I'm in the early stages of rebuilding a 1973 2.0 engine and I am adding up the costs to go through with the rebuild. This engine will be only used for the street and will be set up with a stock D-Jet fuel injection (known working).

I am having second thoughts after investigating the costs of the parts. I have my doubts that I will end up with something worth the money spent in the end.

The engine that I am starting with has an unknown history, but was complete when I took it apart. While dissassembling the engine, I determined that I need quite a few new parts including:

Oil Pump
New Cam (old one is totally worn out)
Lifters (all old lifters are either flat or concave)
Gaskets
Bearings (all of them)
R/R Connecting Rods
Polish the crank (the engine case is straight)
New Rings (for my spare set of low mile Euro P/C)

Just with this short list my cost exceeds $1000 without starting with the heads....

The head work required will more than likely be over $1000 as well. I would need:

Intake Valves
Intake Valve Guides
Exhaust Valves
Exhaust Valve Guides
Valve keepers
Valve Adjuster Screws & Nuts
New Exhaust studs
New Valve Springs
New Valve Seats (potentially I don't know about this one)

I would consider putting off the head work, but if I drop a valve head, I could destroy the engine.


Should I rebuild the engine as it should be, or should I convert to a more economical (american) engine????

I have looked up pricing of components from Pelican Parts, Performance Products, Aircooled Technology, GPR, etc.... Anyone know of any other sources that may have better pricing???

Thanks for looking

Yep, it will be a few thousand bucks. Any sort of conversion to another engine will run you at least that much. Lots more work and time/energy working the bugs out, as you open a new can of worms depending on what engine you use.

Yup...
What Travis said.

It also might be intereresting to take a look at the performance options you could have, if you choose to go faster..

The advantage of rebuilding an engine is the ability to gain 20 or more horsepower for a minimal amount of greater investment.

I think my engine is a great example. I simply adressed the piston, barrel combination and tossed in a bit of a bigger cam and a few other goodies like carbs.

And VOILA.. Insta fast engine...!!! YEAH..!!!!!!!!!

Of course after I bought the knife edged stroker crank, The ported heads, the ceramic lifters and a few other assorted parts. I was in this paritcular engine a couple of more dollars that I had originally planned for.

In fact come to think of it.... The engine cost 3 times as much as the car....
Oh well... it's only money..... (Gulp)

Pardon me for a minute... I'm gunna go stab myself...........

Twystd1

Welcome to reality! Parts cost money, as does machine work. You do it right, it'll last for years, and you have the satisfaction of having kept the car as it was designed. It'll end up being more valuable in terms of ROI should you go to resell it.
BTW, what makes you so sure the oil pump needs to be replaced. Stock oil pumps rarely fail, or even wear out. The Cap'n

i love my rebuilt 2.0

I rebuilt my 2.0 and kept it stock with the exception of euro p/c's, cam, hd oil pump and ss heat exchangers.

I like the way it turned out and I believe it should last me for more miles than I'll ever put on it...

QUOTE

BTW, what makes you so sure the oil pump needs to be replaced. Stock oil pumps rarely fail, or even wear out. The Cap'n

Well, since the engine and it's history is unlnown to me, I figured that I would be better off changing it now instead of waiting until it is installed to find that I should have replaced it.

I do realize things cost money. I entered reality 20 years ago when I first aquired my 914 street car.

With the (planned) eventual conversion to a 6 (or something else), I am having second thoughts about sinking this cash into this engine. Perhaps I would be money ahead just running the one in the car until it breaks (it still has that damn annoying exhaust leak when hot) and then have an actual reason to do an engine swap......

I will not go back to carbs on a 4-cyl. BTDT and hated it most of the time. In my opinion, the stock fuel injection beats carbs hands down.

I highly doubt that the car will ever be sold, so originality is not high on the priority list (it is fairly original right now though).

Modernize it a tad.. Swap to a more efficient camshaft, add a set of 96s to make it a 2056 and bump up the CR a tad.. 15 more HP easily and a more usable RPM range.

my 9550 camshaft works so well that I literally cannot keep them in stock, it is specifically for stock EFI.

and it literally cost the same as building it back 100% stock..
And I have all these parts and can assist you in doing the job ONCE... Something thats priceless.

I wouldnt rebuild it stock period....

I would at least do what Jake says. Then you can just "Say" its stock... and go auto x stock class... lol

So Jake ARE they in stock yet? I gots money burnin a hole ....

We got 5 or so in today, but I think they were all spoken for.. The only way to get one is order it and wait....

Jake,

I don't want to do the cylinders at this time, but it is a thought.

I have been meaning to get in touch with you concerning your recommendations for:

cam (9550 ???)
double thrust cam bearings
Main Bearings
Rod Bearings
lifters
rings (94mm MAHLE "Euro" Pistons & Cylinders)
oil pump

You can PM or E-mail me, or I'll contact you on your store site.

Okay...
Either send a question through the site OR call me tonight at 706 219 4874- Its Monday so I am doing book work all night and will be by the phone as late as you want to ring me.

OR all the parts are on my store site at www.type4store.com you can look them up yourself there..

QUOTE (JOHNMAN @ Sep 12 2005, 03:14 PM)

Jake, I don't want to do the cylinders at this time, but it is a thought. I have been meaning to get in touch with you concerning your recommendations for: cam (9550 ???) double thrust cam bearings Main Bearings Rod Bearings lifters rings (94mm MAHLE "Euro" Pistons & Cylinders) oil pump You can PM or E-mail me, or I'll contact you on your store site.

Yup, I got the 9550 cam, some new lifters, German bearings, and a new 26mm oil pump from Jake for my 2056.
Its a good way to go and if ya call him, he walks you thru what you need to order or changes the order so its exactly what you should order.

Well, I sent Jake a message through his website, he called the house and spoke with my wife.

So, my wife basically answered my original question by stating that it was NOT worthwhile, especially when I have plans to convert the car to a 914-6 sometime in the future.


"If you are going to spend money on an engine, why not spend it on what you want to end up with....."


So now I have this torn apart, cleaned up 2.0 engine with worn bearings, bad cam, bad lifters, etc.

Should I simply re-assemble it the way it is? I suppose this is what I will end up doing as it will take up much less space and won't get misplaced that way.....

I suppose that if this engine were ever to get rebuilt, I know what parts it needs.



As for my currently running engine, I have decided to try putting my old headers on it to determine if my exhaust leak is indeed a head leak or simply a crappy SSI Heat exchanger making the noise when hot.