Would have put this in For Sale/Wanted, but had a few questions, too.

I should start by mentioning that I'm a complete engine idiot. With all the exhaust and other easy stuff I've done, I've never had the skills to mess with the engine or time to learn about it. That said...

Got the 'ticking' sound about a week ago, and was hoping for the best, but got the worst news from Meineke today (good shop in town, really grown to trust them). I have a 99 GS w/ no custom internals or anything, and 2 days after fighting trying to diagnose this as something else, they told me spun bearing. Oil level was way down for some reason, so I suspect that could be a cause or at least part of the problem. I check it religiously, so I don't know what happened...

They told me I could just get a new bottom end, or a whole new motor, but that they suggested the later due to other internals possibly being damaged. They said a new crate 420a would run $4,800. I said you have to be kidding me...

My questions:

Does anyone know a cheaper way to get this fixed? Could just a new bottom end work?

If I need a new motor, does anyone know of a cheaper, fast way to get one here? I figured for $4,800, I could actually get something with some nicer internals, but I'm not really sure.

I really can't afford any more time or much money right now, so I know that puts me in a bind. I'm in a custody battle for my son, I work 55 hours a week, so as you can imagine, I just have no time or will to do any work on it myself right now, so I'm really at Meineke's mercy.

Anyways, I guess the real thing I'm looking for is advice here. All of 2GNT has helped me so much in the past, I thought it would be best to start here first. TIA for any advice you can give.

Feel free to email me at snuffy@snufalufagus.com, and I appreciate you guys...

Nicholas

http://www.snuFaluFagus.com --- electronic music made by me - hard house, drum and bass, trip hop, metal, breaks, etc...

depending on how bad the crank was damaged, you can have the crank reground and get some different sized rod bearings.

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-Ryan

Meineke is full of shit, flat out. Have it towed to a legit garage somewhere around you and actually have the drop the oil pan and actually CHECK to see what the issue is. I spun TWO rod bearings on my car and didn't have to replace my rods OR crank. The guys at the shop just sanded the crank a little bit and put new oversized bearings on there and PRESTO! I was out of there for $400, they only had the car for 2 days, and I have now been driving on it for about 20xxx miles now with NO problems. Have it checked out first before they simply pull the entire engine, there ARE cheaper alternatives.

Also you can check ebay. They sell 420as for about a grand comparted what the shop offered (over 4grand)!!

http://www.snuFaluFagus.com --- electronic music made by me - hard house, drum and bass, trip hop, metal, breaks, etc...

$3600 in labor to grind down the crank and replace the bearings!?!?!? You NEED to look around, ask some poeple locally where they take their car and bring it somewhere else. Let meineke change oil and put mufflers on cars, leave the rest to REAL mechanics.

With just a spun bearing and no other problems the parts themselves would only cost $50-100 for everything. I've replced a spun rod bearing on my Talon and also on my Tercel. The tercel worked perfectly but I had other problems I didn't see with the talon. Warped Connecting Rod and egg shaped crank journal on the same cylinder.

Go to a shop that doesn't look sketchy but also doesn't look like a corporate business. I worked for Midas for a year or so a few years back and I saw them rape people with labor/parts prices. 4800 dollars is insane to pay for a new engine w/ install. As long as you go to the right place and have them look for the right things.

Ask them to measure all your crank journals and bearing caps. If you're lucky all they might have to do is sand down the crank slightly with it still in the engine. Thats under 1000 dollars worth of work.

Good luck.

Thanks all for the advice.

The PITA of it all is that I've been calling around all day, and although I can find machine shops that could work on the parts if I bring them in, I can't find a shop that will actually pull them out, sand the crank, and replace the bearings for me. The machine shops won't touch the car, and all the auto shops just want to drop a new motor in it, or rape me on machining the crank and replacing the bearings.

If I knew what I was doing or had the time, I would bring them to a machine shop that I know does good work in town. But like I said up top, I've got a million other things going on right now, and don't have the skill to do it myself. So, I'm still pretty much SOL and JWF, but I'll keep calling around. Thanks again...

Wrong spot...sorry

Hey, I live in KC as well. I can get your car running again for a lot cheaper than any shop, but I am pretty backed up right now. I have 4 2g Eclipses and a Talon ahead of yours (if I did it), and each car averages 3 to 4 days to get gone. If you are still needing your motor replaced in 2 weeks, I can do it for around $1375. That includes putting in a good used block, new headgasket, new head bolts, a valve job with new valve stem seals (using your cylinder head), new timing belt, new water pump, new oil pan gasket, new fluids and filters. $1375 includes all parts and labor...Let me know if you are interested.
Gene

http://www.snuFaluFagus.com --- electronic music made by me - hard house, drum and bass, trip hop, metal, breaks, etc...