What is the conventional wisdom regarding engines pulled from cars damage in Katrina, etc. For example this item on eBay…

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=8039116011

It is clearly listed as a flood car so there are no apparent shenanigans going on here. I think this is a re-listing as the engine apparently didn’t sell previously. But what is the fair market value for engines like this? What type of special damage can you expect to find in a flood damaged engine vs. a regular high mileage/tired engine to be used as a core in a rebuild? Are flood damaged engines a potentially good source for rebuildable cores?

It's only worth about 700 bucks in core shape... at the most, and rebuildable.

NO NOT REALLY!

Yikes. Swim away!


M

There are too many vairables to make a judgment, I think.....how long was it under water, salt or fresh. Was the water drained ASAP.

I wouldn't spend more than I could afford to loose in Vegas.
Do ya feel lucky?
I'd prolly take a flier @500 for a 3.0L....with the right answers to those questions.

If you look closely, you can see quite a bit of water in the intake. Someone bid that thing up to $2000 and it was a no sale!! I'm thinking it's worth $750 MAX, and that is coming from someone who thinks a complete but tired 3.0L is worth $3000.

The only way of saving any engine that's been submerged in salt water is immediate fresh water flushing, then of course draining it all. Once and if you can get it fired back up (and I'm really speaking more of diesel engines with Mech Fuel Injection and almost NO electrics), the oil needs to be changed at least 3 times.

You can count on writing off anything electrical. The water will also migrate up the wire looms between the strands, corroding from inside out.

As mentioned above, its a core (and not a very good one.. bad electrics) unless somebody rescued it immediately and took all the above steps (of course, if they did, you wouldn't have any water in the intake).

Was the LA floods fresh water, or sea water? Does it matter?

QUOTE (Rob Ways @ Feb 15 2006, 08:48 PM)

Was the LA floods fresh water, or sea water? Does it matter?

Pure (distilled water) is a poor electrolytic solution....water with some mineral content (ground water) is a better electrolyte and sea water is a great electolyte. They had a flood surge of 25' of sea water.

The better the electrolyte, the better electon transfer between dissimilar metals....look at the aluminum fan housing, look at the steel straps and then think of the engine case (magnesium/aluminum alloy), crank, rods, cams, rockers, timing chains, piston pins, valves, oil pump (steel), pistons (aluminum alloy) etc...... Just how much are you willing to replace on a chance......

How long was it under water?

How much debri (mud, etc) got into the engine?

Will it still turn 360 degrees?

Remember, it is a dry sump engine and there isn't that much of an oil protecticve coating in the engine.

Just thoughts......We are core buyers / warehousers / sellers....we do not buy "flood" parts except for scrap purposes.

I was at their shop 2 weeks ago when I got my orange roller. I saw the car that this engine came from. It was definitely under water. Water is in the gauges, etc. There is a lot of salt water corrosion on the car. By the way, I have bought a lot of stuff from them and they were always straight forward and fair to me.

hope this helps.

It looks like the car was under water for quite some time. I wonder how many crabs it caught, or how many fish swam out as the flood waters receeded.

I'm sorry, but I wouldn't even give $500. I don't think you could clean up the case and end up with anything. The cooling shroud and some of the plastic items might clean up.

I'd like the wheels off that car....

QUOTE (LvSteveH @ Feb 15 2006, 08:02 PM)

If you look closely, you can see quite a bit of water in the intake. Someone bid that thing up to $2000 and it was a no sale!! I'm thinking it's worth $750 max, and that is coming from someone who thinks a complete but tired 3.0L is worth $3000.

I saw that it went to what I thought was insane levels when it was on eBay previously and still didn't sell.

Thanks for the feedback.

Run Away!


How many 914's do you see in the side mirror.

QUOTE (J P Stein @ Feb 15 2006, 03:52 PM)

There are too many vairables to make a judgment, I think.....how long was it under water, salt or fresh. Was the water drained ASAP. I wouldn't spend more than I could afford to loose in Vegas. Do ya feel lucky? I'd prolly take a flier @500 for a 3.0L....with the right answers to those questions.

Horn bets, craps, yo 7/11, come bets...

dice are out!

Just a little update, bidding was up to $2550 and RESERVE NOT MET. I don't know who's crazier, the buyer or the seller

QUOTE (redshift @ Feb 15 2006, 07:19 PM)

Yikes. Swim away! M

DO NOT BUY FROM THESES GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swim away???? SHIT....buy a Fountain 47' Lightening and haul ass

do a search here for german auto dismantlers.....you'll see

QUOTE (LvSteveH @ Feb 22 2006, 04:20 PM)

Just a little update, bidding was up to $2550 and RESERVE NOT MET.   I don't know who's crazier, the buyer or the seller  :wacko:

Holy crap!!!!

I can get a runner 3.0 WITH the FI etc., for $5K

$2.5K for a core that your going to have to dump $10K+ into????
Big plus at that because the CIS is fucked.

That's just insane.

I called the seller a few days ago.....the engine will not turn...locked up tight.