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Engine rebuild?

A

adamtuba

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Hi guys,

my 97 VSII has done about 330,000kms and has never had any major work done to the engine. From reading these forums I've discovered that it is kinda overdue for a rebuild. Is there anyone in Brisbane (south side) that you guys recommend to take it to? I'm not sure if it needs one or not, but for the kms it's done I'm only assuming. Would a mechanic be able to tell me what I need done? Or would they just replace everything and charge me for it anyway? Also the water pump carked it yesterday while driving home. Would that have caused damage to the engine? And are they easy to replace yourself? Or would that be done in the rebuild?

Thanks

P.S. what kind of price do you reckon I would be looking at? just approx
 

VRAddiction

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well if you have the right tools to get it in and out and are mechanically minded then its not too hard.......just remember where everything goes, for a standard rebuild off the top of my head maby $2000, im a mechanic so when i got mine rebuilt it was fairly cheap, but then again i got bit of work done to it.....now with the waterpump no it wont be replaced in a rebuild you will have to get that seperate, its a long haul and you really need to know someone for it to be a smooth process or the money to paysome one haha
 

sganro

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yet another VS
Hi guys,

my 97 VSII has done about 330,000kms and has never had any major work done to the engine.


Wow thats alot of k's for a VSII. i would say that the motor is a bit tired by now and would need a rebuild. I'd say you could expect about $2000 for the rebuild, but as addiction said, if you can do it yourself it will be a heap cheaper. Paying labour is a killer!
 

CAFA_TF

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Find a mate with a compression tester and give it a go
if your pistons blow over 135 kpa then she is tip top
:whistling i carnt see that hapening but it doesent take long and it will tell you how bad she needs one
ive done a taxi at 400 thou and she was borderline
 
A

adamtuba

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Wtf!

thanks guys for the replies. mechanic said today when he was replacing the water pump that some bolt had corroded so when they pulled the pump out the bolt fell into the engine block!

WTF!

now it's costing me about $700 to get the water pump and that fixed and it still may not even work afterwards. It's been going great up until the other day when water pump died on the wife and overheated. Does ANYBODY know a reliable mechanic in the Logan (south of Brisbane) area that won't rip me off and can do engine rebuilds if it comes to that? Because I'm yet to find one, and I don't really have any mechanically minded friends.
 

hako

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You might also consider trading it in on another car - with those Ks the rest of the car will be tired - auto trans, radiator and exhaust will probably soon be failing too. But if you love the car and want to keep it then your biggest problem will be the one you've been asking about - a reliable mechanic. You will probably find it easier and cheaper to fit either a reconditioned long motor or a low mileage Ecotec motor from a wrecker....both will have warranties. Reconditioning your engine is like opening up a can of worms - the corroded bolt you've experienced already is just the start and once the heads are off its too late to turn back and this is why most mechanics recommend fitting a reco long motor. Not sure of the cost but a GOOGLE search should reveal all.
The last option is to do nothing except keep it running. Oil is cheap but it ain't always exciting to drive a clapper. Good Luck with whatever you do.
 
A

adamtuba

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hey again,

yeah some people have suggested trading it in on something else, or selling it. but, in the last 12 months or so I've replaced pretty much everything else important on the car: brakes, suspension, wheels/tyres, exhaust, radiator, power steering, etc. so selling the car will cost me way more than fixing it. (even if it does chew through petrol) We can get a motor from the wreckers that's done about 120,000kms for about $550. Is that a good price? What would need fixing on that do you reckon?

thanks again
 

hako

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hey again,

yeah some people have suggested trading it in on something else, or selling it. but, in the last 12 months or so I've replaced pretty much everything else important on the car: brakes, suspension, wheels/tyres, exhaust, radiator, power steering, etc. so selling the car will cost me way more than fixing it. (even if it does chew through petrol) We can get a motor from the wreckers that's done about 120,000kms for about $550. Is that a good price? What would need fixing on that do you reckon?

thanks again

Sounds OK if they are a reputable wrecker (ask around) and they offer a warranty (even a month or preferably 3 months IN WRITING!). The motor should come with the ECU or computer....and the motor has to be an ECOTEC - not from an earlier model. They probably will instal the motor for $400 or so which can help if you have any warranty problems. At 120Km its only things like the waterpump that will be due to fail if its genuine mileage.
There are plenty of wrecked VS's around with good motors in them so you have plenty to choose from. Good Luck.
 
A

adamtuba

Guest
ok an update.

the engine the wreckers have is from a VT (I have a VS is this a problem?), it's done 120,000kms, a friend of a friend is putting it in for $250, and I thinks that all. Is there anything I should be doing to this new engine before it gets put in (maintenance stuff, upgrades, etc)? Or should it be OK as it is?

thanks again for your help as I really have NO idea. :)


BTW I HATE RACQ!! It took me almost 2 hours on the phone with them this afternoon to get the car towed home again. And they call it 'ultra' care! :bang:
 
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