Blown Engine on my 2003 Protege5. Need Advice!

[Champloo12]

Well guys, I haven't even had her a year yet and the engine on her blew last week. The engine inside of it was a salvage from a wreck and it burnt oil like nobody's business. Long story short it lost a bunch of oil and POP goes the engine.

I need some help deciding on if I should find a cheap engine and get my friends shop to install it or just part it out and buy another car? If I'm looking to get the engine does anyone else here know where I could maybe find a good deal? I'd even be up to installing a mazdaspeed engine. But if you guys think I should part it out would you guys be interested in a part out? And do you think that's the best way to get the most money back from the car? Right now my insurance won't write me a check.

Thanks for the advice fellas. I know a lot of you guys are a lot more experienced than I am when it comes to these kinds of things.

Cheers!

 

[MrGiggles]

Well guys, I haven't even had her a year yet and the engine on her blew last week. The engine inside of it was a salvage from a wreck and it burnt oil like nobody's business. Long story short it lost a bunch of oil and POP goes the engine.

I need some help deciding on if I should find a cheap engine and get my friends shop to install it or just part it out and buy another car? If I'm looking to get the engine does anyone else here know where I could maybe find a good deal? I'd even be up to installing a mazdaspeed engine. But if you guys think I should part it out would you guys be interested in a part out? And do you think that's the best way to get the most money back from the car? Right now my insurance won't write me a check.

Thanks for the advice fellas. I know a lot of you guys are a lot more experienced than I am when it comes to these kinds of things.

Cheers!

Usually when parting out a car you can probably expect around 2 grand, depending on the options and desirable parts, with a lot of work on your part. That's just a ballpark figure, it can vary greatly depending on many factors.

I don't know what you have invested in the car, or what it's gonna cost you to have the engine installed. I bought my car cheap because it was burning oil (1800 bucks), threw in a low-miles JDM engine and new clutch (1000 bucks) and now have a car that's worth 4500.

While checking car-part.com I found most used engines to be 600 bucks and up with 100k+ miles. The JDM engine was 850 shipped and was just as described, low mileage, runs great. A junkyard is significantly cheaper, but you have no idea of the engine's history.

 

[Champloo12]

Hey MrGiggles I really appreciate the words! After checking car-part.com I found a couple engines that I would be interested in getting. I talked to a friend who owns a shop and he said he'd be wiling to remove and replace an engine for $800. That's a deal compared to the $3500 estimates the other shops gave me for the entire job. Right now I've put new suspension, springs, short shifter, and intake. I think I'm going to try and replace the engine. Does the JDM one straight swap? It sounds like you found a deal.

Thanks!

 

[MrGiggles]

Hey MrGiggles I really appreciate the words! After checking car-part.com I found a couple engines that I would be interested in getting. I talked to a friend who owns a shop and he said he'd be wiling to remove and replace an engine for $800. That's a deal compared to the $3500 estimates the other shops gave me for the entire job. Right now I've put new suspension, springs, short shifter, and intake. I think I'm going to try and replace the engine. Does the JDM one straight swap? It sounds like you found a deal.

Thanks!

To do it right, you need to strip the JDM engine down the long block, and transfer everything (intake and throttle body, crank pulley/sensor, exhaust manifold, knock sensor, alternator, starter, etc.) to it from the blown engine.

I bought my JDM engine from jdmenginescorp.com. There are many different importers throughout the country though. The going rate is usually around 800 bucks including shipping for one.

From what I've read, Japan has strict emissions laws and inspections that make it financially unfeasible to drive a vehicle that has high mileage, so most get exported before reaching 50k miles. My engine was just as described, runs perfect and the engine was very clean. Check my build thread for a couple photos of it.

 

[Champloo12]

Hey guys just an update. I found a local JDM dealer who had a FSZE for 650 with 50k miles on it but I decided to go ahead and get the factory FSDE for $700 and 90k miles shipped from Philly. I want to turbo the car one day, so having the USA spec engine with lower compression will allow me to do that. Engine will be here soon and I'll update one last time when everything is up and running!