Rip..... 01 grand prix

[chicagochuck]

01 grandprix 164,000 miles. Timeline below


The whole upper intake cracked and caught on fire behind the pcv valve, which also shoot off in the air. The sound was loud. I am glad no one was standing there. I put the fire out by dumping snow on it.

Jan 6, it started up fine and I let it run. when I came out the house the oil light was on but went off. I added less than a half of a quart of oil..it was not really low at all.
Jan 7 it ran fine the rest of the day

The next day I drove it to and from work and the gym fine. Keep in mind its freezing here in Chicago I mean 0 degrees. With wind chills in the negative

Thurs Jan 8 it would not start it had that dead battery type sound so I left it. I threw the charger on it for a few hours but nothing changed. I figured the battery was garbage its 7 yrs old... I pulled out a yellow top optima I had charged it up and put it in the car. Still sounded similar to the old battery very weak. All the accessories worked fine. The battery was only staying at about 11 volts so I decided to jump start it. When it was being jump started I tried to crank it and that's when the above happened . I have heard of similar things but never experienced them myself. I am starting to think the engine was the culprit the whole time. Not sure if it was something I could have done differently or maybe I flooded the engine...

ALL in all I'm not getting it fixed I will get something else

[Iceman6669]

Dam that sucks... Pics? Vids would be better.

[chicagochuck]

Here's a link to the pics...

http://s1377.photobucket.com/user/ch...tml?sort=3&o=0

[Scottydoggs]

damn, split that one right down the middle.

slap a new intake on it, you probably flooded it and it popped.

[markpa]

Wow. Never have seen that before.


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[Scottydoggs]

its the one downfall of the plastic intake. it happens. seen it before.

[chicagochuck]

So I should try a new intake ? What would the steps be?

I know how to replace the intake but as far as it being flooded? would I just put it on and crank it up?

[Scottydoggs]

check to see if theres coolant in the lower intake. if there is, take the plugs out, and crank it, make sure theres no coolant in the cylinders. if coolant shoots out a cylinder or two or three. do a oil change asap.

plugs out it should crank very fast with a fully charged battery or being jumped.

good time to do the lim gaskets too. its just 10 bolts more and a coolant elbow and a egr tube left holding it on.

then you'll have to double check all the wires that may have burned for damage.

[Scottydoggs]

if you were on and off with the key many times then it cranked and blew up, id have to think it was flooded. and that cause it to blow up.

it was running ok before the whole weak battery deal right? could be the starter too going bad.

[chicagochuck]

I should have mentioned I did the lower intake gaskets/valve cover gaskets and upper intake gaskets/and plugged the coolant passages in the lower intake ( forgot the exact name) this was done March 2013.

I check coolant regularly didn't see any in the oil or disappearing but I will check once I pull it off and check for melted wires etc...

If those things check out am I all good to start it? Do i remove the fuel pump relay first?

I'm Super paranoid after what happened earlier....

[chicagochuck]

if you were on and off with the key many times then it cranked and blew up, id have to think it was flooded. and that cause it to blow up.

it was running ok before the whole weak battery deal right? could be the starter too going bad.

yeah it was running fine before that.

I guess its worth giving it a try I can change it myself just have to pay for the parts of course

[Scottydoggs]

if its all dry id just swap the intake then. being you did the lim already.

it cant blow up any more if you were to crank it plugs out. plugs out takes the fire out of the engine, nothing to light it up again.

[chicagochuck]

Thanks so much.


So if its all dry no coolant leaks... do I still need to take the plugs out before I crank with the new intake ? Fuel would have evaporated by then ?

Just making sure i understand you completely.

[Scottydoggs]

it should be dry being you modded the lim. but it cant hurt to check. and to make sure it spins fast when turned over. with a full charge or jumped if its still super slow cranking the starter could be the cause. or the battery cables terminals, or bad cables even, bat to starter, bat to ground.

[Slick2500]

Now would be a good time to do a l26 upper intake swap.

[chicagochuck]

Now would be a good time to do a l26 upper intake swap.

Your right about that




Thanks for all the help Ill let you guys know what happens

[Slick2500]

I have one for sale btw.

[camopaint0707]

i'm sure that was a spectacular explosion.

[chicagochuck]

Got everything taken apart anyone know what causes the oil to sit in the valley under intake?

http://i1377.photobucket.com/albums/...psf2d805d3.png


This is not my engine , I found this pic through goggle for reference purposes.

Mine has even more oil in both spots where the arrows point..

could that straw looking hose be in the wrong place? pcv not recirculating?

[Scottydoggs]

its kinda normal for the n/a engines to have oil in there. your pcv valve may have been clogged up and left more then normal amounts of oil in there. and maybe why the intake popped.


thats a dead link too btw.