Back To Basics: Budget Rebuild

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Originally Posted by sergechronos

While the cast crank was still in tolerable shape, I decided to switch to a forged unit and picked one up off of the forums for around $200 shipped, and sold my old cast crank for around $130 bucks for a total cost of $70.
I picked up some WRX 13Ts for around $200 bucks and sent them off to Rob Beck with my 9Bs to get converted, for a cost 700. I then sold the left over 9B parts for 50 bucks for a total cost of $850.
I scored a 25 spline transmission and tcase off of eBay for around $400 shipped to replace my 18 spline that grinded 2 and 3. Sold my old one to Ray for $350. Total cost: $50
New in box Clutchmasters FX100 from a store close out off of eBay for $75
Lightweight flywheel with around 10k on it for $125 shipped
I also bought a used single core FMIC set up for $300.
New set of piston rings for $100
New Kings Bearings $100
Set of Evo560s from Gump for $200, sold my old 360s for $40. Total cost: $160
Used oil cooler, new lines and adapter, plus professional flushing: $150
AEM wide band: $120
Machine work for block, flywheel and precision checking that all rod ends were still round and in spec: $100
120k Parts: $450
Flash ECU, $550. Sold the old ECU for $200. Total cost: $350.
New heads, cams, spare block: $350 initial. Sold old heads, spare block and ended up paying nothing for it.
3g Lifters: $90
Misc Paint, gaskets, RTV, etc: ~$60
Prosport Gauges: $150

Final cost: $3,150

Could've kept costs down by not doing some of the upgrade stuff I did, but when in Rome...

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Wow! Amazing you kept costs down that low.

Looking good!

I appreciate the compliments, definitely don't recommend doing it like that though. That was basically 2 years worth of parts collecting via people liquidating on the forums and eBay. Would've rather had a couple thousand more to spend on parts to forge and replace the rods and pistons, as well as having a more controlled climate within which to do the build. Of course, after I had reassmbled the motor, a few people parted out forged bottom ends on the cheap so you know..Patience is key.

This is definitely not a permanent rebuild, but hopefully will hold up until I can afford to build it exactly how I want it (Dr650s or 750s in WRX compressor housings anyone? :suspect: )

Rebuilding a car yourself has the same compromises as the car: Cheap, reliable, fast. Pick 2.

If you get reliable parts cheap, you probably won't be done rebuilding fast.
If you get fast parts cheap, you probably won't be reliable.
And if you get fast and reliable parts, it likely won't be cheap.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sergechronos

Rebuilding a car yourself has the same compromises as the car: Cheap, reliable, fast. Pick 2.

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This is the same regardless of whether you go pro or DIY.


Good job on body work. That's not my forte. My little sis is the pro there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sergechronos

I appreciate the compliments, definitely don't recommend doing it like that though. That was basically 2 years worth of parts collecting via people liquidating on the forums and eBay. Would've rather had a couple thousand more to spend on parts to forge and replace the rods and pistons, as well as having a more controlled climate within which to do the build. Of course, after I had reassmbled the motor, a few people parted out forged bottom ends on the cheap so you know..Patience is key.

This is definitely not a permanent rebuild, but hopefully will hold up until I can afford to build it exactly how I want it (Dr650s or 750s in WRX compressor housings anyone? :suspect: )

Rebuilding a car yourself has the same compromises as the car: Cheap, reliable, fast. Pick 2.

If you get reliable parts cheap, you probably won't be done rebuilding fast.
If you get fast parts cheap, you probably won't be reliable.
And if you get fast and reliable parts, it likely won't be cheap.

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Yes generally any project has the compromise between safety/reliability, cost and speed (length of project also!).

I like how you disassemble the fiscal issues on your strategy. Looks good and you took advantage of good selling and buying opportunities.

Where did you get the professional flush done on the oil cooler? Any shop I guess could do it...

Well, I can't deny, I've had help from some forum members. Green-lantern provided me with another starter when I discovered mine had failed while everything was disassembled, plus I'm getting to borrow his Tactrix for now to tune the car (once it's running) until I can afford to get my own (hopefully once my old parts sell.) DCIV on the other forum is providing me with a spare 91TT oil pan he had for just shipping so that I can get rid of this damn 3SX misfit and hopefully stop the leaking. Couple that with long term parts hoarding on the cheap, and I've probably cut the cost of the rebuild by about 50%.

As far as the professional flush, you can check with transmission shops and radiators shops. For me, a local tranny shop did it. I mean THEORETICALLY you could spray it out with brake cleaner (or fill with acetone) and shake the shit out of it and pour it out through coffee filters (so you can see when debris stops coming out) but it wasn't too expensive to get the transmission shop to professionally flush it. There are companies online that will explicitly do oil cooler flushings (usually catering to the Diesel crowd) but of course you'd need to contact them and pay shipping if they will do it. If I had the money, I'd have gone with a Setrab set up. The peace of mind of a new cooler is better than cost savings for used unless you are extremely financially limited.

How does that eclipse steering wheel diameter compare to stock?

It seems to be, and I haven't bothered actually measuring, pretty much the same size. Perhaps slightly smaller. It's not going to compete with a Momo or anything for sure, but it was cheaper than getting my factory wheel recovered and it feels better to me. Of course, compared to the old one, should be obvious why. The airbag still works (SRS is the same between the 3000GT and the 3G Eclipse) which is an added bonus. I *believe* some people have used Evo steering wheels, although which Evos, I don't know for sure I believe it's the Evo VI. It MAY be plug and play as well.

Again, I paid basically 20 bucks, so hard to argue with. An Eclipse 2g Cruise Control switch will be another 10-15 probably, and you could theoretically get a 3G Eclipse wheel with the radio controls on the backside of the wheel to work, not sure how plug and play that is though.

Sounds like it's coming along pretty well. You've done some good planning and maybe discovered some new info with the 3g eclipse steering wheel. You sound pretty frugal like me. It took me a few cars and a lot of time and a lot of buying and selling, but my builds have been nearly free so far. Good luck with yours. Can't wait to see it finished.

Been busy this week with school and birthday, had a couple orders get in though that will be getting installed as soon as possible. Unfortunately I had to do work on my daily driver truck and managed to partially tear my labrum (according to a doctor anyhow) and am now supposed to be doing any serious work or working overhead.

Got another oil pan in which needs to be painted, 880CC injectors (switching to E85 after the motor is broken in on the Evo560s), Wally 416 E85, a black 2g conversion set up (anyone looking for a set of black 3k lexans?), stud kit for the lower to upper intake plenum, handful of bolts, new oil pump gasket, AEM FPR adapter from Ninja and a fuel pressure gauge.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...ps174f113a.jpg

Going to get out there tomorrow and try to get *some* work done for the car, but have to just be careful with my shoulder is all so may not get too far. I think I'm going to try to do the lower plenum and FPR stuff this weekend since I'm not supposed to be working over head. Not sure if I'm going to try to replace the pan/fix the oil leak (seems to be coming from around the oil pump on the firewall side) while it's in the bay, or pull it all back out and put it on the stand to do it.

Doing the stud kit and FPR stuff today, as well as some light work for the new pan: sanding it and painting it.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...ps7cfd4198.jpg
This probably has a lot to do with why the car wouldn't hold fuel pressure after it was shut off. Makes me worry if it was holding it while it was running.

New AEM FPR waiting to go on, but I'm goign to use a viton oring since I plan on switching to E85.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...ps232be22c.jpg
Stud kit installed on the plenum, quick and easy.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...ps90f79ac3.jpg
Prepping the oil pan.