Thread: Engine swap done, new issues to address - help please!

THREAD UPDATED WITH NEW QUESTIONS - PLEASE READ BELOW

So I bought a 98 grand prix gt two weeks ago. The car had a rod knock when I bought it, so I purchased a junkyard engine with a 6 month warranty with 150k miles. Supposedly the engine was a "#1 Runner". Well, I finished up the engine swap last night, added fluids, and let it idle in the garage. There was some lifter noise, which I suspect is from sitting for however long it was at the junkyard.

The initial issue is fixed (HUD speedo problems, oil pressure light), but I don't feel that making a new thread is necessary, so I'm going to edit this thread instead. The oil pressure light and HUD issues turned out to be two ground wires which weren't connected, I hooked them up and that problem is solved. Funny how a bad (or missing) ground can wreak all sorts of havoc on an electrical system, isn't it? Lol.

After driving the car today, I came across a few other issues which I feel need to be addressed -

First and most important, the car smokes. At idle, it puts a bit of smoke out the tailpipe - unsure if it's coolant or oil, but I'm leaning towards oil by the smell (although these engines are notorious for leaking coolant via the LIM, and the gasket may be the original one - I will be replacing that in a few weeks, but that may be a cause for smoke)

Secondly, the lights flicker a bit when idling - FIXED - poor ground connection between alternator and engine block. Cleaned the housing and the mounting bolt, cleaned ground strap to engine/bellhousing, problem solved. .

Thirdly, the oil pressure light goes on at idle when warm, but disappears under any sort of throttle, even going from 700rpm to 1000 rpm. I'm not too concerned about this, but I may address it down the road. Will be replacing the sensor later this week.

Fourth, the low oil level light comes on pretty much every other ignition cycle. I believe it's a faulty sensor, since there is definitely oil in the pan.

And fifth, my headlights are MESSED UP. - FIXED, turned out to be corroded connectors for the HID high beams, and incorrect bulbs (h7 halogens instead of h3 halogens, didn't fit the socket properly so the projector lens would not focus the light on the road.

UPDATE 4/1/2014 11:18PM CDT


Two of the five issues are now fixed, the most important one to me which still needs an answer is that the car smokes at idle. I now have 30 miles on the engine, about 20 city driving and 10 on the highway, plus about 45 minutes of idling. I would think any residual oil in the intake should have burned off by now, so I'm not sure what would cause the smoking - valve seals perhaps? The engine has a 6 month warranty on it, and I purchased it a week ago, so I think I'll just check the oil on occasion and maybe switch to a heavier (10-40?) grade oil - anyone have opinions on Lucas Oil Stabilizer? I may use that with my oil changes.

As far as the oil pressure light coming on at idle, is this something I should be concerned with? In reality, the light does more flickering than staying on solid, so I think it may just be a faulty switch. Perhaps I'll replace that when I do the oil level sensor, but I'm on an extremely tight budget for a few weeks so it'll probably have to wait.

Check the connector to the pressure switch and the plug that happens to be right there for the vss (vehicle speed sensor) on the trans diff.

It's doubtful swapping an engine to pinch. The only points possible are between engine and trans (you'd have had trouble connecting everything), exhaust to downpipe (you'd hear it) and under the engine mount (The abs light would be on..lol).

Check the ground by the coil pack.

engine dropped in perfectly, almost too easy. input shaft on tranny, exhaust, engine mounts (I installed the engine with the mount in place, I figured it owuld be easier) and everything else mounted in without a hitch. From outside the car, the engine dropped in and bolted up literally within 5 minutes, including the b*tch bolt. I was amazed. I also figured out the issue, it turned out to be the two ground wires that come off the starter wire harness weren't connected to the bell housing stud. That issue is now solved, thankfully, but after driving the car today, I found out a few more new issues that need attention. I'm going to rename the thread if that's okay, to ask a few more questions about my problems.

edit: Can't figure out how to rename a thread, so I hope people find this one. If not, I may delete this one since it's solved and just make a new thread with my new questions.

Let's address these in what I think is the order of importance: Smoking.. how long has it run? Depending on how the engine was stored and how long it's run. I had one that was involved in a rollover and there was enough oil in the top end that it it smoked for 45 min in the driveway and then another 20 around town. Kept getting better the longer it ran. If it's getting better as it runs more.. let it run.

The electrical issues: you have a ground or positive wire loose etc. At the transmission where the main battery cable ground hooks up, do you have the battery cable and two small black wires? Because you should. Are all the connections snug at all ends of the battery cables, because the behavior you mention... something is loose.

Don't go into the harness to chase it, it's something you specifically touched and just retrace the main power cables, you'll find it.

Dad playing with the throttle didn't cause any problems. I do it all the time with fresh engines. Especially when pumping up the lifters, 2000 rpm is usually good to get the oil flowing.

From your last post and the first with the updates, it appears you don't have oil pressure light on any more, no more odd electrical issues. Those are good. I'm not sure if the oil level issue has been corrected by the grounds as well. IIRC all those items are based on those two grounds and should be good now. BTW, that's a super easy item to miss... totally acceptable for a first timer and now that you know it.. you'll never do it again. Next time the wire will break off the eyelet, but you'll know where to start.

I would probably do a compression and leakdown test for starters. Make sure things are good with the rings. Usually at high mileage you can still see cross hatching in our cylinders and the rings look fantastic for the milage as well, but it's a cheap easy check.

On the oil burning. if the smoking is getting worse, I'd think it's valve seals. These motors don't typically burn coolant. Heck a horrible looking LIM gasket usually isn't even leaking into the crankcase. Overall they look brutal and don't cause an issue that you'd equate to how serious the gasket looks to be compromised.

I'd grab a set of valve seals valve cover gaskets with grommets, LIM gasket, maybe a set of 105# springs, modded retainers and reusable bolts. Do the valve seals and swap the other parts, in the case you ever decide to put rockers or a cam in, they are already for the install. Do the LIM gaskets at the same time and you should be all set.

Then down the road when your confidence is good, you can toss on rockers w/o thinking about it.

I suggested 105's as they are pretty common and don't wear the chain as much as an LS6 yellow 90#.

3800's aren't prone to rattling... I'd be concerned. Can't say I've ever heard a bad balancer bearing though, so I'm not help with saying it sounds right or wrong for what you are thinking.

Toss your old pump on. All you'd need is the gasket.

I've had a few laying around that looked like new pumps, and a leftover gasket.. well. I'm guilty of being cheap in the past.