master engine rebuild kit

[windyviews]

Hello everyone this may be my first SHO purchase if somebody can give me some information. I just went and looked at 97 SHO today that a guy was selling very cheap. He originally told me that the engine ran great and it only need brakes tires and a new rim, but after getting to actually see the car I soon found out that car would barely turn over. He told me that the previous owner had the cams welded and he only parked it because the brake problems and it needed tires and a rim. Oh yeah I forgot to mention the rims are 18" so the new rim would be about $270 and tires even more so he just parked it. It has been sitting for about a year to a year and a half and he never started since he parked it. He did say that is was running when he parked it. Any insight as to what may be causing the engine to not want to turn over. I thought maybe a headgasket leak that allowed antifreeze into cyclinder walls and siezed them up. Is there anybody that makes a engine rebuild kit for this engine??? If I could find out how much a rebuild kit is and if I could get the car cheap enough I may buy it. Thanks for any info that anyone may have.

 

[SuperHO]

Didja hook jumper cables up to it? chances are, sitting that long, the battery's pretty flat. If it's turning over (even barely), I'd say the engine ain't locked....which is obviously a good thing.

Try jumping it off....see if that helps. If, even with jumper cables hooked up, it still doesn't wanna spin over, I'd suggest looking elsewhere...

 

[windyviews]

SuperHO I put a brand new battery in the car before trying to start it. I don't think jumping would do anything different other than possibly burn up the starter. The positive wires coming off the battery got very hot when I tried starting the car. It also made and awful metal to metal squeel when trying to start it. Do you think that maybe a bearing is siezed up in crank, rod, or cams? Thanks for the reply.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

Probably rusted cylinder walls since it sat for long without even being turned over. Just a thought. And there is no really cheap rebuild kit. Someone else will chip in and tell ya just how much gaskets and bolts (torque to yield ones) will cost. And that's just the start.

 

[windyviews]

Thanks Paul that is kinda what I figured but I was thinking of getting a new block and rebuilding motor but I can't seem to find anyone that offers rebuild kits for this motor. Anyone with contacts or ballpark prices for rebuilding please chime in.

 

[SuperHO]

yeeeaah...at this point, money spent rebuilding the engine (or finding a new one) could be just as well spent on a fully operation gen III....how much is this guy asking for this car?

 

[windyviews]

well he is actually only asking $800 for the car. But I don't know if I could find a used motor anywhere close to me.

 

[nothingtoseehere]

NESHO sells engines ... and they are in Spencer MA

 

[windyviews]

Does anybody think that this may just be a starter problem? The car has 106000 miles on it and the cams were welded. I don't know how often the starters on these cars go bad and it has been sitting for more than a year.

 

[nothingtoseehere]

my car has 186,000 miles on it. No starter problems, ever. Who did the welds? Have you taken the valve covers off to verify that it was welded? If it was welded by someone who did not know what they were doing, the cams could still fail.

 

[luigisho]

Or the seller could be aware of the cam issue and lying.

 

[windyviews]

I am going back this weekend and I am going to take off the front cam cover to verify that the cams have been welded. I firgure that if the fronts are welded probably the rears are as well. I am also going to take the starter off just to verify that it is working also. I did find some used engines for reasonable prices so I think that I will be purchasing this car so look for more post from me. I will have 3 good mile miglia 18" wheels for sale once I get the car. The 4th wheel will need to be straightened to be used. So look for those in coming weeks.

Thanks everybody!
John Thomas

 

[luigisho]

Even if you see that welding was performed it doesn't mean the welds haven't failed. There are pictures online of a failed welded cam recently. It should be welded by only a few people with the requisite experience and lack of failure-- post weld.

 

[ectuomnie]

Just to add my two cent, a rebuild kit for this car cost nearly 15k last time I checked.

The long block cost $17,200....for a comparison the long block on the Ford GT costs 13k.

 

[ArkanSHO]

Just to add my two cent, a rebuild kit for this car cost nearly 15k last time I checked.
The long block cost $17,200....for a comparison the long block on the Ford GT costs 13k.

First thing I have to ask is where are people getting this "Long block" figure from?
I not only haven't seen a long block since the guy who bought the RHD (no, not "Right Hand Drive") motors still in the crate but 2 years before that I got mine for $4,000 new in the crate. I am not confident that the guy selling the "short-block" isn't inflating that price to make his look reasonable.
Also, if it has been sitting for two years without being turned over, yes, the cylinders will not be lubricated. I personally would spray some lubricant, maybe even WD-40 into the cylinders down the plug ports to prevent the cracking of a ring before cranking it over. And crank it over a few times while the plugs are still out to bring up the oil pressure so when it starts the lack of oil pressure in conjunction with the loads present when it fires off doesn't tear the engine all to ****.
Rebuild kits are not easy to come buy, certainly not as easy as a used engine and there are few that can even do these engines justice not to mention the expense involved. A little time up front will save you a bunch later. Just my two cents.