Hey guys i have a 2500 Chevy Express cargo van that i bought for my business with 175k miles on it. It ran perfect nothing wrong with it, no clunking or bad shifts. I put a new battery in it and thats it so far. So yesterday i had the van die/stall on me while i was turning onto an on ramp to the freeway. " i thought, Oh, i must've accidentally bumped the ignition key. Nope, it was the van that died. i immediately pulled off to the side of the road and started it back up no problem. i then proceed to where i live park and turn off the engine, I get back in my van and try to start it and it wont start. it cranks and sounds like its about to start but doesn't start, not even partially starts just cranks and cranks and cranks. So i pulled my car over and hooked it up with my jumper cables and left it on the battery for about 5 minutes, i was trying to start the van a couple of times while the jumper cables were on but nothing. then finally i believe it was the 4th attempt i got the van to start and idle. no weird noises or anything just idled fine and everything. ran inside put everything away. so i wanted to take it for a drive to see if i can still drive it. Well next thing i know i turn sharp around a corner and the engine dies as i was turning (I believe this is what caused me to stall when i was turning onto an on ramp on my first stall). So i tried the same exact diagnostics as i did with my car. I saw 0 leaks (I saw water coming from the bottom of the van but i believe it was from the air conditioner) Nothing else. all fluids were good and everything.

I wasn't able to start my van so i called a tow company to get it towed to a repair shop nearby. Next thing i know the repair shop is going to quote me for a used/rebuilt engine???? I'm almost positive the engine didn't seize or blow up because i didn't hear 1 bad noise the whole time I've owned this van. Any help on this issue would be huge for what i am dealing with. Thanks guys really appreciate it.


Any questions ill answer ASAP

 

Ask what tests they did to determine the engine needs replacing. Is it seized, did they do a compression test and so on. Get a second opinion before spending a lot of money..

 

They're telling me the crank chain i believe inside the engine is busted. i just had it towed to another shop today. higher quality shop as well as they work only on cargo vans and sprinter vans. Monday is the day of diagnostics on it.

 

Good luck with the diagnosis. And good move going to a second shop.

 

If they are referring to the timing chain, it shouldn't start at all if it broke. I'll be interested in hearing what the second shop says.

 

greedy shop. don't go back there.

 

Initial issue sounded like a fuel pump failure.....once it sat and you cranked and cranked and jolted it it worked.....then failed again....which they can do. If you turn on the key nd you dont hear the pump run and prime.....its bad.
Like above, no way you need a new engine based on what you describe...
If the timing chain did in fact break, then it would not have started the second time, and I am not sure that any valves would get bent or struck by pistons if the chain did break. You would just need a new chain/sprocket set. Each engine is different, and some have enough clearance that the piston wont hit an open valve.

 

I don't think they make engines that valves and pistons would hit in this situation any more. I'd like to think engine designers have learned that lesson.

But then I've been wrong before, and I'll be wrong again.