Advice on my 86 Salon 307

UgotBronx · Nov 28, 2012

after getting a call that the car is finally done and that they just need the car to get hot to check the timing and for leaks I get another call 10 mins later saying that there is a knocking and it's BAD. My mechanic won't even start the car in case it throws a rod.

Tomorrow it's getting flatbed to an engine guy who only builds engines and races at Circle tracks whom i've known for over 20 years.

I'm in over $500 with this first shop. I'm scared to say "don't fix the engine" Just pay off the guy I owe now and find a beater till spring but I think I will be spending the same amount for the beater and the headaches of registering, inspecting blah blah blah.

Obviously if i knew there was an engine issue all the work that was done would not have been done at this one shop and I would have had choices. repair what we see or to put in a 350 even if its from the junkyard .But now i'm stuck. If the rods and bearings need to be done that's one thing but if the rest of it has to be done I don't know what to do.

Most of you guys can work on your own cars and save yourself cash here and there. I can not. So knowing this, what would you guys do? I would really like your input/advice. Seems like I'm going to be in it for at least another $500 at the minimum. :blam:

Here's the original write up of my car viewtopic.php?f=24&t=41664#.ULbeieQT58E

DoubleV · Nov 29, 2012

Getting a beater may be a PITA but honestly you shouldn't be driving your car in the winter anyway so that's what I think you should do. You have a nice car and are just going to ruin it driving around in the salt. If I saw someone driving around a nice G-body in the winter around here, I'd tell him he's a dolt for doing so!

If for some reason you had to drive your Cutlass through the winter, I would get a bone stock, running Olds 350 and drop it right in. Once it's in and running learn how to do basic upkeep on it and learn to tune it.

UgotBronx · Nov 29, 2012

Hey DoubleV Thanks for replying!

I have had no choice but to driver her in the winter since I have owned her and I do not have a garage BUT it's not an every day thing. I work from home and keep her as clean as I can. Body wise she will need work and I was ok with that. my issues is no matter what I get POS or not those's $$ can just go to her. Spring time she was going to the body shop.

I would have done that if i didnt just drop all this $$ on all new parts that I can not change to the bone 350. I can do most stuff on top but NOTHING underneath.

So what I was wondering was if you guys knowing you just dumped a over $500 into parts and labor (mostly for removing of the headers and putting them back on to get the starter in) would you go for the lower end repair of the engine?

78 salon · Nov 29, 2012

I had to go back through your posts to see what was up, but to replace a starter, you do NOT have to cut the headers. Just unbolt from the head, and let it drop a bit to pull the starter. You mentioned that the car was running with the choke on since April. 1st thing I'd do is check your oil, if it smells like gas, that's probably the reason you wiped the bearings on the bottom end. Since this is the same mechanic that "forgot" to hook up your choke in the 1st place, lay some of the blame on him. Did it have any type of knocking before you had it towed to this shop?
Anyway, I'd pay this guy what you owe him and get my car out of there. Most shops don't really want to get into rebuilding engines because #1 they don't have the time(cost effective) or #2, they just plain can't. Sure, they'll drop in a new/rebuilt for you, but you're going to pay for their time and labor again. I doubt if he'll be insulted, just for one of the two reasons I stated before. JMO, since you asked.

UgotBronx · Nov 29, 2012

HI 78Salon! Thanks for replying

I never had a knocking noise before all of this. yes the one wire on the choke was off but the car ran, shitty but it ran. If you shut it off you couldnt get it back running till it cooled off which is how i limped around from place to place

The guys who did all this new work didnt think about checking the oil for filings(something I was always taught to check ) They have done tons of work on the car brakes, fuel lines, brake lines ect.. and they too never heard a knock so they were shocked as well. We all knew the car ran good but I always complained about the car not starting when it was hot.

The guy who left the choke wire off is the guy who did the intake manifold gasket and some frame welding for me and is getting the car and YES I'm gonna guilt the crap out of him. I have no choice! 1/2 of this stuff wouldn't have been an issue if that wire was on.

The headers were in there TIGHT so I knew that they would have to cut the pipe and unbolt the heads to replace the starter. The starter didnt owe me anything It's over 7 years old and I was fine with changing it but I know you would need to jack up the engine to get in there the right way.

The car got towed to the 1st shop cuz we all thought it was the fuel pump and it wasn't it was just the choke wire, dead battery and starter being wiped out. All the other work that was done was a well needed tune up and hoses.

Here's the kicker. The plugs that the engine /books call for are not the plugs that were put in that engine. I know I bitched at the guys who originally did this engine years ago over it but they never told me exactly why. So my "good guys" put in the plugs that the engine calls for and hence the knocking. So what they think and are doing at this time is putting in the shorter plugs. I was just told there was no knocking but the car wasnt warmed up enough before the tow guys came to get it so it still went to the engine guy for a check. I can't be driving it around knowing that a rod might come thru my hood.

They did check the fresh oil and they said that the oil was good and NO fuel was in it. however I might just go to a thicker oil for now just to be safe.

it's too early to be needing a beer but I so want one!

UgotBronx · Nov 29, 2012

It's the rods and bearings. Im in it for the long haul. :blam:

marcar1993 · Nov 29, 2012

My honest opinion, if you just want a mild nice driver, call up jasper or any of those rebuilders and get a longblock and drop it in. If its another 307, so be it, if you can get a rebuilt 350, do that if you wish. Or, just have your guy do a stock rebuild on whatever motor you decided to go with. I understand tight funds, but if you love the car and need it drivable, just get a stock rebuilt motor so you can use it.

UgotBronx · Nov 29, 2012

Thanks marcar

It's gonna sit for a week or so at the shop and once I get an actually price and injury report :rofl:

I can make a practical decision.

UgotBronx · Dec 17, 2012

Well the news is in.. The engine is SHOT! :puke:

so bye bye 307! it needs everything cam, rods, rings etc.. so If anyone wants to come and get her pm me. I'm over in Sullivan county NY. I'll sell it for $100 if you want to keep your car vintage it's the Y model The mechanic said she is not worth it for me to have him fix it. BUT if you are a mechanic then of course it's worth it!

The next decision is to put in a 350 USED OLDS (unsure of year as of this post) Doing a leak test and making sure she sounds good (and help me if there are any hiccups I might need to know about the with the swap) The engine will not be warranty

OR

Get a crate engine and go into hock and have it shipped right to the mechanic and be done with it all so I can eventually sleep at night and move onto the body work come summer time

OR

Sell the whole car as is with all the extra parts that I have for $1500 and move onto a truck which is more practical where i live right now :blam:

joesregalproject · Dec 17, 2012

Hate to tell you this, but it's sounding like a new car to me. I'd sell the cutlass, but for more than 1500. I'd leave the engine in it and sell it as is for maybe, $2000 or $2500. Post it as "$3000, negotiable." Engine swaps aren't worth it when you're having a shop perform it. Too much in labor costs. Thats what I would do given the situation.

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Advice on my 86 Salon 307

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78 salon

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