Very sad, engine's gone bang!
Discussion
My mechanic picked up the wedge the other day, to take it for it's MOT, he came back 20 min's later saying bad new's, I thought it had failed on something, but worse he said it made a horrible noise so he stopped got it back to his garage and (not being technical)something has snapped off fallen in the sump starved the engine of oil and it has cracked.
So I have to decide if it is economical to replace it or just call it a day, in the current climate I could possibly buy a complete car for the price of a decent block. But I have had the car for over 11 years now.
So that brings me to the point of this post, I could possibly get a 4.6 complete engine, but again not being at all technical is there more to it than just replacing the old 3.5, ie does the ecu need changing gearbox etc etc.
Any help or advice gratefully received.
Taffo
So I have to decide if it is economical to replace it or just call it a day, in the current climate I could possibly buy a complete car for the price of a decent block. But I have had the car for over 11 years now.
So that brings me to the point of this post, I could possibly get a 4.6 complete engine, but again not being at all technical is there more to it than just replacing the old 3.5, ie does the ecu need changing gearbox etc etc.
Any help or advice gratefully received.
Taffo
Taff - very sorry to hear that news ... sounds like the sump strainer fell off..
If you change the engine to a larger one - then you will also need to change the injectors/ air flow meter and ecu to match the bigger engine.
A cheaper alternative might be carbs.. someone on here did that..
If you change the engine to a larger one - then you will also need to change the injectors/ air flow meter and ecu to match the bigger engine.
A cheaper alternative might be carbs.. someone on here did that..
Yes that's right now you say it I remember he said strainer.
The engine I'm looking at is 'complete' inlet manifolds,leads/ngk ridium platinum plugs/composit head gaskets/re con injectors. So would you think it would just need the ecu and air flow meter?
The engine I'm looking at is 'complete' inlet manifolds,leads/ngk ridium platinum plugs/composit head gaskets/re con injectors. So would you think it would just need the ecu and air flow meter?
rev-erend said:
Taff - very sorry to hear that news ... sounds like the sump strainer fell off..
If you change the engine to a larger one - then you will also need to change the injectors/ air flow meter and ecu to match the bigger engine.
A cheaper alternative might be carbs.. someone on here did that..
If you change the engine to a larger one - then you will also need to change the injectors/ air flow meter and ecu to match the bigger engine.
A cheaper alternative might be carbs.. someone on here did that..
Taff,
Looks like you have a 390SE there .. so it would have been a flapper air flow meter.
THe engine you are looking at - rule of thumb - if it's a serpentine front belt system .. them it's uses different injectors, ECU and air flow meter.
You could run you existing manifold, injectors, ecu and AFM but they would be calibrated for the smaller engine and would probably run weak, producing pinking and poor running. It could possible be retuned .. by Mark Adams but you would need to contact him for what he has available for the old flapper system. May be he has something off the shelf which is cheaper than bespoke mapping.
Looks like you have a 390SE there .. so it would have been a flapper air flow meter.
THe engine you are looking at - rule of thumb - if it's a serpentine front belt system .. them it's uses different injectors, ECU and air flow meter.
You could run you existing manifold, injectors, ecu and AFM but they would be calibrated for the smaller engine and would probably run weak, producing pinking and poor running. It could possible be retuned .. by Mark Adams but you would need to contact him for what he has available for the old flapper system. May be he has something off the shelf which is cheaper than bespoke mapping.
Cheers
I will see if I can get the engine then go from there, thanks for the help.
Taff_o
I will see if I can get the engine then go from there, thanks for the help.
Taff_o
rev-erend said:
Taff,
Looks like you have a 390SE there .. so it would have been a flapper air flow meter.
THe engine you are looking at - rule of thumb - if it's a serpentine front belt system .. them it's uses different injectors, ECU and air flow meter.
You could run you existing manifold, injectors, ecu and AFM but they would be calibrated for the smaller engine and would probably run weak, producing pinking and poor running. It could possible be retuned .. by Mark Adams but you would need to contact him for what he has available for the old flapper system. May be he has something off the shelf which is cheaper than bespoke mapping.
