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#1
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Help! Need your opinion...
Hi...
I'm looking for help and opinions....My father (age 68) has a 2002 Vue, (6cyl, AWD). Upon returning from the hospital where my mom had just been diagnosed with cancer, he was pulling into the driveway when he got a low water light. Being in an upset state of mind, he said he opened the hood (it was at night) and added about two gallons of water/antifreeze to the cap in the front. Apparently, Saturn put the oil fill (with no words that say "Oil", just a picture of what he thought was a water can in the dark) near the radiator for easy access. Yup, he added the water to the oil. The good thing is that he realized what he did as soon as he did it, but couldn't get under the car to drain the oil, so he figured it wouldn't hurt to start it for a minute to put it up on the ramps. After draining the oil (and water) he added new oil and then got only a click-click when trying to restart. Got it towed to Saturn for free, but here's where he asked me what I thought, so I'm turning to you. Saturn says he needs a new engine, and here's the costs: A new engine from the plant installed: $10K. They shopped around for a used and found one from a rear end collision with 25,000 miles on it and will do it for $4,500. (His vue had 33K). Now I have my own mechanic and asked him about the situation, and he said he can guarantee he doesn't need a new engine and said something about hydraulics, and that there was so much water sitting on top of the pistons that it had no where to go, which is why the engine clicked - the starter couldn't turn it over (or something to that effect. - I kind of lost him) So hears my question - what would you do? He's so depressed right now between what he calls an "asinine mistake", "that he should have known better" and my mother's medical issue that I want to be confident in what to tell him is the right thing to do...I know this is long, but I appreciate any help. Thanks, Scott MacIntyre |
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#2
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Take out the spark plugs and pull the fuel pump fuse. Also disconnect the
coil pack (not sure if this engine has a coil pack though). Once the plugs are out drain the oil and refill with clean oil (use cheap stuff) and spin the engine over. Water should shoot out of cylinders. Drain oil again, put plugs back reconnect fuse and coil pack. Start and warm up GENTLY. It wouldn't be a bad idea to put some SeaFoam in the oil at this point prior to warm up. Once warmed. Change oil and filter again. Use good stuff this time. Add a little SeaFoam to this oil change also (maybe 2 oz.). Change again after about 500 miles and all should be well. Larry "Scott MacIntyre" > wrote in message ... > Hi... > > I'm looking for help and opinions....My father (age 68) has a 2002 Vue, > (6cyl, AWD). Upon returning from the hospital where my mom had just been > diagnosed with cancer, he was pulling into the driveway when he got a low > water light. Being in an upset state of mind, he said he opened the hood > (it was at night) and added about two gallons of water/antifreeze to the > cap > in the front. Apparently, Saturn put the oil fill (with no words that say > "Oil", just a picture of what he thought was a water can in the dark) near > the radiator for easy access. Yup, he added the water to the oil. The > good > thing is that he realized what he did as soon as he did it, but couldn't > get > under the car to drain the oil, so he figured it wouldn't hurt to start it > for a minute to put it up on the ramps. After draining the oil (and > water) > he added new oil and then got only a click-click when trying to restart. > Got it towed to Saturn for free, but here's where he asked me what I > thought, so I'm turning to you. Saturn says he needs a new engine, and > here's the costs: A new engine from the plant installed: $10K. They > shopped around for a used and found one from a rear end collision with > 25,000 miles on it and will do it for $4,500. (His vue had 33K). Now I > have my own mechanic and asked him about the situation, and he said he can > guarantee he doesn't need a new engine and said something about > hydraulics, > and that there was so much water sitting on top of the pistons that it had > no where to go, which is why the engine clicked - the starter couldn't > turn > it over (or something to that effect. - I kind of lost him) So hears my > question - what would you do? He's so depressed right now between what > he > calls an "asinine mistake", "that he should have known better" and my > mother's medical issue that I want to be confident in what to tell him is > the right thing to do...I know this is long, but I appreciate any help. > > Thanks, > Scott MacIntyre > > |
#3
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Why would there be water on top of the cylinders, if the antifreeze was added to the crankcase? That makes no sense. If
it's coming from the crankcase, then the rings or valve seals are gone. Running an engine with anti-freeze in the crankcase can destroy an engine. The problem is that the antifreeze prevents the oil from lubricating properly. Without proper lube of course the rings and bearings and any other metal-on-metal bearing surface gets destroyed by friction. Follow jdoe/Larry's advice (pull the fuel pump fuse and plugs, crank it until the cylinders are cleared out, etc.). If the antifreeze really did get into the crankcase and it was only running for a minute or so, he might be fine. I wouldn't worry about an engine swap until I knew for certain the engine was junk. Have your mechanic test the compression on each cylinder (this will tell you the state of the rings/seals). If it's good and you can get the engine fired up, make certain you run some sort of detergent through the oil to ensure you've gotten all of the water/glycol out of there (SeaFoam might be good enough - I don't know). If it fires up and the compression is good, then drive it till it stops. If you're lucky, then worst-case, he only knocked a few