It's the only Chrystler product that I've ever liked. They ran that engine for MANY production years. When I tore down the intake off it was caked in soot but I blame that on Previous ownership town driving & leaded fuel probably. I had many great memories with that beast. In the late 90's After school we would run the 350 chevy trucks & those guys would think there's no way they could win in that old crusty car but we beat them every time with a WTH look. Haha
Have you ever had to replace an engine in a car?
- Thread starter ZZman
- Start date
dnewton3
Staff member
I have never "replaced" an engine. (meaning exchanged one for another)
I have pulled them, rebuilt them, and then reinstalled the same engine.
Obviously, some damage to engines makes replacement a requirement (rod thru block; massive cylinder scoring when over-bore can't fix; etc).
But generally I like to install the same engine, as all the accessories are assured to bolt up, etc.
It can be problematic especially when getting from a model year that's "close" to the one you need, but can have many minor differences when it comes to electronic sensors, etc. That can make it a real challenge.
I have pulled them, rebuilt them, and then reinstalled the same engine.
Obviously, some damage to engines makes replacement a requirement (rod thru block; massive cylinder scoring when over-bore can't fix; etc).
But generally I like to install the same engine, as all the accessories are assured to bolt up, etc.
It can be problematic especially when getting from a model year that's "close" to the one you need, but can have many minor differences when it comes to electronic sensors, etc. That can make it a real challenge.
I will consider a rebuild as a replacement....
You really gotta try to hurt one of those engines.
When I was a kid (too young to drive), my dad bought an old Monte Carlo with a 267 for my brother. He never could seem to get it running right, so he swapped in a junkyard motor. I helped a little with that job.
Later, as a teen I had a Mazda B2200 that would burn a bit of oil, so I took off the head and replaced the rings without removing the engine. That was probably a mistake. But I guess I learned a bit. My brother picked up a Celica GT-S, and I helped remove and install the engine a couple of times as he attempted unsuccessfully to rebuild it.
In the ~25 years since then, I've managed to avoid most the worst mechanical engine problems. Until recently, I had a recessed valve seat on a 2.3 Ranger with ~275k miles. Put in a junkyard head and now it's at 295k. That job was easy and cheap! I also did a set of head gaskets on a 3.8 Ford long ago, but that's not really "rebuild" territory...
Later, as a teen I had a Mazda B2200 that would burn a bit of oil, so I took off the head and replaced the rings without removing the engine. That was probably a mistake. But I guess I learned a bit. My brother picked up a Celica GT-S, and I helped remove and install the engine a couple of times as he attempted unsuccessfully to rebuild it.
In the ~25 years since then, I've managed to avoid most the worst mechanical engine problems. Until recently, I had a recessed valve seat on a 2.3 Ranger with ~275k miles. Put in a junkyard head and now it's at 295k. That job was easy and cheap! I also did a set of head gaskets on a 3.8 Ford long ago, but that's not really "rebuild" territory...
Yep for sure. Until it was way overheated, it tool all kinds of teenager abuse. Love that motor.
I think in years the only thing the motor needed was a new distributor cam. I always wondered why the dwell angle didn't come up to 30 when the point gap was at .016". Put a reman unit in and the car picked up all kinds or torque and it already had a ton. Then with the great Buick Super Turbine 400 with the switch-pitch converter allowed you to run highway gears but still get off the line with gusto. - Ken
I forgot the 1969 Ford Fairlane 500 sports roof tale. Duh.
This is around 1978. Car kept snapping motor mounts when you launched it hard. 428 Cobra Jet with a top loader and a 12 bolt. Well one day it started running lumpy and burning oil. Ignored that for a bit. Thought it was the distributor cap acting up. They loved to cross fire. Well it got worse. Decided to pull the heads and do a valve job as the car was getting near 80K miles.
Did the job in a unheater garage on sub freezing weather in the Winter. No fun. Jumping ahead, when the drivers side head came off, I was wiping out the cyls and then got to number 8. Uh-Oh. the cylinger wall was gouged up and down 90 degress from the load wall. Thought a ring broke, but when we pulled the piston the floater clip must of come off and the wrist pin slipped up against the cylinder. I could barely afford the 3 angle valve job. My buddy knew where there was a wrecked ford wagon with a 390, so he towed that to the garage and we pulled that motor. It was neglected and all sludged up. REALLY sludged up - like thick grey caulk kind of sludge. Must of lost a head gasket at some point. Cleaned that lump up, in the car it went then on went the CJ heads. They fit, they didn't leak. Car ran O.K. Sold the car to some Saudi Prince attending Phillips Academy. John-John Kennedy was also attending at the time. Saleh Kept coming around the McDonald's hangout in town and wanting to buy the Cobra-Jeet.
