So I spun a rod bearing...
 

Well, about July the 7th, I bought a 1990 Pontiac Bonneville LE. Three months and 3500 miles later, after sinking way too much money into the car, I have a spun rod bearing. I still owe money on the car, too.

Kill me.

Anyway, there's no point to this post, really. I just felt like crying, and decided to type this instead.

What do I do with a Bonneville with a blown up engine? I just put $800 worth of engine and electronics work into this car in the past month...

If you are mechanically inclined, its not TOO big a deal. 134k still leaves a lot of life in the rest of the car, maybe a salvage yard engine or get the lower end replaced? Don't give up hope, its not dead yet:)

Thanks for the encouraging words :). If nothing else, I'd like to keep it as a project car while I drive the family's OTHER 1990 Bonneville, and rebuild the engine in my spare time.

Someone mentioned the harmonic balancer to me, and that it frequently fails and causes the same LOUD symptoms. I'm going to check that tomorrow.

Ok, I went and checked the oil. The oil at this point is more metal than anything else :(. Oh well. Life happens.

I'm probably going to be parting out the car, so if you need something, let me know.

maaan...really sorry to hear about your luck that sucks.

To R&R an engine is not that bad, if you are real slow and unpracticed, a day each way. Do remove the hood first, makes things much easier.

I had our 90 drop the cam bearings at 85,000 so replaced with an engine from a yard. That was 50,000 miles ago. Essentially cleaned everything up, flushed and changed fluids, changed out the freeze plugs for brass (easy when engine out) and plugged back in.

Secret is a digital camera, postits, and zip-lock baggies. Potograph and label a baggie for each item so that alternator bolts/spaces are in one, power sterring pump in another, etc.

If over 50,000 miles on engine, pull the timing cover and replace the timing chain and sprockets. Worth a few hp.

Hardest part for me was that one backwards engine to trans bolt. Took about every extension I had.

lol ditto!

Padgett, do you think its fixable? I've heard if it is a spun bearing it may have damaged a lot, including the crank, rods and even possibly the block depending on what spun and how bad. From what I've read/experienced if it spun a bearing most shops will suggest you just buy a new engine. Have you heard this too? On a side note, how did you know your cam bearings went out?

IIRC, he found something in his oil pan. :shock:

whoopsies

Just as an aside, I do not believe in turning cranks: the surface hardening is just that, about .005" deep. Also no one is as good at balancing cranks as the factory.

Consequently my viewpoint on cranks is a polish and .001 undersize bearings is OK but any more, I look for a new crank. Now if I were building race engines that is a different matter, I would not expect one to go 100,000 miles and not use any oil between changes but for street engines, I do not like to have to go in there twice.

Of course when you start talking cars 15 model years and more old, spares never hurt.