Hey,

As I mentioned in my previous post I'm a super newbie who does not know anything about cars but wants to learn everything he can because this seems like a fun hobby. I've been reading a lot of stuff, but I figure the only way I can really learn is to get hands on experience. I've been thinking of eventually going down to a junk yard and looking for an older more beat up engine that is the same or similar to my car (93 2 Door Civic DX) and then taking it home taking it apart, cleaning it, then putting it back together. I don't have a garage and I live in a small 2 bedroom apartment. I was just wondering if you guys think I could get a similar engine for $200 or less. Eventually when i start modding I want to do the mods on the junkyard engine first just to see how it'll work. Are there any holes in this plan that I'm not thinking of and do you guys think this is a good idea to get started or to much to fast? I appreciate your help thx


CaRFRo

 

When Pick and Pull has it half price sell you should be able to pick one up for around 150 bucks.

When you say put it back together do you think it will run again?

 

Thanks for your response.

I don't know if it will, but I'm not getting it for that anyway. I think if I get something at the price it will be pretty worn anyway won't it? If I could get something that was decent maybe I'd do my work on that and eventually put it in my car, but I need my car right now to get back and forth to places. Basically my goal is to just use the engine as a template and to help me learn about my car.

This is prob a retarded question but if I buy an engine from the yard do I need a way to pull it from the car that it's in myself?

CaRFRo

 

i once wanted to do that with my old car, but then as you start buying parts and putting them on and just reading articals and what not, you will learn alot that way instead of using your money to get a scrap motor, but if thats what you want to do that thats alot of good stuff there too, but ya, if you get it from the yard, you will have to pay more for them to take it out, you get a percentage off if you do it yourself, but also, they might have a motor already pulled out thats in good running conditon for sale

 

Yeah I see what you're saying, except I really am just getting my feet wet and I need my car to get around (even though my license is suspended lol) so for now I dont wanna risk messing it up. Thats good news though that they can pull the engine for me even if i have to pay a little extra. you guys think it will be possible for me to haul that thing up one flight of stairs with 1 or 2 people? thats the last thing I'm worried about, and for now I think I'm just gonna stick it in my balcony. thanks for the help.

CaRFRo

 

You might be taking a bite you cant chew. If you read around here youll see how things work and pictures of things. I didnt even know what the hell a turbo looked like or how it worked but I knew it made the car fast. But that changed 5 months ago : )

Oh, welcome to the forum!

 

Hey

Which part do you think is the bite I can't chew? For me right now, just getting the scrap engine up in my place seems like the challenge. I don't expect to haul this thing up in my place and start tearing it apart immediately. In all likelihood it's probably just gonna sit on my balcony for months until I start to find my way a little and read things (plus I dont have any tools). For me it seems like the only way that I can get some experience. I can't mess with my car to much (atleast right now) because I need it for transportation, and I don't really know anyone else who works on there car. I see your point though, not knowing a thing about cars and then all of a sudden hauling this engine in here seems like a big jump lol. it just seems like the only way I can get some hands on right now though.

On a different note, has anyone read "Auto Fundamentals" by Stockel? thx

CaRFRo

 

Its not hard to take apart things. But you will be getting confused when you find something that you dont know what it does. Well, I guess you could post pictures of it to see what others will say. The main thing is not to see all the parts in it. Its to see how they work and understand what every function is.