Hey guys im new to this forum and i just need some advice. I recently bought a 1990 TT Zed from ebay, after i got it i took it to my mechanic for a check up and service because it sounded abit rough he told me that a compression ring in one of my cylinders had gone and it would either need a rebuild or a new engine. now im stuck and not sure what to do what would be the cheapest way to get this issue resolved and how much do you think it would cost? or would it just be better to sell the car? here are some figures: cost so far: $6000 Rego: August 2011 Odometer:93,000 Trans: Manual
Firstly, wrong section - this is for rebuilds in progress. Anyway, an engine will cost anything from $500 to $5000, depending on what you want. A rebuild will cost anything from $2000 upwards. Both of those prices are assuming you are doing at least some of the work yourself (like the pull out of the old and drop in of the new). Now, because I know nothing about the car itself other than what you have stated here, it's hard to say, but at a guess if you sell it, it's worth around $2000, maybe $3000 in that condition to anyone that knows what they are doing. On the other hand, if it has a whole lot of aftermarket bits, then you could part it out and get something around $3500+, depending on what's in there. If it's completely OEM, then sadly, you shouldn't expect any more than $2000. Also, these are the prices in WA where we seem to have a dearth of zeds to choose from, including about 4 wrecks to grab bits off, so maybe my prices are a little low . It's all a little hard to tell. Good luck.
Since you bought a Z off Ebay and didn't get a compression test before buying it, I'm going to assume you know nothing about these cars or how to work on them yourself. Firstly I have just been through this process, so I know what the figures are. Minimum you'll pay for a rebuild is $3k, but up to $7K is common. Then you need it fitted, so budget $2-3K to get the old one out and the new one in. Now there is always (always!!) extras. If you are lucky about $1K. This is for hoses, pipes brackets, filters etc. (once you have it apart you may see the clutch is nearly gone, the radiator is blocked.....you'd be amazed! I paid $3K for my car with a dead motor. By the time it was driveable I had spent $15K and that is for a stock car, nothing fancy. So if I were you I'd sell it and buy one of the good Z's from the for sale section of this forum. You can check its history and buy off an enthusiast that has spent the money on their car and really cared for it. At the moment there are some great buys out there, but do your homework. Good luck.
where abouts in NSW are you, The mechanic you have if you leave it with him would want $1500 to pull it out and replace with second hand engine at least.You can get an engine for about a grand but check its going first before you pay for it get a member to help analyse it. If you can do the pull yourself not too expensive but very time consuming allow a month to get it out and back in new timing belt etc clean maybe clutch etc and your away
The problem is with a second hand Z engine you can never be sure what you are getting (inside), and I wouldn't risk putting a $1k Z engine in. That's $1500 to remove engine + $1500 to put new one in. The reality of this procedure is that it always costs twice what you budget. Probably the cheapest alternative for this guy is to send it to A2Zed in Brisbane and get Eric to replace this motor with one he has rebuilt. If you get this work done in any NSW workshop you will pay twice that.
No, if you discount the cost of labour to remove/install engines, then the Cheapest alternative is to buy a used engine. Remember, if its not working now, anything is an improvement. I would thank that even a worn out old STOCK engine would be good for another year minimum if treated well. You can drive with poor compression (low power, using oil), however it won't win you any drag races. I guess from here its up to the OP to work out what his goals are for his eBay zed.
But this is not realistic. Who is going to remove and replace the engine for you for free When I did mine I was quoted $3K to remove and replace (which is from what I can tell about market). The actual bill came to almost $6K, apparently because little extras kept popping up. This guy clearly has no resources of his own to do a job this complex so he needs to consider the real facts on what his options will cost him. Here is a better option. Sell his car for $3K and buys this one. http://www.aus300zx.com/forum/showthread.php?t=309112 Net cost about $2500.
I'm very much a 'if you want the job done well, do it yourself' sort of bloke. Maybe I wasn't clear. Maybe I was also drawing a long straw to think that the OP would have the knowledge/skills and means to do an engine pull himself. Engine crane from a hire shop and 5hrs with the help of someone expereinced (with suitable tools) is the cheap way out. As a Z n00b, I pulled an engine with a $99 super cheap auto 120pc tool box, and took me 2 days (no instruction manuals) One thing we can assume is this: If you 1) buy a z off ebay, and 2) buy a broken one unknowingly, Suitable fixes could be interpreted as being: 1a) cost effective, and 2a)mechanically simple (due to a little experience with these cars). Sort of conflicting goals I think. OP needs to chime in with his overall goal - be it getting moblie cheaply, or reliably. Seeking some kind of warranty option if possible thru the seller would also be advisable, if the ad was decieving.
