Author Topic: Checklist before motor start (Read 6248 times)

jackbombay · « **Reply #15 on:** May 02, 2005, 07:39:28 pm »

The guy I bought it from said it was a "runner", which is what he was told by the guy he bought it from (met him later on here) , which is what he was told when he purchased it. I could not see/hear the motor run before purchase because it was not installed. This was the case for the last 2 owners as well.

It suppose I should have asked to pull the head off before purchase, but that would have cost a bunch of unnecessary work had it all been good to start with as believed, all though it would have saved my current headache that is far more labor/cash intensive

. Live and learn...

I believe that the 2 previous owners are/have been truthfull, I knew there was a risk with this motor for sure, and I "Lost". It would have been a good deal had the motor been a "runner"...

chrissev · « **Reply #16 on:** May 03, 2005, 06:33:57 pm »

precisely the reason why I never buy a used motor unless it is in the car and startable or has been rebuilt and I can talk to the person who rebuilt it. (or if it's on a stand and hooked up to run). I have absolutely no faith or trust in other human beings, and so far this outlook on life has saved me lots of money.

Sucks that you got burned on a motor. It happened to me once back when I was 16 (young and stupid) and I bought this black rabbit with a supposedly blown head gasket that was supposed to be an easy fix. Turns out the cylinders were so worn that the walls had deep grooves in the tops of them (engine needed re-sleeving), the head was warped, and the entire engine was full of coolant, which had been sitting in the bearings for about a month, completely rusting them into worthless garbage. The engine was a complete loss. To top it off, the car had been in an accident some time in the past and had been "fixed" by someone who didn't understand geometry, and the body was not straight, so the tires were badly worn (I thought at first it was alignment until the guy at the shop showed me the creases in the underbody). Since then, I've never trusted anyone who is selling me a used car, a used car part, or a used engine.

jackbombay · « **Reply #17 on:** May 03, 2005, 06:40:31 pm »

No need to rub it in...

chrissev · « **Reply #18 on:** May 03, 2005, 06:44:33 pm »

Quote from: "jackbombay"

No need to rub it in...

sorry. I've been burned buying used stuff before so I know how it feels

dieselweasel · « **Reply #19 on:** May 04, 2005, 03:22:57 am »

Yeah so no big deal, just pull the head, get the head checked and replace the gasket. If you can re and re an engine you can definitely do a head gasket.

jackbombay · « **Reply #20 on:** May 04, 2005, 01:14:30 pm »

The money for a rebuild is the problem though. Head is warped, $300 to align bore and flatten it with new valves, and $350 to hot tank the block, sleeve the bad cylinder and hone all 5 holes. I will need rings head bolts, bearings and maybe a piston or 2. I am also looking for a used motor from a wrecker and weighing my options...

veeman · « **Reply #21 on:** May 04, 2005, 02:24:20 pm »

>> It suppose I should have asked to pull the head off before purchase, but that would have cost a bunch of unnecessary work had it all been good to start with as believed

I feel your pain. I would have done the same thing as you. I guess I take people at face value a bit too much and hope for the best. Also, for me at least, the initial excitement of really pushing forward on an exciting project (like a QSW-D) would have pushed me past the point of disassembling everything first.

I've been following your project since the start and I felt bad when your ran into this problem.

>>The money for a rebuild is the problem though. Head is warped, $300 to align bore and flatten it with new valves, and $350 to hot tank the block, sleeve the bad cylinder and hone all 5 holes.

Yikes... seems like a lot of expense. If it's any consolation, just think of what peace of mind you'll have when you have a completely rebuilt motor that you KNOW is sound.

>>I will need rings head bolts, bearings and maybe a piston or 2. I am also looking for a used motor from a wrecker and weighing my options...

Are the 5-cyl diesels that plentiful out there? I don't think I've EVER seen one on the road or in a yard here in my area (Ohio / Kentucky).

jackbombay · « **Reply #22 on:** May 04, 2005, 05:59:34 pm »

Quote from: "veeman"

Are the 5-cyl diesels that plentiful out there? I don't think I've EVER seen one on the road or in a yard here in my area (Ohio / Kentucky).

They are NOT, that is part of the problem, I have never seen one either, although the rebuilder called it before I had the back of the station wagon open.

Quote from: "veeman"

the initial excitement of really pushing forward on an exciting project (like a QSW-D) would have pushed me past the point of disassembling everything first.

So true...