(sorry for the length, just trying to explain my situtation the best I can, its long story, so grab a snack firt, lol)
Okay back in May/June 07 I started getting a knock in my engine. It only happen if I went over 3k rpm. Found out I had the stupid head gasket leak damn Mits. never fixed. I guess back in 05 when I first got the eclipse, switching it to synthetic oil wasn't the smartest thing, apparently it made the leak get bigger. long story short, I drove around what I suspect was about week with maybe at best, a quart or quart in half of oil (imagine my face when I went to . Wierd thing is the car ran fine, no overheating or anything. So I took it to a shop to ask their opinon, they said it might be just be the rod bearings( I could be wrong its been a couple of months since I look into the whole problem, so I might not have the right part name) anyways, I went on here, found out the parts are about $200 for 4 brand new bearings, and that I could swap them out by dropping the oil pan. I was going to do this, but never did. I had money problems at the time.
Fast forward to about August, driving the eclipse out of my mom's neighborhood, as soon as I get on the main road, I hear something drop into the oil pan. I knew I was screwed, got back into my neighborhood, and parked the car. I havent touched it since, also I could hear what I suspect was one of the bearings, banging around in the pan, when I drove back to my mom's driveway. I only drove it like this for maybe 1-2 minutes. I never tried to restart it, I figured I would cause more damage if I did.

So, I tried to sell my car as is, due to the fact I was moving to Colorado in September. Couldn't find anyone that had money that wanted it. So the car has sat at my moms house ever since the day the bearing/bearings went.
I checked into my options, I suspect more is messed up than just the rod bearings. I decided that my best bet, would be just rebuild the bottom end.
Heres where I need advice, due to money restrictions (lol, damn Wife) I can't go all out and rebuild the bottom end the way I want. I found online a stock rebuild kit for the bottom end, I believe right around $350 from Howells. I was thinking about going with this, unless someone knows a cheaper route. The other issue I'm having is, I'm currently living in Colorado, the car is still in Florida. So what I was going to have to do is find a shop I trust back in my hometown, get my car towed over there (thank god I still have family that live there) by a family/or friend. Have them rebuild the bottom end, then I will have to go back and drive it to Colorado.
So what I need advice on, due to all the BS I have to do with contacting a shop in another state, not being able to make sure they are doing it correctly, would it be best to not even try to fix it.
This was my first car that I ever had a loan on, I bought it for around 7k with 41k miles, paid it off in two years. I have poured money into the eclipse, so I'm having a hard time with the thought of given up on her. I would love to get her fixed, cause right now I have no car up here, luckly I live two blocks away from where I work, but snow sucks, and not having a car blows even more. I really am not in the postion to take out a loan, get a another car, and deal with full coverage Insurance pricing again( I had gotten a dui three years ago (5grand later and having the FL DMV screw up on their paper work and had my license suspened for two years instead of 6 months), lesson learned, no tickets ever since, but I still get charged a arm and leg).
I guess what I'm asking is, what would be my best bet, should I fix her and bring up her? Say screw her, if I do this, I have to contact someone and give it away, I don't have time to deal with trying to sell it again, as I'm not there, and someone would screw my Mom over. Also when I tried to sell her before, I went as low as $750 for the entire car, including everything I've put into her, its about 3-5k right now. I got nothing but idiots that would come over, saying they have the money, then ask if they can take the car and make payments. So if you were in my shoes, knowing all this, what would you do?

I feel your situation... I just moved back to Kansas from Miami, where I was working. I left my car in about a billion pieces for the old man to sort out. He decided not to sell it, and it has worked out for me since I started putting it back together. My opinion is to either put it on a transport (you could find a licensed guy in route going to or from FL usually cheap) and fix it yourself. OR I'd go with choice B. Find any 420A in one of about 3 trillion yards down there swap the short block and fire it up. You'd be out of probably less parts for sure (HG and some fluids) and it would be pretty hard for somebody to F' it up doing it.

Originally posted by Erik
OR I'd go with choice B. Find any 420A in one of about 3 trillion yards down there swap the short block and fire it up. You'd be out of probably less parts for sure (HG and some fluids) and it would be pretty hard for somebody to F' it up doing it.

My thoughts exactly

Unfortunately, a set of rod bearings is like $30 shipped from partsdinosaur and I've done the switcheroo in about an hour. It would have bought you some time.

Um, you live too far away for me. Though I do have a brother-in-law that transports who is located in Florida.

I don't know what your cash situation is, but to pay someone to flip engines can't be less than a grand (with cost of the engine). Gotta figure around $600 for the engine and I can't imagine a regular shop doing the swap for less than $400. If you can find a short block and can trust someone down there it might be cheaper.

The whole idea would be to do it yourself, obviously.

Now there is a "local" chapter for dsm's in florida. Ran across them a few times. Floridadsm maybe, lol? But they would probably be able to point you more in the direction of a trusted shop.

I don't know what xmasta (on this site) has been doing lately, but he may know of someone (if he's still around). Where in FLA are you located?

Thanks for the replies, my car is located in the panhandle of Florida, near Destin/Pensacola. Most of the dsm groups that I knew of in FL, were more in south/central FL. I think I may just go with the bottom end swap, it would probably be faster, than waiting on a rebuild kit. I may see if I can't get a block up here in CO, and see about the transport idea, anyone have any that they recommend?