2000 3.9 V8 needs new engine WHere to find one?

[FDR]

well that's it. Going to Drive this POS on 7 cyliders till the whole engine blows.

Not that I'm supporting the abuse, but assuming it's only cylinder 4, unplug the injector to the bad cylinder so you can at least lengthen the life of some other parts... Your cats may clog up faster than the engine can die. Just saying. Assuming your timing is off, the forget it, because you won't have much time at all before the tensioner actually snaps, your cams really jump time, and your pistons Falcon Punch your valves.

I honestly wish I would have kept the 2005 Hyundai Accent I traded in for the LS. Sure it felt like I would be run over on the highway every time I was near traffic and took a half hour to get to 60 but the damn thing worked.

This^ sure makes it look like this:

yes i had to finance the car as not everyone has 5k in funds at the drop of a hat to buy a car. But im sure that has never crossed your elitist mind.

Was a poorly planned financial decision. If the Hyundai ran fine and you decided to lease an old, $5000 car in order to afford it, then you could not afford it. Many people want nicer cars, but I can't see leasing any used vehicle other than a Certified Pre-owned vehicle <4 years old (lengthy 3 year lease + 1 year on the lot, MAX).

My LS was a gift. That may make me spoiled and pampered if G-Rell is "elitist" for commenting on financing $5000, but when siht happens to my car, I hop back in the older Taurus until I can afford repairs and make time for them.

We're all sad to hear your LS is in need of repairs. It's something to get used to if you have another car. I wouldn't make the LS my only car, but I wouldn't trust a 15 year old Audi, either. Your LS was cheap because of major depreciation. That depreciation doesn't occur just from age; it's reputation and demand.

I would recommend your next car have a reputable reliability history (for the model), a reputable maintenance history (for the specific car), and a hefty online community discussing it's flaws, shortcomings, and repair costs. Though small, the LS-LvC community has most of the information you needed to know before purchasing. If money is too tight to spend $5000 on a car, don't buy luxury or sporty. Luxury cars tend to sacrifice reliability for comfort to keep price down. Sports cars sacrifice reliability for performance to keep price down. There's a reason old Civics and Elantras are so cheap, yet so plentiful on the road. 15 year old LSs or S-classes, not so much.

 

[EBK]

Guess you missed the part about not feeling safe on the highway in the soda can with wheels they call Hyundai accent. But dont let that stop you....... i will try to have the timing chain tensioner replaced but if that doesnt work car is scrap and will be treated accordingly.

As for not being able to afford it. I have no problem making the car payments so i could afford it just fine its a two year loan and payments are under 200 a month so that is beside the issue. There was no way to know the engine was going to blow and if there was I would have moved on

 

[Phlox]

I can't remember who, but another member said it best. Expect to put at least another $2000 into the car the moment you buy it. With that being said, one should expect to invest a similar amount into any 15 year old car in my opinion, especially ones that fall into the luxe category. Another member also said that once you replace the common failures and revive the LS, it's actually a fairly reliable and fun car to drive. Sorry to hear about your specific case and good luck if you decide to take on this project. Sending good wishes your way brother.

 

[EBK]

Had it checked out by my ASE certified mechanic before I signed the papers. There was no indication of any issues . No warning lights of any kind. All coils an plugs were good he said it needed an upper control arm on passenger side but other than that was mechanically sound. 2 months later transmission dies. Put in a new one under warranty. ****ty warranty only covered 1500 in total repairs. Ran great til last friday and then this. If there was ANY indication whatsoever it was going to catastrphicly fail i wouldnt have bought it.

So if the new timing tensioner doest work i will either sell the car for like 500 bucks if i can even get that out of it or use it for target practice after filling with tannerite

 

[G-RELL]

well the cost of the tannerite would be more the the engine repair

Did your guy actually pull heads off? this all just seems a little much with no evidence other then a phone call... no pics, have you gone to see it?


here's how most (i) would move forward, either yourself (not that hard to do) or by your mech. (if you trust him that much).

-Pull both valve covers, look for broken chains or tensioners (I'd suspect secondary chain)
-If intact, rotate the engine (plugs pulled) by hand, until all the cam flats are visible.
-check to see if they line up, I bet problem bank does not
-replace chain, tensioner, and rotate bad cam back into alignment (several ways to do it)

when reassembled THEN see if you have valve damage...

again, MAYBE it is shot, but i'd need more then one phone call before I got the ATF concerned...

 

[EBK]

Tannerite is legal in my state and sold at the local gunshop placed underneath a mostly empty gas tank in a safe location would get the desired result for less than $30. BATFE (and really big fires as in WACO) Couldn't say a word.


My trusted mechanic does not have the tools for that kind of engine work he just did the compression test and came back with 70PSI and sent me to a second place and this is what the Estimate the second place gave me and what it says word for word. When asked he stated that its likely a fuel injector went bad and constantly sprayed fuel into cylinder 4 and burned it out. When asked why no check engine light he stated it would have felt as though the car was missing. but No CEL would come on.

