Advice on a blown engine for an 88' GQ SWB Please!

Hi all,

long time reader, new member.

Was just wondering if I could get any advice on my beloved shorty. We have had our 1988 Ford Maverick SWB in the family for nearly 30 years. I have spent a lot of money fixing it up slowly.

Unfortunately about 2 weeks ago whilst driving the engine blew on me. It appears there was no oil despite only recently having it serviced.

I am going to organise a mechanic to assess the motor, ideally I'll repair and recondition the motor if its possible.

I don't know a whole heap about cars and I dont have a lot of money so I dont want to get mislead or ripped off. Was just wondering does anyone here know and trust anyone in Melbourne who I can get to take a look at my motor and see if it's repairable? and secondly, if it's not repairable, what is the best solution for me? eg better off buying a new custom made engine even thought it'll be pricy? or finding a reconditioned motor? If so anyone know people who work on motors and ideally have worked on GQ's?

The original motor in it at the moment was the 4.2l petrol engine with manual transmission. I realise whichever option I choose im looking at $$$ but since I want to keep this car long term I rather do it the best way. I should also note I drive this car day to day.

If anyone can give their advice I'd be very grateful!

Unfortunately about 2 weeks ago whilst driving the engine blew on me. It appears there was no oil despite only recently having it serviced.

Sounds Suss to me , if it was serviced a few weeks prior .
Heard many a tale of no oil wrong oil etc they do occasionally make mistakes .

Without pointing fingers of course how recently was the service beforehand?


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about 3 weeks prior mate. They claim that there must have been a leak or the motor was burning the oil a lot quicker for some unknown reason. I'll be taking it further with them but I dont want them looking at or fixing the car

a second hand motor would be the cheapest quickest option. if it was lack of oil issue, i wouldn't hold much hope of it being worth reco ing. a reco engine depends greatly on the care taken by the person reco ing it, so a recommendation would go a long way for me if i were to get someone to do it.

i'm in sydney so don't know anyone in your area. just my 2 cents

Have you taken the car back to them since or not?

Just a simple check, the sump plug under the engine, check that if no ones tampered with it yet, is there oil under there, bolt done up tight?


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Is there any excess oil spilt down the block, where the filters are, etc?


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If you were burning it you'd know by the cloud of blue smoke following you , if it was leaking there should be oil from arse to breakfast on the car underneath .

If there was no oil the warning light should have come on before serious damage was done, and the engine would have been really noisy.
Where there any warning signs like smoke, noise, rough running?

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Thanks mate, appreciate the advice :)

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Originally Posted by GQtdauto

If you were burning it you'd know by the cloud of blue smoke following you , if it was leaking there should be oil from arse to breakfast on the car underneath .

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thats the thing mate there was no smoke and no leak. Haven't taken it back AB, dont feel comfortable them touching it again.

Thanks Garett, a friend has given me the contact details for someone who does engine rebuilds, I'll get him to take a look and inspect the damage. Was just hoping someone on here from Melbourne has done a rebuild/recondition with a GQ.

Will keep everyone updated, in case a similar thing happens to them. Just want my baby back on the road

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Turtle_au

If there was no oil the warning light should have come on before serious damage was done, and the engine would have been really noisy.
Where there any warning signs like smoke, noise, rough running?

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No warning light Turtle_au, no noise, no rough running and no smoke. That's what I can't understand.

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Originally Posted by aliamus

No warning light Turtle_au, no noise, no rough running and no smoke. That's what I can't understand.

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What do you mean by the motor has blown? In addition to what others has said, if it was out or low on oil you should have been able to smell the heat before it stopped. Did it sieze or are there bits through the side of the engine. What exactly has happened?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aliamus

thats the thing mate there was no smoke and no leak. Haven't taken it back AB, dont feel comfortable them touching it again.

Thanks Garett, a friend has given me the contact details for someone who does engine rebuilds, I'll get him to take a look and inspect the damage. Was just hoping someone on here from Melbourne has done a rebuild/recondition with a GQ.

Will keep everyone updated, in case a similar thing happens to them. Just want my baby back on the road

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No smoke , no leaks , no oil , seized motor , three weeks after service , my old boss would put that down to a loose glove box hinge but I'm pointing my finger at the service .
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's a duck .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GQtdauto

No smoke , no leaks , no oil , seized motor , three weeks after service , my old boss would put that down to a loose glove box hinge but I'm pointing my finger at the service .
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's a duck .

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I agree but trying to work out where the oil went. Assuming it wouldn't go for three weeks without oil, and its not on the ground out front, or smoking through the exhaust ot providing rust proofing on the chassie from the engine back, where is it? Did it just chuck a seal and dump it somewhere do you think?

