Pickin up a JDM engine.

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badk0re

Junior Member
I sold my 90 CRX HF because of financial probz, now that I fixed them I am buying a 91 CRX Si without an engine fer $500, its a beauty too, now the only problem is, I dont have an engine, instead of paying $1300 fer an engine I could buy a ZC for another $500 full swap from another racer friend of mine ( he has like 15+ engines in storage ) or I can pay $250 and buy any engine out of any car I want at Pick N Pull, I see alot of DOHC's and alot of shit, how can I tell if an engine is totally f***ed or if its ok, I mean, yeh imma end up stripping the whole engine down and cleaning everything, I mean I changed my clutch no problem and I got a haynes and the net, I am just confused on what to look for, like how cn I tell if its an engine I can use? not by what kind of car, by actually inspecting it, checking for blown head gaskets and stuph like that? Any help is appreciated!

P.S.
It took me about a month to actually resign up for membership, when it deleted all our accounts when pissedoffsol broke the system =)
 
Take off the valve cover and look for oil burnt into the inside of it,you can check for broken parts in the head(valves etc...),coolant in the left over oil.Take a compression gauge and test it.pull off the radiator hoses and look inside.A nasty corroded hose is a sign of neglect.Likewise with the belts and plugs.Though if your ordering a engine on-line then you pretty much have to take their word for it.
 
I cant do a compressions test I wish I could, im just sitting there with the front clip of a integra in front of me, a brown valve cover and another with a black vavlve cover, how can I tell which clip is better? which engine will be worth paying for? which engine will actually work? I will take all the advide you have given though, I do plan on takin the head off and examing the internals, I alreayd planned that, im taking off at 3:00pm PST ill be back at 6:00pm pst to let you all know if I get a dayum engine or if I ended up looking at two fried blown cripsie destroyed ruined demolished over-killed teg engines.
 
The black valve cover comes with more horses,I believe.really without taking it apart or a compression test of some kind it is hard to say if it is wasted.At the least maybe took a wrench and turn the pulley to make sure it isn't froze or has some resistance to it.It shouldn't be to hard or easy to turn.Look at the area's around the gaskets for abnormal amounts of crap.Look inside the throttle body and intake manifold if you can.
 
If is the complete clip just get a battery and a carb cleaner spray can and start the puppy up, take the vaccum hose from the intake, spray some carb cleaner and crank it over, it should start right up.
 
It does not matter because you are getting fuel (or in this case carb cleaner) directly into the intake ports, so it works the same way, just make sure the motor has oil. And have someone help you, but it can be done.
 
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