What to do, need some advice...

[teklein]

Ok, I have been very involved in Neons for about three years, thats why I bought an Eclipse with the 420A.

My Eclipse has 240000 miles on, but it runs very very well, looks it too. Except the rear main seal leaks a ton of oil.

So the motor has to be pulled. Here I have three options:

Take it to a shop, pay them and be done with it, or:

I have a cryo treated 2.0 block on my porch, already bored at .030 over, needs to be bored out to .040 (was a turbo motor that went south), so I put new internals in and off I go, or:

I also have a 1998 2.4 Stratus block, I can put new internals in it for next to nothing, and throw that in...

I just cant decide which one, I cant justify just putting a rear main seal in without putting a fresh block in at 240000 miles, it runs excellent, but it may be a time bomb. I dont know much about how it was taken care of, other than when I bought it had a new timing belt, tensioner, and water pump put in. And the care looks great for the amount of use it has had.

So what to do... And dont say buy a turbo eclipse - I love the Neon based 420A, I hate the 4G63, I owned one about four years ago and it crankwalked at 119000 miles....

 

[Slippi84]

A 2.4 swap is not easy. Doable yes but not easy. Some thing it's not worth it others think it's a great idea especially if yoiur going turbo as there is no replacement for displacement. My opinion would be just build your block that's cryo treated with some forged rods and H beams throw it back in and then worry about what you do turbo wise or w/e after that

 

[Locke]

You also have the option of just removing the transmission, and installing a new seal.

 

[GS-T_Newboost]

i would just drop the tranny like loke said above and just replace the rear main seal.

 

[Slippi84]

You have a block with a shit load of miles on it your performance minded and you have a excuse to do it why not build it if you have the funds/means

 

[bullettdsm]

You also have the option of just removing the transmission, and installing a new seal.

You have a block with a shit load of miles on it your performance minded and you have a excuse to do it why not build it if you have the funds/means

Wouldn't it make sense to do both? Fix the seal in one day and then build an engine to put in later.

Am I missing something?

MB

 

[teklein]

Good point, didnt want to do anything twice

I was also unaware that I could pull the transmission only, in the Neons I always pulled the motor and trans together. One of the guys I know that did Neons as well said it was too much of a pain of a butt and took longer to just pull one, so I assumed that it was a pain on the Eclipse too.

Still at the 2.0/2.4 crossroads though... I have both motors, . The cryo block needs a crank though.

 

[synthetek]

If you can do it yourself just pull the trans and change the seal, should only cost you about $20 and take a few hours, then you can take your time and build up one of your other blocks and get it ready to swap in later.

 

[bullettdsm]

Still at the 2.0/2.4 crossroads though... I have both motors, . The cryo block needs a crank though.

Well, that's obvious also. I have a crank so send the cryo block to me and that leaves you with the 2.4. Problem solved.

No thanks necessary

MB

 

[Slippi84]

Wouldn't it make sense to do both? Fix the seal in one day and then build an engine to put in later.

Am I missing something?

MB

Umm I thought that it would be obvious to pull both and fix the seal.

 

[teklein]

That part is obvious, but I own a restaurant so I have NO time, for the sake of time, it would be easier to have a motor built, then one night just swap it in real quick, .

 

[Slippi84]

That part is obvious, but I own a restaurant so I have NO time, for the sake of time, it would be easier to have a motor built, then one night just swap it in real quick, .

If you own a resteraunt shit you have enough moeny just pay someone to do it for you

 

[tlikethedrink]

if money is no concern just live with the leak and build the cryo block... or pay someone to do the seal while your at work...

 

[teklein]

Im cheap

And I do have money, but restaurant owners do not have that MUCH money In fact, on average, unless you are a franchisor (which I will be soon), the profit from a restaurant is (roughly) ten percent on average. So even at 300,000 a year, only 30k profit

BTW, your salary is not included in the ten percent, its in the 90%, the ten percent is purely gravy

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Ok, ok... let's keep this thread about 420A engines, not running restaurants.

 

[Slippi84]

Im cheap

And I do have money, but restaurant owners do not have that MUCH money In fact, on average, unless you are a franchisor (which I will be soon), the profit from a restaurant is (roughly) ten percent on average. So even at 300,000 a year, only 30k profit

BTW, your salary is not included in the ten percent, its in the 90%, the ten percent is purely gravy

30K is a lot of gravy but any way take the block that's cryo treated build it pull the trans and engine out fix the seal and swap blocks and I know its' a stretch with money but I would invest in a good clutch because trust me later on when you get power hungry and start thinking hell I got a built engine why not boost or spray or both you will be like shit I have a stock clutch. Good luck either way man.

 

[teklein]

Yeah, im leaning toward building a low compression 2.0 block.

Ill save the 2.4 for the Neon shell I have a line on

I would have bought another 95-99 Neon, but the deal I got on this Eclipse was crazy for the condition the interior, body, and everything was in. The rear main seal is the only thing wrong with it.