I do not know if he opened it up or not. I assume he did not as I went and picked it up the next day and drove it to work last night. His print out below

Labor Description: Cylinder head gasket- Remove&replace-V8 Both- [includes: remove carbon, adjust valves,clean spark plugs and adjust timing where necessary.] $2.128.00
Change oil Check all fluid Levels. $17.10
Valve job $450.30

Labor total is 2,593.95

Parts Description/Number
Head set/head gasket
HS26361pt 1@ $534.75
ES72262 2 @ $79.26
Xw4z 6268 AA 1@ $119.33
XW4z 6268 BA 1 @$74.80
XW4z 6k297 AA 1@ $59.90
XW4z 6L266 BA 1@ $74.80
XW4z 6k254 BA 1@ $180.92
XW4z 6k254 CA 1@ 180.53
Xw4z 6l253 AA 1@ $72.43
JV5084 1@ $41.49
0000 6@ 3.50
0000 1@ $6.50
Antifreeze 6@ $3.35
CM 4934 1@ 210.66
Shop Supplies $35.00

Total for parts is $1,846.25

 

[EBK]

Xw4z 6268 AA 1@ $119.33
XW4z 6268 BA 1 @$74.80
XW4z 6k297 AA 1@ $59.90
XW4z 6L266 BA 1@ $74.80
XW4z 6k254 BA 1@ $180.92
XW4z 6k254 CA 1@ 180.53
Xw4z 6l253 AA 1@ $72.43
JV5084 1@ $41.49

I assume these are fluids but good god 180 bucks? is the fluid made of gold?

 

[EBK]

^ I'll PM you the info.
It's located in Canada though and I just double checked they are asking 2000$ CDN or Best Offer.
Which is currently $1669 USD at this weeks rate.


View attachment 828471239


Shipping US from Canada is gonna hurt for sure!

GL

Waiting to hear back on a shipping quote. The person I spoke to acted like they have never shipped anything ever before though so not real confident on this endeavor. But the price for the motor is reasonable. if shipping doesn't kill me i will be selling a few guns and picking this up. Install is gonna be about a grand as well though.

 

[G-RELL]

I only state this again because its a forum (if it doesn't help you, maybe the next person).

at least pull the valve covers to see whats wrong.... buying a new engine based of a low compression test and a "i'd bet a bad fuel injector" is crazy... like using shears to open your trunk crazy.... plenty of writeups (with pics) on pulling valve covers!

 

[RigsLS]

... acted like they have never shipped anything ever before though so not real confident on this endeavor ...

From CDN to US, there's going to be some Customs papers to go along with that, somewhat troublesome but possible. Brokerage fees and duties even.
Considering those guys are just an Autoshop (or whatever) they don't have much experience shipping stuff I bet, which means they'll need to get a broker to move it.

Nothing is impossible just requires the extra effort. BUT as others are suggesting above, you might just have jumped time on the exhaust side on one of the cams and that has been repaired as a DIY'er on here many of times. If that LS really already had valve damage, you wouldn't still be driving it to work today.

Driving it in this current condition is not going to help, too much torque or getting off the pedal to fast from a high rate of speed and it will grenade it'self.


Feel your pain though, 1st GEN very sensitive on the plastic timing chain tentioners. Get's old and brittle, cracks down the middle and looses it's spring rate, guides wear down, causing too much slack in the chain.

Take a vid of it while running and let us have a hear/look.

 

[EBK]

Shipping is an acceptable price. so i will be going that route. I do not have the proper tools or workspace to pull the valve covers off. And my mechanic said he has never done anything like what is being described so is hesitant to try. IF i can get this engine and the install is around a grand it will be about half of what the other place wanted to charge me to rebuild just the top half.

 

[Telco]

At this point, after seeing the direction the OP is going, it's looking a lot like previous trolls who have hit this board, especially after the comment that his trusted mechanic isn't confident about pulling the timing chain covers. Nevertheless, I did a quick ebay check and saw that there are several 2000-2002 3.9s available used in the 900 dollar range. A compression check, a preemptive tensioner and cooling system swap, and the engine should work well enough since aside from the cooling system and the tensioners there aren't any issues with these engines. If the OP is as broke as he claims this would be the way to go.

 

[LS4me]

My trusted mechanic does not have the tools for that kind of engine work he just did the compression test

Heck, even I own enough sockets/tools to pull the valve cover!!!!!

And my mechanic said he has never done anything like what is being described so is hesitant to try.

So what does he do as a mechanic? Oil Changes? A mechanic than can't do basic engine work is no mechanic!!!!! Doing a timing chain swap is pretty basic. Cars that use belts must have then changed every 50K miles or so.

 

[G-RELL]

:slam

who's going to put the motor in!?!?!?!

