This really isn't a question, I just wanted to post about my experience.
About a year ago I developed an engine knock. Listening to ATOT (kinda sorta), I did a bottom end rebuild. Grand total of 8 hours of work and $100 for the bearings. I figured, if it works, I got away cheap. If it doesn't, it's $100 down the drain and I'm back to where I started. Well, the repair only lasted 50 miles lol. So I was stuck with a broken engine. I didn't have the money to fix it, so it sat in my storage locker until now.
Actually, not quite. I did start pulling the parts. I took off the radiator, alternator, bumper, starter, air housing, disconnected all sorts of wires and hoses. I put tape on both ends of everything I disconnected, than I labeled them with a number. The number corresponded to a list I was keeping of all the bits that needed to be reconnected. I was almost ready to pull the engine. I had to disconnect the CV joints and a few more things on the electrical harness and I as good to go. BUT, I ran out of money and couldn't get a new engine. So, I put a halt on the project and it sat for a year.
This summer, as bad as it's been, I was able to save some money and put it towards this car. So, time to get this bad boy on the road! I got an engine for $900 (included a new water pump, timing belt and oil seals). It was used, I don't know the exact mileage on it, but they did test the compression in the cylinders and the oil pressure. They were very professional and sold me a solid engine. I also bought new brake pads, new clutch, got an AC compressor from the junk yard (mine was broken), new brake shoes for the rear, and new tires.
My car had been in a storage lockers for about a year. Sometime during that year my locker flooded a bit, and my notes got washed out. FUCK! Really? I could only read what a few of those numbered tape bits were for. FML. Oh well, carry on!
A friend of mine, who knows cars and has a sweet garage, was able to help me out. We got the new engine on a stand, and in a few short hours got the old engine on a hoist. The next day we started putting the old parts on the new engine. We started with new spark plugs and the ignition stuff. Got the fuel rail on there and water housing. Got the intake and exhaust manifold on there, and the starter. We put in the new clutch and pressure plate and put the transmission on. After that it was time to drop the new engine in! Boo yeah! Connected the CV joints and put the new brake pads on.
We finished it up today. Put the alternator in, connected the power steering pump, AC compressor, got the electrical harness all worked out, the throttle body connected and the air housing done up. After all that was done I was finally able to turn the key. What a relief! AND not a single engine code! Awesome. So stoked.
I haven't driven it yet. I still need to put the bumper and the splash shields on, and change the rear brake shoes (or whatever they are called, drum brakes). But for now, it works and everything is in it's place.
There are about 3 screws that I couldn't find a home for, and I had to buy about 10 screws that were missing. 6 trips to an auto parts or hardware store (not bad, less than I thought). We had to rig up a few things. We fashioned a rubber bushing for the AC radiator and sorta rigged up a CV boot clamp. I plan on checking on that in 50 or so miles, can't be getting any gunk in there!
All in all I have spent close to $2500. That's about what the shop quoted me on. Some things that they wouldn't have included in that price: the new clutch, the fixed AC compressor including the rechage, the brake pads and shoes, and new tires. We have put in about 30 hours recently, and maybe 10 hours a year ago (not including the bottom end rebuild). So 40ish hours of my time. It's not done yet, but I'll be driving it away tomorrow.
My favorite part of the rebuild: breaking a clutch screw because I read a torque spec from the wrong book. He has a Crysler, and the Haynes manual was laying around open, and I looked up the spec in that book instead of my civic book. The Crysler torque is 55lbs, and the civic is 23. We had to replace all 6 screws to keep the balance right, but we got them on there and to the correct torque.
About a year ago I developed an engine knock. Listening to ATOT (kinda sorta), I did a bottom end rebuild. Grand total of 8 hours of work and $100 for the bearings. I figured, if it works, I got away cheap. If it doesn't, it's $100 down the drain and I'm back to where I started. Well, the repair only lasted 50 miles lol. So I was stuck with a broken engine. I didn't have the money to fix it, so it sat in my storage locker until now.
Actually, not quite. I did start pulling the parts. I took off the radiator, alternator, bumper, starter, air housing, disconnected all sorts of wires and hoses. I put tape on both ends of everything I disconnected, than I labeled them with a number. The number corresponded to a list I was keeping of all the bits that needed to be reconnected. I was almost ready to pull the engine. I had to disconnect the CV joints and a few more things on the electrical harness and I as good to go. BUT, I ran out of money and couldn't get a new engine. So, I put a halt on the project and it sat for a year.
This summer, as bad as it's been, I was able to save some money and put it towards this car. So, time to get this bad boy on the road! I got an engine for $900 (included a new water pump, timing belt and oil seals). It was used, I don't know the exact mileage on it, but they did test the compression in the cylinders and the oil pressure. They were very professional and sold me a solid engine. I also bought new brake pads, new clutch, got an AC compressor from the junk yard (mine was broken), new brake shoes for the rear, and new tires.
My car had been in a storage lockers for about a year. Sometime during that year my locker flooded a bit, and my notes got washed out. FUCK! Really? I could only read what a few of those numbered tape bits were for. FML. Oh well, carry on!
A friend of mine, who knows cars and has a sweet garage, was able to help me out. We got the new engine on a stand, and in a few short hours got the old engine on a hoist. The next day we started putting the old parts on the new engine. We started with new spark plugs and the ignition stuff. Got the fuel rail on there and water housing. Got the intake and exhaust manifold on there, and the starter. We put in the new clutch and pressure plate and put the transmission on. After that it was time to drop the new engine in! Boo yeah! Connected the CV joints and put the new brake pads on.
We finished it up today. Put the alternator in, connected the power steering pump, AC compressor, got the electrical harness all worked out, the throttle body connected and the air housing done up. After all that was done I was finally able to turn the key. What a relief! AND not a single engine code! Awesome. So stoked.
I haven't driven it yet. I still need to put the bumper and the splash shields on, and change the rear brake shoes (or whatever they are called, drum brakes). But for now, it works and everything is in it's place.
There are about 3 screws that I couldn't find a home for, and I had to buy about 10 screws that were missing. 6 trips to an auto parts or hardware store (not bad, less than I thought). We had to rig up a few things. We fashioned a rubber bushing for the AC radiator and sorta rigged up a CV boot clamp. I plan on checking on that in 50 or so miles, can't be getting any gunk in there!
All in all I have spent close to $2500. That's about what the shop quoted me on. Some things that they wouldn't have included in that price: the new clutch, the fixed AC compressor including the rechage, the brake pads and shoes, and new tires. We have put in about 30 hours recently, and maybe 10 hours a year ago (not including the bottom end rebuild). So 40ish hours of my time. It's not done yet, but I'll be driving it away tomorrow.
My favorite part of the rebuild: breaking a clutch screw because I read a torque spec from the wrong book. He has a Crysler, and the Haynes manual was laying around open, and I looked up the spec in that book instead of my civic book. The Crysler torque is 55lbs, and the civic is 23. We had to replace all 6 screws to keep the balance right, but we got them on there and to the correct torque.
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