Rebuild or Replace?

[sneakypete]

I don't know how well known this deal is, but Ace at Zankoku Performance sells a rebuilt long block for $950. I bet that would drop even lower if he used your good head and gasket. That would probably get you a good inspection to be sure it is still OK.

i had no idea he sells built blocks.... good to know

 

[revmatcher]

I would at the least pull the oil pan and look at the internals. If all seemed well and you just had rod knock I would put in some new rod bearings and do several oil changes in a short time period to get any funk out of the motor.

 

[mkiiSupraMan18]

^ and what about the crank? I don't think that is a good idea at all.

I've had nothing but good luck out of JDM engines... but would much rather have an engine rebuilt rather than buy a mystery box.

 

[suprarich]

I would at the least pull the oil pan and look at the internals. If all seemed well and you just had rod knock I would put in some new rod bearings and do several oil changes in a short time period to get any funk out of the motor.

Post like this, is why people will have rod knock again within a week, and blame it on the poor design of the 7m.

 

[sneakypete]

lol...

 

[ForcedTorque]

i had no idea he sells built blocks.... good to know

This post made me question my memory. I'm thinking that it could have been 927mgtepat (who is now banned) who had that deal on a rebuilt longblock. I looked up the post where I think I saw it, and it was wiped clean, with an explanation saying he wasn't a vendor, and it was clearly a post advertising for business. That thread is now closed. Sorry for spreading wrong info! I will edit my posts.

 

[GrimJack]

A good rebuild will always be better than a drop in used engine.

 

[Oldsupraman]

So how hard is it to tear apart the bottom end and replace the crank, bearings, rods, etc? I don't have a lot of time to work on it, maybe an day each week, but should I count on not being able to drive her at all this summer, or is there a chance I'll get it done in time for an August cruise? Also, I've seen these dvds for sale on EBay that say they're a how-to for rebuilding a 7m. Anyone know if these are any good or if they're a straight up waste of $20?

The EBay dvd is of marginal value. It is cheaply produced and doesn't work with all dvd players. The air compressor in the video is annoying and often drowns out the mechanic's voice. The example engine is fairly clean; so many problems don't get treated. (For example, the head is not disassembled.) Most important, the mechanic takes a bunch of short cuts that you should avoid, like reusing the stock bolts. He does give a few good lessons for a beginner, like always remember to turn your torque wrench back to zero. Just don't think you are ready to start once you've seen it.

 

[Neodeuccio]

The EBay dvd is of marginal value. It is cheaply produced and doesn't work with all dvd players. The air compressor in the video is annoying and often drowns out the mechanic's voice. The example engine is fairly clean; so many problems don't get treated. (For example, the head is not disassembled.) Most important, the mechanic takes a bunch of short cuts that you should avoid, like reusing the stock bolts. He does give a few good lessons for a beginner, like always remember to turn your torque wrench back to zero. Just don't think you are ready to start once you've seen it.

Doesn't sound like it's worth the money. I figured that would be the case, but I saw it out there and thought I'd ask.

So what I'm getting from this thread is that I really need to get my old man to clear out the garage (or let me clear it out) so I can get the supra in and the engine out. Once I've got that taken care of, I'll probably have to past again with my findings.

Thanks so much to everyone for the advice!