Any update. We all feel for you dude.
Update:
Sorry Internet cant see man or woman. Still hoping everything works out.
Update:
Sorry Internet cant see man or woman. Still hoping everything works out.
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Need Help! Oil Issue
- Thread starter MiamiMermaid
- Start date
Trust me, she ain't no "dude"!!!!
I heard all was well with her car and it got a clean bill of health. :smile: :smile:
Dawn, any updates................bill
i was lookin for an update 2.
Hey Crew!! Apologies for the delay of update. Been swamped since missing weeks of work ...... and as well, driving my baby girl!!
:biggrin: :wink: Thank you!* for all your help. Got her checked out and absolutely no damage was done. Seems that my *angelz *
*She's actually running better than ever. . . . Thansx* again! for all your help *~~~~~ I really appreciate all the input.... I don't think any others could understand that feeling , other than fellow NSX'rs..........
You'all rock!
Have a Great Week!!!* Mermi *
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Mermaid,
How's your car running 3 months after the oil loss incident? I remember reading the posts when you had the problem, then had my problem and lost the bubble.
D. Waltrip popped into my mind when you mention it was running better than ever. Something about running great before she "done blown up." Hope that's not the case with your ride.
Miner
How's your car running 3 months after the oil loss incident? I remember reading the posts when you had the problem, then had my problem and lost the bubble.
D. Waltrip popped into my mind when you mention it was running better than ever. Something about running great before she "done blown up." Hope that's not the case with your ride.
Miner
Well, you deem to be Correct.
After returning home to Florida (she was flat-bedded home safely), I drove her, and noticed what I believed to be just the valves lightly knocking. Not knowing what to expect (and, truthfully, after the cost of moving back to Florida-- Broke, fearful (due to somewhat knowing) of what would need to repair her, I let her rest a while in my garage.
My lack of being able to confidently drive her without a 'checkup', began to wear on me: I love my girl. So, I took her in to my local mechanic (he's awesome and specializes in the NSX).
-------------------------------
BAD - SAD NEWS ! :frown:
She needs a rebuild. Here's the rundown:
-Need to replace two rods/bearings
-Need a new crankshaft
-New oil pump
-Just completely in tears over here (Yes, I admit it. I really am crying). I've had her for 9+ years, and she's been nothing but great to me.
I was quoted $9450. (10,000 if I want to add +20hp by milling the heads).
I truly was (perhaps, still am) in denial. I kept telling my mechanic "please say it's just a valve adjustment". After dropping the pan, it was obvious that the rod bearings were shot, as well as the crankshaft.
So, I'm here, with my girl in the shop, wondering how this could have happened. All due to a faulty oil change. I only ran the car for 15 minutes, and believed that most the oil leaked upon my returning home (after that 15 minutes). And, since this original post, only drove her a few (really, only three or four times), including the last time, which was up to the corner of my place in MI to get flat-bedded back to Miami.
I suppose my question here is: what is the appropriate cost of this repair, in your experience?
Someone, please help me cope! :redface:
~Sad Mermi~
p.s. I've had several people tell me to sell her. But that just is NOT an option.
miamimermaid said:
Another option would be to find a used engine in good condition. There is one on ebay right now with 29 min left of bidding! It's located in Ft Lauderdale. However, by the time you pay for the engine and labor to swap out, it may come to the same amount of $$. But, it might be worth it to see what's out there--advertise for an engine on Prime and see if anything materializes. Best of luck--I'd be heartsick too.
Hey Doc... Thansx* for the heads up. Do you happen to have the link ? The only issue that I really have is that my engine only just hit 56,000 (bought her at 1100) ...on the drive to the mechanic
Sorry to hear that Mermi. :frown: :frown: That seems kinda high but you might check with Science of Speed and a few other shops for comparison. SoS stroker builds are around the price they quoted you.
Good luck getting NSXSEA back on the road again. :smile: :smile:
Good luck getting NSXSEA back on the road again. :smile: :smile:
I would just rebuild it with a shop very familiar with NSX''s. One that will stand behind their work 100%. Sounds like its already torn down in a shop.
I would call SOS (see my prev. post on this thread for the link)
for a check on the price. You could always have your shop do the R&R and ship it out for the rebuild. Just a thought.
