PeteCT

Good evening to everyone!

I bought 2007 Tahoe V8 5.3 Flex from an auction (I know I know ) and just got it dumped from the trailer that delivered it.

I was not scared to repair that because my dad-in-law got Chevy Avalanche 2005 and his truck looks pretty straight forward.

So, I turned on the car (was not expected anything too dramatic to be) but what i heard was some metal sounds, some metal pieces from the engine bay area fell down and the engine started working alright.
No metal sounds.
I drove the truck around the corner and parked it.
The oil gauge was almost 0 so I temporary put some oil from our garage to find out that oil already on the ground.

When I went under the car, I found a hole in something that looks like oil pan or whatever.

Any advice and opinion what it could be highly appreciated!
Thanks a lot, and this thread will be history of my crusade. I guess ..



whatever it is, part of that body is gone

PeteCT

These pieces are also found on the ground under the engine bay when the engine was turned on.





I'm not sure what it could be.
Flat parts are the debris of the oil pan.
But what that thing could be, I'm not sure yet.
It could be a part of the crankshaft I guess, but the engine wouldn't turn and definitely wouldn't drive.
Let me know if any ideas.

Will try to remove the oil pan tomorrow and see what's going on there. Will keep this thread updated.

KChevy75

Wow! That's crazy.

Shattered the aluminum oil pan and tore the steel windage tray.

Hopefully the block isn't damaged but I doubt it.

Typerod

Did you buy "as is"? If so....go throw a duramax engine in it, if thats your cup of tea...thats terrible, sorry to read this post.

PeteCT

I hope the damage isn't so bad but in the worst scenario yes, I'd have to pull the engine. Mentally I'm ready for it. I want to see what is going on in that oil pan, how severe is the damage. Based on that I could make a decision, to buy parts or the whole block. In some cases, cheaper and wiser to buy the whole thing. Yes, I never put together V8 but I put on the parts and back 4 cylinders engine on my wife's bug. I think about 4 times.

Today I was cleaning up the truck. Whoever had it before, was dumping food on the floor for years. I think I found curly fries from different years, like 2012, 2014, etc. Kids toys, milk bottles, Canadian dollar, some Indian coins, more food, some strange orange splatters over the carpers, like sauce or whatever, dirt, food again, crams, etc (the salon is light, but was completely black, used tons of pink power and carpet became ~30-40 tones lighter). Cleaned up the engine bay area (I change alternator, battery, plugs, plug wires, coils, injectors anyway).
Washed everything I could so, tomorrow the truck will be ready for the main challenge, pulling down the oil pan and see what's going on there. I hope it will be not that crazy but because the damage, pulling down that pan can be a hassle. Will see tomorrow.

PeteCT

Duramax looks like an amazing engine but I think I'll stick with base 5.3 if I'd have to buy another one. It is cheaper and maybe I'll get remanufactured instead which will give me almost 0 miles engine. But will see, depends on the price.