Starshine
Probationary Member
- 0
- 0
- Aug 24, 2008
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Colby or Menominee,
Wisconsin
I purchased a 1992 plymouth laser several months ago. I'm about to enter a rant so skip the next paragraph if you don't want to read it.
<rant> I had and still have a few problems but they are simple maintenance. Frustrating that they all seemed to happen at once but I digress. Within a week of first getting the car the timing belt went out as I was driving down the road. Don't wuss out on me now! I turned off the highway and called my brother keith, he's my go to mechanic. I was like, "dude my car died" and I said" it just died and my oil pressure dropped, did it blow or do you think the timing belts snapped?" He told me to open up the oil pour and check to see if the valves were moving and I did...and they weren't. As I knew my engine was an interference engine I thought it was done and I was going to go see a certain body shop owner (seller of the car). I purchased a new timing belt and Keith put it on for me as I replaced the spark plugs (they were rounded completely, I'll upload some pics) and then I started it the next morning when I had time to get a new spark plug wire I broke and it started. It knocked for about ten minutes pretty bad but then the knock faded away and I was really relieved...I already paid too much for the car and didn't have any money left to buy a new engine or rebuild kit. </rant>
If you're rejoining me here after skipping the last paragraph or just continuing to read, my problem is that my engine has been knocking because of a snapped timing belt and it knocks lightly whenever I start the car (just a little more then is normal) and I know it's going to only get worse and I'm going to need to depend on this car to take me back and fourth to college. So...
MY QUESTIONS
1. Would I be able to swap my 1.8L out and put in a NT 2.0 without any other modifications? I also plan to replace the transmission so that I can maintain freeway speeds without a dramatic drop is gas mileage. Anything I need to know about fitting a transmission into this car with a 2.0L? I assume not since this car generally came with a 2.0.
2. Would it be the best overall for a power gas mileage balance to use the 2.0? I know this is a matter of opinion but I enjoy reading about what other people have to tell me about what they think is best and why so I can gather my own opinion.
3. I was looking at the free mods and I saw I could gain some power simply by disconnecting some vacuum lines that contribute to emissions. Now, I don't give two cents about emissions standards but I do care about the money in my wallet. will these mods decrease my gas mileage much if at all?
Thanks for reading all this and for your reply. Ive gotta go plug in my laptop now.
~Starshine
<rant> I had and still have a few problems but they are simple maintenance. Frustrating that they all seemed to happen at once but I digress. Within a week of first getting the car the timing belt went out as I was driving down the road. Don't wuss out on me now! I turned off the highway and called my brother keith, he's my go to mechanic. I was like, "dude my car died" and I said" it just died and my oil pressure dropped, did it blow or do you think the timing belts snapped?" He told me to open up the oil pour and check to see if the valves were moving and I did...and they weren't. As I knew my engine was an interference engine I thought it was done and I was going to go see a certain body shop owner (seller of the car). I purchased a new timing belt and Keith put it on for me as I replaced the spark plugs (they were rounded completely, I'll upload some pics) and then I started it the next morning when I had time to get a new spark plug wire I broke and it started. It knocked for about ten minutes pretty bad but then the knock faded away and I was really relieved...I already paid too much for the car and didn't have any money left to buy a new engine or rebuild kit. </rant>
If you're rejoining me here after skipping the last paragraph or just continuing to read, my problem is that my engine has been knocking because of a snapped timing belt and it knocks lightly whenever I start the car (just a little more then is normal) and I know it's going to only get worse and I'm going to need to depend on this car to take me back and fourth to college. So...
MY QUESTIONS
1. Would I be able to swap my 1.8L out and put in a NT 2.0 without any other modifications? I also plan to replace the transmission so that I can maintain freeway speeds without a dramatic drop is gas mileage. Anything I need to know about fitting a transmission into this car with a 2.0L? I assume not since this car generally came with a 2.0.
2. Would it be the best overall for a power gas mileage balance to use the 2.0? I know this is a matter of opinion but I enjoy reading about what other people have to tell me about what they think is best and why so I can gather my own opinion.
3. I was looking at the free mods and I saw I could gain some power simply by disconnecting some vacuum lines that contribute to emissions. Now, I don't give two cents about emissions standards but I do care about the money in my wallet. will these mods decrease my gas mileage much if at all?
Thanks for reading all this and for your reply. Ive gotta go plug in my laptop now.
~Starshine
