Rebuild or buy used engine?

[daveojr77]

Ok, well I’ve caught the Volvo bug and want to buy another to tinker with and such. I’ve found a 94 850Turbo with what seems to need a new motor. Here's the info I’ve gathered from the seller: "Black 1994 Volvo Wagon 850 Turbo with leather interior, 6 disk CD player, moon roof, and 191xxx miles. DOES'T RUN! It sounds like maybe a compression problem in the motor. I really do not know." He's selling the car for 500 OBO. I really wouldn’t mind getting my hands on it and going through it to make it run puuurfect again.

I have a mechanic that will give me a good deal so that’s not a problem.
My questions are:

1. What would the cost be to put in a used engine?
2. What would be the cost to rebuild the engine?
3. Is it a good buy?

I currently don’t have any car payments and don’t mind investing in a car that will hold up for another 3-5 yrs or more.

[EstVolvo]

If I were you I wouldn't be looking for a trouble, it will find you.

Do you really want to spend all of your time and money an a such a thing?

How about just keeping the one you already have in tip-top shape?

The cost of replacing the engine may vary hugely depending on who is doing the job.
You could do the swap yourself with the help of MVS.

I just learned that I could get B5244S engine for $450 - 500 plus shipping $275 (V And S Auto Dismantlers .Com). Locally it would be probably cheaper.

Ah, just relax and read a book. Bugs are coming and going. Let it go.IMO.

[daveojr77]

Well the main reason Im looking for another car is due to our family size increasing. And Im looking for another Vehicle to carry the kids around rather than buying a new car.

[Ozark Lee]

This sounds like a plan for the worst and hope for the best proposition. I have had them go both ways on used Volvos.

A used engine with 120k to 150k on the clock will run, on average, around $600.00 + freight if you have it shipped in. I have seen them lower priced and higher priced. On a used engine you would want to do as much "stage 0" stuff as you can while it is out and everything is accessible. The stage zero stuff would include the timing system (belt, tensioner, and rollers), a water pump, cam seals, a new rear main seal, new sump pan O rings, new coolant lines to the turbo, a new turbo oil return gasket and O ring, and a full PCV servicing. You will also need new exhaust and turbo gaskets. For those add another $400 to $500. There will be some other "nuts and bolts" sort of stuff so budget another $100.00 for just incidentals.

To rebuild the engine, top and bottom, will run around $1,500 to $2,000 if the crankshaft is good and there isn't a ton of machine shop work to be done on the head. All of the stage 0 stuff applies and it all won't be included in the rebuild price. If you don't have to bore it out that price could come down, pistons and rings aren't cheap.

I priced out a rebuild (doing all of the labor except the machining by myself) vs a used engine on my V70 XC and the used engine was much cheaper.

I bought a non-runner for around $350.00 in Chicago and all that was wrong with it was a loose battery cable. I bought the XC thinking it had a bad head gasket and it had 2 broken pistons that tore up the cylinder walls.

I would take as much stuff to test things like compression and fuel pressure as I could when you look at it. You can "rent" a compression gauge at places like AutoZone. Zero compression on one cylinder usually means a burned valve. Low compression on adjacent cylinders usually means a bad head gasket. Zero compression on all cylinders could be as simple as "Lawn Mower Syndrome" or as catastrophic as a broken timing belt. Good compression usually means fuel or a spark problem but neither would warrant a new engine. If the fuel pump isn't running at least be courteous enough to drag it around the corner before you stick the paper clip in to bypass the fuel pump relay and drive it home.

$500.00 is high for a car with a bad engine unless the interior is pristine or you determine that you have good compression numbers all across the board. I would shoot for more like $350.00. At that, the worst you could do is make a little bit of money parting it out.

...Lee

[daveojr77]

I talked to him further for a bit and he had a mobile mechanic come out and said it sounded like the timing belt needed to be replaced. The owner said that before the car cut off, there was a whining sound before it gave out.

I was going to begin nego @ 250 and go from there.

[MadeInJapan]

If the timing belt went then the engine is toast...I had the same happen with mine and rebuild was $1300 and that was cheap!

[daveojr77]

Wow, well that sums it up for me. Il just maintain the one I have and if I stumble upon another one locally thats in good condition Ill stick with that.

Thanks everyone for the input.

[wheelsup]

I bought an 850 1.5 years ago w/ a bad motor. I took a chance on the tranny because I needed one. Fortunately it was good. Came with a almost new Valero radiator which I also needed, replaced not 2 weeks after getting the car in my garage. All told I was in it for $280. $200 for the car, $50 to pay off the mechanic, $130 for the tow, but then sold the car for $100 scrap just the frame only.

Took off of it:

Radiator ($250 value new, almost brand new)
Compressor
Alternator
Relays
Fuel Pump
Transmission
Sunroof (mine was starting to rust)
Injectors
Sensors such as MAF, crank, cam

$500 is way out of line for the car. Any 850 with a blown motor, unless you have a donor, is beyond repair at this point in time IMO. Unless your goal is to have a completely restored 850 replacing all the components on it.

[daveojr77]

Well my goal was to restore it yet Ive found a couple of others that are already running in the $1000-1500 range with 3rd row seats in them already. Ill probably go and look at those since they are 1-2hrs away.

I really want a turbo wagon and let the wife have the V70.