My engine just seized up on me while I was traveling and I’m in a pretty desperate situation.

Hi everybody. I’m not going to mince words, this is a bad day. The worst I’ve had in a long time. I was on my way to help my friends in Reno/tahoe with some construction work (I’m very low income hence the old vehicle).

but I’ve taken good care of her. Just recently brand new valve cover gaskets, u joints and center bearing, all four control arms. I’m not a mechanic, but I assisted someone with those projects. I’m writing this because I kind of don’t know what to do.

it died on me on the road while going up a steep hill and completely shut down. I’m still here trying to figure out what my next steps are. I don’t want to write a whole novel, but I’m sorta freaking out and I’m praying that someone on here could help me find someone who would be able to rebuild my engine that is located in the Carson city/Reno/Tahoe/Sacramento area and who would be willing to help me for less that a shop might.

im sorry to even have to ask that, but I just don’t have much money and this truck is the the only thing that I own. Any help would be so huge. Thank you.

 

Sorry to hear about your trouble. Maybe try also posting this in one of the regional threads? Like California or Nevada. You might have better luck finding someone local.

 

Trying to get a better picture of your scene. Title states you're engine is seized but your narrative mentions your engine died. May I ask what other variables existed at the time that caused you to come to the conclusion that your motor died as a result of it being seized?

 

Hi, sure I can give some more details. Heading up a steep incline, suddenly all the dash lights came on and I completely lost power. Couldn’t even turn the steering wheel. Then tried to get it started again and it just clunked, seemingly getting more seized with each key turn.

once I got to the shop they got to it and said something went catastrophically wrong in the engine as no oil was getting through it seemed.

 

did you run it dry possibly??? with it failing on an incline i wonder if it is pump related

 

Is it possible for me to cross post to a local forum? I’m still new to all this, and still kind of in freak out mode and trying to figure out how I’m going to get home.

I could also use any advice on transport from Northern California back to Los Angeles that wouldn’t be thousands of dollars. I’m not sure if that exists but I figured I’d ask. I’m just not in a financial position to get my hands on an engine and get it replaced anytime soon.

 

Haven’t done that yet. Returning to the shop and my mechanic friend said to cut off the belt and see if it will turn over. At this point why not? He told me he once saw an accessory so seized up that the engine wouldn’t turn even by hand.

but I’m not hopeful mostly because there is still some oil leaking from the head gasket (both valve cover gaskets were replaced last week) and yet the oil levels haven’t changed which would say that there is a blockage somewhere and most likely the engine was running dry and now…this.

 

I would just copy and paste your original post here and make a new thread in whichever regional forum is the most appropriate. Unless a moderator can just move this thread over but I’m not smart enough to know how that works.

 

call the fellow who did the valve cover gaskets and them fellows who did work previously for a helping hand

 

Same. Still learning how to use this forum more efficiently. I’ll see if I can copy paste in northern and Southern California and see where that gets me. Thanks

 

Your best bet on getting it home is to rent a U-Haul truck and car trailer. That will probably be the most cost effective way.

 

Any coolant in the radiator? And the oil level is fine?

getting back ... find the nearest Amtrak and take the train back to LA - pretty sure that thing runs up to Oregon.

 

Rent a U-Haul truck and trailer. Otherwise it’s going to cost a ton to fix since you are in a hurry. If you have time to actually shop for a good used motor and then have friends help you install it will be tons cheaper than asking a shop to fit you in.