Potential Engine Purchase
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 527
Likes: 29
From: Mechanicsville, VA
Potential Engine Purchase
Hey Listers,
I found this engine on ebay and am contemplating buying it. I have a 944 N/A Auto with a slightly blown head gasket so I'm thinking about swapping this engine into it for a little while. Are engines swappable between manual and automatic (I'm not positive his engine came from a manual)? This is a late 85 N/A engine and I have an 88 N/A, any problems there? How's the price, can I talk him down at all? This engine is about 4.5 hours away from me, is it worth it to drive that far for this thing? The engine number is 43F01796. I'm looking for some honest advice, thanks guys.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/110831099576...#ht_500wt_1000
I found this engine on ebay and am contemplating buying it. I have a 944 N/A Auto with a slightly blown head gasket so I'm thinking about swapping this engine into it for a little while. Are engines swappable between manual and automatic (I'm not positive his engine came from a manual)? This is a late 85 N/A engine and I have an 88 N/A, any problems there? How's the price, can I talk him down at all? This engine is about 4.5 hours away from me, is it worth it to drive that far for this thing? The engine number is 43F01796. I'm looking for some honest advice, thanks guys.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/110831099576...#ht_500wt_1000
Rainman
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 45,849
Likes: 788
From: Nashville, TN
thats a fair price for a running engine.
it will bolt in. your auto stuff will swap over. you might consider using the manual clutch setup to replace the rubber flexplate on your auto though.
it will bolt in. your auto stuff will swap over. you might consider using the manual clutch setup to replace the rubber flexplate on your auto though.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,225
Likes: 7
From: Burlington ky
why not just fix the head gasket on your updated and higher compression 88 motor? Yours has the auto tensioner, late style water pump, better OPRV design and 10:3:1 compression instead of 9:5:1.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 17,643
Likes: 8
From: Phoenix, Az
For $150 you can get all the seals and gaskets you need to simply remove and replace the head gasket on your motor. That is in fact alot easier job that doing and engine change. I just swapped heads on my race motor after I missed a shift and bent all my valves. Much easier job than swapping motors. Which I have done as well.
The only issues is that one you remove the head you should have it cleaned and decked for flatness. Most if not all old heads have corrosion holes in them. No big deal for a good head shop to work on. Plus this work will get you alittle more hp too as these cars will lose power when you have valves that do not seat well.
If I were my car I would pull the head, have it worked on and reinstall. Oh while you are inthere change the t-belt if you have not done so lately.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 527
Likes: 29
From: Mechanicsville, VA
The timing belt, water pump, and all the rollers were done late 2009, about 20,000 miles ago so all that stuff will be fine for a while. And minus the head gasket, the engine has pretty much been completely resealed. I would just do the head gasket on my car, but it sounded harder than what it sounds like. How long would it take to do the head gasket job? I'd have to down my car for a few days to get it done obviously so I might have to take off work. I have a lot of mechanical experience, but I've never done anything quite as major as replacing a head gasket. I guess I just figured it would be easier and faster to swap engines, thanks for knocking some sense into me.
In that case, I guess I'll just go ahead and order the head gasket, where's the best place to get it? I was just gonna order it from Pelican, but which one? Anything else I should do to the head or block while I'm that deep into the engine? Do I need to get any of the special tools from Arnn Worx?
Sorry for all the questions, but I appreciate the help.
In that case, I guess I'll just go ahead and order the head gasket, where's the best place to get it? I was just gonna order it from Pelican, but which one? Anything else I should do to the head or block while I'm that deep into the engine? Do I need to get any of the special tools from Arnn Worx?
Sorry for all the questions, but I appreciate the help.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 17,643
Likes: 8
From: Phoenix, Az
How long will it take? 8 hrs max. It will take 8 hrs to pull the motor and then aother 8 to install the new one.
Sunday I just put a my replacement head on the car it was 4 hrs incuding a lunch break. I order my stuff from paragon-products.
Head gakset, cam housing gasket, intake manifold gaskets and exhaust gaskets. Because I was installing a different head I also put new gaksets for the forward cooling hose port and for the rear heater port.
The only special tools you need are 8 mm allen for taking off the caps on the cam box and then a long 6mm to get the cam housing bolts off. Most sockets won't fit in the holes to get the 6 bolts under the those covers. Remember to shock the cam housing bolts. Take you socket and extenstion and give them a good firm wack with a hammer. This with shock the bolt and make it easier to loosen. You can leave the headers on the head if you want, but if you wil get it machined loosen the nuts on the head first. It will be easier with the head tight on the block as you will not have to worry about holding it as you loosen those nuts.
I keep my fuel rail and injectors plugged in and just move them out of the way. The Intake manifold needs to come loose, but can stay in the car to fewerlines to unplug on that.
Watch out for the liftes when you pull the cam housing. They will want to fall out and also make sure you keep an eye on the two aligment pins between the cam hsg and the head.
Sunday I just put a my replacement head on the car it was 4 hrs incuding a lunch break. I order my stuff from paragon-products.
Head gakset, cam housing gasket, intake manifold gaskets and exhaust gaskets. Because I was installing a different head I also put new gaksets for the forward cooling hose port and for the rear heater port.
The only special tools you need are 8 mm allen for taking off the caps on the cam box and then a long 6mm to get the cam housing bolts off. Most sockets won't fit in the holes to get the 6 bolts under the those covers. Remember to shock the cam housing bolts. Take you socket and extenstion and give them a good firm wack with a hammer. This with shock the bolt and make it easier to loosen. You can leave the headers on the head if you want, but if you wil get it machined loosen the nuts on the head first. It will be easier with the head tight on the block as you will not have to worry about holding it as you loosen those nuts.
I keep my fuel rail and injectors plugged in and just move them out of the way. The Intake manifold needs to come loose, but can stay in the car to fewerlines to unplug on that.
Watch out for the liftes when you pull the cam housing. They will want to fall out and also make sure you keep an eye on the two aligment pins between the cam hsg and the head.
