$4,000 to Remanufacture a VX Engine?!?

[user removed]

Frank, I'll never forget your post about the tire in your trunk that exploded (it was a blowout). It's something that brings me back to this forum, one of only two I visit regularly anymore, with this one being much more interesting.
Such great advice, few words, such a Spartan ethic, and absolutely true about not fixing it if it ain't broke.
I needed the levity of this simple post, thinking about my reponse to Darrins request of clarification of my "terminal diasater anticipation" post in another thread about the article about devotion to better driving efficiency.

Enough, I'm babbling again.

regards
Mech

[user removed]

Originally Posted by Davo53209@yahoo.com

And that really was the whole idea. However; I have to admit that it's tempting to act on it right away. Naturally, accessory components are extra, so I'm trying to determine which used components I should have the installer swap over to the new engine. Typically speaking, is it likely that the installer would allow such things? What should I not expect them to do?

Frank's advice is especially true in the case of an individual and his-her own car. In response to your question about what to replace if or when you have the engine done. Pay close attention to what Frank said, as well as those who have spent thousands of hours with the D series Honda engines like pgfpro.

When and if you decide to repbuild the engine. You want to replace all of the typical maintenance items that are old and could cause a problem that would endanger the engine investment. On the other side of the debate, pay attention to what Frank posted and understand that it's also excellent logic to try to get every possible mile out of everything you repair or replace on any car.

It's a catch 22 situation. Put all that money into the car and some $%^& moron slams into your rear end, the car is totalled, the insurance company says it's worth $1000, and you end up loosing alot of money. It's almost insane how many times I have seen that happen and better to be in Frank's position if it does. I guess I'm just not that lucky, bought a nice little Sentra from a customer for $500. I decided to take it for a test drive before getting all the maintenance current so it would be reliable. It had 82k miles. I drove it 5 miles and the timing belt broke, bending the valves, which meant I had to pull the head to fix it. I was so disgusted with myself I sold the little Sentra.

What are the odds that a timing belt that had been there for 82,000 miles was going to break in another 5 miles, that's just my bad luck when I try to bleed that last few miles out of any machine.

When I think of that I think of Clint Eastwood in the original Dirty Harry.

"Are you feeling lucky Punk"

regards
Mech

[Frank Lee]

..."spartan"...- could be the German in me? Heh heh- thanks O.M.

Re: that poor lil Sentra and timing belts: I once bought a Dynasty with the Mitsu 3.0; while fixing a coolant leak I removed the timing belt. It looked old and for the heck of it I gave it a He-Man pull and it snapped in my bare hands. That is not a claim to any extraordinary strength on my part; it was an eye-popping look at how close that belt was to self-destruction. Sooooo... if it ain't broke, don't fix it unless it's a critical maintenance or repair item, or unless you really, really want to mod it.

[user removed]

I just had mine done on the truck at 133k miles. Front crank pully had not budged in 17 years, he had to put a used one on it after they broke the original. He was very apologetic.
I told him, that's the reason I brought it to you, I'd probably been flat on my back for a month, on pain killers if I tried to do it myself. Old enough to know better.
The timing belt Hercules stunt was a classic.
The Spartan reference was to the history of the Greek city-state that produced the 300 that held off the Persians at Thermoplae I think the Persains had over 100k men.

regards
Mech

[slownugly]

My opinion, buy a jdm engine. You can have them shipped to your door for less than 600. They have 30-60k on them. If the engine starts burning oil or what have you then have it swapped in.

With proper maintenence that 60k mile engine should last 300k miles or more.

I've swapped a 250k mile z1 into my 285k mile chassis without hesitation.

Like frank said I wouldn't touch anything but it is nice to have your backup plan.

[spacemanspif]

Keep the old engine as a spare if you get a new one dropped in. When you have a spare, the primary is less likely to blow and if it does, you have a running engine ready to be swapped back in to get you back on the road.

I agree with Frank tho. No sense replacing it just because you have too much money in your pocket. If the old one keeps running; keep running it.

[UltArc]

I have been following, but not commenting. If I had an extra 4k- I'd buy an Insight lol

Well, actually there is a lot I would do first. Pay off student loans, keep it for a down payment on a house, build a nice FN57 setup, or an AR15 setup, so on! But I think being closer to your shoes would be me having my Mustang, and not my Insight- would I be better off turbo charging my Mustang, or buying an Insight?

I chose the Insight. There is a lot 4k can do, and your life situation will dictate what is worth what, but I couldn't see doing all that myself. With 5 (for example) of those other engines, you could fix them and redo them however you want...with an extra 1k left over.