years/few thousand miles off of it. Best regards, and sorry to hear about your Mom. "Scott MacIntyre" > wrote in message ... > Hi... > > I'm looking for help and opinions....My father (age 68) has a 2002 Vue, > (6cyl, AWD). Upon returning from the hospital where my mom had just been > diagnosed with cancer, he was pulling into the driveway when he got a low > water light. Being in an upset state of mind, he said he opened the hood > (it was at night) and added about two gallons of water/antifreeze to the cap > in the front. Apparently, Saturn put the oil fill (with no words that say > "Oil", just a picture of what he thought was a water can in the dark) near > the radiator for easy access. Yup, he added the water to the oil. The good > thing is that he realized what he did as soon as he did it, but couldn't get > under the car to drain the oil, so he figured it wouldn't hurt to start it > for a minute to put it up on the ramps. After draining the oil (and water) > he added new oil and then got only a click-click when trying to restart. > Got it towed to Saturn for free, but here's where he asked me what I > thought, so I'm turning to you. Saturn says he needs a new engine, and > here's the costs: A new engine from the plant installed: $10K. They > shopped around for a used and found one from a rear end collision with > 25,000 miles on it and will do it for $4,500. (His vue had 33K). Now I > have my own mechanic and asked him about the situation, and he said he can > guarantee he doesn't need a new engine and said something about hydraulics, > and that there was so much water sitting on top of the pistons that it had > no where to go, which is why the engine clicked - the starter couldn't turn > it over (or something to that effect. - I kind of lost him) So hears my > question - what would you do? He's so depressed right now between what he > calls an "asinine mistake", "that he should have known better" and my > mother's medical issue that I want to be confident in what to tell him is > the right thing to do...I know this is long, but I appreciate any help. > > Thanks, > Scott MacIntyre > > |
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#6
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"Blah blah" > wrote in message ...
> In article >, > says... > it would of flat out destroyed them. This being a 2002 six cylinder and > costing 10 grand to replace I have no doubt that this is the 3.5 HONDA > engine? The Honda V6 didn't go in until 2004. The 2002 would be the Opel I believe. But yes, 10K does seem excessive. |
#7
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In article <axJwd.254354$HA.113162@attbi_s01>,
se says... > "Blah blah" > wrote in message ... > > In article >, > > says... > > it would of flat out destroyed them. This being a 2002 six cylinder and > > costing 10 grand to replace I have no doubt that this is the 3.5 HONDA > > engine? > > The Honda V6 didn't go in until 2004. The 2002 would be the Opel I believe. > > But yes, 10K does seem excessive. Thats right, I was thinking it changed in 02'. Same problem applies though, still imported. I think they might also be tacking a lot more labor cost on than they should. A break down in labor and parts cost would be insightful. |
#8
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"Peter Young" > wrote in message news:4THwd.675449$mD.668903@attbi_s02... > Why would there be water on top of the cylinders, if the antifreeze was > added to the crankcase? That makes no sense. Possibly it got sucked through the PCV route? |
#9
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Thanks for all the suggestions - Before I could talk to him, he ok'ed the
engine install from the wreck with 28K on it. I think the new engine for 10K was way out of line, but if it's new from the factory, would that have made it a Honda? Anyway, the reason he ok'ed the used engine was that as he loading the dishwasher while pondering the decision and after turning it on, the dishwasher seized up/fried. My poor dad - what a week he having! He was afraid to go to his model railroad club worried he'd drop/wreck his $700 train....Anyway, I think he'll have the engine put in and drive it for while, then trade it in. Good news is that my mom just got out of surgery and prognosis looks good! So hopefully, thinks are on the up for Pop!! Thanks again, Scott "Blah blah" > wrote in message ... > In article <axJwd.254354$HA.113162@attbi_s01>, > se says... > > "Blah blah" > wrote in message ... > > > In article >, > > > says... > > > it would of flat out destroyed them. This being a 2002 six cylinder and > > > costing 10 grand to replace I have no doubt that this is the 3.5 HONDA > > > engine? > > > > The Honda V6 didn't go in until 2004. The 2002 would be the Opel I believe. > > > > But yes, 10K does seem excessive. > > Thats right, I was thinking it changed in 02'. Same problem applies > though, still imported. I think they might also be tacking a lot more > labor cost on than they should. A break down in labor and parts cost > would be insightful. |
#10
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"Scott MacIntyre" > wrote in message ... > Thanks for all the suggestions - Before I could talk to him, he ok'ed the > engine install from the wreck with 28K on it. I think the new engine for > 10K was way out of line, but if it's new from the factory, would that have > made it a Honda? Anyway, the reason he ok'ed the used engine was that as he > loading the dishwasher while pondering the decision and after turning it on, > the dishwasher seized up/fried. My poor dad - what a week he having! He > was afraid to go to his model railroad club worried he'd drop/wreck his $700 > train....Anyway, I think he'll have the engine put in and drive it for > while, then trade it in. Good news is that my mom just got out of surgery > and prognosis looks good! So hopefully, thinks are on the up for Pop!! > > Thanks again, > Scott > At least the most important thing has worked out good. Cars and dishwashers can be replaced, Mom can't. Best Wishes, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Ken |
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