chozobody

I went to the scrap yard today, looking for a KA to replace the blown one that came with my s13. The yard had a 91 hatch that still had the motor in it. (Pictures are included.) All 4 bangers at the yard cost $125, so I figured its the best deal I'm gonna find. Without the key, what would be the best way to test the motor before I purchased it? Would it be possible to "hotwire" the system to get it cranking? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!




Also, a little information about the donor car. Odometer says the car has around 186k miles on it. Checked engine oil, and it appears to be almost new synthetic. No visual leakage around the head or the valve cover. The motor would not come with an exhaust manifold, or MAF, but I still have all those parts on my KA.

chozobody

I had no idea the pictures were going to come up full sized. My apologies. If any mods want to resize things, go right ahead. My bad.

Frank_Jaeger

For $125, I'd pull it just for the hell of it. My garage is a KA graveyard.

Try at least cranking it by hand to make sure it'll spin freely. If you bring a fully charged battery and a wire I'm pretty sure you can supply 12v to the starter to get it to crank. I'm assuming you're going to be checking compression.

Any reason you're looking for a running KA and won't rebuild the one you have?

chozobody

The main reason I don't want to rebuild right now is simply due to a lack of knowledge about building engines. I would love to learn eventually, but I doubt my temporary shop in my girlfriend's mom's garage is the most appropriate place. Its already asking alot having her let me swap motors in the space. I would send it out too, but I really don't trust anyone out here in south-central Nebraska to work on my baby.

Frank_Jaeger

If money isn't an issue, I highly recommend having a machine shop machine / build your engine for you. If you go through the trouble of swapping in a junkyard engine, you might find that it leaks / ticks / knocks, etc.

Know that you can't start that engine. It'll crank if you bring a battery, but it won't start. The MAF / intake / sparkplug wires / exhaust manifold are missing.

How "blown" is your blown engine? Like headgasket blown? Or rod-knocking blown?

chozobody

Money is sadly an issue for the time being. (College football player who's in spring ball.)

I still have my MAF, Intake and wires and exhaust system from my KA, so that wouldn't be a problem at all.

Now, for being blown? Its blown blown. Havent torn the entire thing apart yet, but its deff a rod. Cylinder 4 is flooded with oil, and 2 and 3 with gas. When we had it all hooked up, it ran, but it was a metalic scraping/sloshing sound.

OrangeVirus1

DUDE if you do me a HUGE favor on that car I will pay you for it.

I NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED

the two front bumper support backets and screws.

Can you get me those off it? and I'll pay you the price the yard charged + shipping + some side cash.

chozobody

I don't see why not. I'll try to head back up to the yard monday or next week sometime. You have facebook? Add me on there so we can stay in contact. How does yard price, shipping plus like $20 sound?

Edit: facebook.com/joshua.wardell

Supergoji

well you still need to get that junkyard motor to TDC and stab a distributer in it and then see if it will run
and i dont think a junkyard is gonna let you bring in your parts to put on it to test the engine

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codyace

Junkyard cars with no outside damage often scare me in regard to engine reliability. Sure it can be other things, but I've never had good luck with 'those type' of cars. Now if there is a car that has accident damage, I'd trust the engine. Heck the last few LSX like that all made 600+whp

Are you able to remove the valve cover to see how it looks?

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chozobody

Ill be able to do that when I get to the scrap yard. Hopefully tomorrow. (Weather Dependent)

godrifttoday

Exactly if it ain't crashed , more than likely the motor is shot

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chozobody

Would you guys feel better if I told you that the seat mounting brackets had rusted through, and looked like somebody pushed through them prior to the car being junked? I only say before because the carpet is still intact, poking through the bottom

OrangeVirus1

friend request sent. ( facebook )

also if it has a shift knob please snag that thing too

chozobody

Yeah, no shift knob on this one. Any particular style you want me to find for you at the yard though?

OrangeVirus1

actually I just realized I can get a shift knob from pull and pay 5 mins from my house lol

but still need those bumper brackets!

In The Works

If the motor was still good i would see someone pulling the motor and finding a body with less rust.....If it was a 240 guy...If it was some little old man or lady they may have junked it....Def pull the valve cover and look for heat marks or oil starvation and turn the motor over by hand to make sure its not seized! Oh ya...I wish there were 240's sitting in yards like that around here!

chozobody

Too bad its the only 1 within 200 miles of here