What to do>:

[CoasTek240]

Ok heres the situation. I own a 92 coupe. The motor was hydrolocked this summer when i sucked water up in my intake. I bought a new 97' motor and had a friend freshen up the block (rings, crank and rod bearings, gaskets and cleaning) I had it installed but everything went bad. He forgot to install a thermostat, put no coolant in it, and my IACV harness was missing and plugged up so the car idled like crap.
I got it back in September, but I didnt drive the car but 4 or 5 times max before the radiator cracked. At the time i figured it was just bad luck and that it was too old. I ordered a new koyo and installed it. While installing i found out the car was never filled with coolant. only water. At that point i was hoping i didnt do any damage to the motor. So i poured coolant in the rad,. and opened the breather screw. Immediately coolant starts pouring everywhere out of the weep hole on my waterpump.
So i replace the waterpump and thermostat. I then find there was no thermostat. I took the car to a friends shop, and he told me that there was coolant in the 3 and 4 cylinders.
That means either the headgaskets is blown or the block is cracked.

My q? is should i pay the $700 in labor for him to remove the head and hope the block isnt cracked. If it isnt i can just get another headgasket. But if the block is cracked, i just wasted that $700 in labor.
Should i check this out?
my other option is to scrap the motor and get a new one. I cant really afford the Reman. warrantied longblocks ($1400-$2000)
Also he charges $1200 for install.
I could find a motor pulled out of a running vehicle with low mileage. but the reliability is iffy.
**third option, would require additional savings but i could source an sr20 pulled out of a running 240sx. and i know a shop thatll install the SR complete for $800

Really i need your opinions on wether you think its worth it to check my current motor and see if it can be salvaged.

[chmercer]

why dont you just take the head off yourself, it takes like 30 minutes

if i had a 97 motor with new bearings, rings, crank etc. i would at least check if the block is fucked before i throw it away

[redsuns3838]

i second that...just do that stuff yourself, its not even that hard and you can do it just about anywhere.

[DeepSeaDynamo]

I agree with them, take the head off and check the gasget, if it isn't then save up for the SR

[aznpoopy]

working on the car while leaning into the engine bay hurts my knees

but i'd rather be in pain than spend $700.

you didn't mention the third option. get some pizza and beer. invite your friends over and swap in your recently purchased $100-200 ka24de long block for free. there are plenty out here on the east coast.

[Jefferson]

like everyone else said just pull your head off and inspect the block and headgasket if all seems good pop a new HG in and call it done. If not just get a used engine locally and swap it in with a couple of buddies. I see complete longblocks go for like $300-500 locally

[CoasTek240]

Im having a ASE tech check the car out afterwork. I need to pick up a low mileage longblock. Its just sooo much work to do. I dont dare pull the head off myself. Im sorry but i must not be as mechanically inclined as you all.
However i am going to see what i can do about sparing my current motor.
Btw, remanufactured longblocks cost well over $1400 and used ones i am very skeptical about. I guess i could always just replace the block if possible.
The a lot of tearing down and putting back together.
If anyone has any leads on motor on the east coast shoot me a pm.
thanx

[ilia]

Don't let retards do your rebuilds. Checking clearences, dimming crank, rod, and bearing sizes out to spec, etc.. is difficult and takes great skill. Either spend money for a qualified individual to rebuild for you, buy a complete reman engine from the dealer, or sell your car and save yourself the headaches.

[silverarrow27]

It's time to buy a factory service manual and learn how to take off the head yourself. Saves you so much money in the long run, especially if you're not looking forward to spend $700 to just have your engine inspected. Either you're motivated or you're not about saving money.

[devnull]

Filling the cooling system with only water won't do any damage in the short-term. The only problem is that when water freezes in the engine, it can crack the block. Antifreeze protects from corrosion and freezing.

Also, if he's charging $700 just to remove the head, after he did that work on the engine(I'm assuming you paid for), he's not a friend.

[CoasTek240]

1. it was a different guy that rebuilt my motor and installed it.
I had a shop repair is shotty gasket work as i was bleeding motor oil everywhere when i first got it back.
2. I just picked up an FSM recently and have decided to buy an engine stand and pull the head off an inspect it myself on my own time.
3. for now im looking for a low mileage motorset for a mechanic to install. I contacted a mechanic looking for sidework here locally. He is familiar with nissans as he, himself owns a 240 and a RWD corolla. Hes installing the motorset for $500. I just need to find a good motor. Not any motor will do. I want low mileage. I may even pay a lil more for him to find me a warrantied motor through someone he knows.

thanks for your advice. Im sure youll be hearing more from me as i go through the process of removing my head and inspecting. I have a digicam and tools and an FSM, so all thats left to get it motivation.

[Sir]

Unless you're going to pull the motor out of the chassis yourself, I doubt any low milage motors. Just cause they look clean doesn't make them good. But its your deal, I personally don't give a shiet about the milage, as once the motor is out of the car its very hard to prove milage. Compression test or better yet leak down test will be a better way to test it than some guy telling you its a 12K mile motor.

[mbmbmb23]

Check this thread out...he's in NC:

#/f/showthread.php?t=127250


-m

[HyperTek]

KA isnt worth $700 for someone to lookat it. you could get a used one in good condition for half that, but possibly you dont have the time for that.

that motor prolly had overheating issues before, so your friend maybe didnt put a thermostat and coolent in it thinkign the pure water would keep it cool???? All the coolent does is act as a antifreeze and keep the block from rusting, nothing else really. Overheating could lead to headgasket so that coulda been the problem.

[CoasTek240]

Check this thread out...he's in NC:

#/f/showthread.php?t=127250


-m
Does anyone know why that motor is so cheap? i know its missing a tranny, but thats not a huge issue.