I think you are better off getting the car running and then selling it then trying to sell it as a non-running car. Also, I'd be very suspecious that the oil change guys didn't have something to do with it. Make sure that the oil plug is in the pan snugly and that the filter is in properly (not loose, cross-threaded or missing the rubber seal).
Are you sure you can trust your auto mechanic friend? I thought I could and he didn't turn out to be a friend and it cost me a good sum of money. Ask this friend of yours what he would do and see what his response is. I'm not trying to drum anything up, but it sounds pretty darn familiar to mine. I hope it all works out for you.
I wonder if the they put oil back into the engine after the oil change. Had the car ever had any previous problems with the engine? How many miles etc. does it have?
They have insurence for this kinda crap. Even if it was not it having it happen in the same day and it being an engine oil failure would be so easy to get them to pay up.
Head resurface and valve job are not part of an engine rebuild. Engine rebuild is exclusive to the short block. If you want to resurface the heads and get a valve job, that is a different order off the menu. So you have your engine taken apart for the cam and main bearings, and because of the lack of friction, may have scorched/gouged your cylinder walls, but you won't re-ring the pistons and rehone the cylinder walls while you've got it ripped apart? I'm with Codell. If you have it ripped apart anyways, refresh that block.
I had the gear from the supercharger that drives the waterpump in my MINI Cooper S fail and the engine was totaled. MINI ended up pickingup the bill after a long fight and it cost $9600 for a new long block and supercharger. Good luck.
Thanks. The mechanic is a VERY close family friend and has basically told me that the engine is done for, I am overseas right now and he told my dad that it isn't worth rebuilding or replacing the engine. I may have had a timing belt issue with the car a couple years back but I don't recall ever having any serious problems with the engine. The car has 138k miles but ran almost perfect up until it completely broke down.
Sounds like something didn't get done at the last oil change, don't think a car would just completely breakdown with no previous issues.
Not a hard decision to make: Option 1: Value of car "as is" Option 2: Value of the car after repair less the cost of repair I would be suprised if Option #1 is the best route for you to go. I would look at getting a used engine installed and then selling the car. We did that with a '97 Toyota Celica and just traded the bit-ch in after the repair. The dealer never asked a question about the replaced motor. If you have a VERY close friend that can install the engine for cheap, all the better. Unless you can somehow pin this on the oil change shop and get if fixed on them!
Thats what i would have asked right off the bat. If I had just had an oil change and then the engine failed, first place I'd visit would be the oil change shop
What? You seriously think a engine that needs a rebuild will have good valves? You know how much junk and crap will be on them? It is totally part of an engine rebuild. Hell your not even gonna touch the heads . I can SEE if the walls are OK. And frankly why would I strip the block completely wash it then hone it just to sell it. Much less pay for new rings. Oil failure will not kill cyl. nearly as quick as it kills valvetrain or bearings. Not even close.
You seriously wouldn't do a total rebuild on a car with 138,000 miles --after an oil failure-- in which the pistons/ rods etc could have suffered internal stress that you couldn't see?
Wow, we have a lot of mechanics here. Personally, there's not much info to really say what condition the engine is in. I would think that if the oil pressure was non-existant, and the engine was run until it quit (did it seize? Likely), then the bearings are gone, AND the piston rings could very well have scored the cylinder walls. It's really irrelvant, imo. The owner would have to have someone tear it down to even look at it, and evaluate the damage, which will cost money in labor. If you want to get it running, put a used engine in it, and sell it, or buy a factory remanufactured engine. You can also put it for sale on Craigslist.org, at no charge to you, take into account what it would cost to repair, and price it accordingly. There are many mechanics that like to buy a car like this and fix it themselves to either resale, or drive themselves. As far as the cause of the issue, I'd look strongly at the oil change that was just done. Losing oil pressure is very uncommon on modern engines. Make SURE that the correct oil filter was put on, and put on correctly. Make SURE that there was actually oil in that engine. Now I have to ask this: Is there a hole in the side of the engine? If a rod let go in the engine, chances are that it cracked or put a hole in the block. Is there any oil on the underside of the engine or car? Any sign that a lot of oil escaped? If there is no sign of oil escaping, and there is no oil in the engine, then no oil was put in on the oil change. You'll need to have a third party investigate and document what was done wrong........my guess is that something was done wrong.
I said an engine rebuild and a head/valve job are not the same item on the menu. Not getting a valve job and checking the heads while the car is apart is about as stupid as not having the cylinder walls checked out. I wish I had magnaflux vision. Can you see that HIS walls are ok?
There is/was a Quik Check oil place nearby where I live where someone apparently got an oil change. They drove home and parked their car in the garage. Minutes later smoke starts erupting out of their garage. Pretty soon it's up in flames. The cause? Someone at the oil change place had left a rag in the engine that ignited and set the whole car/garage on fire. Luckily from what I remember no one was hurt.
