1998 Chevy Lumina Engine Problems? Engine Swap to 3.8

[jonfit04]

Help me Please.
I have a 1998 Chevy Lumina LS. Heres the the Story. I was driving home from work, and the car shut off in motion. just died while driving...stopped car and tried starting again. Makes Loud Rumble...and Engine Shakes Violently. It does stay running...but will not move.....I can push the gas and it goes to about 2.5 RPM....and then if you let off it quits. When I start it and put in drive..it dies....Not sure whats wrong...again the engine makes loud noise..sort of like metal clanking....what could that be....if new motor needed...would it be possible to switch to 3.8 from Monte Carlo?...PLEASE HELP ME GUYS!

[maxwedge]

3800 would need subframe, wire harness, pcm, and trans to match, I believe. Get the problem checked out first.

[richtazz]

Check the oil and look for signs of milkyness/cloudiness which would indicate a lower intake/head gasket failure. If the oil appears to be overful as well as cloudy/milky, you need a motor. Swapping in a 3800 is WAY more effort than it is worth.

[jonfit04]

Originally Posted by richtazz

Check the oil and look for signs of milkyness/cloudiness which would indicate a lower intake/head gasket failure. If the oil appears to be overful as well as cloudy/milky, you need a motor. Swapping in a 3800 is WAY more effort than it is worth.

Ok, Thanks for your help. Let me ask you this...I had a friend take a look at it...and he suggested that It could have dropped a valve? Not sure what that means..Would that expain the loud noise and shuttering...as well as not moving..?...when the car died...there was no smoke or oil anywhere...clean as a whistle...? and I checked for oil leaks...There was only one very minor leak....?

[maxwedge]

You need to stop guessing here and get a pro to look at this and decide what to do if in fact the engine is done.

[jonfit04]

Another Question,
How do you Tell if the TPS sensor is bad on a vehicle. Is there any tell-tell..signs? What would the car act like?

[1993LUMINATOR]

if your tps went out shed be acting all krazy and nust becasue its not getting a proper reading so thorew the proper amount of fuel into the engine.


Brad

[jonfit04]

Originally Posted by 1993LUMINATOR

if your tps went out shed be acting all krazy and nust becasue its not getting a proper reading so thorew the proper amount of fuel into the engine.


Brad

Thanks Brad,
Would that make the cars engine shake...the reason i am asking....my car engine shakes really bad...the car runs...but when you push the gas to about 2.5rpms...thats as high as it will go....and it wont move...if you put in drive and hit gas it dies? I am getting it towed to a shop tomorrow...just was curious if that was a possiblity?

Jon

[1993LUMINATOR]

hum well, sence the tranny is computer controlled and or vacume actuator, possibly a seized torqu converter but l dont think the FWD's have them,
l know when my tranny needed to fluid change l'd rev it engine would get ciolent l'd hear a loud CRACK POP sound and l'd roll backwards, and then after that l gota real bad ERRRRR nosie from my tranny changed fluid eerythings normal

But how violent shackes? like real bad witch is 3-4inches of back and forth shuttering
super fast back up and down back and forth 2-3inches in all directions
OR
up and down 1-2inches


Brad

[jonfit04]

Well, The shaking isnt super bad..its just shaking like 1'inch side to side....I was driving ...and it shut down with out any warning lights.....so i stopped..its started..but has a loud...noise from the motor...like metal clanking........and like i said shakes...no oil or smoke anywhere...i thought it was the converter as well....not sure though....if the TPS was bad would it do the same thing...?

[hfirststar]

I have a 1999 chevy lumina 3.1 engine. and I need a 1998 chevy monte carlo 3.8 engine.If you are interested in trading.get in touch with me.

[maxwedge]

Originally Posted by hfirststar

I have a 1999 chevy lumina 3.1 engine. and I need a 1998 chevy monte carlo 3.8 engine.If you are interested in trading.get in touch with me.

Welcome to AF, Please look at the dates before posting this is over 4 years old!

[hfirststar]

yea noticed that after I had sent the message.sorry;but I thought I was helping us both out.just a few years slow!