Looks like you have a 390SE there .. so it would have been a flapper air flow meter.
THe engine you are looking at - rule of thumb - if it's a serpentine front belt system .. them it's uses different injectors, ECU and air flow meter.
You could run you existing manifold, injectors, ecu and AFM but they would be calibrated for the smaller engine and would probably run weak, producing pinking and poor running. It could possible be retuned .. by Mark Adams but you would need to contact him for what he has available for the old flapper system. May be he has something off the shelf which is cheaper than bespoke mapping.
Hang in there! There is always a solution. Yep, it'll be reasonably expensive, but at least get it stripped and see which comonents are actually FUBARed - you might just be in for a rebuild. Although the word "cracked" is ominous. You'd have to run the engine with zip oil pressure for either some time or be really giving it a caning to crack a block through oil starvation?
Either way, dont panic. This lot collectively knows everything there is to know about wedges.
Ed.
Either way, dont panic. This lot collectively knows everything there is to know about wedges.
Ed.
Hi
Its bad news when things go pop - same old TVR money pit. If you go to a Serp front end (I did) then you will have to remodel the power steering pump etc if you have one. It can be done quite easily.
I bought an engine from John Eales- J.E.Developments which gave me chance to upgrade it somewhat, but still kept it as a 4.0l engine.
John remapped the ecu to the engine when he had it on the dyno.
Richard
Its bad news when things go pop - same old TVR money pit. If you go to a Serp front end (I did) then you will have to remodel the power steering pump etc if you have one. It can be done quite easily.
I bought an engine from John Eales- J.E.Developments which gave me chance to upgrade it somewhat, but still kept it as a 4.0l engine.
John remapped the ecu to the engine when he had it on the dyno.
Richard
No PAS so one less thing to worry about!
So hopefully just an ecu remap.
So hopefully just an ecu remap.
Snow Mole said:
Hi
Its bad news when things go pop - same old TVR money pit. If you go to a Serp front end (I did) then you will have to remodel the power steering pump etc if you have one. It can be done quite easily.
I bought an engine from John Eales- J.E.Developments which gave me chance to upgrade it somewhat, but still kept it as a 4.0l engine.
John remapped the ecu to the engine when he had it on the dyno.
Richard
Its bad news when things go pop - same old TVR money pit. If you go to a Serp front end (I did) then you will have to remodel the power steering pump etc if you have one. It can be done quite easily.
I bought an engine from John Eales- J.E.Developments which gave me chance to upgrade it somewhat, but still kept it as a 4.0l engine.
John remapped the ecu to the engine when he had it on the dyno.
Richard
How about getting a short engine, say 4.2L? That way almost all the 390 bits would bolt straight on, the breathing would be about right for a 4.2 and you'd effectively have a 420SE, thus maintaining a degree of originality/ persona/ character/ whatever.
Just don't tell everyone it's a SEAC...
Rimmers do short and long engines up to about 5.8L IIRC...
Just don't tell everyone it's a SEAC...
Rimmers do short and long engines up to about 5.8L IIRC...
Ok so you have had your car for 11 years and all of a sudden you let someone else drive it a "mechanic" and you need a new engine?? pick up pipes just dont fall of! all i will say is dont rush into anything have a good look around whats on offer either from dealers or ebay etc... if you are on flapper there is a lot you can do with that ecu system before needing to be upgraded
I'd want to know what exactly had "cracked".
I'd think (without personal experience per se) that running without oil would cause overheating, smells and odd noises followed by things breaking. Things that a mechanic ought to have heard/felt/smelled before it got to the point of the block cracking. Grady.
I'd think (without personal experience per se) that running without oil would cause overheating, smells and odd noises followed by things breaking. Things that a mechanic ought to have heard/felt/smelled before it got to the point of the block cracking. Grady.
