Engine problems, need opinions - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

xxbrankxx · 01-03-2021, 04:39 PM

Greetings all. Question about 2010 Camaro V6.
Had the car for 10 years, daily driver, now 105K miles. Over the years air conditioner went, catalytic converters went, stretched timing chain issue problem. I have paid thousands out of pocket for all of these repairs.

I am now experiencing a problem with the crankshaft slipped/jumped and now it’s out of range. Engine has decreased power and is rough driving. My options are to replace the engine, have the engine rebuilt or get rid of the car.

I’m trying to weigh my options. If I have the engine replaced, I also have to factor in that the transmission also has 105K miles on it as well. I’m hoping if I get the engine replaced that the transmission doesn’t go next. How long do these typically last?

Am I dumb for wanting to keep the car? I typically keep my cars for years. Should I cut my losses now? I ordered this car and waited 5 months for it back in 2009. I love the car and would HATE to get rid of it but I don’t want to just be buying time until the next major problem happens and am hoping that the replacement engine doesn’t have its own problems as well. I don't know what the cost would be to have my current engine rebuilt and should I consider it? Upgrading to a newer model isn’t really in the cards for me right now. Opinions? Thanks.

supersnake05 · 01-03-2021, 05:59 PM

I usually jump ship when things start to go wrong or before. I can't see continuing to put money into something you almost never get a return from. Then again some people don't like car payments...

bottletalk · 01-04-2021, 07:24 AM

Maybe wrong here but it sounds like you don't keep up with your PM's. an engine swap is easier to do on Camaro's then other cars if you wanna attempt it yourself, any engine re & re professionally is expensive.
either spin some wrenches yourself or sell it as is to someone willing to do it themselves and buy something else.

Camaro__ss · 01-04-2021, 10:31 PM

Maybe pros can do it faster but for mere mortals, an engine swap in the garage on jack stands is a 3 day adventure. Assuming you have watched a few hours of YouTube and have a repair manual. Get tall jack stands. Buy or borrow a cherry picker. Day 1 to remove. Day 2 to switch everything over and install. Day 3 to get it all buttoned up. Three eight hour days of hard wrenching. Your forearms and hands will be sore, your hair will smell like oil and antifreeze. You will still have to run to the auto parts store a couple times for some stupid tool despite all your careful planning. You will feel very accomplished. And you will say words like “Never am I doing this again, ever.” Until the next project. Go for it. Find a low mileage engine on eBay from a wrecked car, probably less than $1000 delivered to your door. Then the fun starts.

PaulsSS · 01-09-2021, 08:12 PM

I guess I would see what the car is worth with a running engine compared to fixing it.If its upside down by alot why bother. Plenty of used running cars out there cheap enough if you look around. If the trans was serviced @50k and 100k trans should last a very long time. If it was never serviced who knows. I'd check around your area to see what kind of costs for a engine swap and a used engine. I usually move on when stuff like this comes up because finding a good shop to do the work is almost impossible. Every time I went down this road it ended badly.
I spent 2500 on engine work on a older car to get it running again. Engine was noisy afterwards and only went 20k before I traded because it started using lots of oil. I was lucky and got 2600 for the car but still wasn't worth the aggravation dealing with the shop. Never again for me, next time its bite the bullet and trade it for what ever I get.

If you are good at wrenching I'd say do it, these v6 cars are easy to work on but finding a used engine will be tough. Rebuilt no problem but expect to spend 4-5k till your finished.

ElderJ · 01-11-2021, 10:56 AM

It all depends on how much you value the car, really. Like Paul stated, you have to determine how much you think you can get for the car as is, and how much after the engine swap, then compare those estimates to what it is going to cost you to keep it until the wheels fall off (which sounds like something in the not-too-distant future).

I'm not a mechanic, but in my experience once my rides start going downhill, it turns into a snowballing effect.

prod · 01-11-2021, 08:12 PM

Yup, unfortunately there are too many accounts of engine trouble similar to yours.
Even if you do a full rebuild or get a used engine swapped in, how long will it last?
If you *really* want to keep the car, you will put the work in, and be prepared to do it on an ongoing basis.
If not, sell as is for cheap or fix it and sell for more.

1JEWLDSSRS · 01-12-2021, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camaro__ss

Maybe pros can do it faster but for mere mortals, an engine swap in the garage on jack stands is a 3 day adventure. Assuming you have watched a few hours of YouTube and have a repair manual. Get tall jack stands. Buy or borrow a cherry picker. Day 1 to remove. Day 2 to switch everything over and install. Day 3 to get it all buttoned up. Three eight hour days of hard wrenching. Your forearms and hands will be sore, your hair will smell like oil and antifreeze. You will still have to run to the auto parts store a couple times for some stupid tool despite all your careful planning. You will feel very accomplished. And you will say words like “Never am I doing this again, ever.” Until the next project. Go for it. Find a low mileage engine on eBay from a wrecked car, probably less than $1000 delivered to your door. Then the fun starts.

Ahhhh yes, my younger days of doing engine swaps, rebuilds, cam installs and just plain having fun messing with the engines in my "old school" hotrods!! Gotta love it!!

Oh and there were some beers in there too.. lol..

xstuntman · 01-12-2021, 07:19 PM

If you aren't a car guy or have funds to pursue the issues it maybe best to sell.

I cut my teeth on one Mustang (crap), one Dodge (slightly less crap), and a whole lot of 70s and 80s Chevies for experience and even for me I find this car to be a little daunting. Very different from what I'm used to and I have a new 1st degree burn to boost the learning curve.
Exhaust was cold, 2nd cat barely warm, and the first cat was the temperature of the sun, go figure.

