have the bottom end/ piston rings gone?

[lewis_willy2]

is there any way of telling if the piston rings or bottom end have gone just by lookin at and engine, my m8s got a lump for sale but doesnt know if its a runner? obviously when you take the head of if the rings have gone you can see oil on top of the piston, but what if its been stood for ages?

also what about the bottom end? dont wana put it in a car jus to find out the bottom end has gone?

ive got an engine stand and plan, if i buy it to sproose it up a bit, ie paint it?

how easy is it to get to the bottom end bearings? are they easy to replace? would it be worth rplacing anyway?

its a renult 5 gt turbo lump by the way with 88k miles on?

lewis

[Andyvalver]

Dont think you can tell if the bottom end is ****ed without the engine running and having a listen. You can normally hear knocking if its nackered.

Its the risk you take when you buy a second hand engine mate.

Northy needs to upgrade the swear filter :P ****ed.. as above

[Plattsy]

check for oil on the plugs, usually a good indication of something isnt right.
You could get it on your engine stand and wire it all up, coil, plugs, leads, ecu, loom etc and fire it up. if its knackered u cud still use it for parts!

[lewis_willy2]

if its knackered it'll get a rebuild

[Plattsy]

rebuild it yourself and save ££££

[lewis_willy2]

how easy is a bottom end rebuild, considerin im not bad with an engine and a set of tools, my m8s xr3i lives due to me doin the head gasket

[Plattsy]

if the engines out on an engine stand i cant see it being difficult. the hardest thing about engine work on valvers is that there is no room in the engine bay so with it out and on a stand you should be able to do it rather easily!
If youve done a headgasket you wont have a problem at all.
Just go buy some new parts for the engine like gaskets, seals, belts, or any uprated parts you wish to change. Not sure what you will have to do to recon the crank tho...

[Lunner]

I woudl change the bottem end bearings and piston rings if its out, make it almost like new

Change all the gaskets and water pump etc while its out too

[clowo16v]

Just buy a decent torque wrench to make sure you retighten everything. Engine building isnt difficult really. Oh and use the Haynes manual as a guide.

See ya

Matt

[Chris H]

any muppet can stick an engine back together, doing it rights a skill and takes time.

Rock the pistons at TDC. If they have any noticeable slop then its worn, 1mm of movement is not normal despite what some would say.

Also seeign the hone marks on the bore means nothing, I have seen engiens where the pistons flopped back and forth in the bore nearly 3mm with hone marks still there.