2000 Honda CR-V engine rebuild

I’ve been maintaining my CR-V well over the years and now that I’ve had a rebuild done on the tranny, the 260,000 mile engine will at some point need replacement.
The last time I replaced an engine was on a 1976 Ford Torino and it was done by a local engine rebuilder in Illinois who was a craftsman.
Factoring in cost and getting in done right, what do you recommend now-a-days?
There’s one local shop I’ve found that does a “complete rebuild” (?), but I’m not knowledgeable enough to know what that should include.
Some have suggest just buy a rebuilt engine, have it shipped to my mechanic to R&R it. If this is a good idea, who are the best rebuilders around U.S. to buy from?
Lastly, should I stay away from a junk yard used engine, since at age 63, I want to make this CR-V my last vehicle.
Thanks as always for any help.

Most auto repair shops don’t do engine rebuilds anymore. It takes far too long for most people to be without their cars. So they order a remanufactured engine from Jasper or similar companies. It makes the job days rather than weeks. The old engine is returned as a core charge.

Not sure if Honda does this but manufacturers offer brand new engines for competitive costs. I would go that route if available.

I suggest you re consider your idea to keep this as a forever car. You can no longer get parts from Honda that will wear out. One of those parts may make your car un-repairable and undriveable. If you have a minor accident, the car will be totaled.

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Its not cost effective to do a rebuilt on a vehicule that old.What else gonna break next?

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Thanks for the advice Mustang. Any others you’d recommend in addition to Jasper. Thanks.

Do a web search. There are a number of sources. Ask your mechanic who he suggests.

The engine will have a warranty and the mechanic should offer one as well on the install. Don’t force him to use a source he’s uncomfortable with. You don’t want arguments if something goes wrong.

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Ok, thanks again Mustang

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Why ? This thing is 19 years old . I don’t know your financial position and it is none of my business . A new CR-V is not all that expensive by today’s prices . More safety features ( backup camera for one ) and don’t you deserve it .

I agree completely. It wold be more cost effective to by a new(er) vehicle.

260k miles is a lot of miles, but doesn’t mean it’s due for an engine rebuild. If engine was properly maintained, then it might last 400k miles.

You can keep a car going for ever if you have the money. But why? It’s not a classic. The only way it would be worth it (financially) is if you did the work yourself.

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How much oil are you using? (miles between adding a quart)

I’d recommend a remanufactured engine from Jasper. Tighter tolerances on todays engines make rebuilding in the field less viable. As far as a junkyard engine, I wouldn’t spend the amount of labor to remove and replace something that may be junk.

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My daughter had a Jasper rebuilt engine sourced and installed by her local mechanic for $6700. Jasper replaced the first rebuilt 2 more times, the first was leaking oil through the head casting, I don’t remember what was wrong with the second and the third kept hunting up and down at idle. He mechanic kept trying to fix the idle problem and after 6 visits she traded the car in on a new one. This whole thing took many many months because each time the shop had to send the engine back to Jasper at the shops expense for the engine to be evaluated before they would reimburse for the shipping and then send the next engine. It’s a good thing she bought the engine through her mechanic because that made him responsible for all the labor of the installations. I don’t know if Jasper reimbursed her mechanic for his labor.

Keep in mind, Jasper has a great reputation as a national rebuilder. There is a machine shop in Tonawanda called Notheast Machine and Tool that I used to deliver to 40 years ago and they are still in business as engine rebuilders and when I was delivering there over a 15 year period, they had mostly the same people working there. I have no knowledge of the quality or price of their work.

I used to know some retired racers who did very good engine rebuilding but like me they are long past that if they are still alive.

If I was in your shoes, I would drive the Honda until the engine just gave up. With good maintenance that might be as much as 350,000+ miles! Honda publishes a magazine that lists a number of such owners with very high mileage.

When such occurs, I would just buy an older used car about 10+ years old with much fewer miles on it.That could be had for less than the cost of a rebuilt engine.

Transmissions are a Honda weak spot, so you may think the rest of the car will have the same fate.

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Agreed on driving with the engine you have until (or if) it goes bad on you. It doesn’t make sense to preemptively replace the engine, especially with one you know nothing about (junkyard, rebuilt, etc.).

Also don’t forget that even if you replace or rebuilt the engine, everything else on the vehicle is 20 years old. Food for thought.

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You wanna drive this 2000 for another 20some years?

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Drive on and save for a newer car when this one stops completely.

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Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke.

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That would be a dream come true, to be able to drive the same car for 40 years! Of course, I live in a climate where cars don’t rust.

Tricky question.
The Honda B series are a good engine but definitely not as good as the next model’s K series.
As pointed out above the transmissions are the weak links in the drivetrain but a 20 year old car is a 20 year old car, everything from shocks, bushings, power steering hoses, trans cooler hoses, radiator hoses will all be on their way out.
I would take the advice above to keep driving it. The engine will likely be the last thing to go and at the first sign of it I’d be buying a later model (even just a 5 year younger one than your current one.) For the cost of a rebuilt engine installed in yours you can probably get a whole car in good condition with 1/2 the miles.

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Just drive it until it dies. Spend the time in between looking for a nice used car on Craigslist, Ebay, etc. There are plenty out there, many at reasonable prices with at least 100k less miles than your car. You are 63 and unless you are really in poor health, this 20 year old car with over 200K miles won’t last even with a new engine. It’ll become a money pit. Why waste $$ on a new engine when a few more thousand will get you a complete, better car?

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Either you’ve posted this experience with Jasper before or some other commenter had a similar experience.

A lot of people myself included will be surprised that a company with Jasper’s reputation could screw up even once much less 3 times.