I guess my first question is.
Is it even worth it to rebuild?? or better to just drop in a nice used engine?

I ask because coming up this week my car is getting parked in the garage and going under the knife so to speak.
It starting to smoke consistently on startup, I have some timing chain tensioner whines, and a little valve train rattle.
Ive thought about rebuilding with some beefed up products, but more then likely she'll just stay NA. So I have also considered going the 2k1 engine with VI route.

From a cost perspective my original plans were to have the heads rebuilt, ported etc. Replace the timing chaing and tensioners, and water pump. Maybe throw on a mevi but thats about it plus of course the normal NA mods.

I need to have the car down a short a time as possible although I do have a beater car. It just sucks making payments on a car you arent driving.

Car Info
1999 SE-L 5spd 151k

 

It will be much cheaper to drop in a used, low mileage engine.

 

Used motor with low miles= more better

In educated terms, it takes alot less to drop in a motor with low miles than it is to rebuild a motor. This will save you time and $ since less things have to be changed. Good luck keep us posted

 

go for the 2k1

 

The DE-K drops right in, right? How many things do you need to do in order to get it to work in a 4th gen?

 

IIRC, the DE-K drops right in no problem. For the VI manifold, all you need is an RPM switch. I dont remember if some of the sensors have to be swapped from your 4th gen motor. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 

A used drop in, thinner headgasket to gain some compression points and slighter bigger cams with be nice.

Sam

 

wow thats just like an extra 1000+ dollars for bigger cams.

 

Very true. I keep neglecting the fact that it's a Vee motor. I've always owned inline's.

Sam

 

If you use the full DE-K engine, there are some sensors you can reuse, but for the injectors, you will need the de-k injector plugs. I'm not sure if the coil pack plugs are the same.

 

I will check soon to see if hte coil pack connectors are the same...

 

Same problem i have a 152 thousand miles and i just blew my head gasket and my mechanic is telling me to get the heads bored .10 over and get a port and polish job but keep the same block and rebuild the bottomend.. should i listen to him or just get a new engine... i have a 96 5spd and im dropping in the fidanza flywheel and act stage 2 clutch which i already have just waiting for the engine to be taken out .... what would be the best way to go maybe new engine with new cams? please any and all feed back would be much help because winter is almost over here in ny and i need my baby back! i also have about 4 grand to play with if that helps thanks

 

How much hp is that head boring going to net you?

 

If you have 4k to burn, replace your VQ30 by a VQ35 and pay someone else to do the job so you don't commit suicide like me

 

I would suggest finding a new mechanic

 

is there a write up anywhere on how to drop in a 3.5 what is needed etc.? could someone perhaps send me a link because i cannot search... thanks.

 

It's all over the all motor section. There are only 4 pages to go through. The All motor section is months old, literally.