long block/complete

[Foxy2.3TC]

any knoew a good place to get a cheap 2.3l engine, long block or full, nonturbo or tc, cheap and reliable in florida near orlando area?

If i got 3 "Working" tc engines, (guy selling said all work), for $500, it would be a good deal to make one good turbo out of them right? rather than pay 1400$ for a new long block eh?

 

[Red_LX]

You shouldn't need three engines to make one good engine, if all three engines are in "running" condition.

 

[Foxy2.3TC]

is there a way he can get it to turn over if it hooks up to a battery to show me its running? i dont wanna drive 90 mins there and 90 mins back only to not have it work. if i dont do that, would it just be easier and cheaper to switch the rearend and get a 5.0?

 

[Red_LX]

If you're gonna build the engine anyway, what's it matter if it's running when you get it? It's worth it to go through an engine and put in new bearings and gaskets while it's on an engine stand, rather than later.

As long as you can turn it over by hand easily, it'll be fine.

 

[Foxy2.3TC]

this might sound silly but how do i do that?

 

[Red_LX]

So you're wanting to do an engine swap but you don't even know anything about rebuilding an engine?

I'd suggest you start reading...pick up a chilton's for your car and read it. Read everything you can find about rebuilding engines.

 

[Foxy2.3TC]

I do have the chiltons and i have been reading the boards on here and at another site. im not doing the swap myself and i dont need to rebuild the engine. im getting the engine and letting a mechanic shop swap the engine out for me. i just need to know how to tell if the engine is running before i buy it. without wasting 3 hours of driving and gas.

 

[stykthyn]

put a socket on the crank pulley and turn it with a wrench. as long as it turns you will be ok.

 

[Red_LX]

Just because an engine runs doesn't mean it's worthy of swapping in!

The engine I bought to swap into my car "ran" but when I pulled it apart, the main bearings were showing lots of copper and the cylinders and pistons both showed signs of possible overheating (gouges in the cylinder walls).

Does that mean it could have blown up right away, no, but who knows how much longer it would have lasted? It would suck to put 5000 miles on a swapped in engine and then have to pull it to rebuild it because you spin a bearing or something.

 

[stykthyn]

I'm with red on this one. I have torn apart some supposedly low mileage engines to find worn bearings and extreme amounts of sludge built up behind the rings. definitely not something I want in a car that I just payed to have someone get running for me.
as long as all the parts i.e. turbo, headers, TB........ are there just have the engine rebuilt. it's worth the piece of mind and it will most likely run better than a motor that was just dropped in.

 

[Foxy2.3TC]

do you know anywhere in florida that you would by an engine from? any place you would recommend or to do a rebuild

 

[stykthyn]

do it in your garage. just bring someone that knows what they are doing. if you have all the parts you can tear down and rebuild a motor in a weekend.

 

[Foxy2.3TC]

is there any certain kit that ill need to do it or just replace parts as i go?

 

[stykthyn]

a basic overhaul kit from the parts store should have all the pieces you need to get the motor in tip top shape. what's really going to decide you budget is if you want to replace the pistons while you are in there. I recommend that you do, the price is not that much and it's better to do it at this point then later. especially if you are running boost or using a motor that has been boosting.