Caramel oil, a little of what appears to be coolant in the breather. I have looked for a great deal on a used motor just to swap out to no avail. So, what at least should I do to this thing I have began taking apart? I will have it down to the heads soon. Nothing should be messed up considering we towed it immediately at the first sign of billowing white smoke. So, should I wait patiently for a newer motor? Or should I attempt to gasket it back up? And hope for the best?

 

Take plenty of pictures so you know where everything goes back.

Did it have decent oil pressure before the issues? Did it run ok? If so, you can buy the head gasket kit, new head bolts, head bolt sealant for less than $200. Then you will want to flush the radiator and heater core, change the oil and filter a couple times just to make sure you have all the mess cleaned out. I had a machine shop surface and pressure test the heads for $85. We did the head gaskets on a 3.8 about a year ago and so far, it is holding up pretty good. We did not have water in the oil on it though. I just finished doing a 5.7 that had oil/coolant mixed and the verdict is still out on it. So far, so good. Coolant in the oil can cause early bearing failure.

Even if you decide on a donor engine, you would be better off replacing at least the upper and lower intake manifold gaskets before installing it because that is a weak spot on the 3.8.

Also, several people here have used front wheel drive "k" engines for camaros, but have to change over everything from the original engine. Good luck!

 

If the "Caramel" was in there for any mount of time you should just move to a used motor. Antifreeze and oil do not mix well, you most likely have bearing damage.

 

It was running fine the day of the happening which was last monday and weeks prior i had been driving it daily for two weeks. Oil pressure was good and everything. The oil and antifreeze mixture was there for four days. I drained the oil and replaced with good oil until I tear it totally down next week. I did not want that water in there any longer than needed I should have drained it the night I brought it home. So, the answer is bearing damage is a strong likelihood. Thanks guys for the input.

 

Having the oil/water mix is no biggy so long as it was not being run through the engine. They say that oil and water dont mix... Well they do homoginize after they have been run through an internal combustion engine!!

As for getting a new engine you can find this engine in alot of different places! It is pretty much unchanged from 96-2005 Vin K. The FWD engines will have to be stripped down to a long block and have the Camaro accessories installed.

Things that need to be changed are:
Oil Pan
Oil Pickup
Oil Filter Mount
Lower Intake Man
Upper intake Man
Exhaust Man
Belt Tensioner
Accessory Mounting brackets
Flywheel
Maybe the Harmonic Ballancer (I have seen 2 types used on Camaros)

I think that about covers everything that needs to be swapped. The Knock sensor, Cam sensor, and crank sensor are the same from the FWD to RWD engines.

Massey

 

So is what I am reading correct? I can place a 3800 gm fwd motor in my camaro if I swapt these items out? Is it hard to do so? Cause I can find a GM 3800 low mile long block all day long, I have been searching a 3800 camaro only engine. I would rather do this to put my Camaro motor in the shop and rebuild it the way I want taking my time. So? Let me know, and I see that you have done this? I could not get the website to show me compatibility for engines from one of your other threads. Thanks all!

 

Not all 3800s are the same. The 3800 came out in 1988. It looks similar to the FWD versions of the 231 from 86 and 87 but it is totally different. The Series I 3800 ran from 1988-1995 the Series II 3800 ran from 1995-2005. For simplicity sake and for ease of finding the correct engine forget the 1995 engine!! There were Series I and II both available that year.

You can use engines from 1996-2005 Series II from FWD or RWD. The Vin K engine ONLY!! The Vin K is the L36 no matter what it was put in. The L67 is the supercharged 3800 Vin 1, and even tho the block is the same the internals are not and using that engine with your intake and stuff will not run properly.

The swap is not hard at all. I did it in about 24 hours of labor from pulling the car into the garage to driving it out running just fine. I didnt have access to a lift or anything fancy like that. I used normal shop tools, and engine hoist (to lift the car not the engine) and a couple of floor jacks. The engine is much easier to move around if you lower it onto a creeper. I used a cable wrapped around the bumper face bar to lift the car with so I could clear the engine after it was lowered to the floor. Just be careful when you are doing this and have supports under the car to keep everything and everyone safe. if it does not look safe it is NOT safe, fix it before going under the car. I have lost 2 friends to cars falling on them.

Massey

 

Oh just to let you know my engine is out of a 2001 Pontiac Bonneville. I saved the ICM and coil packs off that engine since they are the same units that are used on the Camaro. The power steering pump is similar but not the same as is the Alternator. Unfortunatly those parts are not the same. Water pumps are the same tho. Oh and to get the gasket for the oil filter housing you will need to get the timing cover set. That is the only way I was able to find it.

Massey