Blown engine? Time to rebuild?

sirluke

2002 2500HD lb7
Aug 10, 2011
12
0
0
Peyton, CO
Blown engine? I just spent $2882 on new head gaskets, ARP racing studs and new T-stats and serpantine belt. Drove the truck a couple hundred miles (only has 139k miles now)and all of a sudden heard tapping, followed by loud metal to metal noices. I pulled over immediately and even though the mechanic gave me a warrenty on his work... he said this is going to cost me alot of money!!!
Questions: Is the duramax an interferance engine? How much damage can a timing chain do if it was improperly installed.

Engine ran great prior to mechanics work. Just pressurized coolant (head gasket) issue. Good oil pressure. No oil light. No leaking oil or coolant before or after work.

Thanks!
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,685
5,840
113
Phoenix Az
Blown engine? I just spent $2882 on new head gaskets, ARP racing studs and new T-stats and serpantine belt. Drove the truck a couple hundred miles (only has 139k miles now)and all of a sudden heard tapping, followed by loud metal to metal noices. I pulled over immediately and even though the mechanic gave me a warrenty on his work... he said this is going to cost me alot of money!!!
Questions: Is the duramax an interferance engine? How much damage can a timing chain do if it was improperly installed.

Engine ran great prior to mechanics work. Just pressurized coolant (head gasket) issue. Good oil pressure. No oil light. No leaking oil or coolant before or after work.

Thanks!

ill put money that he didnt put the head gaskets on right. if they are put on wrong, it will block the oil passages and you will loose everything in your heads if driven long enough
 

blk smoke lb7

<-----Lots of green $
Nov 8, 2010
5,694
0
36
57
belvidere,ill
Sorry to hear that,its hard to prove.I would take it to another shop and see if what james says is true bring a witness and be there when the guy pulls the heads off to see but what recoarse do you have?I guess you could take the time to take him to court but thats only if the gaskest were installed wrong and most likely the shop you have tear it down wont want to get involved.
 

blk smoke lb7

<-----Lots of green $
Nov 8, 2010
5,694
0
36
57
belvidere,ill
Blown engine? I just spent $2882 on new head gaskets, ARP racing studs and new T-stats and serpantine belt. Drove the truck a couple hundred miles (only has 139k miles now)and all of a sudden heard tapping, followed by loud metal to metal noices. I pulled over immediately and even though the mechanic gave me a warrenty on his work... he said this is going to cost me alot of money!!!
Questions: Is the duramax an interferance engine? How much damage can a timing chain do if it was improperly installed.

Engine ran great prior to mechanics work. Just pressurized coolant (head gasket) issue. Good oil pressure. No oil light. No leaking oil or coolant before or after work.

Thanks!
also fill out your signature so we know where your from and what year the truck is and what motor you have
 

Maricopaagent

Glamis Anyone?
Oct 10, 2011
257
0
0
Arizona
Blown engine? I just spent $2882 on new head gaskets, ARP racing studs and new T-stats and serpantine belt. Drove the truck a couple hundred miles (only has 139k miles now)and all of a sudden heard tapping, followed by loud metal to metal noices. I pulled over immediately and even though the mechanic gave me a warrenty on his work... he said this is going to cost me alot of money!!!
Questions: Is the duramax an interferance engine? How much damage can a timing chain do if it was improperly installed.

Engine ran great prior to mechanics work. Just pressurized coolant (head gasket) issue. Good oil pressure. No oil light. No leaking oil or coolant before or after work.

Thanks!

2882 for headhaskets and studs? Sounds pretty cheap to me..

How can he give you a warranty and say its going to cost a lot of money, without looking at it? :mad:
 

sirluke

2002 2500HD lb7
Aug 10, 2011
12
0
0
Peyton, CO
The warrenty was for his work. I am assuming since I only put a couple hundred miles on it (I drive my truck--don't race it), he did something wrong with the head gasket change. Since there is no timing chain (was told it is gear driven earlier), what else could be making the metal to metal noices? He jumped the gun and initially suggested it would cost me $$$ to fix. He is in the process of taking the engine out (without my consent or authorization) to find out whats wrong with it. I would think he could just pull the heads and tell if there is piston damage and or head damage. Not sure why he insisted on pulling the engine. I probably need legal help but thought I would pick the wise minds on here first to see where the noices could be and if his head gasket change was a probable cause for engine failure.
 

DetailsUnlimited

Active member
Oct 26, 2009
1,264
0
36
Benton, Ar
The same thing happened to me. The dealership put the riverside hg on backwards. I willing to bet money on it. Check for the tabs. And take pics. The dealer had to replace the rocker arms and pushrods also. Every time you start it it make a loud tapping sound and gets fast when you push the throttle.
 

sirluke

2002 2500HD lb7
Aug 10, 2011
12
0
0
Peyton, CO
DetailsUnlimited that is exactly what it sounded like!!!! Is the tapping coming from vavles hitting pistons or valves hitting rocker arms?
 

DetailsUnlimited

Active member
Oct 26, 2009
1,264
0
36
Benton, Ar
The lack of oil getting to the rocker arms and pushrods. He covered up the oil passage. Now someone correct me here. The lbz/lly oil comes through passages and lb7 comes up through the pushrods?
 

blk smoke lb7

<-----Lots of green $
Nov 8, 2010
5,694
0
36
57
belvidere,ill
The warrenty was for his work. I am assuming since I only put a couple hundred miles on it (I drive my truck--don't race it), he did something wrong with the head gasket change. Since there is no timing chain (was told it is gear driven earlier), what else could be making the metal to metal noices? He jumped the gun and initially suggested it would cost me $$$ to fix. He is in the process of taking the engine out (without my consent or authorization) to find out whats wrong with it. I would think he could just pull the heads and tell if there is piston damage and or head damage. Not sure why he insisted on pulling the engine. I probably need legal help but thought I would pick the wise minds on here first to see where the noices could be and if his head gasket change was a probable cause for engine failure.
If you are there when he puls the heads which i would make sure you are there make sure the gasket he pulls is the correct 1 there should be a l for left and an r for the right side im not sure if all brands have this but i know gm and clevite do.pulling the motor pretty much locks up the motor build with him unless you get it towed out of there i already dont like this guy
 

Maricopaagent

Glamis Anyone?
Oct 10, 2011
257
0
0
Arizona
If you are there when he puls the heads which i would make sure you are there make sure the gasket he pulls is the correct 1 there should be a l for left and an r for the right side im not sure if all brands have this but i know gm and clevite do.pulling the motor pretty much locks up the motor build with him unless you get it towed out of there i already dont like this guy

I'm with him..
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,685
5,840
113
Phoenix Az
DetailsUnlimited that is exactly what it sounded like!!!! Is the tapping coming from vavles hitting pistons or valves hitting rocker arms?

Dude, call a tow truck and get that thing out of his posession now!!! Hes going to give you every excuse in the book as to what the prob was! Not to metion i doubt you actually have headstuds in that thing! Get it somewhere else and be there for the tear down with a camera. All the warning signs are there for you to run!!!!!!!
 

blk smoke lb7

<-----Lots of green $
Nov 8, 2010
5,694
0
36
57
belvidere,ill
I'm with him..
i would just have him set the whole motor untouched in the bed and call a wrecker you need a second oppinion before he digs into it when the heads are pulled have a witness someone not related and someone you bring with you not from the shop doing the work and have a video camera going and like details said check those tabs on the gasketseven if you just have it towed home for now dont lt it set there anymore then you have to once the motor is out he could pull the heads and reverse the gaskets and put it back together