running 1969 complete MFI E engine value?

jmz · jmz's Garage

I own this sort of bastard project 67 912 that has a running 1969 MFI E engine in it. I'm planning on building the car into a 2.0 litre race car so am thinking that it might make sense to simply sell the running engine. It is complete with MFI and SSI heat exchangers and exhaust. I think the proceeds would get me started on a race motor and I'll be running carbs anyway...

I'd like some guidance on what I might expect the value to be and if I should expect it to sell quickly or not.

Evans, Marv · 05-25-2018, 08:25 AM

My off hand guess would be in the $7K/$8K range. The cost to rebuild this engine is in the $ 10K range now. I'm also guessing the price would be affected by the mileage on the engine. If it might be coming up for rebuild pretty soon, that might lower the value somewhat.

Major Dad · 05-25-2018, 08:31 AM

I'd think it's worth a good bit more, the MFI system alone has to be worth $5000

dwelle · 05-25-2018, 09:05 AM

the value of the motor and the cost to rebuild it are both significantly higher than those numbers. a running 2.7 wil fetch that sort of money easily and, as stated, the MFI bit are worth a lot.

however, finding the right buyer (who needs and values a '69 E motor) may likely take some time...

jmz · jmz's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major Dad

I'd think it's worth a good bit more, the MFI system alone has to be worth $5000

Agreed, I’m thinking 12-15?

SalParadise · 05-25-2018, 10:26 AM

Running engine = $7K (without paperwork)
MFI=$5-$6K

Total=$12-$13K. But you would and should separate. There are far more people looking for the individual engine and MFI than a complete set.

If you are very serious you would clean both up, post leak down/compression, check everything including the valves, maybe do a simple re-seal on a few things, maybe do the oil tubes if leaking, as this would present much better in a sale.

Evans, Marv · 05-25-2018, 09:06 PM

It might be more than what I thought for the running engine. An acquaintance who is the owner of a local Porsche repair business I talked to last week told me a rebuild cost is approaching $10K. I asked out of curiosity, since the original engine for my car is sitting on a dolly, caked with oil & dirt, & has 138K miles on it. He is usually the most reasonable guy around, probably because he's old school and been doing it for close to 40 years.

blau911 · 04:11 AM

A running 911 engine is not necessarily a clean bill of health. Just like the cost of an engine rebuild can vary greatly between a top end valve job for $4-5k, and increasing to $15k when the rebuild requires the case halves to be split, and have the magnesium case line bored (which most of them need due to warping after many heat cycles), new P&C's, cams resurfaced, etc. and that's just the engine. Then there is the fuel injection system which may need to be overhauled. Rebuilt pumps cost a few thousand, then there are new injectors, intake manifolds and butterflies, etc . Overhauling the mfi by itself could cost $5k or more. Imagine buying a "running" engine for $12k as a few here have priced this engine, only to find out it needs another $15-20k. For $30k you can buy a nice rebuilt S motor from a reliable shop.
If this engine actually has good compression and leakdown numbers, doesn't leak oil, and idles and accelerates well with no popping, no flat spots, etc, then the engine is worth I'd guess $10-12k. Thats a best case scenario. The 2.0 E engine only put out 140hp(same as the 2,4T, but the 2,4 puts out much more torque). It's not a fire breather. Just a nice little engine for a small light weight car.
But People in the market for a replacement engine who are not concerned about a matching numbers or correct numbered engine for their early cars, are going to be looking for a 2.4-2.7 higher performance engine, not a 2.0E. If I were in the market, a 2.0E engine is not the engine I would be necessarily looking for. Just my 0.02.

SalParadise · 06:08 PM

138K? And you're saying it's good to go? I know something needs doing. You're not digging deep enough.

I can tell you that a Porsche 911 engine that is indeed in very bad health can still run well.

My 2.7 that had a complete rebuild top-to-bottom ran fine. The previous owner split the case, added a Carrera pump, did Time-Serts, new head studs, rebuilt the heads, added everything - except he cheesed it big-time with re-ringing the KS Alusils.

Two cylinders were pretty scored. It ran fine. Blow-by and oil everywhere, but it ran.

I say that if the engine has no paperwork then it's a core. I would not spend $10K on an engine without paperwork. No way. If it were a very rare engine that someone obviously needed for their car, but an ordinary 2.2, 2.4 or 2.7 or even a 3.0 without papers I would pass.

Just because it runs it means nothing. These cars will run on rusty gas, old gas, plugged injectors, blown airboxes, broken head studs, bad rings (my case), worn cams, stretched chains (you get the picture). They are like Panzer tanks. But all of these things I would like not to have happen. I would like a nice engine. And the only way you are going to know this is 1) It has paperwork from a reputable builder or 2) done yourself with paperwork.

Evans, Marv · 05-26-2018, 09:23 PM

Oh no. I'm not saying it's good to go. At 138K miles and one low cylinder, it needs a rebuild in my opinion. The reason I'm commenting is it's the matching number engine for my car, & I'm wondering about having it rebuilt before a rebuild gets much higher cost wise later on. Currently my car has a nice '77 2.7L w/ Webers, 9.5 JE's, E cams, internals dry lube and thermal barrier coated, & some other stuff, along with a '74 915, suspension upgrades, etc., etc. I'm happy with it, but everything I've done can be reversed to original.

Matt Monson · 05-27-2018, 05:10 AM

I've got a '70 E engine I've contemplated selling. I would ask $8k for mine with no mfi. I've spent a couple Grand on mfi parts and still don't have the pump yet.

Not all cores are created equal. A core sitting in the corner for 20 years with no idea of anything is different than the one in my car that smokes on start up and decel, but still runs just fine. It needs to be gone through, but you know it's not rusted in place or gotten a broken rocker or something else the core in the corner might have. The corner engine isn't worth more than $5k to me.