Ok, so my womans' car is a 2k Grand AM. It has 104k on the (2.4L 4 cylinder)engine, but 60k is exclusively from highway. Anyway, she gets off work yesterday and there is this horrendous knocking coming from the engine. I check the oil and it is completely out. So today I "change" the oil and to my suprise there is plenty of oil in it. I start the car up and it's still knocking like crazy. I rev it up a little and the knocking gets louder and it looks like oil is coming out of the muffler. So I'm thinking it needs a new engine. And thats my problem, I dont have a lot of extra loot laying around and my gf owes like 4k on the car still so she cant just scrap it. So to get to my point, (Sorry I just wanted to give as much info as possible in case there is someone out there familiar with these engines) should I just drop a lower mileage engine in the car, should I attempt to rebuild it or what?? I just pulled my first engine out of a CRX like 2 days ago (using pissedofsol's faq thank you very much!) and I have never attempted to put one into a car yet so I dont know if I could do that w/o messing stuff up. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks a lot!!
Bad Luck with my gf's 2000 Grand AM, Please help!!
- Thread starter E-dogg
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projectxspeed
Senior Member
Its not that hard. Since you have almost no idea what you are doing it will take a lot of time. The best route would be to buy the exact same engine. This way you could just lable every singe hose and plug as you disconnect. When you go to put the new engine in you will have a diagram of where everything connects.
Or you could tow it to a mech shop. When you drained the oil did you see any metal shards in it?
Or you could tow it to a mech shop. When you drained the oil did you see any metal shards in it?
Thank you for the response!! 
I saw no metal shards whatsoever when I drained the oil. A mechanic is going to stop by tonight and tell me what he "thinks" is wrong with it. I just dont think it's worth paying someone to work on it because every time I do that I seem to take it in the rear for quite a bit. Also I'm trying to keep the repair bill under $1k.
Your idea of labeling everything was excellent. I will definitely do that if I end up pulling it. The engine bay in general in the car is very clean. There arent wires all over the damn place or anything like that so I am thinking it may be easy to pull. I am just more concerned with working on her car because if I break something of mine, it's no big deal. I just dont like possibly messing up other peoples stuff.
Like I said, I noticed no metal shards, if there is anything else you think I should check just let me know and I'll do it. Thanks again!!!
I saw no metal shards whatsoever when I drained the oil. A mechanic is going to stop by tonight and tell me what he "thinks" is wrong with it. I just dont think it's worth paying someone to work on it because every time I do that I seem to take it in the rear for quite a bit. Also I'm trying to keep the repair bill under $1k. Your idea of labeling everything was excellent. I will definitely do that if I end up pulling it. The engine bay in general in the car is very clean. There arent wires all over the damn place or anything like that so I am thinking it may be easy to pull. I am just more concerned with working on her car because if I break something of mine, it's no big deal. I just dont like possibly messing up other peoples stuff.
Like I said, I noticed no metal shards, if there is anything else you think I should check just let me know and I'll do it. Thanks again!!!
projectxspeed
Senior Member
That's odd the problem you described was classic main bearing failure (which it could still be, but you would normal see metal shaving in the oil.) My next guess would a problem with the oil pressure sensor or a clogged oil line/filter.
projectxspeed
Senior Member
Ya its a tough spot to be in. From the amount its be run since the damage it a safe bet that if the bearins are shot so is the motor. Again you won't know until you took the crack shaft to a machine shop to check it out.
This would be my plan of attack: (assume the motor is probably toasted)
- Change the oil and oil filter
- Change the thermostat and fill the coolant
- Run the motor for a tiny bit to see if that helps
- Change the oil pressure sensor
- Run the motor for a tiny bit to see if that helps
- Return the sensor if it doesn't solve the problem
- Seek professional guidence and get ready to swap motors
This would be my plan of attack: (assume the motor is probably toasted)
- Change the oil and oil filter
- Change the thermostat and fill the coolant
- Run the motor for a tiny bit to see if that helps
- Change the oil pressure sensor
- Run the motor for a tiny bit to see if that helps
- Return the sensor if it doesn't solve the problem
- Seek professional guidence and get ready to swap motors
Taco15
I wear stretchy pants
dude sorry to hear about your girls pontiac. Im with projectspeed on this one. Also you aren't the only one to have major problems with a pontiac. Ive had the same year G.A. G.T and had nothind but problems. Heads, head gasket, fuel pump and other BIG money parts. So i kicked it to the curb.
I'd fix it and sell it!. But thats my opinion. GOOD LUCK with the swap.
I'd fix it and sell it!. But thats my opinion. GOOD LUCK with the swap.
Citizen_Insane
Senior Member
I say sell that hunk of pontiac shit and go find a car that doesn't suck. I'm sorry, but pontiac makes some of the worst cars in the world. The engine swap shouldn't be hard at all if its the exact same motor. I would look arround at local junk yards if you can't find a buyer for the car.