Replace or get fixed...

[Aido C]

I think the best way for me to get the car up and running again is to replace the engine. Theres a crowd in England that sell second hand and reconditioned engines. They're called Mr Engine. Its £500 for a reconditioned engine + £70 shipping to Ireland. The engine comes with a 6 month warranty. They say they put a full new gasket set and ring set on and change the bearings and seals (and replace other parts too).
It seems quite cheap. Has anyone here ever dealt with them before.
If they really do all the work they say they do this might be the best option. I just seems a little to cheap. There's only a £50 difference in price between a second hand engine and a reconditioned engine off them.


The website is http://www.mrengine.net/

[steelroe]

I would be very surprised if anyone could supply a fully re-conned engine for that kind of money. The parts alone would cost more than that.

Must have missed something here but why are you changing engine, thought you were only having starting issues.

[crayzidane]

is the car a non runner completely?
cos i saw you on the m50 @ 1 o'clock on wednesday

[CJ]

Aido, why do you need to go to the extent of getting a new engine? Unless the internals are knackered (which I doubt they are), I wouldn't be going out spending the guts of a grand on a new one. That one from the UK sounds very cheap, I'm not saying that they'e not genuine but I'd err on the side of caution.

My suggestion to you is get a second opinion - call Paul Nolan and get him to take a look.

CJ

[Johnk]

Not sure about these guy's but sometime when you buy an engine from people like this that's all you get, so all the extra bit have to be put on ,you just get the bear engine also you have to send them your 1 back or they will not give you the warranty Which would also add extra cost

[optical illusion]

What's going on Aido why the new engine all of a sudden??

Sounds a bit dodge to me.

[Aido C]

thought you were only having starting issues.

I brought the car to a mechanic last week and put in 2 new relays and did a bit of rewiring cause no power was going to the injectors and plugs.

The car was running, just no mivec and an engine warning light on. When I did a diagnostic it said 'injection system'. I looked up injection system in the manual and pretty much anything to do with the engine comes under injection system.

is the car a non runner completely?
cos i saw you on the m50 @ 1 o'clock on wednesday

Did you not see the smoke?

The water pump burst when I was on the M50. By the time I notice white smoke was bucketing out of the car and the car had over heated very badly. I only noticed the smoke when I got to the M1 M50 roundabout cause I stopped and just got surrounded in smoke. I got a loan of a compression tester so I'm gonna check that tomorrow.. I think the head gaskets are gone because of the amount of steam that was coming out of the exhaust:( It could be cheaper getting a replacement engine than getting new gaskets, water pump fitted and mivec working again. Then (hopefully) my mivec would be working again and the engine warning light would off. It could cost me a fortune on labour getting the car running properly again. That's why I'm thinking it would be cheaper to get a replacement engine.

[Kace]

If your water pump went then you would have lost all your coolant and may have actually run the engine with little or no coolant. You could have done damage, or it might actually have survived.

To check, fill the car up to the brim through radiator cap and then start it up with the cap still off. Water from the water pump should actually stop pissing out the bottom of the car when you turn it on. Refill it up to the brim and then put the cap on.

This will allow you to drive it for a short distance (few miles) before you have to refill.

Might allow you to check it out anyway - before deciding to get new engine.

[Muad_dib77]

if you do end up getting a new engine you could consider going the vr4 route..

[gary d]

Sorry to hear things have gone tits up Aido, hopefully the compression test shows all is not lost.

[Aido C]

If your water pump went then you would have lost all your coolant and may have actually run the engine with little or no coolant.

Yea, I lost pretty much all the the coolant. I did the compression test and I got 14 bars from all cylinders so it looks like the head gaskets are okay.

[colm_mcm]

and there's no oil in the water or water in the oil?

[Aido C]

and there's no oil in the water or water in the oil?

No, there doesn't seem to be. Not at the moment anyway. I'll take it for a little drive tomorrow and check it again after that.
It's idling a little high though, about 1500 revs which it wasn't doing before. Any ideas what could be the cause of that?

[Muad_dib77]

and there's no oil in the water or water in the oil?

No, there doesn't seem to be. Not at the moment anyway. I'll take it for a little drive tomorrow and check it again after that.
It's idling a little high though, about 1500 revs which it wasn't doing before. Any ideas what could be the cause of that?

Could be related to the other issue..but I'd start by disconnecting the battery for an hour to reset the ecu (is it not 45mins or something guys?)
Then while that's doing it's thing give the stepper motor a bit of a clean.

Forgive me if I'm pointing out the obvious - I find it handy to start with the basics..

[CJ]

but I'd start by disconnecting the battery for an hour to reset the ecu (is it not 45mins or something guys?)

As I found out recently, disconnecting the battery for 5 minutes will clear the ECU EEPROM.

CJ

[Aido C]

Does the mivec run off electrics or is it mechanically run?
I'm thinking about tidying up some of the electrics today. Around the ignition a lot of wires are just twisted together and taped (where they have been cut before) and around the ecu theres a lot of spade connectors used which are know not to be the best.

[colm_mcm]

http://forums.evolutionm.net/04-06-rall ... -work.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgDdbrMh ... PL&index=2

[Aido C]

I took the car for a small drive this morning just about 2 miles and i topped up the water again after 1 mile. When I got home I checked the oil, and the oil and water have mixed
The purpose of taking it for a drive was to see if the oil and water mixed and now I know.

REPLACE OR GET FIXED?

[colm_mcm]

That would point to a head gasket. I'd still say fix.

[Aido C]

That would point to a head gasket. I'd still say fix.

I did a compression test and got 14 bars on each cylinder. Does that not point to the head gasket being ok?

[colm_mcm]

The head gasket can break down at any point. obviusly if the head warped you would have a total breakdown and a free-for all.

however, the gasket can break down between one cylinder and the next (happened on 2 FIATs I had)
It's also possible to have a breakdown in the gasket without losing cylinder compression.

There are people far more qualified than I that can point you in the right direction.