I'm looking at a used 2.0 complete engine for $500 includes original FI. The engine won't turn over so it needs a complete rebuild. Is this a fair price?

yes. grab it.

Fair price - grab it.

Wait....won't turn over ?
Do you mean it doesn't start ?...or that the crank will not turn ?
If you mean the crank doesn't turn you better look a lot deeper.
"won't turn over" can be a very expensive pile of scrap..

It's a deal.

Make sure you get all of the FI components, those are worth a couple hundred at least. Unless there is a hole in the case it's a good deal. Those 3 bolt heads are getting VERY HARD to find.

Its only a "deal" if it is not fubar inside.

If the heads are not damaged it is worth $500 just for the heads.

I would invest some effort in trying to at least demonstrate turning it one full turn, but if that is not possible and it really has 2.0L heads (3 bolts, not 4), go for it.

An easy way to see if it will turn is to take out all 4 plugs, put some oil in each, and use a compression test tool in the cylinders to move a piston with air pressure. By hitting each cyl in order, you can make it go all the way around

If it's in good condition it's a very good price.

But with so many of these engines having been abused, exposed to weather and/or hacked up by awful machinists, the only way to be sure if the hard parts beneath the F.I. components are worth the money is to tear it down.

In the last 3 years before we stopped working with used T4 heads we saw over 30 pairs of 2.0 heads that were in such bad condition from hacks and weather and abuse that they were worth scrap price only.

I would grab that in a heartbeat.

Thanks all for the feedback, I'm picking the motor up this morning. Now, in addition to the running 1.7 in my car, I'll have a complete 1.7 and a complete 2.0! Time to start a rebuild!

Nope, nope--terrible deal. Give me the seller's contact info and I will make sure nobody can buy that engine.



--DD

I was thinking the same thing....LOL.

Hope the OP got it, and nice to have a spare with everything at that price, even if it has issues. Nice thing with a spare is you can work on it little by little. Looking for a stock 2.0 myself right now to just put on a home made stand and do what I really want to it over time while I drive the car I have with the engine still in it.

Funny thing is just a few years back many would be telling you this deal really sucked and you'd be an idiot to pay $500 for it.

As long as the internals are not busted up, probably a good deal.

A while back I purchased a 1.8L engine mainly for the dual carbs and SSHE. The engine was frozen. I dumped the oil and over a quart of water came out with the oil.

I removed the spark plugs and squirted oil, penetrating oil, and WD40 in the spark plug holes. Using the alternator pulley bolt, I tried to get the engine to spin.

At first the engine didn't budge. Finally, it moved a very small amount. More oil in the plug holes. I turned the engine back and forth, moving slightly more each time. Finally it spun all the way around.

The compression was ok so I hooked the engine up to fuel, electrics, and it ran! I ended up putting it in my car and drove it for about 3 years.

2.0L engine is home. I won't have time to open it for a while, I want to finish rebuilding my brake calipers first. I did pull the plugs on it, three look OK, but one has a smashed electrode. I put a scope cam down that plug hole and I can see crunched metal. Could be a blown piston, could be a dropped valve seat. More to come when I have time to tear this thing down.

Sorry to hear: "I can see crunched metal"
That was the 'fubar' I referred to above.

I finally got a chance to look this 2.0 over. Good news - So far it looks like this motor has never been apart. Bad news - I haven't pulled the heads yet but I can see that the number 1 exhaust valve is broken and there are chances of broken metal in the cylinder. I'm assuming that the head is toast as a result. Time will tell when I pull the head and inspect further.

It's still worth the $500 for the FI and core parts.

Well, I got the head off. COMPLETE MELT DOWN!!

Number 1 exhaust valve broke, hole in piston, cracked cylinder wall, bent rod, destroyed head. I knew I was taking a chance on this this, but I was hoping it would turn out better than this.

One head, sheet metal, FI parts, and maybe a case, so you are no too far underwater.

If you have a 1.7.....keep the 2.0 Fi, get some new 96 mm PC and 1.8 heads.

....and throw the rest away.

If the engine came complete, there's still a lot of meat on the bone.