I finally got around to tearing into my new(er) '93 pickup's engine. It would bind up while trying to crank it over. It would turn maybe three-fourths of a revolution and bind. I pulled out the radiator, the fan and the belts so I could get a wrench on the crankshaft pulley, center bolt, to turn it over by hand (with the plugs out). It will turn easily (too easily) and only bind occasionally. I can hear bad sounds about once every revolution, like a broken rod, or a rod that's come apart from the piston due to a broken piston pin. Looking in the spark plug holes I only see the middle pistons (#3, #4) moving. I also am unable to detect any compression in any cylinder at hand turning speed.

The history is that the prior owner drove it into a creek and got water into the intake tract. I am guessing that the engine hydro-locked and broke some internal parts. Since then he and another knuckle head have been trying to turn it over and messed with the timing belt I'm hoping I can rebuild this engine, but I imagine that in such a situation there could be fatal damage to the block and/or cylinder heads.

I guess the good news is that a rebuildable core could be had cheap, as well as new pistons. In fact I see sellers offering replacement pistons with rings, pins (by Nippon Piston & Ring (NPR)) and full bearing set for around $125.00. ANybody have any experience with these parts or any other comments? -- Matt

Sounds like knuckleheads is right Matt; sheesh.

Can't say anything about the parts, but I'd sure be interested in knowing what's in the oil pan. Plan on seeing some bowed rods too if it was hydrolocked.

Some folks have said that I should chuck the 3VZE and swap in 5VZFE. I wish I could, but I'm not ready to shop for a donor vehicle and open up the dash to build a hybrid wiring harness right now. Maybe later if I come across the right deal. In the mean time I just figure I'm honing my skills and getting ready for a more ambitious project like that. I'm documenting the tear down with copious notes and photos, which I'll post here when I get the presentation organized. I'll try to do the same thing for the rebuild. -- Matt

I bent a rod on a 283 chevy when doing a start after a rebuild. Turned out the head gasket did not seal fully on one cylinder and radiator fluid (water in your case) got into the cylinder overnight. Of course, is was on the last of 8 cylinders to fire, so when physics took over ( water does NOT compress), the piston cycled up and bend the rod like a soft pretzel. Enough to have it knock against the bottom of the block.. Knocked like someone was whacking it with a sledge hammer.


Don't suppose you have a similar situation??

ps - new rod, no problems for many thousands of miles until the 57 got shortened by a drunk.

I hydro'd my engine during a failed creek x-ing(truck died and tried to start it) when the truck was new, and it did a bunch of damage. Broke 3 rods, bent about half the valves, as well as other components. Nothing was beyond repair though, so you should have a re-buildable block and heads.

A 5vz would be nice, but as you know it is still a relatively expensive swap. I would do a power rebuild of the 3.0, i.e bore the cyls, port match the head w/intake/exhaust, and run some headers(if you don't already have them). This should give you a better performing 3.0, at about half the cost of a 5vz swap, and no wiring headache(unless you can find an ORS wiring harness).

Mike will still make you a harness if you are patient. he finished mine last week.
Some dude over on yotatech is making them now, for about half the cost ORS was charging... look like good quality as well...

wsquaredodie, Snowtoy and Greg_Canada thanks for your posts. I'll get a chance to work on tearing it down some more over the next couple of days. I'd be real happy if my block and heads are OK. They only have 116k miles on them, so I think they are prime candidates for continued service if they don't have fatal damage.

I'd be glad to find a FAQ or articles on building the 3VZE for performance. Don't want to go hog wild though, but a good tight rebuild and blueprint, with headers sounds like a good idea.

I am hoping to swap a 5V into my '89 4runner sometime. That baby's a keeper! -- Matt

coltcams makes the cams for S2S tuning. I think theyre about 400 bucks. I'd get EB to Port and polish the heads. Then LCE headers/ y-pipe. THat should do the trick, another 20-25hp.

What's S2S tuning?

It looks like that would add more than $1500 to the rebuild. I'd start to take a harder look at a 5V swap if I'm going to have to spend that much.

I can remember when you could raise the power of your small block chevy from 300 hp to 450 hp for that kind of dough.

Also, IIRC, the LCE header is not smog legal. The way we are hurtling towards a "green revolution" economy (as a substitute for a real economy) <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> my county could require inspections like the neighboring counties any day now. -- Matt

Just checked the LCE catalog for 3.0 headers - nope. Got info that is different? Sure would like to check it out if true.