How do you know there is no oil. From the dipstick? Could be just below the end of the dipstick, but still may have been enough for the oil pump to pick up.
Maybe the mechanics did an oil and filter change, filled the sump to the dipstick mark and didn't top it up after running the engine to make up for the oil in the filter.

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I had a mechanic try and tell me the other day my GQ Td only needed 6 or 7 litres and it only had one oil filter , wherever a human is involved , mistakes are made .

Sucks to see your having issues mate. As to what has happened when you say it blown, is still in question. As for a mechanic. See this link, it may help you or not. Plus a location of where you are will help a lot too for others to point you to the right mechanic. 4x4 Obsession in Melton would be my pic for a workshop on north west way.
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...2127-Workshops

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Originally Posted by mudski

Sucks to see your having issues mate. As to what has happened when you say it blown, is still in question. As for a mechanic. See this link, it may help you or not. Plus a location of where you are will help a lot too for others to point you to the right mechanic. 4x4 Obsession in Melton would be my pic for a workshop on north west way.
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...2127-Workshops

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Would be nice to know just how much oil is in it Mudski , if there was none he wouldn't have run it for three weeks , but given no leaks and no smoke it's not really a mystery unless someone crawled under his car that night and pinched his oil .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aliamus

Hi all,

long time reader, new member.

Was just wondering if I could get any advice on my beloved shorty. We have had our 1988 Ford Maverick SWB in the family for nearly 30 years. I have spent a lot of money fixing it up slowly.

Unfortunately about 2 weeks ago whilst driving the engine blew on me. It appears there was no oil despite only recently having it serviced.

I am going to organise a mechanic to assess the motor, ideally I'll repair and recondition the motor if its possible.

I don't know a whole heap about cars and I dont have a lot of money so I dont want to get mislead or ripped off. Was just wondering does anyone here know and trust anyone in Melbourne who I can get to take a look at my motor and see if it's repairable? and secondly, if it's not repairable, what is the best solution for me? eg better off buying a new custom made engine even thought it'll be pricy? or finding a reconditioned motor? If so anyone know people who work on motors and ideally have worked on GQ's?

The original motor in it at the moment was the 4.2l petrol engine with manual transmission. I realise whichever option I choose im looking at $$$ but since I want to keep this car long term I rather do it the best way. I should also note I drive this car day to day.

If anyone can give their advice I'd be very grateful!

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How did you assess the engine's blown(meaning is seized)?

Can you crank the engine at all?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Turtle_au

How do you know there is no oil. From the dipstick? Could be just below the end of the dipstick, but still may have been enough for the oil pump to pick up.
Maybe the mechanics did an oil and filter change, filled the sump to the dipstick mark and didn't top it up after running the engine to make up for the oil in the filter.

Sent from my SM-T355Y using Tapatalk

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He says the engine's blown though. I'm guessing that means it's seized.

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Originally Posted by aliamus

No warning light Turtle_au, no noise, no rough running and no smoke. That's what I can't understand.

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So, exactly what happened when you thought the engine blew itself?

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Originally Posted by dom14

So, exactly what happened when you thought the engine blew itself?

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I heard a like a flapping sound coming from the motor as I was driving, about 30 seconds later the motor made a loud, nasty sound. I immediately lost power and pulled to the side of the road. Lifted the hood and the motor was smoking. When you turn the ignition you hear a thud sound.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mudski

Sucks to see your having issues mate. As to what has happened when you say it blown, is still in question. As for a mechanic. See this link, it may help you or not. Plus a location of where you are will help a lot too for others to point you to the right mechanic. 4x4 Obsession in Melton would be my pic for a workshop on north west way.
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...2127-Workshops

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Thanks for the link mate, Im in northern suburbs but if anyone know's a good honest mechanic that has experience with gq's I'd travel. I'll suss them out, thanks for the recommendation!

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Originally Posted by aliamus

Thanks for the link mate, Im in northern suburbs but if anyone know's a good honest mechanic that has experience with gq's I'd travel. I'll suss them out, thanks for the recommendation!

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JPC in Thomastown knows Patrols like the back of his hand, theres another mob who'm I wont name also in Thomo that you are best to steer clear of, but I reckon go see Brett at 4x4 Obsession in Melton.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aliamus

I heard a like a flapping sound coming from the motor as I was driving, about 30 seconds later the motor made a loud, nasty sound. I immediately lost power and pulled to the side of the road. Lifted the hood and the motor was smoking. When you turn the ignition you hear a thud sound.

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Ok, cool. Sounds like the engine is fubar, probably the guy who serviced it forgot to put enough oil or something.

Either way, I think it's better to source a good used engine.


http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TB42E-GQ-...UAAOSwcB5ZM~H2