sr20 water damage?

[mjjstang]

Hey, I just posted about the wacky delivery when they sent the engine to the wrong place but now I had a chance to look at it. looked like any 12+ year engine but when I took a look in the throttle body, i was horrified. First of all there is like 2 mm deep of water just chilling in the manifold. and i dont know if youve ever been in a cave but it looks like a cave, there are like stalagmites forming and just like 1.5 mm of gunk built up. It is the most disgusting thing ive ever seen, I popped the valve cover off and the cam lobes are rusting pretty nice. WTF this guy has sold many engines and everybody seems happy as a clam. now i get this. I can see that the engine was in a junk yard accumulating water and all i have to do is dry it out. but could it be water damaged. i mean cam lobes shouldnt rust should they.

[DuffMan]

Cam lobes can get surface rust VERY easily if exposed. I wouldnt worry about it. Definitely clean out that intake manifold. Also I would change the oil and filter after about 30 min, since a lot of crap has accumulated in the crank case. Maybe change oil/filter 2 or 3 times, before actually driving it and switching to a normal oil change schedule.

[mjjstang]

so you think that I am safe with this engine. I am debating wether to just leave the engine and have it shipped back, or maybe take it apart a lil to diagnose the situation a little better, if so then ill deffinitely be going to take the manifold off and clean it and see if the filth is exclusive to just lower intake. but about the cam lobes. I know they machine those spacers to very very precise specs. wouldnt the rust grind away at them and make it uneaven or what. thanks.

[TheSnail]

You can take it appart and have it sonic cleaned for 100-150$ and it will look like new. Mine cost 250$ but thats for having it sonic cleaned, honed, piston rings instaled, rod and main bearings instaled. But now the block is as new if not newer looking then factory. Its just an option if you parinoid like my self of things being wrong or going bad.

[mjjstang]

hmmm im guessing you pretty much have to take the whole motor apart. Im guessing you have hookups for that price. of course i dont know much about prices as far as that stuff. thanks for the idea.

[TheSnail]

Your right, it is "our" machine shop guy, but that is the easyest thing he gets to do to my motor, so I am guessing for anyone it would be at most 100-150 for just sonic cleaning. For a breifing: has any one walked into a jewlry store and heard a wining noise. Well that is sonic cleaning. What the so is throw "what ever" in a big tub of water, and use a certine frequency of waves to brake up any thing (dirt, oil, anything) thats not soposed to be there. They leave it in the water for 2hrs, then when they pull it out it is like new. It is the safest methode of cleaning that is why they use it on jewlry, and using the other two methods-
Hydrochloric acid (there go your rubber seals and gaskets)
Heat in oven ( cant use on SR, made out of aluminium)

[TheSnail]

Dont mind my spelling , hooked on phonics wasnt for me...

[gsracer]

me and my friens have a nick name for that guy "finding nemo", my boy pablo bought an h22a for his prelude and when we opened the valve cover filled with water, and i have heard of anoth person for sure with the same thing here in miami.

[mjjstang]

damnit. ive spent a year working for this car and another year untill ill be done. thats 2 years of slaving away at this car. well rickey better be glad I dont live in miami!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! well i decided just to tear it apart and clean all parts. I took the intake manifold off today, and I think that the ports on the head are fine and clear of debris so im guessing the water and stuff was just from rain, and didnt go into the engine.

[mjjstang]

hey, I just noticed that there is oil in the turbo inlet side. Rickey is a bastard. he was nice until i purchased it though. haha. well he said thats normal from the engine being cocked in shipping and junk yard or wherever it was. prolly in his car before he blew it and sold it to me. but is that normal for oil to be present. also the turbo has like .25 mm of play. or maybe less but is that something to be concerned about. the last question is that i looked in the intake ports and there is condensation resting on the valves. and some dirty crystal type stuff forming. should I tear the motor down and clean or replace valves and all that good stuff or am i safe. and can I just blow it out with an air compressor or do i have to take more precaution. thanks. sorry for sounding like a newbie but ive never seen an engine in this kind of shape