Engine Seized.... What are my options?

[subssonic]

[SIZE=medium]Last weekend, I went for a drive in my 2006 GMC Envoy Denali (5.3). I happen to look down at the dash and noticed the check gage light on. I then saw that I had NO oil pressure. Or course I immediately park and shut off the vehicle. I check the oil and it is BONE DRY!!! I NEVER got a low oil light WTF!!!! I filled back up on oil and went about my day. At that time I had no indication of any damage.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]The next day I add more oil went on to work. I was rushing so I didn’t realize that I had put a little too much in (about an inch on the dipstick too much). On my drive I start to hear tapping. All gages read fine (including oil pressure) so I continued on to work. When I exit the interstate and come to a stop at the light, the engine shuts off. At the time my vehical shut off, all gages read fine (including oil pressure and NO check engine light). Tried to start it again and it won’t crank AT ALL.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]I get towed back to the house drain all the oil out and tried to turn the motor with a breaker bar. No movement AT ALL.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]So this is where I’m at now. What are my options? I plan on removing the heads this weekend (hopefully) and check the damage. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]My question is, what are my options? Keep in mind I’m I have decent mechanical skills so I would prefer to do as much myself. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Is the block toast? Can it be rebuilt?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Any and ALL suggestions are welcome!!![/SIZE]

 

[The_Roadie]

My long-distance X-ray glasses are in for repair, so you have to be our eyes and ears. No oil is going to kill the bottom as dead as the top end. I have decent skills, but there's a point of diminishing savings. I'd buy a rebuilt or low mileage used engine and concentrate on the replacement process.

When was your most recent oil change? Dipstick check?

How many miles?

 

[subssonic]

My long-distance X-ray glasses are in for repair, so you have to be our eyes and ears. No oil is going to kill the bottom as dead as the top end. I have decent skills, but there's a point of diminishing savings. I'd buy a rebuilt or low mileage used engine and concentrate on the replacement process.

When was your most recent oil change? Dipstick check?

How many miles?

My long-distance X-ray glasses are in for repair, so you have to be our eyes and ears. No oil is going to kill the bottom as dead as the top end. I have decent skills, but there's a point of diminishing savings. I'd buy a rebuilt or low mileage used engine and concentrate on the replacement process.

When was your most recent oil change? Dipstick check?

How many miles?

Last oil change was about a couple of months ago.
Dipstick check maybe a month ago? I never got a low oil light so I didn't think anything of it.
125,000 miles

Can I just get the bottom end rebuilt and install my head on top without any problem? Or is it possible that the topend got damaged too?
I would prefer to not buy a used motor since you can never really trust the mileage.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Pull the plugs and see if you can turn it over by hand.

 

[Texan]

First question, where did the oil go? Is it on the garage floor or driveway? Was it consumed by combustion?
Does this engine have a low oil light?

 

[subssonic]

Pull the plugs and see if you can turn it over by hand.

I plan on doing this this weekend. I doubt it will turn though.

First question, where did the oil go? Is it on the garage floor or driveway? Was it consumed by combustion?
Does this engine have a low oil light?

I don't know where the oil went. I have NEVER seen ANY oil leak from this thing AT ALL. Also, this SUV does not smoke at all either.
I thought ALL engines have a low oil light. That's a very important feature IMO.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I don't trust factory gauges, much less a light. Much safer to do a quick under hood check.

 

[subssonic]

Is the 5.3 a iron block or aluminum? I thought I was told aluminum. If it is wouldn't I have to resleeve it or what would be needed to rebuilt the bottom end?

 

[subssonic]

Can anyone recommend someone that can rebuild my bottom end? Any good but reasonable priced shop?

Close to Gainesville FL if possible.

 

[KNBlazer]

How much oil did you add the first day you had problems?

How many quarts does this engine take?

Could it have hydrolocked?

Remove all plugs as stated above,

 

[subssonic]

How much oil did you add the first day you had problems?

How many quarts does this engine take?

Could it have hydrolocked?

Remove all plugs as stated above,

3 quarts
Not sure?
Don't think so because I already tried a breaker bar to the crank bolt, no movement AT ALL.
Will do this weekend.

 

[jimmyjam]

I don't know where the oil went. I have NEVER seen ANY oil leak from this thing AT ALL. Also, this SUV does not smoke at all either.
I thought ALL engines have a low oil light. That's a very important feature IMO.

mine did the same thing. zero smoke and all the oil just dissapeared one weekend.

pull the valve covers, see if anything looks destroyed. you can probably pull the heads (I'd take them to a machine shop to get them cleaned up, valves lapped) and rebuild the bottom end.

http://www.scottysracingengines.com/

this my guy, he's on the north border of pasco county. reasonably priced, does great work, very friendly.

I get my heads done at HPS cylinder heads in holiday.

 

[C-ya]

Oil capacity is 6 qts in the 5.3.

 

[BlazingTrails]

I plan on doing this this weekend. I doubt it will turn though.

I don't know where the oil went. I have NEVER seen ANY oil leak from this thing AT ALL. Also, this SUV does not smoke at all either.
I thought ALL engines have a low oil light. That's a very important feature IMO.

I haven't really seen any cars with a "low oil light". They do have an oil light but it only lets you know when the oil pressure is critically low. Most of the time under 5 psi, if you run out of oil to the point the oil light comes on it is already too late! I check my oil every Friday, along with my tire pressure. Get in the habit and you will likely avoid this horrible situation in the future. :/

 

[IllogicTC]

The oil gauge IS our oil light. That little thing that lights up showing the oil symbol up and to the right of the speedometer is the Oil Life Monitor lamp. When the pressure goes down, Check Gauges will illuminate. If you have the Driver Information Center, it'll say "LOW OIL PRESSURE - STOP IMMEDIATELY" along with a quick succession of chimes that's pretty attention-getting.

Be happy the 5.3 at least has a true oil pressure gauge, the I6 is a switch so it reads either 0 or 40, with the PCM playing "pretend" with the gauge by moving it when you speed up to give the APPEARANCE of a true gauge. What a joke.

 

[C-ya]

My wife's '04 Impala has a LOW OIL warning on the DIC. It has used oil since we bought it used with 29K miles. I haven't seen it in my TB yet as I know it has a penchant for the dino juice and keep up with checking the oil level.

 

[triz]

Not sure what a block cost but if your thinking of sleeving, check what a new block cost they may be similar in price.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Try duct tape...

 

[sarg]

I was able to get a 5.3 aluminum short block for like $250 that just needed cleaning up for my mustang (yes Chevy ls motor in the stang). If you need heads they are a bit more, but it would be a good time for a DoD delete! The L33 long block would likely work well I would think. Depends on the year of your truck and the replacement motor.