whats a reconditioned motor?

Ford_Boy · 06-01-2007, 10:40 AM

hey guys, i love ford but my aunty is going to give me her old berlina. i cant turn down a free car, unless ofcourse it cost to much to restore. anyway she said it needs a reconditioned motor and rego. what is recondition and how much am i looking at? my dad will give it a nice re spray for free or i may pay for paint. i just have to help him. so any ideas on price of recon? thanks alot fellas and dont worry ill still have blue blood lol. i may just have the car for a a year or 2 because im going back to school to finish my hsc. thanks guys

charles_wif_xf · 06-01-2007, 10:47 AM

To recondition an engine, you'll need to change the piston rings, cross hatch the cylinder bores (if needed), change valve seats, valve seals (all on the cylinder head), shave the head a smidge, new gasket, pressure test the head (compression and cooling system) and if need be change the main bearings and journals on the crankshaft.

What vintage Berlina is it?

Powdered Toast Man · 06-01-2007, 11:21 AM

Theres the big chains like HM Gem that do reconditioned engines based on a change over system, they take your engine out put in one that has been reconditioned then recondition your engine and put it in the next car etc, or there would be plenty of workshops that would recondition your engine.

I got a reco motor for my EA about 5 years ago, cost a bit over 2 grand from HM gem. But it is a bit of pot luck because although you get a warranty they only "fix" what is worn in the engine.

Or you could probably get it rebuilt for a bit more and get everything done and replaced properly.

XR Martin · 06-01-2007, 11:24 AM

Just get a 2nd hand motor from the wreckers. Those Gem engines are rubbish.

Ford_Boy · 06-01-2007, 11:25 AM

shes not quite sure i have to ask her husband but i think its a vn or vp i cant remember i havent seen it for months. if it is going to cost more then a grand to recon plus the rego then it may not be worth it. how much are vn/vp berlinas going for?

SwarvJarv · 06-01-2007, 11:32 AM

^^^ GC one prolly 5g+

a mate from work has put a EA 3.9l CFI into his lexen...made his own engine mounts and then drilled a direct feed webber carby onto the manifold....works....its a stock car though so it only needs a rollbar and rigidy test to race with....

ratter · 06-01-2007, 12:01 PM

There are lots of interpretations of reco

Some count reco as just rings and bearings
A full rebuild is also a reco
Normally most companies selling reco motors are fully rebuilt, not just patched up motors. Also a major company that sells reco motors can normally do it cheaper than a small workshop because they have all the machinery in house and run them through like a production line.

A complete Change over reco motor will cost somewhere around $2500 depending what else on the car needs to be rectified, i.e radiator clean, replacement hoses etc.

For a small workshop to remove the motor, strip a motor, clean all parts, measure all parts reassemble the motor after possibly a dummy fit up, reinstall and then get it running could take 20-30 hrs for the job to be done properly, so the labour is going to exceed $1000 pretty quickly

Ford_Boy · 06-01-2007, 12:18 PM

so it all depends on work ay. i'll ask my uncle tomorrow and if he thinks it will exceed 2000 grand with reco and rego then will it still be worth it? how much do vn's/vp's go for? thanks guys

XR Martin · 06-01-2007, 02:00 PM

VN-VPs anything from $500 to $2500 for an average V6 model.

atec77 · 06-01-2007, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford_Boy

hey guys, i love ford but my aunty is going to give me her old berlina. i cant turn down a free car, unless ofcourse it cost to much to restore. anyway she said it needs a reconditioned motor and rego. what is recondition and how much am i looking at? my dad will give it a nice re spray for free or i may pay for paint. i just have to help him. so any ideas on price of recon? thanks alot fellas and dont worry ill still have blue blood lol. i may just have the car for a a year or 2 because im going back to school to finish my hsc. thanks guys

a ring and bearing job will not be much if you do labour , maybe 4 to 500 parts but you wont know intil its apart , or trade exchange will run 1500 , a used motor between 500 and a grand depending where you get it from assuming you remove and replace providing labour.

Ford_Boy · 06-01-2007, 03:11 PM

id rather spend 2500 grand on an eb falcon or maybe find an ef/el at the auctions for that price.

GK · 06-01-2007, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford_Boy

shes not quite sure i have to ask her husband

Your Uncle?

GK

nitroman · 06-01-2007, 05:35 PM

You should get the engine checked before you pull it out. It might have bad spark plug leads or injectors or something silly that won't cost you thousands. Take it to a good workshop and get a compression and leak down test to check accurately the condition of the engine.

smoo · 06-01-2007, 05:43 PM

For a learning curve, you could buy a 3.8 service/repair manual, pull the engine out and rebuild it yourself (why not, its free? And its not like you need the car). The only cost been parts and some machining, otherwise take the easy option and drop a second hand one in there, for probably the same price.

LukeGT · 06-01-2007, 06:04 PM

Go and buy a secondhand V6 from the wreckers, will cost you bugger all these days.

If you do buy a reco motor, keep away from RPM, HM etc., they have a 5-8% 'failure' rate, and if you haven't changed engine mounts, new radiator, hoses, and ALL accessories, they will void the warranty.

Don't worry about the cost opf rego, you'll still have to pay that if you buy a Falcon from the auctions.

Good luck!

Luke.

charles_wif_xf · 06-01-2007, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford_Boy

id rather spend 2500 grand on an eb falcon or maybe find an ef/el at the auctions for that price.

That's too cheap for an EB!

:

SSVPom · 06-01-2007, 07:43 PM

LOL GK, you took the words out of my mouth!

