Motor compatability for SV6 LLT

[Steve Rebbechi]

Hey guys, so my motor has seized, not certain whats happened but mechanic couldnt turn it over and said it needs a new motor, i believe its the LLT in the 2011 sv6, just wondering do i need to get the exact same motor or do later ones go in fine? also would there be alot involved in putting an SS motor in? im not super car-wise so i dont know if that would be an easy swap or require changing other parts, wiring/ecu/engine mounts etc and just not worth it haha, thanks

ALSO looking for recommendations for somewhere in melbourne to have engine swapped, if you know somewhere/someone in the know it would be appreciated, thanks

 

[General disturbance]

Hey Steve. Sorry I can't help with info on swaps, but was curious as to how many K's your car had done and if the mechanic has any clue as to the cause of seizure? I have the same motor.
Cheers

 

[vywgn]

Yes you need the same LLT code motor. Seized engine can be a number of things like a spun bearing or timing chain letting go and wrapping around the gears

 

[Steve Rebbechi]

Hey Steve. Sorry I can't help with info on swaps, but was curious as to how many K's your car had done and if the mechanic has any clue as to the cause of seizure? I have the same motor.
Cheers

hey, the car has almost 200k on the clock, car had gone way too long without a service and was leaking oil, i was just topping it up waiting for tax return time to get it done and it gave out a little early. Not sure what the exact problem is, mechanic said it was weird how it happened, didnt overheat or anything, drove it around all day, start/stopping fine, then it just didnt want to start up again once i parked at supermarket, wont turn over at all and he couldnt turn it with a wrench, something was getting stuck at the top he said

 

[Skylarking]

I’d think “something getting stuck at the top” sounds like it can be turned a little bit so further investigation would be warranted.

Keeping in mind a small gasket failure can allow a little coolant to leak into a cylinder after a hot shutdown, and such can hydraulically lock an engine. It’s food for thought. Depending on which cylinder has coolant within, how much coolant and what rotational position the engine is in, you may not be able to crank even a little bit. If you tried with the starter, i5 may have turned a small amount before locking up though you should have heard the starter try. Anything after that it’s locked up unless you try and turn it backwards....

As a minimum I’d think he (or you) should take the plugs out and try to turn the motor over or tried to turn it manually anticlockwise.

Also, I’d have thought a mechanic should know what is wrong (or checked off some basic stuff) before advising some corrective action. May be a gasket fix (if possible) is cheaper that an engine swap. Sadly some mechanics often look after their own interests (to make $$’s) than being honest with a customer (and being paid for just the required repair).

As for swapping to a V8, better to fix the old car and sell it, then you can buy what you want without all the conversion headaches. Much les hassles and probably cost.

 

[Steve Rebbechi]

I’d think “something getting stuck at the top” sounds like it can be turned a little bit so further investigation would be warranted.

Keeping in mind a small gasket failure can allow a little coolant to leak into a cylinder after a hot shutdown, and such can hydraulically lock an engine. It’s food for thought. Depending on which cylinder has coolant within, how much coolant and what rotational position the engine is in, you may not be able to crank even a little bit. If you tried with the starter, i5 may have turned a small amount before locking up though you should have heard the starter try. Anything after that it’s locked up unless you try and turn it backwards....

As a minimum I’d think he (or you) should take the plugs out and try to turn the motor over or tried to turn it manually anticlockwise.

Also, I’d have thought a mechanic should know what is wrong (or checked off some basic stuff) before advising some corrective action. May be a gasket fix (if possible) is cheaper that an engine swap. Sadly some mechanics often look after their own interests (to make $$’s) than being honest with a customer (and being paid for just the required repair).

As for swapping to a V8, better to fix the old car and sell it, then you can buy what you want without all the conversion headaches. Much les hassles and probably cost.

Thanks for the reply, the only way he could turn it was backwards, wouldnt go forwards at all so he turned it back a bit and tried and it would just get stuck again immediately, the mechanic is family so i wasnt paying him, he just came out to have a quick look, he didnt know exactly what was getting locked up but reccomended that its most likely worth just changing the motor as getting it diagnosed and fixed would mostly likely cost as much as changing motor over for a refurbished or wreckers one, but he doesnt have time to do one so i have to look around haha

 

[Cruisy72]

I have had the exact same thing happen and It turns out it has broken a valve spring and the valve had dropped down and is floating around in the cylinder. It won't turn over as the valve jams it all up.