New Engine/Engine Rebuild Advice

Hey!!

Okay, first off I should say that when I was driving along some highway I blew my head gasket. Now, I am faced with the big cost of this if I have a mechanic do it and blah blah. Now, he figured for $1200 (Canadian) he could have a new head gasket, water pump and timing belt installed. For only $900 (CDN) more he could order me a Jap-Spec engine with the larger turbo and really low km's. Now, that is not installed and I am not sure what labour would be on that. Now, before I go any further, I should say that my car is a 1994 Eagle Talon TSi, with 225 000kms. I really don't want to spend $1200 to have my car fixed and not run any better than before. I would rather take that money, work on it myself and get some new parts or rebuild the engine (or partially). My question is, with the high km's and stuff, what would you suggest I do to my car to make it so I don't have to worry about the high km's as much and make it that much stronger, and hopefully faster? Would you suggest a new engine? Or an engine rebuild? What should I do myself? Lets say I have a budget of about $1750CDN....ish. What can I do with that kind of money, and where can I find some good deals? What could I do with a little more and what would you suggest I spend (withing some reason please :-), is that makes any sense)

I would really appreciate your help and opinions with this!!

Alex Putici

ok your car have like 140k miles, is a 94 so if i'm not wrong is a 7 bolt engine, you if you only blowed your head you can repleace your head and keep your block, but if you have enought budget to make an engine swap, you can easily put a very strong 90-92 6 bolt engine on it reduce the CW possibilities.
But it depends of your budget and it's possible that only changing your head you fix the problem with a lot less money.
I don't know how much is the change of Canadian money to US dollars but you can find a full engine for $1200 US, so keep it in mind and check the price of a new (used) head to replace yours
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7922631414&category=33617

I say it is engine swap time.

Only if the new motor is a 6 bolt. If its a 7, there is absolutely no point in swapping it. Stock 6 bolts do over 500 whp, so that should last you while you save up more money to rebuild that one, if you want to/have to down the road.

Thanks!!

Okay so basically if I am cheap I can get a rebuilt head for like $400 (USD) and that would allow me to not worry about much break down and even run higher boost, etc.

Or, if I want to spend a little more find a 6 bolt engine, $1200 US? (it swaps directly in??) and then not rebuilding it at all (yet) and that will be a lot stonger, and then handle even more boost (or whatever) than the stock 7 with a new head.

I am not sure if I am going to keep the car or not, so if I was to just get the head, what would I be able to do with it, and what would I still have to worry about. How hard would it be to put the new one on?? Just as hard as replacing the head gasket (cuz you have take the head off anywya right??)

Please tell me if I am on the right track or not, and what else you think. For instance, if I was to just get the head, what else should I do, because that is less money than i was planning to spend so I can spend the excess on something else.

Or, if I bought the engine and put it in, and left it how it was how would it compare to just buying the head and doing some other stuff to it.

Thanks so much for your help and quick responses!!
Alex

You can get good compression 6 bolts blocks for 500 us and less. ;) Jsut the bottom end though. With a head it goes up to 800 or so. Just do all the tbelt and water pump stuff since you're in there (~300 in parts), and if you go with a different block do an oil pump (~225) as well.

So what you say I should do it buy a 6 bolt block for $500US and then pick up a rebuilt head for $400US?? How many hours of labour would it be for a professional to do that swap??? What other parts would I need, ALL other parts, every single last thing. As well, what could I sell my engine for once it is out (estimate)

Thanks again for your help
alex

i rebuilt head, installed 2g lifters at 240 000km, now i have 255 000km, not leaking oil, not burning oil, car really runs like brand new, if u have the budget do the above