Buying a used engine is always a gamble.
Sorry about the bad news.:frown:
I would call SOS (see my prev. post on this thread for the link)
for a check on the price. You could always have your shop do the R&R and ship it out for the rebuild. Just a thought.
Buying a used engine is always a gamble.
Sorry about the bad news.:frown:
Dawn,
Sorry to hear about the problem. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. As long as I had oil pressure, I'd have turned up the radio to drown out the noise.
I imagine the cost is mostly a new crank. Labor to replace the damaged parts is probably fairly small. As the others have suggested, check w/ the SOS for some option parts.
I don't know if going with underside bearings (and a turned crank) is possible on the NSX, somebody like Larry could answer the question and if possible would help the deal.
How far gone were the bad bearing's crank journals? Since we're talking <.005 inch clearances it doesn't much to be out of tolerance. That being said, one could potentially get away with some new rod bearings and a good high pressure oil pump. That would be the "El Grande Mexicanada" solution but realistically could fix the problem. But I'd hate to say it would. In one of my past lives, our Navy boats had high end Italian racing boat engines. Think Ferrari, but tempermental, and that's an Isotta Fraschini. I know a few of them that had bearing clearances that exceeded limits and ran well for quite a while.
Is the engine out and torn apart or just the pan dropped and caps off?
Reading some of the original posts, I'd like to believe what damage happened when you lost oil pressure was small. It doesn't take much once the hydrodynamic wedge breaks down to score bearings, gouge cranks etc.
Stuff happens, keep the car, fix her when you can and enjoy her. It sucks that it happened, but on the bright side the car wasn't totaled in a wreck or stolen.
Miner
Sorry to hear about the problem. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. As long as I had oil pressure, I'd have turned up the radio to drown out the noise.
I imagine the cost is mostly a new crank. Labor to replace the damaged parts is probably fairly small. As the others have suggested, check w/ the SOS for some option parts.
I don't know if going with underside bearings (and a turned crank) is possible on the NSX, somebody like Larry could answer the question and if possible would help the deal.
How far gone were the bad bearing's crank journals? Since we're talking <.005 inch clearances it doesn't much to be out of tolerance. That being said, one could potentially get away with some new rod bearings and a good high pressure oil pump. That would be the "El Grande Mexicanada" solution but realistically could fix the problem. But I'd hate to say it would. In one of my past lives, our Navy boats had high end Italian racing boat engines. Think Ferrari, but tempermental, and that's an Isotta Fraschini. I know a few of them that had bearing clearances that exceeded limits and ran well for quite a while.
Is the engine out and torn apart or just the pan dropped and caps off?
Reading some of the original posts, I'd like to believe what damage happened when you lost oil pressure was small. It doesn't take much once the hydrodynamic wedge breaks down to score bearings, gouge cranks etc.
Stuff happens, keep the car, fix her when you can and enjoy her. It sucks that it happened, but on the bright side the car wasn't totaled in a wreck or stolen.
Miner
Yes, I agree... There's just something about keeping the Original "Heart" of the car... I love my engine , just needs a lil' tune-up :wink:
I plan on keeping her forever... . so I gotta do what needs to be done. Just a bit heartbroken and wondering what you might do if faced with this dilemma ? And, if you have, what options (besides swapping motors) .. and what is the normal cost for the ailment ?
Most--but not all--of the gray-beard techs I've been lucky to learn from over the years would sooner swap the motor for a low-mileage take-out, as long as there was reasonable certainty the take-out was in good condition, e.g. donor NSX was totalled in a front-end accident with no damage to the engine. The key issue is the risk assumed anytime you open up an engine. A bit of mis-placed grit hiding in an oil port can kill a rebuild in fairly short order. I'm currently swapping motors on one of my sedans with 222k, though admittedly this engine didn't cost anywhere near what a NSX engine does. If you think your mechanic's great, and if he feels comfortable with a rebuild, then it may be the best route. I would at least ask his feedback on a swap, and include in the quote any items the take-out may need, such as seals, gaskets, belts, tensioners, etc.
Hey Dawn, did you try to start the car when the engine shut off by it self while the oil was leaking out? If you did, you may want to take the car for a leak down test. Same thing happen to me when I had my 01 S2000 and it had engine damage right away.
