a sick sad question

[Sadman]

ok so... i recently got a 91 celica, it was in great shape except for the fact that it constantly needed water, at the least once a week. for some reason this slipped my mind and i drove it for a week and a half without putting any water in the radiator. so, yesterday while driving home it started making a clicking sound whenever i accelerated, i immediately knew what the cause was but i was so close to the house i just kept going, the clicking got louder and more defined, as soon as i got to the driveway the engine just cut out.

i immediately added water to the radiator and after about 45 seconds of adding water a large amount of steam came billowing out of the radiator, i was able to start it one more time to get it all the way up the driveway and since then it hasnt started up again. it tries to start but never fully cranks.

so my sick sad question is, how much damage have i done to the engine? is it basically scrap now?

thanks ahead of time,
sadman

[new echo owner]

Sound like your engine is seized if doesn't want to turn over. Put a wrench or socket on the crank and see if you can turn it over by hand. If it doesn't turn over, your engine is gone. If it does turn, try and start it again, and hope for the best.

N.E.O.

[73GTV]

Old timer check:
1. Pull your spark plugs,
2. add a few cc of Oil or Magic mystery lube to each cylinder.
3. let it sit for a few minutes and then turn over the engine without the spark plugs.
4. You are attempting to lubricate the rings to make sure of that prior to rotating the engine.

If it rotates then chances still may be good in saving the engine, however if not, remember that the original cause could have been a leaking water pump, radiator of Hose.

so if it all turns out for the better, find the source of that leak...unless the engines trashed...Well, back to you.

[Puffie40]

errr...

i was able to start it one more time to get it all the way up the driveway and since then it hasnt started up again. it tries to start but never fully cranks.

The part that's confusing us the most is "never fully cranks" do you mean the engine does not turn over, or does it not start?

If the engine is siezed, unless you want to pull the engine and pour money on it to free up the pistons, clean up the bores, and fix it up, yeah it's a pile of scrap. If the engine does turn over, but never starts, then you probably have low compression now, either from a blown headgasket or somthing else. again, unless you want to spend money fixing it, it's toast.

one of the big no-nos I think you should not of done (Aside from running it when you supected somthing was wrong) was dumping water into the overheated engine. safety issues aside, cold water meeting up with hot metal rapidly contracts it, and you risk cracking the block, among other things.

[Sadman]

ok to clarify, the engine isnt seized, it does turn it just doesnt 'fully' start up, that is to say, at least one of the pistons isnt firing, its spitting water out of the tailpipe so, at the very least im guessing the headgasket is blown?

so should i buy a head gasket or is my head probably warped?

[new echo owner]

I think the engine should be disassemble and inspected first. Who knows what else might be wrong since the car was driven when it was overheating.

N.E.O.

[hevster1]

Time to tear it down

[Sadman]

anyone got a decent resource online for tearing one apart? never taken anything like this apart before (but i thoroughly enjoy getting in over my head)

[73GTV]

Where you at in Bama Son, You actually have some of the best engine builders in Huntsville and Birmingham. If you can't do it yourself, farm it out to those who can. Remember, Toyota has the engine manufacturing facility right there in Huntsville Alabama as well as some good boneyards with healthy engines at low prices...Take it from a ex Huntsville resident.

[new echo owner]

Seems like getting a low mileage use engine would be the best way to go; don't have to worry about what might or might not go wrong with the current engine.

N.E.O.

[CupCate18]

Originally Posted by Sadman

ok so... i recently got a 91 celica, it was in great shape except for the fact that it constantly needed water, at the least once a week. for some reason this slipped my mind and i drove it for a week and a half without putting any water in the radiator. so, yesterday while driving home it started making a clicking sound whenever i accelerated, i immediately knew what the cause was but i was so close to the house i just kept going, the clicking got louder and more defined, as soon as i got to the driveway the engine just cut out.

i immediately added water to the radiator and after about 45 seconds of adding water a large amount of steam came billowing out of the radiator , i was able to start it one more time to get it all the way up the driveway and since then it hasnt started up again. it tries to start but never fully cranks.

so my sick sad question is, how much damage have i done to the engine? is it basically scrap now?

thanks ahead of time,
sadman

Your radiator is most likely shot too. Adding water to a hot engine = cracking. It's like glass. If you take some that's extremely hot and put cold water on it, it's a goner. I'm not an engine expert by any means, so listen to the guys. I just noticed that part, and thought I'd clue you in on that too.

[Sadman]

im in tuscaloosa, i had it in my mind this would be easier than it is appearing to be. sad, its not the first car ive killed and it will likely not be the last.

[73GTV]

Then take a stab at it after you have looked online for the Factory manual to show you step by step what should be done.

Something is always missing from a stateside repair manual and thats means that 93% of the time, the US Repair manuals have enough information to get you close and the rest is your personal experience with the overhaul. Better you learn with trying, than watching your old engine become a large lawn knome in your front yard