VY Wagon for $1000 (bargain?)

[Brett_jjj]

Ive just got my VS registered again for another 12 months, just needed a front uni joint and a power steering high pressure line replaced, was heaps happy with that, the mechanic that did the brake test etc said that the car drives better than a lot of newer model cars he gets in, so I must be doing something right with it getting comments like that.
Anyway,so now Ive finally started the engine swap in the VY. The engine came from a VS I have that was rolled. The engine ticks over like a clock and is one of the quietest ecotecs I have ever heard. I was saving it for my VS , but I havent been able to find another decent ecotec to fit in the wagon, and its got 3 months until blue slip time, which I want to avoid if possible, so Ive gotta get the engine swap done now and get it re registered before the 3 months go by...
Ive removed the engine out of the VS the other day. I just gotta swap over the newer model inlet and exhaust manifolds to the older ecotec for the EGR and replace a few other gaskets etc. I also have to remove the engine from the VY yet, which I have started doing this afternoon.. I took some pics for anyone thats interested, and I will take a heap more pics of the manifold swapover and the actual refitting of the new engine etc etc...
Im also gonna strip down the old engine to see exactly whats gone on inside it, so I will post up some pics of what I find.

 

[Brett_jjj]

Spent a couple of hours this afternoon doing a few more things. I removed the sparkplugs from the stuffed engine just out of curiosity, and I found that the front plug on each bank had been hit by something inside the engine which has slightly bent the electrodes and completely closed the plug gaps on both plugs. (see plug pics). It will be interesting to see what I find when I remove the heads. I also removed the inlet manifold from the donor engine so I can start getting it cleaned up ready for its new gaskets etc.

 

[Dr HaxZaw]

do you think it could be a big end bearing thats so far gone its let the piston slide up too far??

 

[Brett_jjj]

Yeah, its definitely gonna be something like that. I was thinking it would have fairly major main and big end bearing damage, considering the noise it was making, but I wasnt expecting to see the plugs hit flat, Im amazed that I got it started and onto the trailer..

 

[greenacc]

Those spark plugs are a perfect match though. Almost looks like its been sabotaged ??? Could the pistons produce such a matching pair of plugs ?
I wonder what would happen if u just put 2 new plugs in it ...

 

[SweetWagon]

Those spark plugs are a perfect match though. Almost looks like its been sabotaged ??? Could the pistons produce such a matching pair of plugs ?
I wonder what would happen if u just put 2 new plugs in it ...

I dont think anyone in their right mind would install spark plugs looking like that. Have to remember car was running for a while before calling it quits, and even if those spark plugs were like that, they wouldnt cause excessive smoke out the exhaust like OP mentioned. Its been burning oil and my guess has to be piston or debris in combustion chamber to cause that, (possibly even hydraulic lock could close the electrode gap??)

Looking forward to seeing the damage, be sure to post it up once its been stripped down.

 

[Kiddo]

I dont think anyone in their right mind would install spark plugs looking like that.

You obviously haven't been to Townsville...

 

[greenacc]

Yeah, logically it must be a piston its just amazing how they both got exactly the same shape.
Long time ago i used to work in an engine shop and i remember taking guesses at what we would find inside...
Good luck with it.

 

[Brett_jjj]

I did a bit more to it this afternoon. Im removing the engine without removing the auto, so Ive removed the inlet manifold etc off the old engine to make it easier to get to the wiring and hoses etc at the rear of the engine as well as the top gearbox to engine bolts .. I can start cleaning up the inlet manifold ready for its installation onto the other engine now. I will lift out the old engine in the next couple of days, as its basically just sitting there now with only engine mounts left to undo.
Check out the pic below showing the metal filings that have come out through the exhaust manifold. This is the front cylinder on the passenger side.

 

[Dr HaxZaw]

who needs an angle grinder when you can buy an ecotec lol