How can i tell if an engine has truly been Rebuilt

[xXEclipse]

Ive found a 1996 GS-T i want to buy, the guy says the engine has been rebuilt, but doesnt have the papers for proof. Is there anything i can do to know that it really has been rebuilt?

 

[icepikbiker]

Freeze plugs..... if it has been gone through then it was most likely hot tanked, the freeze plugs SHOULD be removed before tanking, then replaced when done. Other then that just look for tool marks on bolts/nuts, and pretty/new parts.

 

[95eclipser]

Receipts with the guys name on it, and a call to the company who did It if he didn't.

 

[woodnbronze24]

check the compression!

 

[90TSI717]

^+1 papers tell the truth. There arnt to many people who throw away proof of a engine overhaul, esp. if they are going to sell the car.

 

[2slow4utsi]

+1 for freeze plugs and compression test. Also, you could have him take the head off and look at the pistons.

 

[95eclipser]

Also, you could have him take the head off and look at the pistons

no one selling a car would do that?

easier ways of doing this, then pulling the motor apart.

 

[2slow4now]

Who did the rebuild? Where? Whats their number? call them yourself. A shop should have evidence of what they did and how much it cost. Friend of a friend I would be warry.
compression check. New gaskets? you should be able to see the edges around intake exhaust. pull a spark plug try to see top of the piston. Anything new? oil pump / frontcover? water pump? timing belt? The normal stuff everyone replaces when they have the engine out of the car. Evidence.

 

[snoman181]

+1 for papers, but other wise if you tear the motor down you can measure bore diameter, look for new freeze plus, look to see if the block to head surface has been decked, look for new engine or after market engine internals. hope this helps.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

Dude. Drop the ####ing oil pan and look to see. Simple as that.

 

[tsi1991awd]

If the head looks like this when you pull the VC off:

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[BIGBLAZE79]

Receipt or it never happened, straight up! You can pull the spark plugs out really easy, 2 mins, and stick a small pen light down into the opening of the cylinder to look at the tops of the pistons. If it has more that a couple thousand miles on the rebuild, it will prob look black so no point. I recently pulled my engine apart again and at 20K miles my piston tops were covered in black carbon build up all ready.

 

[kmj 4g63t]

RECEIPTS!!! The guy I bought my car off of had a folder of every single part and every single thing he did. The receipt of the rebuild and the engine 8,000$ the maintenance and all the fluids he ever put in it. I was sold when he showed me them. I wasn't to happy when he didn't wanna give me them though haha.

If he has no receipts, drop oil pan and check for punch marks. When rebuilding an engine people usually mark each rod for placement. Or if there different rods, well you'll find out.