TO make it short, I was in an accident and the oil pan was gashed and my engine locked up about a mile later. There are metal shavings when I pull the dipstick. How much engine damage do you think was done?

I get the car back in a few day and I'll be pulling the engine then.

well if your engine "locked up", id say you have serious damage. The pistons probably melded into the cylinders.

Chris Jones
1997 Dodge Avenger ES 5spd
"Racing Your Honda Is Like Running In The Special Olympics.....Even If You Win You're Still Retarded!!!

rebuild time. if you have the money, now would be the time for some forged pieces :-)

dare i say R.I.P to your entire block and maybe your head too...rest in peace sweet beloved 420A..may you be in a better place. amen

It's toast dude. If it locked it probably broke a rod.

I know the bottom end is completely toasted, and I'm in search of a new block... but do you guys think I should be in search of a new head too?

BTW- I will be using forged internals for the rebuild.

You will not know until you tear it down. Mostly likey the head is ok, buit when the piston the stopped if it stopped at the top of the bore and the valves openned and hit it, then you need new valves. You will not know until you tear it down.

Well hopefully the head is okay... that'll leave me more cash for the rebuild. If the head IS okay and I just need to get a block, are there any difference in years that I need to watch out for. I have a 97, so do I need a 97-98 block or are the 95-96-99 blocks identical?

95's have some extra oil vents, but nothing to worry about. You can use a Neon or Talon engine from 95-02 to build.