Good Luck with whatever you choose

Agreed with the feeling of us being trolled... although if he is that broke... a $20 socket set and a borrowed screwdriver is the cheapest way to go. no "space" required.

still think shears are going to be involved soon

 

[EBK]

Bless your hearts. you guys are something special.

This is not a troll just some one who is kind of into cars that bought an LS. Not a gear head or anything like that. Bought what I thought was a decent running car that had both the transmission and engine go out less than a year later with no indications for either one. I personally don't know anything about fixing cars beyond changing my own oil and tires. My mechanic is not comfortable doing that kind of work for whatever reason so I trust his word. He is a personal friend of mine and is not taking me for a ride just for some extra money.

I sold some things and called in a few favors and bought the engine that Big Rig LS sent me a link to. it will be installed by a certified ASE mechanic Same one as above. If I didnt think you guys would Sh*t all over his page I would link you to his shops face book site so you can see he is quite capable. He just rebuilt the front end of a mini cooper. and did the timing chain on a cadilac CTS all with pics. Maybe he is not comfortable putting his companies rep on the line doing work on something he has never done before.

Thank you to Big Rig LS for the link to the motor. The rest of you well.....I got nothing just bless your hearts.

 

[LS4me]

Bless your hearts. you guys are something special.

This is not a troll just some one who is kind of into cars that bought an LS. Not a gear head or anything like that. Bought what I thought was a decent running car that had both the transmission and engine go out less than a year later with no indications for either one. I personally don't know anything about fixing cars beyond changing my own oil and tires. My mechanic is not comfortable doing that kind of work for whatever reason so I trust his word. He is a personal friend of mine and is not taking me for a ride just for some extra money.

I sold some things and called in a few favors and bought the engine that Big Rig LS sent me a link to. it will be installed by a certified ASE mechanic Same one as above. If I didnt think you guys would Sh*t all over his page I would link you to his shops face book site so you can see he is quite capable. He just rebuilt the front end of a mini cooper. and did the timing chain on a cadilac CTS all with pics. Maybe he is not comfortable putting his companies rep on the line doing work on something he has never done before.

Thank you to Big Rig LS for the link to the motor. The rest of you well.....I got nothing just bless your hearts.

He has the tools to replace the timing chain(s) on a CTS but not the tools to pull a valve cover? He can do a timing chain on a CTS but not your LS? Personal friend or not he is no mechanic. Maybe a Shadetree..... The LSes engine is just like EVERY OTHER twin-cam engine. It's not like it's made of some precious metal or has special parts. It's an internal combustion engine for cryin' out loud!!

 

[RigsLS]

... Thank you to Big Rig LS for the link to the motor ...

The

did I just do to myself,

gave away my private stash to a brand new "never-before-fired" 1st GEN LS V8 motor, 4hrs away from me, which I possibly still wanted myself.

Ugh! *owned* I suck at this, hand of Poker anyone?

 

[EBK]

I spoke with my mechanic and the reason he is un willing to try what has been suggested is he does not think it will fix the compression issue with the #4 cylinder. Sounds reasonable to me.

 

[EBK]

The

did I just do to myself,

gave away my private stash to a brand new "never-before-fired" 1st GEN LS V8 motor, 4hrs away from me, which I possibly still wanted myself.

Ugh! *owned* I suck at this, hand of Poker anyone?

You helped out someone in need. Think of it that way. Probably shouldn't tell you what I paid then either if you are sore about it.

Thanks again

 

[Telco]

We've been trolled before. If you are not one, apologies. If you are, up yours. We'll know which it is before long, but I hope you aren't a troll.

 

[EBK]

We've been trolled before. If you are not one, apologies. If you are, up yours. We'll know which it is before long, but I hope you aren't a troll.

I assure you I m not a troll ( not that it means anything to you). But I am starting to understand why your community here is so small. I had to double check a couple of times and make sure didn't stumble onto a BMW forum.

 

[joegr]

We've been trolled before. If you are not one, apologies. If you are, up yours. We'll know which it is before long, but I hope you aren't a troll.

I'm not sure what's going on here. I put him on ignore when he couldn't understand what "exactly the same" did and didn't mean.

 

[EBK]

Only difference was he got an error code and I did not all other transmission issues that person mentioned were the same Or similar if you want to split hairs. But meh whatever. I got the help I needed however reluctantly and I thank Big Rig LS for that.

 

[RigsLS]

No worries, I was all hot and horny for that motor when I first spotted that ad but quickly came to the understanding I've got what I need for now, don't need to spend more then I need on this LS, it's already nearly rebuild. Worse case I do tentioner and chains on mine when it needs it, the bigger plan was to drive this LS out for a couple more years and switch over to a 370Z. Besides my LS overstock shelving can't handle any more weight on them.

Good luck with it for sure, Enjoy. +1

 

[Grizsk]

F@CK. You bought that motor!? I'm in Canada and I actually need it. I'll pay you to ship it back.

Hah.