Question on Engine

Yes for $2100 to $2400 you can get a re-man SOHC GT engine. But after the machine shop goes over your motor, it will be for all intensive purposes a zero mile re-man unit. I presume it will have a warranty as well.

The machine shop is in a tough spot. To diagnose the problem much disassembly is required. The labor involved to test every part to see if it is re-useable is much greater than the cost of the parts.

How would you feel if the motor was put back together with used parts and a problem quickly occurred?

If 2400 is too steep for you, try the salvage yard approach. For sample prices, go to car-part.com. It is a searchable web site of linked salvage yards.

I recently purchased a 30k mile engine from a 2004 Crown Vic for 800. The motor is in my 2000 Mustang GT and is running great!

If you really want to perform a min re-build, you may have to do some of the disassembly yourself. Have the machine shop work on just the pieces that you want. They will charge based upon what you want done.

If $$ are an issue but you don't want to do the engine disassembly/reassembly yourself, it is hard to argue with the salvage yard route.

Amazon.com: How to Rebuild 4.6-/5.4-Liter Ford Engines (S-a Design, Workbench Series) (Cartech) (9781932494808): George Reid: Books

I've seen this book recommended a few times.

2400 is dirt cheap for a quality machine shop to rebuild an engine.

I would rather buy a used motor before I spent that much.

Maxpowers said:

I would rather buy a used motor before I spent that much.

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and you will get what you pay for!

never enough money to do it right the first time but plenty of money to do it over and over again.

robo said:

and you will get what you pay for!

never enough money to do it right the first time but plenty of money to do it over and over again.

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+1

WPBFL561 said:

I explained I did not want a rebuild and just wanted to fix the rod knock but they said you can't just open the engine and put the old stuff back in. Is this correct? I dont rly need a rebuild as it only has 65000 miles on it. for $2400 cant I go ahead and buy a new engine? Please send advice, thanks.
Corey

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The problem is that a knock implies a bad bearing. Suppose it's a big-end on a rod: From there you may go to metal-on-metal contact with a journal on the crank probably causing dings and grooves; the bearing shell may have spun in the connecting rod ruining it and of course when a bearing lets go, it literally lets go of a bunch of loose metal that can circulate through the oil to other parts and damage them.

You actually can open and engine and, if everything checks out (no cracks, nothing worn beyond spec etc), you can break the cylinder glaze with a hone, put fresh rings and bearings in it and be good to go. However, if the knock has caused problems like those mentioned above, you're going to be in for replacement parts, machining etc.

It might be worth pulling the pan off it and checking to see what you're up against before committing either way. Find the loose rod and remove its cap. Check the bearing condition...did it spin? Any metal transfer to the journal? etc. Mic the bore and the journal. Check the journal for grooves and metal-transfer etc etc. Only after a check like this can you judge whether just the source of the knock can be addressed (still leaves metal in the oil galleries...) or whether it has to come right down for a rebuild. Don't expect any machine shop to offer any sort of warranty on a mere bearing shell replacement to cure a rod knock...

What caused the (presumably, rod) knock?

Trinity is 100% correct....

What I do with custohimers is first pull the pan and check the bearings and look everything over. Depending on what I find I layout the options on repair.

Most of the bolts are tq to yeild and will need replacing, if the crank has any marks it will need a polish or turning.

Rods, pistons and.crank can be reused of everything else checks out...it is 100% determined on what is found. What are your future plans with the car? The stock internals are weak....