2004 GP 3800 Series III Engine Broken?

**Pooterosa** · 06-04-2015

Ok, here is an oddball that I have never come across and need aome serious assistance with as in ASAP please.

Daughter was driving the car down the road the other day and it just stalled out. Had to go get her from the side of the road. Went through all the typical troubleshooting procedures and found a bad starter which apparently was something on the way to going out but not the cause of this particular issue.

Replaced the starter and once again tried to turn it over to no avail. During turn over attempt, starter kicks in and battery voltage drops to 6.7 immediately.

Tried turning over the engine by hand and found it could be turned backwards but not forwards. Pulled the oil pan and turned the engine over by hand and same result. Can keep turning and turning it in one direction but it's as if it's locked up totally when trying to turn the engine the opposite way. Everything appears to be moving and nothing sounds broken and there were no pieces of anything that fell out or down into the oil pan.

Have any of you ever come across something like this? Any ideas - serious ones?

**Impala131** · 06-04-2015

I don't know if this is a hydrolock issue or not, but I know the LIM gaskets often fail on these cars, which causes coolant to get into the cylinders.

May want to try pulling the spark plugs out, then turning the engine over, see if anything comes out of the spark plug holes.

**Pooterosa** · 06-04-2015

I know that the front 3 are out but I don't know if they pulled the back 3 out yet. I'll have to have them do that if not. The front 3 are dry and show normal firing wear - no oil, no moisture on them.

**Scottydoggs** · 06-04-2015

was the oil over filled? and milky looking?

are the belts off the engine? a seized up pulley, a/c compressor, water pump, hell even the alt can lock it up.

do take the rear plugs out, and try to spin again, it could be full of coolant.

**Pooterosa** · 06-04-2015

Oil is fine - correct level and not milky. Belt is still on. Still have to check with them about the back 3 spark plugs though an I may have them remove the belt just to see if the engine will turn the other way without it.

**Scottydoggs** · 06-04-2015

seen a/c compressors gone bad lock a engine up solid here in the past. take the belt off, it cranks right over and runs again.

**Pooterosa** · 06-04-2015

But would that make the engine only be able to be turned in one direction?

**Scottydoggs** · 06-04-2015

its possible. depends on how the clutch seized. if thats the case.

only one way to find out, take the belt off and try to turn it over.

**Slick2500** · 06-04-2015

Originally Posted by ScottyDoggs

seen a/c compressors gone bad lock a engine up solid here in the past. take the belt off, it cranks right over and runs again.

My friend bought a 2003 Grand Am for $500 with like 50k miles on it because they thought the engine was seized lol

**Scottydoggs** · 06-04-2015

Originally Posted by Slick2500

My friend bought a 2003 Grand Am for $500 with like 50k miles on it because they thought the engine was seized lol

score!!!!!!

**Pooterosa** · 09-05-2015

Now that I have gotten a bit better after my surgery, I went ahead and got the car going. It was the alternator causing it to lock up in one direction. I pulled the belt off and could spin the engine fully both ways. Put the belt on and it locked up in one direction again. Could spin the pulley on the alternator easily by hand but with the belt tension it would only spin one way. Had it tested at O'Reilly's and it failed automatically. They gave me a new one. After replacing it and putting everything back together, it runs just fine now.

**Impala131** · 09-08-2015

Originally Posted by Pooterosa

Now that I have gotten a bit better after my surgery, I went ahead and got the car going. It was the alternator causing it to lock up in one direction. I pulled the belt off and could spin the engine fully both ways. Put the belt on and it locked up in one direction again. Could spin the pulley on the alternator easily by hand but with the belt tension it would only spin one way. Had it tested at O'Reilly's and it failed automatically. They gave me a new one. After replacing it and putting everything back together, it runs just fine now.

I wonder if this problem is more apparent on the alternators with the one-way clutch, or has anything to do with the clutch? Just food for thought. Glad you found your issue.

Thread: 2004 GP 3800 Series III Engine Broken?

Thread Tools

Display

Similar Threads

How to tell the difference between a 3800 Series II and Series III engine/ L67 vs L32

2004 grand prix gt 3800 series 3/ Which steering rack?

2004 series 3 3800 swap to 1998 series 2 car?

2004 GP 3800 Series III will stall upon starting unless throttle given?

L32 (2004) 3800 Series III cover

Bookmarks