Questions About Parts for my Rebuild

I've decided to go ahead and put rings in my P5 with the engine in the car. It smokes like crazy when it's cold, but has good compression and otherwise runs great. Doesn't hardly use oil either, so I believe that my oil rings are full of carbon and not working. The car drives nicely and has 160k right now. I'd like to drive it another 100k if I could.

This is essentially my game plan:
1. Remove valve cover, timing belt, intake and exhaust manifolds, and pull head.
2. Send head off for surfacing/cleaning. Will grind then lap valves and install new seals as well.
3. Remove pistons, inspect bores. If in reasonable shape, light hone.
4. Clean pistons and drain holes, install new rings.
5. Install new rod bearings, plasti-gauge to ensure clearance.
6. Install new timing belt and components.
7. Put it back together.

I am seeking some insight about ordering parts. I can get a complete DNJ Engine Parts rebuild kit for 275 bucks, that includes everything I need except for head bolts and the timing belt. I am little skeptical about the quality of the parts since I don't know what brands they are. Has anybody used this kit?

I'm leaning towards just using separate parts, Fel-Pro head gasket and head bolts, Sealed Power rings and bearings, and a Gates Timing belt. With everything I need this should be comparable in price to the DNJ kit, and I know what I'm getting. There will be a lot of parts I won't use in the DNJ kit too.

Is there anything else I should consider doing while I have the engine apart?

Id go with your 2nd plan of getting the brands you named. Using no name questionable motor parts just doesnt make sense. Its not worth the risk of a $2 seal failing, and having to tear down the entire thing again. And the brands you named are pretty much exactly what i would do myself.

Cool. I've got plans to tear it down next weekend.

I have used DNJ head bolts and gaskets a few times and they have yet to fail on me. I would use them again

hornsfan10609 said:

I have used DNJ head bolts and gaskets a few times and they have yet to fail on me. I would use them again

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Good to know, but by the looks of it, it'll be cheaper to get the parts separately.

The DNJ kit is 275 on its own, a Gates TB kit is another 100, and head bolts are 20. That's about 400 bucks, plus a little more for shipping.

My complete cart including shipping (Fel-Pro Head gasket set and head bolts, Clevite rod bearings, Gates TB kit, and Sealed Power rings) comes to 312 dollars.

I'm also considering one of these, but only if I get my engine torn down and find damage on the crank. At that point it will be better in the long run to just swap another engine in.
http://www.jdmenginescorp.com/engin...6-protege-jdm-fs-de-dohc-2.0l-engine-fs-motor

My engine has a slight tap when you first start it, but is otherwise quiet. Hopefully there won't be any damage on the crank.

good work. Just some advice. I also just had the head off of my P5. I had a burnt exhaust valve on cyl #1. I went ahead and replaced the valve stem oil seals and re lapped the valves. I wish I would have had the valve guides replaced as well. It still puffs blue smoke on start up. The valve stem oil seals were good, but the guides must have been bad. I chose not to take it to the machine shop and have that done. Hind sight I wish I would have.

Just my 2 cents.

Keep in mind these engines having solid lifters, meaning they are noisier than hydraulic based lifter systems.