5 litre rebuild or buy second hand?

[TimWalton]

Hi all,

A 5 litre 5 speed wagon has come up for sale near me and I'm considering buying it. According to my cousin, who lives next to the seller, it's at 300+ thousand km and probably in need of work.

My question is: would it be easier/better/cheaper to rebuild the motor or buy a second hand from the wreckers and drop it in? I'm a mechanic and so I can get trade prices on any parts and can fit them myself, thereby removing the high labour cost associated with any rebuild.

If I go with parts matching the specifications of original components I reckon it's safe to say I shouldn't have to machine anything or send the motor away.

So if anyone has done something like this before and has anything to say about it, your advice would be appreciated.

Tim

[wraith]

If it's cheap enough and your planning on doing it anyway your better off rebuilding it. Throw in a stroker kit if your feeling talented or at the very least a cam. Only if it's a cheap car though.

[*uwishn*]

buy the wagon and rebuild that engine,then you no it's all good,don't buy some one else's problems.

[MAG00]

buy they cheap one and rebuild it,then you no it sweet.

Are you drunk or has Australia's sub-par education system failed you too?

[*uwishn*]

Are you drunk or has Australia's sub-par education system failed you too?

actually have had a few LOL.
cheers key board warrior!!

[Andrew426]

Why not wait till you have done a compression test and a leakdown test on the car before you decide you are going to rebuild the engine? You dont even know what (if anything) is wrong with it yet

[juiceie vh sle]

if your handy with the spanners and do most of the work yourself its not expensive to rebuild a motor.... but as said before comp test and leak down test it first you might be surprised and find its still healthy.

and a 5speed 5lt wagon is a good find not to many around.

[DAKSTER]

Hi all,

A 5 litre 5 speed wagon has come up for sale near me and I'm considering buying it. According to my cousin, who lives next to the seller, it's at 300+ thousand km and probably in need of work.

My question is: would it be easier/better/cheaper to rebuild the motor or buy a second hand from the wreckers and drop it in? I'm a mechanic and so I can get trade prices on any parts and can fit them myself, thereby removing the high labour cost associated with any rebuild.

If I go with parts matching the specifications of original components I reckon it's safe to say I shouldn't have to machine anything or send the motor away.

So if anyone has done something like this before and has anything to say about it, your advice would be appreciated.

Tim

I dont understand why you need to ask the question?

[hi_ryder]

i agree with the last 2 comments. run a few checks on the engine, it might only need some minor gaskets and a freshen up on a few of the bolt on items....

[Westie]

I was head scratching at the whole "im a mechanic" thing too...
Surely you would know that building is better then buying.
300 thou on a 5ltr isnt that bad.
I bought one (with 299) , a week later drove it 3500km and everything was sweet!

[TimWalton]

I was head scratching at the whole "im a mechanic" thing too...
Surely you would know that building is better then buying.

Well I'm only a second year so if you're into technicalities then no, I'm not a full mechanic, but I haven't actually done anything on this scale before so I'm asking around. That's what a forum is for after all, right?

Anyway, I'm hopefully getting a look at it this weekend so I'll see how it goes.

[juiceie vh sle]

borrow the compression tester from your work and take it with you when you look at it.. its not hard to do

[mr calais 5.0]

How much do they want for it? If you have spare time then buy it and freshen the motor up and drive

[Blown V6 Hatch]

At 300,000K's, you won't get away without doing any machine work. It will need a bore and hone (there WILL be lips on the bores), machine the crank (might get away with a linish if it's been looked after, but i doubt it), resize the conrods, reco the heads, and balance the rotating assembly to suit new pistons (need to be oversize to suit the bores).

An engine "rebuild" isn't just a matter of pulling an engine down and replacing just the rings and bearings like most people think...

If the motor is ok, just drive it, because even if you can build an engine yourself (at second year and with the questions you have put forward, i think an engine rebuild might be a little beyond you at the moment) it'll still cost you a fair whack of cash.

[strgas]

second hand engines for a second hand job , no thanks been burnt too often with so called good engines from wreckers or mate of a mate , go to all the trouble of removing and refitting an engine only to find once started it has low comp or oil pumping into the cooling system smokes worse than the first engine or rattles like a jar of marbles , if your going to keep the car and want a reliable engine then rebuild your engine spend the time and money to get what you want out of it , start by stripping and inspect your old block and crank carefully for marks and condition replace any worn parts and consider upgrading parts .