Quote:
Originally Posted by HeWhoKillz
Has 36000k on it (or so they say.)
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Wow, 36 million miles!?! Even though that's probably some record, I would stay away from that engine, there's got to be some wear on it.
If you can find a drop-in engine with something more like, say, 36k miles, that's probably just getting broken in. If you can see the entire donor car, that may tell you a bit more about the likely condition of the engine. If it's been riced out (no offense) that may mean more money was spent of accessories than on maintenance, and the engine's probably been run pretty hard. If the tires are bald, that may be an indication that other maintenance items were neglected as well. If all you can go by is the engine by itself, then you can check the dipstick for oil condition, peer inside the valve cover oil fill cap for signs of sludge, check the underside of the oil fill cap for evidence of condensation, etc. Check the vacuum lines to see if they've been muddled with, pull the spark plugs to make sure all four look like they have been burning well, check the backside of the throttle plate for carbon build up, and look for any signs of oil or coolant leaks.
While you have the engine out, even though it's low miles, it may be in your best interest to replace the timing belt and water pump along with any rubber parts that will be difficult to get to once the engine is in the car. If the engine has been sitting outdoors, the UV could have started to degrade vacuum lines, heater hoses, belts, etc..
-Rod