I'm faced with with a problem and i don't know what the best way to solve it is.
Last year my 88 7mgte threw a rod. Well, this is an assumption. My car pretty suddenly started making an outrageous racket. Kinda of like a pissed off midget inside my engine with a sledgehammer. Not a happy sound. I figured it was a rod, and my mechanic agreed after listening to it. I should also note that Dave (mechanic) specializes in Mk3's and is a proud owner himself.
Now, I need to decide if I want to get a new (used) engine, or tear apart the one I have and put it back together so it's happy. The engine I have has a damned-near new top end. When the HG blew a few years ago, it was replaced with a Titan 1.4mm MLS gasket, new cams, new valve train, and a new cyl head. Assuming that the piston isn't slamming into the head, this all has less than 5000 miles on it and should be fine. The rest of the engine has probably about 155k on it. I can get a new crankshaft, with bearings for under $400 from NAPA, so adding in rods and possibly pistons, I'd be looking at maybe $600 give or take for parts to rebuild the bottom end. If I bought e new engine, I'd be spending at least that much on the engine itself, not including the cost of shipping/pick-up.
Another problem is that I can't afford to have someone else do the work, so I'd have to do it myself, regardless of which route I take. I do have some friends that would help me out, and are pretty knowledgeable, but none of them have ever worked on a supra before, and though I'm not quite noob-level, I've never done anything as complicated as a tear-down and rebuild or an engine swap. Either way, I'd be looking at doing a shit load of reading, then diving in and learning the rest as I go.
I kind of like the idea of rebuilding the bottom end. I can get the parts locally, which is nice, and I know that the rest of the engine is good. Or rather, I know where the rest of the problems are. If I get a new engine, I really have no idea what I'm getting, no matter how good the reputation of the seller is. On the other hand, I am guaranteed a running engine from the get go, and the various engine importers/resellers out there all offer support to an extent.
So what do I do? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
PS- If you want to help, that would be appreciated too! :biglaugh:
Last year my 88 7mgte threw a rod. Well, this is an assumption. My car pretty suddenly started making an outrageous racket. Kinda of like a pissed off midget inside my engine with a sledgehammer. Not a happy sound. I figured it was a rod, and my mechanic agreed after listening to it. I should also note that Dave (mechanic) specializes in Mk3's and is a proud owner himself.
Now, I need to decide if I want to get a new (used) engine, or tear apart the one I have and put it back together so it's happy. The engine I have has a damned-near new top end. When the HG blew a few years ago, it was replaced with a Titan 1.4mm MLS gasket, new cams, new valve train, and a new cyl head. Assuming that the piston isn't slamming into the head, this all has less than 5000 miles on it and should be fine. The rest of the engine has probably about 155k on it. I can get a new crankshaft, with bearings for under $400 from NAPA, so adding in rods and possibly pistons, I'd be looking at maybe $600 give or take for parts to rebuild the bottom end. If I bought e new engine, I'd be spending at least that much on the engine itself, not including the cost of shipping/pick-up.
Another problem is that I can't afford to have someone else do the work, so I'd have to do it myself, regardless of which route I take. I do have some friends that would help me out, and are pretty knowledgeable, but none of them have ever worked on a supra before, and though I'm not quite noob-level, I've never done anything as complicated as a tear-down and rebuild or an engine swap. Either way, I'd be looking at doing a shit load of reading, then diving in and learning the rest as I go.
I kind of like the idea of rebuilding the bottom end. I can get the parts locally, which is nice, and I know that the rest of the engine is good. Or rather, I know where the rest of the problems are. If I get a new engine, I really have no idea what I'm getting, no matter how good the reputation of the seller is. On the other hand, I am guaranteed a running engine from the get go, and the various engine importers/resellers out there all offer support to an extent.
So what do I do? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
PS- If you want to help, that would be appreciated too! :biglaugh:
