3.2 engine rebuild or swap?
 

I acquired my '87 3.2 (US imported) about two years ago, the car has a pretty good interior compatible with the odometer, which read 44K miles at acquisition and now only 46K miles. PO said the car had sat for years before he bought it a year earlier. The problem is that the engine consumes a lot of oil and spark plugs of cylinders 5 and 6 foul badly in about 600 to 700 miles. I guess it needs at least a couple new valve guides and probably new rings or P/C. A local P shop quoted the equivalent of USD 1800 for replacing 12 new valve guides. Have not got a quote for ring/P/C yet.

Meanwhile, a scrapyard is offering an engine from a '87 Cab with a mileage of 40K that has been sitting for 1+ year for the equivalent of USD 4000. I've not checked out the engine, only saw a couple pictures of it and it looked fine. Suppose the engine truly sees only 40K mileage, should I rebuild my engine or simply swap it?

It will be pretty difficult to sell the original engine here so if I swap I'll just keep it for possible future upgrade or mod. Any suggestion would be appreciated, thanks!

You need to do a compression and leak down test. THen, it will tell you whether you need a valve job, or a full rebuild. If the 40K miles is true, then the rebuild is unlikely, and a valve job is all that is needed. I would not swap out the engine, for another unknown.

A valve job, in America if you do your own labor is $1000. $1800 in Taipei is not so bad.

How much if you don't do your own labor?

That is very low mileage to be having problems though it is possible. I would run a Car Fax to verify the miles and do a compression and leak down test. Also try to find someone that knows these cars and have them check the exhaust guide for side play and piston blow by.

Some times a good internal cleaning can help. I do not know much about the chemicals to use bit I would look into a professional motor flush and cleaning. Would also do some good fun ins to see if you can get things seated an running right.

One of my friends bought a 944S2 that was burning 3 quarts every 1K miles. He ran some treatments through it and changed the oil frequently and cut it in half.

Then, I would start looking at valve guides.

Thanks a lot! All right, I'll do a CARFAX first and see if the 44K mileage is true.

One thing perplexing me is that shortly after the last oil change (11 qts of 15W50) the car once had heavy white smoking for at least 5 minutes after start. It had been parked level for only 3 hours so the oil must have found another way besides piston rings to get into the combustion chambers. After that, the oil level gauge went from a bit below midline to completely in the red mark. I didn't add any oil thereafter until the oil pressure light went on after heavy braking recently. The oil pressure is fine, high after cold start, 2 at warm idling, and 5 at acceleration. I also found that there's always some oil in the air filter box cover, even dripping from a small cut-out (by PO) over the bottom of the cover nozzle. Any comment?

If the engine comes up needing work, rebuild it. It will help with resale and if the miles are verifed low, the orginal would better off in the car then a swap. If I had to do over what happened to my engine , I would have preferred to have it rebulit then a swap of another 3.0

It was overfilled. That`ll make them smoke and bring oil in the airbox, which ends up in the combustion chamber. Search "oil overfill".

Aurel

Yes, but that heavy smoking did not happen immediately after the oil change and the first few starts before only showed a small puff. This oil circulating system seemed to work a bit erratic to me, probably related to oil temperature surge.

+1 on over fill being a high potential here.

I assume you know the proper procedure for checking oil level. Motor at full operating temp, let motor set on level ground for tow minutes I think, then check level for to high or low.

I believe the light will come on under heavy braking if the motor goes to idle but check with others. I think for a race car Smart Racing has some mods they do to the oil tank.

With 44k I assume this car has sat for long periods of time. That can gum things up.

Gum has been a concern and I've treated the engine with some exotic products from OWS, Germany including engine flush and seal reviver. May need more aggresive treatments though I've also tried the Italian tuneup :-)