putting a "new" motor in my car...quick question

[cenok is family]

my car is in need of a major overhaul. i've already decided on finding a somewhat "low mileage" motor somewhere (under 100k miles), replacing EVERY gasket in the thing and then dropping it in. It's the quickest, cheapest, and easiest way i can think to do it. My only question is can i actually do that or would i HAVE to get any machine work done? I'm on a really low budget so i'm trying to do this as cheap as possible without totally sacrificing quality. My motor is soooo out of balance to the point that the vibration it's making is causing my starter to fall off repeatively, my passenger muffler has fallen off once (broke off where it's welded to the flowtube) and my H pipe has cracked 3 times. Oh and it also has about 5 oil leaks in it. any help is GREATLY appreciated! thanks!

 

[mustangGt87]

you wont need any machine work done at all if your just replacing gaskets. but if you buy a used engine and it runs fine i would just clean it up, unless you are putting on some of your parts like intake and valve covers or w.e you may have. the only gaskets you would need are your header gaskets unless you pull an engine from another stang.

 

[cenok is family]

sweet thanks man...that's gonna save me some time and money for sure. i have already purchased a complete felpro gasket set; so if i end up with a motor that runs good as is, do you recommend me holding out on replacing all the gaskets until it needs it?

 

[Silvers]

At least put a new rear main seal in. Motor mounts and clutch if they are old. Oh yeah, pilot bearing if it has one.

 

[mustangGt87]

any time man.gasket replacing isnt that hard its just a mess sometimes depending on how clean the engine is.its a safe thing to do if its cleaned fist though.because you dont want to get anything inside the engine.duh lol.but its your call because if its your daily driver i wouldnt, but if you have a little time, do it, because it might save you in the long run.the only one you really need to change though is the lower intake.but thats only if your putting a differant one on.if and when you open it up though i hope you dont find something you dont like .and what he said.pilot bearing.that you have to do

 

[cenok is family]

i put a new clutch/pilot bearing and all that in it a few months back, i'm gonna replace the bearing again though when i do this just for ease of mind. definitely new motor mounts and rear seal too. the major leak in my motor right now is the rear main. yeah hopefully i can find a motor out of another mustang so i can just drop it in with minor work. I miss driving her man! i've been sportin a 95 buick century for the past month and it's crampin my style! hah

 

[Foxfan88]

if your going to the trouble. just get a re ring kit from summit. like 200$, comes with gaskets, rings, bearings and eveything. hone the cylinders and put the new stuff in and your good to go!

 

[87_stang]

If the engine don't need the gastets I would just drop it in the way it is but like said earlier, go ahead and change the rear main. Take the gasket kit you already have and go get a set of rings/bearings (rod and main), those will be cheap since you already got the gastet kit and hone the cylinders in your old engine and put it back together and when you need it you will have another ready to drop in. And you dont have to hurry since you have a running engine in it now. Good luck with it man!