96 Jimmy 4.3 Is it dead question

[yoyoloach2000]

I have a 96 Jimmy with a 4.3 with 150,000. The engine has a metal on metal sound and sounds really bad. About 8 months ago the truck blew an oil line to the remote filter and of course lost all the oil. After I put on a new oil line was it started right up but soon developed a click in the engine. The engine had been using a small amount of coolant which was not an external leak. I had noticed the smell of coolant when I drove it the last week. The truck uses no oil and does not smoke. I check the oil and coolant and they look normal now.

So the question is: is it dead? The metal sound sounds like the striking of two pieces of steel together at a very high speed and comes from the center of the engine but this is hard to tell.

My quess is that the head gasket went out and a valve is bent. or could it be the timing chain or crank shaft bearings? Is it worth fixing? The truck looks like new.

[rlith]

More than likely it's the bearings... With the amount of miledge that's on the engine and the issues you've had with it, your best bet is to simply rebuild the engine...Not difficult... But if you have no experience, have it done by a professional.

[94 Jimmy]

How is the engine running? With a bent valve or blown head gasket you will probably have a miss.
I'm a firm beliver in the KISS method, Keep It Simple Stupid. Before you jump into a rebuild how about eliminating all of those little rotating thing straped onto the front of the engine. Remove the belts, start the engine, is the noise gone then the engine is OK (for now). I've heard alternators, water pumps, loose pullies, etc cause a lot of clatter. Remember you don't have a water pump or fan so don't overheat it.
I have over 200K+Mi on my 4.3, no oil burning, no misses, at least for now. You might have spun a bearing, but eliminate everything else before you start a rebuild this late in the year.
Good luck, let us know what you find.
94

[taylorman]

If I had to guess I'd say you spun a main bearing. I did it on my 96 and it only had 107,000 miles on it. The other guys are right though. You need lots of testing before you tear into the lower end. In Missouri my crank kit costed me $450 bucks and a big pain in my AXX. If it is the engine, and it's a serious problem I'd just put another engine it. It's just as easy as changing the lower end. Good luck.