is there a difference between the 97 and 99 engine?

[rvought]

Couple weeks ago, i was going to work and i ended up hitting a drive axle in the middle of the freeway. (at least thats what the cop said it was he moved out of the road) i looked in the side mirror and saw a long pipe spinning around. Long story short, it took out my oil pan, and i guess i didnt stop quick enough because now the shop said i have some crank and bearings issues. Insurance is going to cover it, but the shop could only find an engine closest to my miles out of a 1997, with 83000 miles. my car has 81,000. i did find a couple different engines out of a 99 with 70k and 35k miles that i need to tell the insurance about. glad there looking really hard. and the insurance guy tells me that it will be around 4000 to install just the engine not including any other little things and fluids. there was a little damage done to my front bumper, my front mount got somes fins push in, the flex plate on the down pipe has some wires tore and there is a slight dent on the exhaust pipe in the back. but if i write those off as an appearence issue, then he said he would cut me a deal and i wouldnt have to pay my $500 deductible. what a deal.

So my question(s) is will this engine work or will there things that need to change. i want to stick with an engine that is out of a 99 if i can. i already went round and round trying to get a rebuild and i got every excuse in the world. also could there be any damage to the transmission as well? didnt overheat or anything, got over as soon as possible shut the car off. told him i wanted this checked as well, just to be safe. he said since there isnt any physical damage that i would have to take care of it. why would there have to be physical damage? my engine looks like a million bucks and its screwed!
i hate insurance companies, and this is the first claim i've ever done.
If anyone could get me a little insight i would greatly appreciate it!

 

[daren_p]

For the model year 98+ they switched to a split thrust bearing design that was supposed to stop/help prevent crackwalk. I believe some 97's (not sure if both Eclipse's & Talons), if they were built near the end of the run, will have the revised thrust bearing design as well. Believe its cars produced after June of 97 that have the revised bearings. Also is it possible to just have your current motor rebuilt?

 

[housegsx]

I've never heard of an insurance company that fixes their customer cars with used parts. I would want a new or properly rebuilt engine. To me, that's like them finding a windshield at a junkyard and putting it on my car just because it isn't cracked... No thanks, I'll take a new one.

 

[rvought]

this guy told me that a rebuild is out of the question pretty much because i will be better off than i was, unless i wanted to fork some money out and pay the rest of it. but when they are trying to give me an older engine, with a little bit more miles on it, i dont see them giving me any extra money.
i found 3 engines out of a 99. highest being with 70,000 miles and the lowest being 35,000 miles. middle is 67,000. there all priced about the same, $2495 w/ 70k, $2695 w/ 35k and 2450 w/ 67k on it. now i dont know what this shop is finding but an engine with 83k on it for only 1800. sounds like an engine with 100k+ on it. maybe he has connections which i'm sure he does but its all crap.

 

[Zack Huffman]

How willing to deal is the insurance adjuster? It sounds to me like he's looking for a cheap way out.
Anyways, here's my idea; get the quote from the shop on what it will take money-wise to get the car back to where it was before the damage. Then take that info to the insurance man and tell him you'll sign off if he gives you like 2/3 of the cost quoted, plus your old engine. If he'll go for it, then you should have a pretty good start on a nice beefy engine build.

 

[slipstream808]

Is it legal for them to go the used route?

I thought this stuff would have to be new. Or is it because our cars are too old.

 

[rvought]

Sorry for not getting back to anyone, just been busy trying to deal with all of this! Yes it is legal for them to find me a used motor, because basically i am giving them a used engine. and all they have to do is find a used engine with the same amount of miles or at least as close as possible. but usually it has to be as much or less. i think he stated it as a "bettermint clause?" cant get something better than i had before, but he was willing to go 25% that i had to pay on a new rebuuild engine. which was fair.

After all said and done, i decided just to take a loss on the car. Have them total it out and collect a check. i do how-ever have the option of buying it back from them. so i posted some listings on craigslist and am just trying to sell it as is for $2700. Had alot of interest. If nobody buys it, my claim adjuster is only taking $30 off the value of the car for me to take all my aftermarket things off, including the carbon fiber hood. i thought that was pretty fair. And also, he informed me that this will still have a clean title on it, not salvage which i thought, something to do with the year, if it was a 02 or newer then it would be deamed salvage. something to do with 6 years and some percent!

But i thank everyone for there input! i appreciate all the help that everyone has giving me!!
~Rob

 

[spinz4]

This thread makes me angry, that's is all..

 

[rvought]

Makes you angry, how do you think i feel?! I'm the one without my car now, dealing with the inconviences of having to go to work and and what not and sharing my girlfriends car. On the phone with the insurance company a couple times a day, shop manager as well. Did i ask for this to happen? Absolutely not, I loved that car. I wouldnt want this to happen to anyone.
And that is all!!!
But i did just go buy a pretty nice beater car to get me around cause it was getting to hard to deal with schedules being different.