Yeouch. That sucks - I am sorry to hear the news.
If the crank is scored, you are in for an expensive rebuild. Personally, if you were happy with it before (don't want more power) I would just drop another used block in there (3.0 or 3.2) and keep the stock engine mgmt.
If you think more power might be nice, there is never going to be a better time to do it. I personally like the ex-comptech now driving ambition 3.5L. Hope she is up and running soon. Joining us at Sebring? If so, you might score a ride in a stroker car there (I don't know who is coming).
Good luck with the repairs!
Keep the chin up. At the very least you're not in Michigan anymore! (me either, thank God).
If the crank is scored, you are in for an expensive rebuild. Personally, if you were happy with it before (don't want more power) I would just drop another used block in there (3.0 or 3.2) and keep the stock engine mgmt.
If you think more power might be nice, there is never going to be a better time to do it. I personally like the ex-comptech now driving ambition 3.5L. Hope she is up and running soon. Joining us at Sebring? If so, you might score a ride in a stroker car there (I don't know who is coming).
Good luck with the repairs!
Keep the chin up. At the very least you're not in Michigan anymore! (me either, thank God).
Yes, the dealer is going to cost MANY thousands more than a good local performance shop, and the work will probably not be any better. They don't need to be NSX experts. Good luck!
Ron98- "bearing fused to the crank"? Man, the bearing is in the cap dude!
Ron98- "bearing fused to the crank"? Man, the bearing is in the cap dude!
Mermaid--unfortunately, the ebay auction for the engine ended last night. I don't know if it sold or not. The guy had a "buy-it-now" price of $5500. It was a '91 engine( with a completed major service) and tranny combo. If it didn't sell, it may be back on ebay at some point. To check, go to ebay motors and type in "NSX" for the search and then scroll down to "pats and accessories". It was listed with all of the NSX parts. I'll keep an eye out for it for you as well.
As already noted, if your engine is already apart, sending it to SOS might be your best option. I hear that they do great work. Keep us apprised on how things go.
As already noted, if your engine is already apart, sending it to SOS might be your best option. I hear that they do great work. Keep us apprised on how things go.
What he said ^.
I used to own an oil analysis operation and for under $50 you should be able to diagnose how bad the problem is. It's a fairly "painle$$" first step.
I feel your angst.I'm on engine #3.I did the rebuild first time around then bought a used engine second time.If you can get a no stories engine in the 5-7 k range I would just swap.If there are no good used motors around then get another estimate to rebuild 10 k seems high.Plus wait a little bit as you can get better estimates if you pm Larry B and Chris at SOS for some insights.At this point I would distance youself from the old girls heart,it is now just a block.:frown: Time is on your side so be patient and let things fall into place.
daedalus said:
I trust my mechanic (he used to be a tech at MiamiAcura many years back when I had my '92, and he did all the service work back then)... Since then, he opened his own shop and has worked on several other Fla. members' NSXs. He's fair, and has shown integrity in his work.
While dropping her off, he heard me say that I was never planning on selling. So, while he was discussing the possible options, he did mention buying/swapping out used parts, but said 1) it could be risky and further "if you do plan on keeping her, just make the investment, buy new, rebuild, and basically, have a brand new engine."
Therefore, I'm just going to have to muster up the courage (and a loan), and do what's gotta be done.
He did say he would help a bit and cut the price 10%, so I guess I'm looking at a good $9k. :Ouch: (Still, better than the dealership--which, I don't see myself ever trusting them with something of this magnitude: sorry to any of the honest dealership owners-just my experience).
So, she's in the shop, and getting ready for her surgery....
But, in the meantime, I got this:
Thansx* again for all your help, responses, suggestions, and empathy* :wink:
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Mermi, when you ask what would I do, I'd certainly go for a displacement upgrade along with the rebuild. In my opinion, 270hp is fine, but more is better at this point. For my use of the vehicle, I'd go for the "more power" option. I secretly hope my engine blows up so I'll have a good excuse to do one anyway. Just kidding, but not really. (Remember "White Goodman" from DodgeBall?)
Again, this may not be to your taste, but that's what some of us would do.
Again, this may not be to your taste, but that's what some of us would do.