Sold it to him for 550 bucks. What's that worth now?!
Similar model, but mine was a greenish-blue colour
This is around 1978. Car kept snapping motor mounts when you launched it hard. 428 Cobra Jet with a top loader and a 12 bolt. Well one day it started running lumpy and burning oil. Ignored that for a bit. Thought it was the distributor cap acting up. They loved to cross fire. Well it got worse. Decided to pull the heads and do a valve job as the car was getting near 80K miles.
Did the job in a unheater garage on sub freezing weather in the Winter. No fun. Jumping ahead, when the drivers side head came off, I was wiping out the cyls and then got to number 8. Uh-Oh. the cylinger wall was gouged up and down 90 degress from the load wall. Thought a ring broke, but when we pulled the piston the floater clip must of come off and the wrist pin slipped up against the cylinder. I could barely afford the 3 angle valve job. My buddy knew where there was a wrecked ford wagon with a 390, so he towed that to the garage and we pulled that motor. It was neglected and all sludged up. REALLY sludged up - like thick grey caulk kind of sludge. Must of lost a head gasket at some point. Cleaned that lump up, in the car it went then on went the CJ heads. They fit, they didn't leak. Car ran O.K. Sold the car to some Saudi Prince attending Phillips Academy. John-John Kennedy was also attending at the time. Saleh Kept coming around the McDonald's hangout in town and wanting to buy the Cobra-Jeet.
Sold it to him for 550 bucks. What's that worth now?!
Similar model, but mine was a greenish-blue colour
if you mean chevrolet they didn’t.…. and were put into the most abused vehicles (trucks). just about any BOP or caddy family engine was longer lived and better built
by volume chev v8s probably accounted for the vast majority of engine swap jobs in their prime
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I meant by comparison to many of today's aluminum variants.
My '17 Infiniti Q60 w/VR30DDTT engine was replaced last November @ 33k miles because one of the two turbos developed a whistle under boost, and the fault was traced to a failed center bearing that allowed the impeller to contact the compressor housing, causing the whistle. Since the impeller rub was potentially dumping metallic bits into the intake tract, Infiniti chose to replace not only both turbos, but also the long block, too.
Warranty retail cost listed on the receipt? $37k USD.
It was at the dealer for two weeks, and replaced under the 6-yr/70k mile Powertrain Warranty, which was timing-out just 4 days after the initial service diagnosis/appointment.
Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good!
Warranty retail cost listed on the receipt? $37k USD.
It was at the dealer for two weeks, and replaced under the 6-yr/70k mile Powertrain Warranty, which was timing-out just 4 days after the initial service diagnosis/appointment.
Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good!
That's basically routine maintenance for a Beetle with the air cooled engine.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee around 2001 can have two major engine issues with the 4.0. Cracked head with 0331 casting number. Cracked piston skirts.
I had the cracked piston skirts and the net was engine replacement.
Had to? No. Did I? Yes, my brother and I did a few swaps in front of our parents house using a tree limb, with a coffing hoist.
Yep, my old memory says #3 exhaust valves were the most common. Been there many times until I finally went to VW anonymous.
The #3 cylinder was the one with the oil cooler, IIRC, so it ran the hottest.
Curious as to what the engine sold for.
My dad put 120k on a 70 beetle and 145 k on a 74 super with no engine repairs.
Considering only my personal vehicles over the years: never had to REPLACE an engine, but I have had to do some major repairs and also a couple transmissions.
Transmissions: My '94 STS, my '91 Regal, and my '03 Marauder.
Engines: The worst offender was my '95 Mazda Millenia with the 2.5 V6. The rear bank cam seal blew out, causing the camshaft journal to grind away the head casting which eventually snapped the camshaft itself, as it was idling. Bent valves, the whole nine.
I pulled the head myself, sourced a rebuilt unit on eBay, and she was good as new. I adored that car.
Transmissions: My '94 STS, my '91 Regal, and my '03 Marauder.
Engines: The worst offender was my '95 Mazda Millenia with the 2.5 V6. The rear bank cam seal blew out, causing the camshaft journal to grind away the head casting which eventually snapped the camshaft itself, as it was idling. Bent valves, the whole nine.
I pulled the head myself, sourced a rebuilt unit on eBay, and she was good as new. I adored that car.
Too many to list beginning with my 1st road car a 1951 chevy with power glide and 216 6cyl. Am presently changing out the 454 and having a 6.2 with 6 speed from a 2011 Camaro installed. At 80 years of age with chronic back problems can no longer do the heavy stuff but refuse to give up.
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