So, my family friend called me the other day asking if i want to buy his 2001 camaro ss for 2k that has 120k 6 speed (car was babied) he bought the car brand new in 2001.
Anyways, he said he washed the car and washed the engine then he started the car and tried to reverse out of the driveway and all of a sudden car cuts off. Never was able to crank it again it seized i guess. He brought it to someone's shop left it there for 3 days and said its a timing chain and told him he'll needs a new engine. He then calls me to inform what happened and said hey do i want to buy his car?

I have 2 ls1 swaps and never did a cam/ timing chain job. Before I want to invest or buy the car i want to know if i am able to know if the pistons were damaged if it is the timing chain without pulling the heads? I will try to manually move the engine with breaker bar. Also, how much would it cost me for the right parts timing chain, valves if bent? if the valves are bent do i change all in that head or just the bent one? ect i just dont want to get it started if i do decide to proceed i just want to do it right the first time.

I'm really hoping its nothing big and simple and drive it home!

I will appreciate everyones advice and guidance towards this next project.
thanks again
Lou

 

It won't seize because of a timing chain unless it has serious internal problems.

 

Go on Amazon and buy a $25 borescope that works with your phone. Go into each cylinder through the spark plug hole and see what damage there is.

I wonder if he got water in the intake and it hydrolocked after he started it. If you pull the plugs and water comes out of one of the cylinders then might have also bent a rod. I wouldn't use a breaker bar until you determine what happened as you may cause further damage.

 

Water in combustion chamber, compressed, bent rod, piston skirt is hitting counter weight. You will need to replace damaged rods, maybe broken piston

 

I'm going to take a guess here and bet the intake manifold was loose. Washing the engine water got into the intake and hydro locked the engine. Anything could be wrong internally. Buy it with the intention it needs a engine.

 

There are quite a few threads on here of this very subject. Either after washing the car, or rain. Even happened to a friend of mine after a hard rain. Doesn't make sense, but it happens. Either way, I'd plan on an engine swap, and hope for something less.

 

Pretty simple loose intake = easy for water to go right in to the intake.

The biggest trouble is the windshield cowling is not sealed allowing water to rain down on top of the engine during a rain event.

I got lucky with mine, it rained hard one night and the next morning went to start the car. Engine locked up but didn't break anything, you can bet I did a full investigation as to why it happened. Sure enough the cowl leaked and the intake was loose. The bolts for the intake felt tight but they actually were not holding the intake down tight. The bolt threads get corroded and dirty so they feel tight but are doing nothing to hold the intake tight. You actually need to LOOSEN the bolts then retighten them.

 

I really appreciate everyone's input and giving me a sense of direction to what could have happened. I've researched they hydrolock and very informative. I'm really hoping the shop my friend brought it to didn't further damage the engine by trying to turn the motor, they had the car for 3 days I wonder what they did to it but they told him it was a timing chain 😂😂😂 but I know he hydrolocked it cause he washed the engine and he's not mechanically incline no shape or form.

Hopefully it's rebuildable or I'll have to swap it. I will inform you guys next couple of weeks if I get the car
Again thanks
Lou

 

Just confirmed HYDROLOCKED took all spark plugs out and tried to turn it and nothing motor is gone.
A friend has a 4.8 engine off of a 05 Silverado i believe, he'll give to me for few hundred with ecu, and harness i want to know if i could use the longblock and use my ls1 accessories, ls1 harness and ls1 ecu fire it up... just to get it to on the road again? Also is it possible using the 4.8 ecu in the 2001 camaro with the ls1 harness without any mods, does the vats need to be altered or will it work without disabling with that 4.8 ecu if i use it?
thanks
lou

 

All the LS1 accessories should bolt up to the 4.8L, you will just need to drill and tap one of the bolts for the alternator. I don't know about using the 4.8 ecu with the ls1 harness. I would guess that depends on what transmission the Silverado had in it. Could just use the LS1 ecu and have it retuned.

 

05 motor will have different crank reluctor. Won't work with your ECM

 

The 05 4.8 is an LR4, which is still a Gen III, which have the 24x reluctor