TIL Wrathernaut can also offer advice on how to replace an engine.

Y U No Supermoderator?

 

I've got all the moderating powers I want, really all I ever asked for was the power to clean up my original double din guide post, but they keep upgrading my powers for some reason.

Yeah, I got skills beyond a/v, but when there's more experienced and qualified people to give advice, I sit back. Since I had some to contribute here, I did so.

When my engine went, I wanted to do the "remove-the-front-end" method of removing the engine/trans like these guys:



But, since I was renting, I didn't have the space to secure the dismantled car, and had to instead pay an asston (about $2500) to have somebody do what I would have preferred doing. Since I had to do drop the trans to put a new clutch/flexplate afterward (dual-mass didn't survive being swapped very well), I felt like I'd done half the work of the full engine swap already, - but that was a few-hours-job I was able to do on a day off at a rent-a-bay place.

Um, anyway, staying on topic, you've got virtually nothing to lose by just putting water in and trying to turn it over. Labor costs more than the engine, even after the core deposit and shipping.

 

I'm trying to get it back from the dealer today or Friday so will do as everyone suggests; put some coolant in and see what happens. Any pointers from the experienced out there what I might expect to hear/see if it's gone?

Wife said it brought up the check engine light so I'll stick my code reader on and see what codes are there.

Fearing the worst, I'd still like an idea of how many hours a decent shop would charge to do an engine swap.

cheers
SunnyGL

 

The optimistic view that I'm hoping for - the best-case scenario - the engine went into a fail-safe limp mode as temperatures started going too high, causing the rough running before it stopped completely. The "smoke" she saw could have been the steaming coolant that was boiling over. With a new fan and replacing the coolant (and properly getting the air bubbles out), it'll be just fine, as if nothing happened.

I don't know how long your car has been almost overheating and boiling coolant away, but I've seen it happen where the coolant gets leaked away enough that there's no coolant really reaching the coolant temperature sensor, so you don't have any warning that it's getting dangerously hot. Since I was driving mine when I saw the coolant temp climbing while stuck in stop-and-go traffic I was able to crank the heater to full and open the windows, which was enough to lower the temps into the safe zone. Because of that, I know the car will give warning at least the first time you're encountering this situation with only one radiator fan, with adequate coolant in the first place.

 

Now you may be on to something here. It’s home and I checked the coolant levels. There was coolant at the top of the radiator and still a little left in the overflow tank so I topped it up. Coolant levels should have been good as I don’t recall any issues when I last checked fluids over, maybe 2 months ago (car does very little mileage at present). Oil looks ok (not that I think there was time for the oil to burn)
No stored codes.
I turned her over and got the usual hearty vrooom that sounded normal. Was only willing to let her run for about 5s but no unusual sounds at this stage.
What next? Replace fans, flush radiator and get her to my indie for a compression check?

Description to me was “smoke” (yes boiling coolant) and temp gauge went to red then car started to chug so stopped, maybe about a mile in slow traffic - of course slow traffic is where the fans are really needed.

Maybe all is not lost…


cheers
SunnyGL

 

I'd get a compression check. If your results are even across the cylinders and are reasonably close to factory specs (mid-180s is factory standard, below 140 you might be in trouble; don't ask how i know this ) you might be OK. Change your oil, drain & refill on the coolant (make sure you bleed air out of the system...a lot), and keep an eye out for codes. If you have an auto you should also check your AT fluid (if your temps were as high as your wife mentioned then the stock cooler may not have been doing a good job cooling your ATF).

 

Makes me happy to know that I'm not alone. I tried to explain the difference between vtwin motors and inline 3/4 motors to my wife and I literally had to draw it out.. Lol

 

Go out and look at you g. Think about how much you enjoy everything about it. Look at the cost of the repair vs the final product then grab 10k and put an LS1 with a T56 mounted to it and never look back...

 

Glad she started up! That's great, at least the engine is not seized.

You should be able to tell where the smoke, actually steam from the coolant system came from. When it leaks, it leaves a crusty white residue and smells sweet, so it is usually easy to find on a clean engine. Your coolant system leaked somewhere, so you want to find the leak and fix it, or the next time you get it up to pressure, it may leak again. It is easy to test with pressure tester, you can rent from some parts stores.

Your indie should be able to test the coolant system, find the leak and fix it (probably pressure got so high it leaked at a hose fitting), put in some fresh coolant. And find out why the fans didn't come on, could just be a fuse, or a loose wire, but if the fans are bad, easy fix/swap though it's a few hundred.

I'd change the oil for sure and replace the spark plugs while doing the pressure check. See what the plugs/oil looks like,

If auto, drain/fill the tranny fluid and see if it's dark/burned look/smell.

Looks like you may be out only a few hundred dollars, and your car will get some fresh fluids and plugs.

 

I'm not sure that there was a leak in the system but rather that the lack of cooling fans caused it to overheat with classic boiling off and blowback through the coolant reservoir. There was some coolant pooled around the reservoir and there's some white crusty stuff on the front of the engine. I'll look more closely tonight. But I'll have it properly tested when I can get it to a my indie guy.

BTW Tow truck returning car home from dealer started it and moved it off his truck under its own power - I wasn't there, but my wife said no smoke out the exhaust and it seemed to run fine. He obviously ran it quite a bit longer than I did.

Now. Opinions are sought on non-OEM fans. There seem to be many online places selling a complete set for about $120.

eg http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sh...initi/g35.html

4 bladers for $105 and some Dorman brand 5 blades for $123 and then GPD that "meet or surpass the strict requirements of the automakers" (i'm not cynical!) for $152.

cheers
SunnyGL

 

This looks legit...

 

the problem which needs to be addressed first is WHY the water was gone. just like everyone says get it running...altho I would pull all the spark plugs first and view them . they will tell you much is it one cylinder ? or all of them...The smoke y;ou mentioned could have been the engine water leaking out and getting burned on exhaust manifold. before spending the big bucks ..FIND OUT what caused this in the first place.

 

Awesome news!

I went with what was available locally - a VDO brand fan motor. Been good for about a year now, available at auto-zone for about $80.

 

You misunderstand. The water is not gone - there is plenty in the radiator, maybe with a few air bubbles, there was even a bit left in the reservoir. What I think happened is that with the fans not working it had classic overheating, particularly in slow traffic where there was little velocity based airflow across the radiator so the coolant boiled out the radiator cap. As Wrathernut suggested the car went into a limp mode to protect itself. This happened near an Infiniti dealer so it was towed there by AAA. Dealer diagnosed failed fans. I got it towed home rather than be extorted by dealer.

It does run.

I will replace fans as aftermarket ones aren't too expensive and go from there to determine if there's been any real engine damage.

cheers
SunnyGL

 

Looks promising. Presumably need 2 though. Do you have a write up on how to fit these?

cheers
SunnyGL