!!
I start at about 7:30 last night.
So I proceed to pulling the drivers's side head. Nothing. I pull the passenger side head sure to find something. Nothing.
So now what on the lower end could cause this? After standing around and scratching my head a while. I crawl under the truck and start turning it over with a screw driver. I tell the wife to watch the pistons and make sure they are all moving as I turn.
"All except this back one" she says.
I keep turning, "are you sure?" - "Hasn't moved yet" - "Are you positive?" - "yes".
I come out from under truck in a whirlwind of cuss words. I proceed to pulling the engine back out, with the engine on the hoist I start removing the oil pan. As I walk around the engine removing pan bolts I see where the starter use to be, there is a chunk of casting pushed out. I grab it and pull it off leaving a hole in the side of the block. I go ahead and remove the pan now knowing what I am going to find. Sure enough, a rod broke in half, turning by hand allowed the stub of rod to rotate on the crank and remain straight down but using the starter would get it spinning fast enough that the centrifical force would let it go to the side and contact the side of the block.
So now I am in the process of trying to get ahold of the seller to see what they are willing to do if anything.
I think I am screwed for waiting too long.

Sorry for the long post. Just had to vent some....

07-24-2008, 08:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
Whitetail Crazy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 29 OS: windows xp	Who has my kind of luck? So my nephew buys a truck with a knocking engine (2002 Chevy 3/4 ton 6.0 liter). He plans on having the engine replaced (by me of course) so he has a truck that he can use on the farm or for hunting or whatever- not a primary vehicle. I start the search for a good used engine and in April I find a 6.0 liter complete on E-bay ($800). Ad says ran great when pulled, 85k miles, pulled because the body was involved in a wreck. We drive the 422 mile round trip to pick up the engine. Since it is not his primary vehicle, there is no rush to get it installed. I started a couple of weeks ago and run into some problems finding flywheel bolts so I just get it to the point where I am waiting for a set of exhaust manifold gaskets to come in. I figure I will crank it over and build some oil pressure but not start it. With no spark plugs in it, it cranks freely then a slight hick up and another then the engine locks. It will not turn over at all. I turn it backwards and then it turns over again by hand freely. I use the starter and the same scenario. So I think, what could cause this? Intake was off, did I or the guy that removed the engine drop something down one of the ports and is now on top of the piston only hitting at a certain point. The engine cranking faster than I can turn it by hand would allow it to move more. I am sure there is something on top of a piston!!! I start at about 7:30 last night. So I proceed to pulling the drivers's side head. Nothing. I pull the passenger side head sure to find something. Nothing. So now what on the lower end could cause this? After standing around and scratching my head a while. I crawl under the truck and start turning it over with a screw driver. I tell the wife to watch the pistons and make sure they are all moving as I turn. "All except this back one" she says. I keep turning, "are you sure?" - "Hasn't moved yet" - "Are you positive?" - "yes". I come out from under truck in a whirlwind of cuss words. I proceed to pulling the engine back out, with the engine on the hoist I start removing the oil pan. As I walk around the engine removing pan bolts I see where the starter use to be, there is a chunk of casting pushed out. I grab it and pull it off leaving a hole in the side of the block. I go ahead and remove the pan now knowing what I am going to find. Sure enough, a rod broke in half, turning by hand allowed the stub of rod to rotate on the crank and remain straight down but using the starter would get it spinning fast enough that the centrifical force would let it go to the side and contact the side of the block. So now I am in the process of trying to get ahold of the seller to see what they are willing to do if anything. I think I am screwed for waiting too long. Sorry for the long post. Just had to vent some.... Last edited by Whitetail Crazy : 07-24-2008 at 08:22 AM.