Rhino

iTrader: (6)

I've found a pull out from a wrecked 4th gen that ended up shiny side down. I'm trying to gauge how much engine damage could have been caused by the roll over. It seemed to be a low speed roll over, and didn't even make a full revolution.
I'm told the car started up and seemed to run fine prior to the pull. No smoke on start-up. So the question is, how long could this motor potentially have run upside down? What should I be considering when purchasing the motor? I'd love to pull the pan and look at the mains, but unfortunately, it's not local. I really don't want to drive for a few hours only to find a bad motor when I get there.

Does the F-body have any roll over protection that would shut off fuel or ignition to minimize damage?

Thanks in advance, I appreciate the help.

LSXNV

iTrader: (1)

the one thing i would worry most about is the oil pickup being uncovered. and with fuel injected cars, unless the driver has his wits about him and shuts off the engine, it is hard telling how long it ran. i am curious, though, about peoples answers to this since i never really thought about this one.

dawgs72

I know from experience that when I sold the LS1 (the guy just straight out bought the car minus a few parts I sold to friends) out of my rolled 4th gen that it would start and actually drove its self onto the flatbed (with a busted 4l60e and 10-bolt) but less than a week later I learned that it had stopped running

Rhino

iTrader: (6)

Ouch, that's no good. Better to hear now than later. Do you know what ended up wrong with it? How long did it run on it's top? I would have thought at the very least the fuel pickup would have been exposed to air and starved the engine of fuel within a few seconds.

dawgs72

To be honest I never did hear what was wrong with it and again I'm not exactly sure how long it ran while upside down but I know it couldn't have been very long because it was stopped by the time the car stopped moving.

Rhino

iTrader: (6)

That's good to know. I'd still like to know why it shut off if anybody would happen to know. Is it truly a safety built into the system, or simply luck? I've been looking through a few wiring diagrams for the PCM/injection system and haven't found anything yet.

LS1MCSS

iTrader: (18)

When it went upside down, the fuel would have also went that way, away from the pump. It couldn't run like that, so it shouldn't be damaged at all from running upside down.

philntx

iTrader: (8)

If it was upside down at all, at the minimum, I would take the plugs out and make sure that the CC's were clear of any fluids (oil).

89 formula350

iTrader: (8)

I have had to work on rolled cars befor and no noticable damage seems to happen.

you guys are right that it only would run a few seconds most likely 30 seconds or so with no load and bearings already pumped with oil from the drive befor the roll over. (about the same wear as a oil change with a dry filter)

now i find it very hard to belive it did not smoke on start up. these "roll over cars" get so much oil past the rings and I belive the pcv sucks oil in as well. but anyway not one car or truck I have delt with did not smoke on start up. infact most smoked like a bad tire fire for miles and miles. usually the converters are junk too. FYI

jfman

iTrader: (6)

I parted out many rolled cars(at least 8) and I havent had a problem with an engine from a roll over. Rolled cars make great part cars because usualy the body is damaged everywhere and nobody buys them to fix them back up. Because of that you can get them cheaper.

If the price is right, buy it.

Alot of the yards that sell motors from rolled car wont tell you anyway.

vanilla89

iTrader: (8)

ls1's don't like to run upside down!!!

I would look for another motor.