2000 s/c buick regal help!!!

[2000blownregal]

yesterday I put gas in my Buick and it stalled at the station I got it to start and while I was driving home the rpms started to dip really low and she was struggling to idle on her own, she would dip to 200 and I would have to keep on the gas and the brake at lights to keep her idling at 1k rpms I started hearing a ticking noise and when I got home I popped the hood and she would tick really loud then it would stop and she started to hold the idle I was walking back to the door when the ticking started again really loud and she stalled out, I tried to crank her and I could hear the starter click once but she wouldn't turn over, I checked all the vacuum lines, shes not throwing any codes, the battery is new, I checked the oil and there's no shavings so after that I removed the plugs to see if she would spit out any water if the gas was contaminated but the block is completely locked up, I really have no clue what happened and I think it might have been contaminated gas because that's never happened before.
she has 160,000 miles I'm the 2nd owner and I've had her for only 2 months the previous owner was a old guy whose owned it his whole life and it was maintained and always kept stock.

 

[ryenie]

I would remove all 6 spark plugs and see if it will turn over. If the starter won't turn it try it with a ratchet on the crank pulley. If it won't turn over with the plugs removed then there would have to be a mechanical issue it should turn pretty freely with the plugs out. Did you happen to notice if the low oil pressure light came on when it happened? Coupled with the ticking it sounds like it was struggling to get oil to the top end. Unless the gas caused you to chip a piston i can't see how bad gas would lock up the engine.

 

[2000blownregal]

I pulled all the plugs and she wouldn't crank at all, no lights came on and a racket wouldn't start her either. I legit have no clue why it locked up.

 

[ryenie]

To me it sounds like it's most likely spun a rod, cam or main bearing. I think if it were a valve-train issue it would still rotate in one direction or the other just not a full rotation. The moments where it straightened out the bearing seated allowing the oil to flow properly pumping the lifter back up stopping the ticking and alleviating the drag on the engine. At least that's my theory. Unfortunately to remove the oil pan while the engine is in the car requires an act of congress, but inspecting the bottom end is what i would suspect needs to be done. You can remove the valve covers and make sure all of the valves and pushrods are still in place but i really think it turn by hand in at least one direction if it were valve related. Do you happen to know if the car spent prolonged periods of time without being started?

 

[HotZ28]

I assume the engine was running fine before you put new gas in the tank? Is that correct? Water is not a good gas substitute. It can cause major engine failure when introduced into the combustion chambers. If the station where you bought gas is responsible, they may be liable. You need to take a sample of the gas in the car and see what is in there, then contact appropriate authorities to have the station tested for proper fuel mixture.

 

[2000blownregal]

the car has been driven daily since 2008 to my knowledge

 

[ryenie]

the car has been driven daily since 2008 to my knowledge

My thought was that engines that aren't started for weeks or months at a time usually suffer from premature bearing damage from dry starts. If you do intend on potentially pursuing action against the gas station, it might be wise to have a garage disassemble and document the damage, then get back with you. At that point if the mechanic says you have a case contact a lawyer, if not it's up to you to either have it repaired or put back together and repaired else where. It will probably cost you out of pocket for the diagnosis, but pretty sure just like you need a police report to make an insurance claim, you'll need a repair estimate with the cause of damage to have a case.

 

[2000blownregal]

Thanks for your help, its greatly appreciated!

 

[ryenie]

No problem, if you decide to tackle it yourself let us know and we can try and help you figure it out. But, if there's possible pending litigation, you don't want to jeopardize your case, especially if it's against a gas station that can afford multiple lawyers. If you take it to court you stand a much better chance with a certified mechanic on your side especially if you can't find any other customers who had any issues with the gas. But again, if you have any questions post away.