liveaxle

I recently purchased a 2001 Express 1500 with a V6 that spun a bearing (and scored the crank and mangled a rod). I am looking into fixing or replacing the engine, but I am not sure what donors could offer their engine for it. Does anyone know what years and models will swap in?

Mainly I am hoping to find something with an engine that is easier to remove in a pull a part that I can swap in. I know with certainty that I don't want to pull a Express engine in the yard, but a Blazer or P/U or even Astro would be easier to remove.

It has the W engine code, if that helps.

solwav

If I may speak from experience having replaced 7 van engines for friends and myself. First comment is paying to have someone else do it would be money well spent, second the job will be hard enough with out having hassle with the differences between a truck and a van engines accessories, mounts, wiring, computer etc.. . I would highly recommended you find a V6 Express engine same year and if possible check the vins are compatible.

I have done my last van engine swap as every experience was a nuisance in it's own way. The only swap worse than a van engine swap I have done in is a front engined motorhome.

Best of luck and keep it simple.

liveaxle

Thanks for the heads up. Ideally I would like that, but getting one thats already out of the car adds about $300 to the cost, and while I am fine with spending the money, my student loans disagree.
I am hoping to find a junkyard engine that I can pull myself to save cash, but with how difficult removing the engine on these things can be, I imagine that pulling the engine + swapping parts could be easier with a different donor.

I may be wrong, perhaps I have been spoiled in the past coming from the land of Subarus. With those things, almost any part from almost any Subaru will fit, kind of like Legos.

solwav

Ok, I can see where your coming from, the yards around here usually pull and store good engines after performing compression tests. I can see you wanting to save cash by pulling the engine yourself but consider on these vans you have to almost remove the entire front end of the van to pull the engine out.

Now here is something to chew on, more than one member of this forum has replaced bearings with out pulling the engine just dropping the oil pan with they say good results. I know you mentioned the big end of one rod is bad so a bearing swap may be a stupid idea but does not hurt to think outside the box.

liveaxle

Right now I am trying to make a plan for if (or when) my bad idea fails.

I plan to take a Dremel tool to the damaged rod this weekend, and try to grind off the old bearing that welded itself onto the rod. I am hoping that with that and a little convincing, I will be able to place new bearings and the van will work. But, if I am insanely optimistic, I would give the odd of that being a long term fix, about 50/50.

The best I am hoping for, is that this solution will buy me enough time to source a replacement (and perhaps make friends with someone with a lift to make the job faster).

solwav

I would be concerned about keeping everything clean and uncontaminated with pieces of bearing while
grinding. Your crank journal probably needs to be turned or at least polished with emory cloth.

Have you considered getting a crank and replacement rod, I say this because you can possibly replace those without pulling the engine. The head would have to come off to remove/install the rod/piston more effort involved but the chance of having a working engine (good oil pressure) would be fairly high.

Still a crap load of work but nothing compared pulling two motors and reinstalling one.