01-03-2021, 04:39 PM	#1
xxbrankxx Drives: 2010 Camaro 2LT/RS Join Date: May 2009 Location: Anyplace, USA Posts: 252 View My Garage	Engine problems, need opinions Greetings all. Question about 2010 Camaro V6. Had the car for 10 years, daily driver, now 105K miles. Over the years air conditioner went, catalytic converters went, stretched timing chain issue problem. I have paid thousands out of pocket for all of these repairs. I am now experiencing a problem with the crankshaft slipped/jumped and now it’s out of range. Engine has decreased power and is rough driving. My options are to replace the engine, have the engine rebuilt or get rid of the car. I’m trying to weigh my options. If I have the engine replaced, I also have to factor in that the transmission also has 105K miles on it as well. I’m hoping if I get the engine replaced that the transmission doesn’t go next. How long do these typically last? Am I dumb for wanting to keep the car? I typically keep my cars for years. Should I cut my losses now? I ordered this car and waited 5 months for it back in 2009. I love the car and would HATE to get rid of it but I don’t want to just be buying time until the next major problem happens and am hoping that the replacement engine doesn’t have its own problems as well. I don't know what the cost would be to have my current engine rebuilt and should I consider it? Upgrading to a newer model isn’t really in the cards for me right now. Opinions? Thanks.

01-12-2021, 07:19 PM	#9
xstuntman Drives: 2012 Victory Red LFX Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: west central Texas Posts: 1,367	If you aren't a car guy or have funds to pursue the issues it maybe best to sell. I cut my teeth on one Mustang (crap), one Dodge (slightly less crap), and a whole lot of 70s and 80s Chevies for experience and even for me I find this car to be a little daunting. Very different from what I'm used to and I have a new 1st degree burn to boost the learning curve. Exhaust was cold, 2nd cat barely warm, and the first cat was the temperature of the sun, go figure. __________________ '18 SS wheels, colored matched Heritage grille, actual driving lights, ZL1 strut tower brace, GM Performance billet aluminum fuel door, victory red rotors and calipers, 1/4 window American flags, splash guards, AEM dry panel air filter, Hot Wheels steering wheel and seat covers, Hot Wheels exterior emblems.

01-03-2021, 05:59 PM	#2
supersnake05 Drives: 2015 Camaro SS 1LE, 2014 Chevy SS Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Florida Posts: 97	I usually jump ship when things start to go wrong or before. I can't see continuing to put money into something you almost never get a return from. Then again some people don't like car payments...

01-04-2021, 07:24 AM	#3
bottletalk Drives: 15 Camaro 2SS M6 Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: BC Posts: 732	Maybe wrong here but it sounds like you don't keep up with your PM's. an engine swap is easier to do on Camaro's then other cars if you wanna attempt it yourself, any engine re & re professionally is expensive. either spin some wrenches yourself or sell it as is to someone willing to do it themselves and buy something else.

01-04-2021, 10:31 PM	#4
Camaro__ss Drives: 2013 L99 Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: San Antonio TX Posts: 185	Maybe pros can do it faster but for mere mortals, an engine swap in the garage on jack stands is a 3 day adventure. Assuming you have watched a few hours of YouTube and have a repair manual. Get tall jack stands. Buy or borrow a cherry picker. Day 1 to remove. Day 2 to switch everything over and install. Day 3 to get it all buttoned up. Three eight hour days of hard wrenching. Your forearms and hands will be sore, your hair will smell like oil and antifreeze. You will still have to run to the auto parts store a couple times for some stupid tool despite all your careful planning. You will feel very accomplished. And you will say words like “Never am I doing this again, ever.” Until the next project. Go for it. Find a low mileage engine on eBay from a wrecked car, probably less than $1000 delivered to your door. Then the fun starts.

01-09-2021, 08:12 PM	#5
PaulsSS Account Suspended Drives: 15SS Camaro Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: US Posts: 351	I guess I would see what the car is worth with a running engine compared to fixing it.If its upside down by alot why bother. Plenty of used running cars out there cheap enough if you look around. If the trans was serviced @50k and 100k trans should last a very long time. If it was never serviced who knows. I'd check around your area to see what kind of costs for a engine swap and a used engine. I usually move on when stuff like this comes up because finding a good shop to do the work is almost impossible. Every time I went down this road it ended badly. I spent 2500 on engine work on a older car to get it running again. Engine was noisy afterwards and only went 20k before I traded because it started using lots of oil. I was lucky and got 2600 for the car but still wasn't worth the aggravation dealing with the shop. Never again for me, next time its bite the bullet and trade it for what ever I get. If you are good at wrenching I'd say do it, these v6 cars are easy to work on but finding a used engine will be tough. Rebuilt no problem but expect to spend 4-5k till your finished.

01-11-2021, 10:56 AM	#6
ElderJ Drives: 2014 Camaro 1LT Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Central Florida Posts: 372	It all depends on how much you value the car, really. Like Paul stated, you have to determine how much you think you can get for the car as is, and how much after the engine swap, then compare those estimates to what it is going to cost you to keep it until the wheels fall off (which sounds like something in the not-too-distant future). I'm not a mechanic, but in my experience once my rides start going downhill, it turns into a snowballing effect.

01-11-2021, 08:12 PM	#7
prod Drives: HHR Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: GTA ON CA Posts: 452	Yup, unfortunately there are too many accounts of engine trouble similar to yours. Even if you do a full rebuild or get a used engine swapped in, how long will it last? If you really want to keep the car, you will put the work in, and be prepared to do it on an ongoing basis. If not, sell as is for cheap or fix it and sell for more.