Bri Bro

It sounds like the engine failed and was left for a long time, no telling what else happened during the failure and what the condition of the rest of the engine is. The head job will run around $500 and that could go up depending on the head work that is done. If one finds a good used engine for say $900 that was running and maintained you have a know cost. Some of that cost could be recovered by selling the old engine parts. If I saw a engine looking like the pictures posted, that is what I would do to get the car running. There is nothing more frustrating then putting a engine together spending lots of $$$ just to find the next problem.

INURGRL951

Can we see some pics of the car??

Bri Bro

Don't get me wrong, I think you need to give this a try. There are a lot of 951 parts for sale and with the low cost of ownership you paid, you might think about giving this a try. Besides, if I remember, you have a nice silver Pcar and that is a good start. The key is having someone help you through the removal process. Once you see/feel what is needed, it gets a lot easier.

Try starting a separate post on the cost of this rebuild. Could get interesting.

I would say R&R of an engine is about the same amount of work as doing a head job with the engine in place, and you can replace all the rubber hoses and look at the clutch to boot.

theedge

That nose panel would be easy to fix, it looks like all the damage it isolated to just that part. Cheap to get a good one and get it repainted.

Thats the first pic ive ever seen of the tape cassette rack in the armrest

Darwantae951

Nice lookin' 86! The header panel and fender are an easy fix. I'd ditch the boxed rockers tho...Car looks like a good starter! If I were you I'd take the advice of others and look into possibly getting a different engine. After the head work and everything you'd probably be at least halfway towards a new engine already.

jlturpin

I actually have a parts car, same color with a good (much better than the one you have) header panel.

As for the engine, drain the oil, if there is no coolant in the oil, the bearings should all be fine. If the cylinders look like they are in good condition, find a good used head, buy a Head gasket set, T-belt kit and see what you've got.

From the above photo, it looks like you have a brand new timing belt on the car.

Tedro951

Seriously, are there well maintained and documented engines for $900?

Kool

I still have my cassette holder.

PorscheDoc

Yup, sounds to me like someone popped the timing belt, and figured they could just throw on a new belt and make it run again.

2bridges

yep I would make a wager that it busted the belt, bent valves, they put a new one on to discover it will not hold compression or run (bent valves open).

Then somebody else comes along does a compression check and says, wow there is no compression, must be a bad head gasket.

The sparkling new timing belt is a huge tip off

porshhhh951

not in my expeirence.

2bridges

X2

Bri Bro

I paid $1,000 for a 944T motor two years ago. Had 80K miles on it and compression and leak down test showed no issues. It was running fine until the driver drove it through and glass door entry, totaled the car and got a DWI for his trouble. Lots of cars being parted out recently so it looks like a buyer market to me.

fortysixandtwo

With the exception of head work, everything you should do to this engine should also be done to any used engine you buy. Your least amount of hassle and cost would be to use the current engine (provided no coolant comes out with the oil) and have the head rebuilt.

Here's a quick list of things you should do.
-replace all coolant hoses
-replace engine compartment fuel lines
-replace water pump
-repace timing belt rollers (looks like it has a new belt, but they're cheap, so maybe you should still get a new one)
-perform venturi delete (run a search [if its working again] on this, it will clean up alot of the mess under the intake).
-replace all vacuum lines
-normal tune up stuff, cap rotor, plugs, wires. (you might even wait until you drive the car before doing these)

The stuff I have listed are things that should be done for safety, are made easier to do with the head/intake off or should be done due to age and have a good cost/benefit ratio.
We (rennlist) can probably fill a book...ok maybe a pamphlet, with "just incase" checks and fixes, but I don't think you want to chase around problems that you may not have and possibly cause additional issues while doing so.

INURGRL951

And now what could be a nice 951 will now turn into a chevy! sorry had too!