Engine Question - Reman'd or Salvage?

[jollymon]

Okay well I have been told by 2 ppl (one of them is an old old mechanic) that I have a spun rod bearing. Here is a clip of the noise...

http://www.avp2mods.com/engine.mp3

...if you would like to add your 2 cents. Well my thinking is along the "major" problem lines. So I have shopped some prices togather and lets see what you all think of them. This is turn key on both of them.

Remanufactured 3800 50K P&L warrenty $2870 installed w/core
Salvage 3800 (80K) with 1 replacement and labor after failure $2090 no core
(the replacement deal sounds scammish 2 me)

So I have an iffy old work truck that will hopefully function as my daily till I can get this done. I also have a large shed out back that would be perfect for rebuilding my current 3800, and I would love the project. So I would rate myself as mechanically adept and capable, plus local to a machine shop. But what to do what to do. I doubt I can keep the truck going long enough to do a rebuild (I am guessing in the 100-150 hour range?)

I look foward to hearing your input. Also bad *** forums for the v6'rs out here ;)

[caspernicus]

Re: Engine Question - Reman'd or Salvage?

Have you tried searching car-part.com for motors? You can find low mileage
motors for $600-$700.

Just stating another option.

[jollymon]

Re: Engine Question - Reman'd or Salvage?

Well cool stuff man. I found several that look like they would fit this bill easy. And for much cheaper prices. However pulling the engine or putting it back in is one thing that seems very hard to do. Well from the Chiltons at least it does. However for the price difference I could also buy another transmission, get um both in 1 wack and rebuild whats in there now. And still save some cash.

**EDIT Maybe the budget backwards would be a good way to look at this and decide what to do from that point. I have right around 2800 that I can spend on this, but a truck that could at any moment decide not to work ever again (I feel no love for my truck, and when Its dead Im burning it) If that helps to point in any direction.

[3.4 slow to go]

Re: Engine Question - Reman'd or Salvage?

I've seen some good deals for engiens on e-bay

[slow6]

Re: Engine Question - Reman'd or Salvage?

reman

[black98V6]

Re: Engine Question - Reman'd or Salvage?

well it all depends on the mileage of the car, if you are say over 80k I would just find a used one on car-parts online, find a decent mechanic that will do the swap and just have it swapped over. From everything you are saying doing the swap yourself just isn't much of an option without a ton of knowledgable help and a solid 3 day weekend. (and all the tools you would need)
Personally though if i had the place to do it and the tools and a beater I could drive I would take a couple of days off, have a complete salvage engine shipped and do the swap myself. Before you drop the donor motor in though do the waterpump, rear main, oil pan gasket, and valve cover gaskets.

[FireBird_Fr3ak]

Re: Engine Question - Reman'd or Salvage?

That was exactly how my engine sounded with the spun bearing. I found an engine on car-part with 18k miles for <$900. Atleast during the swap you can give your new engine an bay a nice cleaning and paint!

[jollymon]

Re: Engine Question - Reman'd or Salvage?

Well okay I did some more checking out of things today, and got some more prices and stuff. BTW my cars at 126K, but ran like a champ for all these single owner years. I will never kill off this ride. Anyways. I checked some more on car-parts and made some calls, found a fairly good engine (55K) and a Trans with 42K (Auto) Both can be had for like 1050 w/o cores. Like 850 with cores.
I called some local shops and got prices from 1000-1300 to drop both the eng and trans in and take the oldies out. So the range for this option looks like 1850-2350. Not to bad.

Second I called American Engine Installers and asked on a reman'd engine only. 2300 installed. With a transmission 3189. 50K on engine. 50K on trans. So I got 3000 and can find the 189 pretty easy. They are going to let me know for sure if its a reman'd trans or just used tomorrow. However It must be a "rebuildable core" (AKA bill for additional 600 at the end possible) and I am want to know upfront what my charges are. This parts got me rather iffy on this route. I'm haggleing them at this point about that, we will see if that gets me anyplace.

I would kill to have a week to pull this engine and do it myself (plus 1 friend) as that knowledge would save big later. So 3 days with a knowledgable helper? If only I knew someone that knew cars. Hey thanks for all the help on this stuff also guys. I really am glad there is a place other then a mechanic shop to get some answers ;)