GK · 06-01-2007, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FairmontPom

LOL GK, you took the words out of my mouth!

Cheers!

GK

XRated · 06-01-2007, 09:35 PM

Drop an AU engine in!! :evil_laug

MarkAW · 06-01-2007, 09:45 PM

If Fordboy doesn't know what a reco is then there's no way he can adequately do a reco himself irrespective of cost.

Sure you can treat an engine as a giant jigsaw puzzle but if you what to get it right first time you need some pretty good skills - that why you have mechanics. Those books are not good enough to take on the job if there's actually a problem.

I would take it to your local mechanic and have a compression/leak down test because if it needs either a reco long or short engine it probably won't be worth spending the dollars on.

BTW long engine = fully reconditioned crankcase and cylinder head, short engine = reconditioned crankcase only.

Depending on the number of miles it may have a few other problems ie worn gearbox and final drive, suspension and steering, brakes etc etc etc.

In my experience old cars are not for the mechanically challenged then again these sort of people make us mechanics a good deal richer in the end when they cant fix there own fk/ups.

Falcon_Phill · 06-01-2007, 09:51 PM

I have a question id like to add.

I have a 221 out of an old falcon, and it starts first go everytime. When i drive it, it dosnt seem to go anywhere, and it dosnt seem to change gear. Would this be more fault of the engine or the transmission? It likes going backwards though, i have to reverse it in and out of my driveway when its to be moved. Is it much to get the transmission fixed as well? Im not looking to take any shortcuts so any help from you guys is appreciated.

MarkAW · 06-01-2007, 10:02 PM

Phil
Dont have near enough info - manual or auto - when its not going anywhere ??????

The falcon engines it started with were the old 200ci and 250ci model - cant say I remember a 221ci engine.

BTW just cause an engine always starts doesnt mean theres nothing wrong with it. Old worn engines often start easily cause the lack of compression helps them spin over faster.

Falcon_Phill · 06-01-2007, 10:20 PM

Its auto column shift, i drove it out of the driveway and it wouldnt go forward very fast, maybe 2kmh. Its from an XT. I know something else can be wrong with it just because it starts, thats why im asking.

http://www.coflash.com/stuff/221engine.JPG

XT UTE 68 · 06-01-2007, 10:23 PM

A 221 is a XT motor and does exist.

If it feels a bit like you have another neutral instead of D, could be as simple as low fluid, or the transmission is stuffed and it's slipping.

Ford_Boy · 06-01-2007, 10:30 PM

well as most of yous would have figured, im not mechanically minded and i thought a recon would have been a tune of some sort lol. anyway, i would love to have saved up for an awsome first car but i decided i would rather spend around 2-3 grand max and go back to finish my hsc. i want a comfortable office job

. im happy to have any old car as a runabout to and from school with the occassional cruise.

i was leaning towards an ea-el because they are large cars and i want room for my mates on the weekend. i love ford and i would prefer a ford over a holden but this oppertunity has come along and if i can get a car for free and spend less then 2 grand then it will be great. i'll have to speak to my uncle tomorrow about it. i'd rather take it and sell it for parts but i couldnt do that if they gave it to me lol. anyway theres a nice ea/eb for sale in my street i'll go ask them how much when i have about 2 grand. i'll be getting about 700 on wednesday so i wont have long to go before i come up with the money. thanks for your help everyone, wish me luck

MarkAW · 06-01-2007, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XT UTE 68

A 221 is a XT motor and does exist.

Sorry - a typo - its getting too late to think and type at same time:

Should of said "The falcon engines I started with were the old 200ci and 250ci model". I don't have a lot of knowledge on the earlier models but in those days engines were pretty much all the same anyway.

Phil - When going forward what are the revs at, lots, straining or at idle and won't increase?

Falcon_Phill · 06-01-2007, 10:52 PM

I didnt notice. It seemed to clunk alot, i dont want to try it again as i may not be able to get it back up the driveway.

**ebxr8240** · 06-01-2007, 11:23 PM

250 came latter?? Anyway check points and tune first...
General condition maybe o/k?

fmc351 · 07-01-2007, 01:01 AM

Phil, if it goes fine in reverse, then the donk isnt the drama. Its the box, or the linkages

Have you checked fluid? If not, check it. If its fine, check the linkages.

If the linkages are selecting 2nd, when the indicator looks like D or 1st, it wont go into first, so its trying to take off in 2nd. Make sure your linkages go into 1st when selecting 1st, and drive when selecting D. If they are and fluids fine, the box is probably stuffed. A service may help though.

221 in XT Xr etc, the 250 and 200 came around XY maybe XA. Apart from colour etc, they are the same to look at. Drop one straight in anyway.

fmc351 · 07-01-2007, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LukeGT

Go and buy a secondhand V6 from the wreckers, will cost you bugger all these days.

If you do buy a reco motor, keep away from RPM, HM etc., they have a 5-8% 'failure' rate, and if you haven't changed engine mounts, new radiator, hoses, and ALL accessories, they will void the warranty.

Don't worry about the cost opf rego, you'll still have to pay that if you buy a Falcon from the auctions.

Good luck!

Luke.

I second this. Forget reco, these things are all over wreckers. Youll get a good one with 3 month warranty. Treat it right, it will see you through your school days. Well under a grand. Id pay maybe $500 plus fitting being in Sydney, should be 400 wreckers to choose from with 50 V6's in each. If you were out west, you might have to pay more.

Post a picture of the car, then people will get a better idea. If a decent looking (lol) VN VP (ie: good paint, straight well looked after) it would be worth the effort. They drive alright.