Swapping engines

[Gilles]

this engine looks great, congratulations!

PS: how old is the new water pump? If kind of new, I would swap it to the new engine, take pictures :-)

[LoneWolfGal]

Originally Posted by Gilles

this engine looks great, congratulations!

PS: how old is the new water pump? If kind of new, I would swap it to the new engine, take pictures :-)

I put it on early last year, and I doubt I've driven the car more than a couple thousand miles since then — too busy working on it — so swapping the water pump might be the way to go. At the very least, I'll keep it as a spare. I can probably scavenge quite a few nice parts from the old engine.

[LoneWolfGal]

Holding that frothy dipstick, I decided right then and there to pay eBay a visit. The thought of dropping the engine and rebuilding it didn't enter my mind. For one thing, I don't have the special tools it would take. For another, it's an engine with 155,000 miles on it. I think I made the right decision.

[Danimal]

I totally agree, too expensive to rebuild these engines or transmissions and hope it goes well.

Hopefully, you’ll be back on the road soon. I think these cars are worth saving!

[husker boxster]

Congrats on scoring a nice engine.

Before scrapping the old one, might be worth taking a few compression tests to pinpoint the problem. It might just be a problem with the oil cooler and the intermix was occurring there.

And now is the best time to easily get to those 'while you're in there' parts. Believe me, having gone the rebuild route, I know it can be expensive to start throwing more $$$ at unbudgeted parts but you'll never have a better chance to get to them like now. Things like radiator hoses, engine mounts, clutch, plugs, coils, fuel injectors, etc.

[LoneWolfGal]

Originally Posted by husker boxster

Congrats on scoring a nice engine.

Before scrapping the old one, might be worth taking a few compression tests to pinpoint the problem. It might just be a problem with the oil cooler and the intermix was occurring there.

And now is the best time to easily get to those 'while you're in there' parts. Believe me, having gone the rebuild route, I know it can be expensive to start throwing more $$$ at unbudgeted parts but you'll never have a better chance to get to them like now. Things like radiator hoses, engine mounts, clutch, plugs, coils, fuel injectors, etc.

Yes, I'm curious to know what actually happened inside the engine. Whatever it is, with oil and coolant mixing I'm sure it's fatal — $4200 sure.

New clutch and IMS bearing make sense. And new engine mounts as well. I hadn't figured on plugs, coils, or injectors, but I'll listen to a convincing argument why I should.

[pilot4fn]

Originally Posted by LoneWolfGal

New clutch and IMS bearing make sense. And new engine mounts as well. I hadn't figured on plugs, coils, or injectors, but I'll listen to a convincing argument why I should.

Do the vacuum canister and all vacuum lines before the new engine goes in and check / change the small vacuum operated valves under the intake as well as the oil filler tube part with a flexible accordion section..

[husker boxster]

Originally Posted by LoneWolfGal

but I'll listen to a convincing argument why I should.

Assuming the engine isn't in yet, you'll never have easier access to those ancillary items. Would suck to put the engine in, then 2 mo from now the water pump goes out. It becomes a balancing act of how much you can budget for those extras, the odds of an old part failing, and the ease of being able to get to it if the engine is in the car. These projects rarely come in under budget, so the 'while you're in there's' always hurt the wallet but might be worth it if you have easy access to them with the engine out.

I had just replaced the front engine mount and my clutch had plenty of meat left on it, so I didn't replace those items. Was glad I replaced the injectors as those were much easier with the engine out and this was on my Cayman - would be more difficult on a Box. I didn't need to change the WP as it was new on my rebuilt engine. Bottom line, I didn't need to spend a lot of aux items, but swapping in a used engine into a more confined area of a Box brings more of them into the equation.

[KevinH1990]

Originally Posted by LoneWolfGal

For another, it's an engine with 155,000 miles on it. I think I made the right decision.

Sorry to hear about your problem, but I like your attitude and decision to make lemonade out of the lemons. I will be watching for updates. Good luck with the swap.

It is a bit disturbing to hear that a 2000 2.7 engine gave up at 155,000 miles. I have about 149,000 miles on what is likely to be an identical engine.

[LoneWolfGal]

Originally Posted by KevinH1990

Sorry to hear about your problem, but I like your attitude and decision to make lemonade out of the lemons. I will be watching for updates. Good luck with the swap.

It is a bit disturbing to hear that a 2000 2.7 engine gave up at 155,000 miles. I have about 149,000 miles on what is likely to be an identical engine.

I hear you. I talked to another 986 owner with just over 300,000 on it, so I was counting on getting more miles out of mine.

[LoneWolfGal]

To add insult to injury, I had recently changed the oil and coolant, and I'd replaced the fuel regeneration valve under the left manifold (without removing the manifold, an advantage to having smaller hands).

Note that all the hoses, wires, and lines are intact on the new engine. In addition to the low miles, that sealed the deal for me. On some engines for sale on eBay they cut those things for expediency when they remove the engines from the cars. The seller struck me as a conscientious guy.