my engines got 80k miles on it..and im hopin that lasts me another 4 years til the end of college..then i was thinkin of gettin a brand new engine for my 97 rs instead of buyin a whole new car...anybody have any clue how much it is for a brand new 1 (not used), or where i could get it from?..mitsu dealer prob?...and also i know this has nothing to do with the engine forum, but im def. a noobie at cars just started to learn about them (im only 18)..i wanna buy a book that like explains everything about them, especially aftermarket stuff, or like even doing mods or like ANYTHING...so if anybody knows a good book to buy so i could learn please lemme know :shrug

Well don't buy a new engine from Mitsu... There's a reason why they are called Satan.

I would get howell's full long block for 5000. Totally built for POWWWWWWAAAAAAAA...

How much are you looking to spend though?


-------jezreel
1998 GS with hrc stage 2, sfmu, ml, prokits, egt, boost gauge, apexi tt, haydans tranny cooler, costum dp, dr. uber groundwires, dynotune fp gauge. gst muff, turbo spoiler
Boostin since Aug 03.

nothing like driving with the windows down and the music low: i love hearing the turbo spool, swwwhhhttt!!!!
thanks for www.kaptainmyke.com for the sig hosting :thumbsup

I would find a used block, then build it the way you want it. You could start now by buying parts here and there like pistons, rods, etc, until the time you actually decide to put it together. It will probably cost you roughly the same, if not less, but you could strecth the total cost out over time. My cougar started out in the 16.60's, now 6 yrs later I'll be (hopefully) in the mid-high 11's this weekend. Total cost = A LOT, but it's been a little here and there over time.

I agree with ^^^ too. If you're away to college and your parents wouldn't mind back home (or if they wouldn't mind period), you could shop around for a used block. Keep it at your folks house and you could strip it down in a weekend. Then, like he said above, pick up your parts here and there. Take your time and do your research into what you really want. Go back home on holidays and breaks and put in a little wrench time. You've got time on your side so to speak. Then, if you budget your time and money right, come senior year, you could drive home and make the swap some weekend. Then you have a fully built graduation present. Sounds like a good idea to me.

if i just bought everything myself, woudlnt it just be the smartest thing to do and just rebuilt my own engine then instead of buying some other used one? lol...the reason i wanted a new engine is because i dont know much about cars...i know what most of hte stuff does, but like i dont know the specific details about each thing..for example, i was just lookin and it was askin me what compression ratio i wanted for that engine if i bought it from howell...no idea what that means...that would be my only problem in rebuildin an engine..thats why i gotta start learnin quick haha

It will be cheaper to DIY, but there are little tricks that you won't know. Compression ratio is how much the air/fuel mixture is compressed in the cylinder. Higher compression equals higher torque & HP, but you'll always have to use high octane gas. The use of higher compression (I wouldn't go above 10.5 on an everyday driver, 9.6 is stock if I'm not mistaken) will allow you to use a bigger cam, which governs when and how long the valves open. There's kinda a lot to learn, but like DR1665 said, time is on your side. Think of it as a heart, the compression is how powerful it is, but if the valves aren't open long enough, it can't pump as much. If you go with 10.5 and a bigger cam, can it get enough in and out would be the next question. Torque is your initial take off power, HP is what caries the car on top end. Most things you do to the intake side will increase torque, like porting the intake side of the head, as long as it's within reason. Putting a 60mm throttle body on a stock car will actually be too big and won't help. But, you port the intake side of the head, port & polish the inakes, combined with the cam, and that 60mm throttle body makes a noticeble difference. But, you also have to have the exhaust flow to keep up as well. All that intake has to go somewhere, which is where a header, no cat, and larger exhaust come into play. I could write for hours, but I'll stop here...

If I were you, I would still look into teh DIY route man. You've got the time. For now, you could buy your own used block. Then you will learn a lot just by taking it apart. You buy a box of ziploc bags and a marker and then, when you take the bolts off something to remove it, you put those bolts in a bag, zip it up and label it for later when you put everything back together again. When it comes time to have the block machined, you get in here and use the search to learn more about block machining: boring the cylinders over, freeze plugs, etc.. When it comes time to start buying parts, you can make it a point to start discussions involving which compression ratio to go with (if you still have questions after searching), and then all the other little things that you will come across. You're lucky in that you have all this time. This gives you time to make relaxed decisions that are well thought out and will give you exactly what you want when you're done. I think you've got a good plan going here and will be able to have it all ready before you graduate. :thumbsup

well...thanks for the little teachin lesson there lol...i got that about...70% maybe but hey every little bit i learn helps...im gonna go up to a bookstore as soon as i get a few bucks and grab a book or 2 about cars and hit em up over the summer...by the end of this summer i wanna at least have a good understanding of the basic stuff and some mods 2...so thanks again

if you go to borders- you arent going to pick up a 'how to mod your engine book'...maybe thats just our Borders...

You might look into downloading the FSM here and just looking over some of the proceedures. There is a specific section on rebuilding the 420A and it sort of walks you through the process. Easier (faster) to read, and you will be able to ask more specific questions like "do I really need this special tool to install the rear main seal?" etc..