engine swap or rebuild
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 11
engine swap or rebuild
Does anyone know where I can get a reasonable deal on a 420a? Has anyone had any luck with JDM engines? Can you rebuild this engine in frame? The rest of the car is in good shape. Jnkyards around Memphiswant about $1000 for an engine with 80,000+ miles. What is a reasonable amount to ask for a 1997 rs in good shape with a bad engine? Would prefer to fix it, if economical.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 689
From: Sarasota, FL
RE: engine swap or rebuild
a few years ago when i had my RS i found a newly rebuilt 420a for $800 over the internet when i was gonna drop a fresh engine in. i forgot where i saw it but theres always deals over the internet from engine merchants...just gotta dig around
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 27
From:
RE: engine swap or rebuild
I just read your other thread about the timing belt slipping.
If it were me, I would rebuild it-but that's just me. As was noted in your other thread, you can remove the head and take it to a machine shop and they will clean and repair your valves and test it. I just had mine done, and it only cost $125, although I didn't have to have any valves replaced. They did replace my valve seals.
My car has 99,500 miles, and this was the first major maintenance done to the car since I've had it. I was leaking oil pretty badly, and I wanted to do the timing belt for preventive maintenance, so I went ahead and replaced the water pump, pulleys, timing belt tensioner, replaced the oil pan gasket, valve job, head gasket, all new seals, and fresh plugs.
I'm not complete yet, but getting very close-just have to install the power steering pump, refill my fluids, and then test her out.
When all is said and done, I'll have around $400 (in parts/machine work)total in this project, plus my personal time that I've spent working on it. Not bad, considering most mechanics want anywhere from $700-$800 to do this work!
If it were me, I would rebuild it-but that's just me. As was noted in your other thread, you can remove the head and take it to a machine shop and they will clean and repair your valves and test it. I just had mine done, and it only cost $125, although I didn't have to have any valves replaced. They did replace my valve seals.
My car has 99,500 miles, and this was the first major maintenance done to the car since I've had it. I was leaking oil pretty badly, and I wanted to do the timing belt for preventive maintenance, so I went ahead and replaced the water pump, pulleys, timing belt tensioner, replaced the oil pan gasket, valve job, head gasket, all new seals, and fresh plugs.
I'm not complete yet, but getting very close-just have to install the power steering pump, refill my fluids, and then test her out.
When all is said and done, I'll have around $400 (in parts/machine work)total in this project, plus my personal time that I've spent working on it. Not bad, considering most mechanics want anywhere from $700-$800 to do this work!
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 21
RE: engine swap or rebuild
yes, you can rebuild it without removing engine block out, i have done that on 94 eclipse and 96 galant.
1. remove engine head
2. remove oil pan
3. drop pistons and piston rods down through the bottom of the engine. be very careful to NEVER turn engine counterclockwise. have a large clean rag and position every single part same way it came out of the engine, same direction, order, everything. it all has to be mated perfectly same way back
4. buy set of standard piston rings and pushrod bearings and replace them.
5. you can clean valve seats yourself, clean valves, and it is a very good idea to replace valve stem seals same time. what you can do, but it's better done in a shop, is to resurface the engine head. very hard to DIY. i donno what kind of rebuild can be done for $125, we did engine head at pro shop in alabama and it was around 500 bucks, with only 2 valves replaced.
6. hone cylinder bores. reinstall everything back, some special tools can be rented from parts store. make sure to have rubber hose tips on pushrods when you lower them into the cylinder bores, so that you do not scratch cranckshaft journals.
parts and stuff will cost you around 500 again, as you'll need to buy parts and gaskets. donno for your case, timing/balancer belts just ask to be replaced same time. might be a good idea to replace camshaft/s
actually, it's quite easy to do, just very tidious. on galant, i did everything myself, took me about 2 days one man job. lots of kerosine to clean parts/combustion chambers.
i'd rather swap engine, if you can find one reasonable and warranted. i wouldn't trust junkyard engines a bit.
1. remove engine head
2. remove oil pan
3. drop pistons and piston rods down through the bottom of the engine. be very careful to NEVER turn engine counterclockwise. have a large clean rag and position every single part same way it came out of the engine, same direction, order, everything. it all has to be mated perfectly same way back
4. buy set of standard piston rings and pushrod bearings and replace them.
5. you can clean valve seats yourself, clean valves, and it is a very good idea to replace valve stem seals same time. what you can do, but it's better done in a shop, is to resurface the engine head. very hard to DIY. i donno what kind of rebuild can be done for $125, we did engine head at pro shop in alabama and it was around 500 bucks, with only 2 valves replaced.
6. hone cylinder bores. reinstall everything back, some special tools can be rented from parts store. make sure to have rubber hose tips on pushrods when you lower them into the cylinder bores, so that you do not scratch cranckshaft journals.
parts and stuff will cost you around 500 again, as you'll need to buy parts and gaskets. donno for your case, timing/balancer belts just ask to be replaced same time. might be a good idea to replace camshaft/s
actually, it's quite easy to do, just very tidious. on galant, i did everything myself, took me about 2 days one man job. lots of kerosine to clean parts/combustion chambers.
i'd rather swap engine, if you can find one reasonable and warranted. i wouldn't trust junkyard engines a bit.
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 27
From:
RE: engine swap or rebuild
This is directly from allpar . com http://www.allpar.com/mopar/2dohc.html:
The 2.0 DOHC saw service in the Neon, Breeze, Stratus, and PT Cruiser (export versions), as well as the Mitsubishi-designed Eclispe, Avenger, and Sebring Coupe. The Mitsubishi versions, due to packaging issues, had the intake and exhaust manifolds reversed, with some loss of power.The 2.0 DOHC saw service in the Neon, Breeze, Stratus, and PT Cruiser (export versions), as well as the Mitsubishi-designed Eclispe, Avenger, and Sebring Coupe. The Mitsubishi versions, due to packaging issues, had the intake and exhaust manifolds reversed, with some loss of power.
By the way-finished mine up yesterday, and I'm back on the road again!
The 2.0 DOHC saw service in the Neon, Breeze, Stratus, and PT Cruiser (export versions), as well as the Mitsubishi-designed Eclispe, Avenger, and Sebring Coupe. The Mitsubishi versions, due to packaging issues, had the intake and exhaust manifolds reversed, with some loss of power.The 2.0 DOHC saw service in the Neon, Breeze, Stratus, and PT Cruiser (export versions), as well as the Mitsubishi-designed Eclispe, Avenger, and Sebring Coupe. The Mitsubishi versions, due to packaging issues, had the intake and exhaust manifolds reversed, with some loss of power.
By the way-finished mine up yesterday, and I'm back on the road again!
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