Thread: Is engine salvageable?

So awhile back i was having some problems with my ga so I did a sr swap but now my smog is coming up and i need to get the ga back in. The problem is before i did the swap I was having low oil pressure, i.e. my light would go on and off and flicker a lot. At about 3000 rpm, from what i can remember, I was getting a lot of valve train noise so I stopped driving it. It wasnt getting a rod knock or anything just the usual slap for a second or two until pressure was built. How would I be able to tell if I can still use the engine? Would I just need to get a new oil pump and be able to drop it in? What are the indicators that the engine is toast? Thanks guys.

bump

Tear it down. Check the cam bearings, rod bearings, and crank bearings. Also check the cyl walls. If the cam bearings are toast you'll probably have to replace the head, I'm not sure if the SR20's have replaceable cam bearings or not. If the crank bearings are toast you can have the crank turned and get over sized bearings, ect. Unless there's a hole in the block you can reuse it, just have to have some machine work done.

that seems like a lot of work to pass emissions.. is there no other way?

Unfortunately no. That's why Cali sucks. So would there just be a charred or maybe scored surfaces on the bearings and seats ?

Check your oil pan and see if its dented. Start by dropping your pan first and check to see if your pickup tube was sitting on the bottom of your pan. If you have ever hit anything on the oil pan or even before you, its probably the pickup tube too close to the pan.

Again drop the pan, check out to see if there is any metal shavings or excessive. More than likely there is going to be some metal shavings. Look for bigger chunks. Remove the baffle and check the pickup tube to make sure its not cracked or broken anywhere and that the bolts are tight. You shouldnt be getting an oil pressure light at idle or any of that. Usually its almost always the case of the pickup too close to the pan or low on oil. The pumps dont rarely go out. And if you dont have any spun bearings its unlikely that your bearings are worn enough to cause the light to flicker either. Just start with the pan.

ok. you dont think that the ticking in the head is that bad?

Its probably caused by low oil pressure or coming from the chain which again can be either old tensioner or due to low oil pressure. Again just check the pan, it it looks bent up in the middle at all even the slightest then drop it. The middle of the pan factory actually sits slightly lower than the edges. It bowels slightly. If it doesnt do that and looks like its been hit or smashed at all then drop it, look for any big shavings, clean it out, take a mallet to it and hammer it out to where it does bowl a little especially where the pickup tube sits. