I have a 99 Integra GSR that I love. It has 235K and it hase begun using a litre of oil every couple of thousand klicks. The rest of the car is in great shape. I can have the engine rebuilt for 4-5K (cdn.) Should I do it? What should I wathch out for and have done at the same time? It has the original clutch that is working just fine.
Why not check your oil every other fillup and top off? You can buy at least 2000 quarts of motor oil for $4k-5k dollars!
What shape is the rest of the car in? If the body is starting to rust it might not be worth putting that much money in it. The oil usage you report is not bad enough, yet, to rebuild the engine. You could probably drive it many more miles before it REALLY needs to be rebuilt.
A few hints on engine re-building:
[list]Have colored-coded ties and mark everything as you take it apart.[/list]
[list]Don’t drink beer during disassembly.[/list]
A liter of oil in that amount of miles is not enough to even begin thinking about major engine work. Even if you want to try to cut the oil loss. You assume worn rings. Your oil loss could come from worn valve guide seals which might be replaced by just taking the head off or maybe not even that. It could be something as simple as a bad PCV valve.
It would be hard to justify that much money on a 235k miles car.
You may have a new engine, but the transmission, drive axles, suspension, etc, etc. are all well used.
I say drive it as is until it quits or you’re having to dump a quart of oil in every other day.
The other posters have it right…Today, it’s simply not worth “rebuilding” engines in high mileage cars. Most of them were not designed to be rebuilt. They are disposable consumer products. Drive it until the wheels fall off and then drive something else…All you will get is an old worn-out car with a new engine that MIGHT run as well as the old worn engine…
Spending that much money to save that little oil is not good economics. I’d advise you to drive it till it drops, and then have a low mileage salvage yard engine installed. Look at www.car-part.com to find an engine near you.
Spending that much money to save that little oil is not good economics. I’d advise you to drive it till it drops, and then have a low mileage salvage yard engine installed. Look at www.car-part.com to find an engine near you.
Good call. Thats what Id do. Who knows, by the time the engine really quits, the rest of the car might be rusted out beyond repair anyway.