I know what your saying, but I do trust the mechanic, he literally had the car for 20 mins and it was up a road with speed humps, so I can't blame him, I just think it was unfortunate it happened whilst he was driving. He has stripped it down so far and basically the short engine has gone. As I say it just a case of now working out if it is viable to repair.
Grady said:
I'd want to know what exactly had "cracked".
I'd think (without personal experience per se) that running without oil would cause overheating, smells and odd noises followed by things breaking. Things that a mechanic ought to have heard/felt/smelled before it got to the point of the block cracking. Grady.
I'd think (without personal experience per se) that running without oil would cause overheating, smells and odd noises followed by things breaking. Things that a mechanic ought to have heard/felt/smelled before it got to the point of the block cracking. Grady.
Thanks Wedg1e, that looks like a good way to go as mine's a 3.5 1987. I will look into that, but it is all down to cost as is it really worth it, cos 400SE's are going for sub 5 grand, how much should I spend on a 1987 350i???????
Wedg1e said:
How about getting a short engine, say 4.2L? That way almost all the 390 bits would bolt straight on, the breathing would be about right for a 4.2 and you'd effectively have a 420SE, thus maintaining a degree of originality/ persona/ character/ whatever.
Just don't tell everyone it's a SEAC...
Rimmers do short and long engines up to about 5.8L IIRC...
Just don't tell everyone it's a SEAC...
Rimmers do short and long engines up to about 5.8L IIRC...
Taff_o said:
Thanks Wedg1e, that looks like a good way to go as mine's a 3.5 1987. I will look into that, but it is all down to cost as is it really worth it, cos 400SE's are going for sub 5 grand, how much should I spend on a 1987 350i???????
Very poor 400 se are going for sub 5K .. and they need work.Wedg1e said:
How about getting a short engine, say 4.2L? That way almost all the 390 bits would bolt straight on, the breathing would be about right for a 4.2 and you'd effectively have a 420SE, thus maintaining a degree of originality/ persona/ character/ whatever.
Just don't tell everyone it's a SEAC...
Rimmers do short and long engines up to about 5.8L IIRC...
Just don't tell everyone it's a SEAC...
Rimmers do short and long engines up to about 5.8L IIRC...
I also use the same mechanic as Colin (Taffo) and trust him fully. He had only travelled 1 mile from his garage towards the MOT station
I actually told him a while ago to give my 400 some stick to get the full exhaust noise and he wouldn't
He drives his own and all customers cars very sympathetically
I saw Colin's car on the ramp and the mechanic showed me the cracked oil pipe strainer
It had definately cracked and broken off (probably from vibration over the years?)
Also looking up into the engine I could see a crack in the part that holds the Crankshaft bearings?
I don't think the block is cracked in any way but I think the question is
how much more dameage is there in this engine and how much money is worth spending
on an '87 350 engine (on a car without PAS as well)
As you may gather from the above, neither Colin or myself have any mechanical knowledge
and therefore all work has to be done at garage costs
albeit that our mechanic is very reasonable and no where near dealer costs
Hope that clarifies a little more
Good luck Colin
Rich
I actually told him a while ago to give my 400 some stick to get the full exhaust noise and he wouldn't
He drives his own and all customers cars very sympathetically
I saw Colin's car on the ramp and the mechanic showed me the cracked oil pipe strainer
It had definately cracked and broken off (probably from vibration over the years?)
Also looking up into the engine I could see a crack in the part that holds the Crankshaft bearings?
I don't think the block is cracked in any way but I think the question is
how much more dameage is there in this engine and how much money is worth spending
on an '87 350 engine (on a car without PAS as well)
As you may gather from the above, neither Colin or myself have any mechanical knowledge
and therefore all work has to be done at garage costs
albeit that our mechanic is very reasonable and no where near dealer costs
Hope that clarifies a little more
Good luck Colin
Rich
:That seems the way of things
rev-erend said:
rev-erend said:
I was not sure if it was a serpentine or not, do they have a distributor - looking at the drive gear on the cam pulley.Gassing Station | Wedges | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff