rebuild valve stems or buy new engine

[andy1517]

Hey guys,

i have discovered that my vavlve stem seals are gone, and therefore need replacing.
I have been told by a mechanic that it would be cheaper to buy a 2nd hand engine, or a reconditioned one.

Is this the case and what would my best option be
My current motor is a 1.3ltr zook out of a 94 swb.

I have been quote 895 for an imported G13A, or 1675 for a reconditioned one.

Or should i rebuild mine? - Costings?

Any help would be appreciated.

[nicbeer]

how many K's has it done?

whats the overall condition of the motor?

if you can do some of the works yourself you get out of it a lot cheaper.

[andy1517]

engine has done over 200,000.

im ok with spanners, but not great.

engine has never let me down so far. From what i can tell engine is good.

apart from smoky, and gutless, buts that a 1.3ltr right?

[nicbeer]

hmm 200k is questionable.

Maybe if you can take the head off and get that done and do head reinstall yourself would save some $$.

[Mitchie]

I think it’s about $1000 for a engine rebuild kit on eBay. Search around and you could probably find an aftermarket one for about the same price. Generally 4 cylinders start wanting rebuild around 200,000Km.

[alien]

i thought the valve stem seals could be done through the spark plugs???

[andy1517]

not from what i hear.

every mechanic has said if your doing valve stem seals, may as well rebuild it. However being an old engine 200,000kms, he said the block would need machining as you would have tapered bores and so on.

Think i'm going to buy a 1.3ltr reconditioned motor from suziworld in heidelberg, $1295+tax, with 12month/20,000km warranty.

thoughts?

[11_evl]

not from what i hear.

every mechanic has said if your doing valve stem seals, may as well rebuild it. However being an old engine 200,000kms, he said the block would need machining as you would have tapered bores and so on.

Think i'm going to buy a 1.3ltr reconditioned motor from suziworld in heidelberg, $1295+tax, with 12month/20,000km warranty.

thoughts?

sounds like the safest way to go. Less hassel

[alien]

if you're dead set on changing the engine - upgrade it at the same time - just go 1.6 outright - even if you go the carby 1.6 its a huge improvement on the 1.3 - but if you have spare cash (lol) go the EFI.

[Mitchie]

if you're dead set on changing the engine - upgrade it at the same time - just go 1.6 outright - even if you go the carby 1.6 its a huge improvement on the 1.3 - but if you have spare cash (lol) go the EFI.

I have just done this conversion on my zook I put in an EFI model one picked it up for $1200 including alternator, wiring loom, computer and extractor. I think it is well worth it if you can afford it, and if you want to keep costs down find a carbie 1.6 shouldn’t be much more than a 1.3 and all you’ll need to do is get an adaptor kit and modify your sump.

[blade 929]

i built my 1.3 for $1000 thats rebore piston rings big end and main bearings , full head service ,block decked , cam reground for more mid range all gaskets etc , been about three years now and the oil is still clean as new . easy as to rebuild . but i agree if i was to do it again i'd just buy a 1.6 and build it , i wouldn't just replace yours with a second hand 1.6 without spending a bit and building it that way you know its gunna be good for another 200,000km . do it once and do it right .

cheers Jai

[jdk81]

not from what i hear.

every mechanic has said if your doing valve stem seals, may as well rebuild it. However being an old engine 200,000kms, he said the block would need machining as you would have tapered bores and so on.

Think i'm going to buy a 1.3ltr reconditioned motor from suziworld in heidelberg, $1295+tax, with 12month/20,000km warranty.

thoughts?

The engine in my mates car was blowing heaps of smoke, and the compression was terrible (the engine have been recoed about 30,000 kms ago by previous owner).

He decided to opt for a cheap solution and picked up a barina with 110k kms for $300.
After lots of hard work, and stuffing around the replacement engine started blowing plumes of smoke on the first trip.

Then ended up getting the engine recoed by suzi world.

Ian at suziworld in heidelberg is great. Lots of info and really helpful. Ian sees us so much, he always hangs his head in shame and says "what did you break this time?"

Oh, if you are going to get a reco engine, I assume Ian (from suziworld) would have advised you to get your carbie professionally recoed too.

Oh consider replacing all your rubber hoses, cables and other stuff too.

There is no point doing major works half assed, and ending up with simple crap breaking.

Once you add up the cost of such an overhaul ($1430+$220+extras), upgrading to a 1.6efi starts to look pretty viable.

[andy1517]

ok ok....so what involved with the 1.6? carby and efi?

how much am i realistically going to need. And how does it all fit up against standard 1.3 running gear? engineered?

sorry, just want to know before i go and spend.

[jdk81]

ok ok....so what involved with the 1.6? carby and efi?

how much am i realistically going to need. And how does it all fit up against standard 1.3 running gear? engineered?

sorry, just want to know before i go and spend.

I haven't done this as yet, but when something major happens, its what i plan to do too.

I am keen to get a ballpark figure for the cost and degrees of frustration involved.

[alien]

the adaptor kit takes care of it all marrying up to the sierra bits. Engineering is no worries as its only a small increase in CC's, just need to change the engine number and get an inspection. ($80 in WA).

The big difference is in price between engines - as the carby one comes complete and ready to roll, while the EFI will need the wiring loom and computer and the nouse to fit it all. If you go a setup like my 1.6 - with the carby bottom end (efi pistons though), jimny top end and the vit injectors through to a jimny ecu... looks factory and retains airbox position, and the wiring is clean as - not like some of the rattsnests you see floating around.

[Mitchie]

ok ok....so what involved with the 1.6? carby and efi?

how much am i realistically going to need. And how does it all fit up against standard 1.3 running gear? engineered?

sorry, just want to know before i go and spend.

Well for mine i needed all the following bits:
Ben T 1600 Adaptor kit - $200
G16B EFI - $880
Computer and Loom - $220
Vitara Starter Motor - $65
Airflow Meter - $250 (try to get this and the computer with the engine as it can be hard to find the correct part otherwise, like I did)
Extractors - $100 (second hand came with the motor I believe the factory 1.6 header won’t fit in a sierra)
EFI Fuel Pump, EFI Fuel Hoses and Filter- $100 (VT Holden fuel pump)
New Filters and oils - @ $100


Also it’s a good idea to put in a Heavy Duty Clutch - $320
And for mine I was lazy and had my wiring loom modified for me for $350 by Killa Kustom Kables.

For the conversion you will need off your old 1300:
Oil Sump
Oil Pickup
Engine Mounts
Clutch cable bracket
Flywheel

Now for the conversion just a quick rundown:
1. Pull out your old 1.3 leaving the gearbox in place.
2. Strip off the parts need for the 1.6 off the 1.3 and place them on the 1.6 (note the 1.3 oil pickup will need to be cut and fitted to the 1.6 pickup)
3. Attach the adaptor kit to the right hand engine mount and to the gear box
4. Put the engine back in bolt it up to the gearbox then engine mounts and bolt the starter motor in place.
5. Now you will need to replace your fuel lines (only the rubber lines as the metal ones will still be ok) and put the EFI fuel pump and filter in. I put mine where the old fuel filter used to sit.
6. Wiring now this is up to you, as I didn’t make my own so I’m unsure about this but if you can get a decent wiring diagram you can do it yourself over a few nights.
I thinks that everything.
Note if you get a G16A Carbie engine you won’t need a new loom, fuel pump, or extractors (as the G16A head is almost identical to the 1.3 head.)
Hope this helps with your decision.