Fair price on salvage engines?

I'm looking for a 2.3 Lima for the Ranger. I've checked with the guys in the yards. $350 with a 30 day warranty.

How about from a private seller. They can't guarantee E36 M3. I'm just going to drop it in. After I get the old engine out, I'll rebuild to swap in with a few "minor" upgrades.

Thanks,
Sper

Sounds fair to me. I paid $300 for an LNC 1.6 miata engine from a private seller with no warranty.

Haven't put it in yet, but much cheaper than the 1.8 + new exhaust components and MS option.

However, I'm sure someone will start with the "It's not worth more than $3.50 and a 12-pack of PBR...."

Around here its $300 for a longblock with 30 day warranty, about $500-$600 complete.

Sounds like I'm getting a good deal from the yards. Making offers to private sellers real low with the defense that I can get one with a warranty for not much more. That's valuable.

I can get motors for way cheaper from the local self serve places, but they usually won't carry a warranty.

$350 with a 30 day warranty sounds very fair.

Ben, PMed you

Price seems fair with a 30 day warranty

Swank Force One wrote: I can get motors for way cheaper from the local self serve places, but they usually won't carry a warranty. $350 with a 30 day warranty sounds very fair.

You are lucky, other than the 3 times yearly 1/2 price sale, $300 is the minimum you can get a junkyard engine for here. It used to be under $150 complete, now an engine and wiring harness is more like $600 or so.

$350 sounds good. Unless you have a lot of time on your hands, or hear it run in person, I would only buy from a salvage yard with a warranty.

I figured that may be the case, guys. Really appreciate the input. I'll wait on the plug n play engine at the yard unless this guy goes for 150. Three jobs and the cash flow is E36 M3. Who's hiring?

Note that at least up here, going rate for a beater 4cyl 2wd ranger/s10 is $500-$800 turnkey. You might find it easier to buy a whole backup truck while the other gets the motor worked over. Rather than taking the time to swap engines twice.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: Note that at least up here, going rate for a beater 4cyl 2wd ranger/s10 is $500-$800 turnkey. You might find it easier to buy a whole backup truck while the other gets the motor worked over. Rather than taking the time to swap engines twice.

It'll be a very very slow process. I plan on finishing the S13 before the 2nd engine swap, so this truck will be my daily driver until it needs the other engine. I'm not even 100% sure I'll do the rebuild. Remember, I'm having trouble coming up with the $350 to get the engine.

Aaaaand now no one has one. Should have snagged that one.

F2T?

In reply to Swank Force One:

Pic a part is about 275 out the door by the time they nickel and dime you for anything still attached to the engine and the core charge on a 4 cylinder. I bought a 2.4T and it was 280 IIRC.

What about this one?

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/pts/4168860305.html

Or this one

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/pts/4112731551.html

moparman76_69 wrote: F2T? In reply to Swank Force One: Pic a part is about 275 out the door by the time they nickel and dime you for anything still attached to the engine and the core charge on a 4 cylinder. I bought a 2.4T and it was 280 IIRC.

That's still a pretty good price,

But i can do a little better than that because i know people and stuff.

In reply to Swank Force One:

Well maybe you and those people you know and stuff can help me out next time I find a PT turbo there.

moparman76_69 wrote: In reply to Swank Force One: Well maybe you and those people you know and stuff can help me out next time I find a PT turbo there.

Very possibru!

In reply to Powar:

I stumbled across those. Their both a goo drive. I'd be better off spending more close to home rather than driving the F150 out there to pick up.

EDIT: Actually, I just texted one of them.

Just make sure that the engine hasn't been submerged. Worst of all is salt water, so beware of sudden bargains appearing after hurricane season...

And the saltwater is hell on wiring as well. The water may evaporate, but the salt will keep eating away at the wires, causing all sorts of problems.

kb58 wrote: Just make sure that the engine hasn't been submerged. Worst of all is salt water, so beware of sudden bargains appearing after hurricane season... And the saltwater is hell on wiring as well. The water may evaporate, but the salt will keep eating away at the wires, causing all sorts of problems.

Sperlo is fairly far away from the nearest salt water so I think he should be ok in that regard. Not too many hurricanes 'round these parts..

In reply to kb58:

It was a "rust free" 86. That and hurricanes aren't too common in Missouri. Unfortunately the 86 was a single plug per cyl. I have the dual plug and my father (the real mechanic) suggested a closer year. Just to make sure everything is plug and play.

I am about to buy a 1.6 for my Miata. The guy owns a local race shop. He buys 4-6 JDM engines and has them shipped up from California. The one I am buying was prepped for spec Miata. All of the maintenance has been done so TB, water pump ect. for $1250. Without new parts and labor it would be $850. Not sure it is a great deal yet I know he has been doing this for years and winning races.

In reply to Sultan:

I can see paying more for a performance setup. I'll be eeking 100 hp out of this little guy. On the other hand, I was contemplating finding an S13 rolling chassis to plug & play my RB20DET. She is ready to go. She was also not that cheap and shipped in from our brethren to the north.

Come to Evansville. I've got about 15 low mileage 2.3l twin plug engines that I'll sell for $300 (each, obviously), with a 30 day warranty.

Or if you have a business address you can ship it to, I can ship it for $100.