Camaro is dead

[CaptDestruction]

97 Camaro 3.8 5-spd

In short...threw a rod last night. Can't see if it came out of the block or oil pan anywhere, but heard a loud bang, lots of grinding and metal flying about, and oil completely drained on the ground.

Found a local shop that can replace the engine.
Labor: 15 book hours @ $70/hour = $1050
Engine: Long block with 130,000 miles = $750 (local salvage yard)
Misc: $275 (?)
Total: $2075 out the door

Or

Labor: 15 book hours @ $70/hour = $1050
Engine: Long block with 0 miles = $1860 (Autozone Surefire DB61)
Total: $3000-3300 out the door

Should I go with used or new? I know, stupid question, new always better...but what do you all think about the pricing?

[cam98aro]

Re: Camaro is dead

is it at all possible for you to do the work yourself?

you could probably get a used engine from a junkyard for a few hundred and just be dont with it

the price of that long block is a bit expensive IMO

[CaptDestruction]

Re: Camaro is dead

Wouldn't mind doing it myself, but don't have the time, space, tools, etc. My biggest worry about going with a salvage yard is getting another engine that will die a few months down the road, when I may not have any money to fix.

[cam98aro]

Re: Camaro is dead

Wouldn't mind doing it myself, but don't have the time, space, tools, etc. My biggest worry about going with a salvage yard is getting another engine that will die a few months down the road, when I may not have any money to fix.

yeah, i would try to find an engine with lower miles, 130,000 is quite a bit.

check out car-part.com to see if any places around you have cheaper ones or at least ones with less miles

[CaptDestruction]

Re: Camaro is dead

Awesome...thx for the good info Cam...anyone else have any thoughts?

[csmitty23]

Re: Camaro is dead

If you plan on keeping the car for awhile, I would go with a new motor and just be done with it. Hard decision to make though.

[CaptDestruction]

Re: Camaro is dead

Ideally, I would love to keep it for at least another 4-5 years. Have had a lot of fun getting it to the point it is at now. Previous owner trashed it, so i have been making small repairs over the past 2 years to "restore" the car, if you wil.

Only real issue I have had with it is the engine, and now that it has died, I can finally justify replacing it.

I am leaning on going to the new engine. Even though it is over twice the price of the used, 0 miles is hard to contend with. Especially when the previous engine had 205k miles.

[cam98aro]

Re: Camaro is dead

Ideally, I would love to keep it for at least another 4-5 years. Have had a lot of fun getting it to the point it is at now. Previous owner trashed it, so i have been making small repairs over the past 2 years to "restore" the car, if you wil.

Only real issue I have had with it is the engine, and now that it has died, I can finally justify replacing it.

I am leaning on going to the new engine. Even though it is over twice the price of the used, 0 miles is hard to contend with. Especially when the previous engine had 205k miles.

see if you can find a 3.8 series 2 out of any chevy, olds, pontiac, buick, etc. that has under 100,000 miles on it, and i think you should be good. you can swap the good stuff from your engine to it (exhaust, intake, coil packs, throttle body, etc)

also check ebay, it might be really expensive to ship, but cheaper in the long run. Personally i couldnt justify putting a brand new engine into a car that is 13 years old and you plan on only keeping it for 5 years

[Bandit127]

Re: Camaro is dead

Ideally, I would love to keep it for at least another 4-5 years. Have had a lot of fun getting it to the point it is at now. Previous owner trashed it, so i have been making small repairs over the past 2 years to "restore" the car, if you wil.

Only real issue I have had with it is the engine, and now that it has died, I can finally justify replacing it.

I am leaning on going to the new engine. Even though it is over twice the price of the used, 0 miles is hard to contend with. Especially when the previous engine had 205k miles.

I'm on the same boat with you, I installed a junkyard engine to keep it rolling, since its my DD. But I am rebuilding the original engine to more of my liking. You could do that, since its cheaper, or you can install a new engine since, like you said, you don't have the time or the tools to DIY.

Plus a new engine really adds to peace of mind, which is essentially priceless.

[bigairboarder44]

Re: Camaro is dead

I don't want to tell you I have a 3.8 for sale because I still need it right now, but soon (hopefully within a month and a half) I won't need mine. It's got a little over 55000 miles on it, although I still drive it every day.

[Mark42]

Re: Camaro is dead

Get on the internet, look up yellow pages, and search for auto salvage or recyclers in a 200 mile radius and start calling around. You should be able to find a low mileage engine (40-80K miles) complete from a fbody for about $900 give or take...

Then pay the install.

[ssms5411]

Re: Camaro is dead

Go for a 06'-08' L26 N/A engine and swap your front cover , upper/lower intakes and oil pan. Then you'll have a newer block with L32 forged rods and better heads. You can pick up under 50,000 miles engine for about $500, for a 20,000 mile engine about $800. They have them on ebay or like said check salvage yards, most trannies and engines will come with a year warranty. I know around here they do.

[flamingchicken]

Re: Camaro is dead

i found an 11,000mile series 3 engine for $850. Im totally putting that motha in my car. now you are sure all you have to change is the stuff listed above yes?

[ssms5411]

Re: Camaro is dead

I'm pretty sure thats the list, just don't get the supercharged version because you'll have to use the L36 heads. I should of bought mine like 6 months ago like I was going to, but I waited and the price on them has doubled in th last 6-8 months. I got my engine stand 2 months ago and checked the 1200 mile L26 and they wanted $850 instead of the $450 they had it listed before, so I said forget it. I'll get a 32,000 mile L26 for $500 I found , but I'm still shopping around. Since I will be using Clev. 77 bearings all around like in my current engine and will use 9:9.1 JE forgered pistons, thinking about a SX1 cam or SX2. Will be tearing it apart and putting it back together.

[flamingchicken]

Re: Camaro is dead

where did you get your information from. Not that i dont trust you, i just only want to do this once. I have been screwed enough with this car, and i just want the damn thing fixed.