'00 SS... started making the telltale lifter noise so I took it in and had the lifter replaced... drove it for 2 days and the oil pressure gauge crashed and the engine shut down. When I went back in to talk to them the mechanic came and showed me the lifter he had removed. He flipped it over and showed me the ring on the bottom (where it's anchored in) which had a piece missing from it. He tells me that he didn't try to remove that piece of metal so it was left inside the engine and now they tell me that there are metal shavings inside the engine where the filter is mounted and the engine may or may not be ruined but it at least needs a new oil pump. What are the chances that replacing the oil pump is all it needs and the engine isn't a total loss?

 

How many miles on your 2000 Monte ?
(Oh, I'd change mechanic's)....
You could flush the engine to remove some of the metal shavings, but you won't get them all.

I can't give you a percentage...I would just be guessing..
It depends on how much you want to invest on trying to resolve this issue (?) Only you can make that decision..

Below is one article on flushing your engine out.

Quote:

How to remove metal shavings from engine (cam, crank area ...

ls1tech.com/...engine/143752-how-remove-metal-shavings-engine-cam-...

Feb 27, 2004 - really is no way to remove all of it... u can drain the oil get some of it out... pour engine flush, mineral spitits, etc. through the fill to "flush out the

Please check back & see what our expert tech member's post on your problem >Good Luck<

 

I would be making a claim against the garage you took it to. That is why they have insurance. They need to make it right or pay to replace it!! But that's just me.

 

Id have to go with Barb,ive always had shops notify me of things that needed to be replaced before I gave them money,if they seen you had metal shavings they should have called to let you know and fixed the problems,shops can be very shadythats why its best to do your research first

 

I would be asking why the metal piece was NOT removed before a new piece was put in!! The guy admitted he did not remove the metal piece "He tells me that he didn't try to remove that piece of metal so it was left inside the engine".

 

doesn't sound like much of a mechanic

 

Doesn't sound like it to me either but I was not there either. Plain and simple, an owner should be notified by the garage of any troubles instead of things just being put back together and hoping nothing happens or no one notices. Again, just my opinion.

 

There's about 230k miles on the car.


There was no mention of the shavings until after they did the lifter work and it shut down. They said they had their warranty people look at it and it's not covered. I talked to an attorney who said to get a second opinion. I also spoke with a friend of a friend who is a mechanic at a Chevy dealership (I didn't know about him or I would have had him do the work in the first place) and he said there's really no way to prove negligence. I will probably have him look at the car when he has time (he has my van right now so I'm gonna wait until he's done with that).


Mike: thanks for the link... I may try the water hose flush depending on what he says. I don't want to put too much more money into it but if there's any way I can get it driveable at least for local driving I'd like to (I don't think I'd trust it on a road trip).

 

That is weird that there is no way to prove negligence when the guy admitted that he did not even try to take that metal piece out that had broken off.
Hopefully your second opinion gives you better news. Good luck!!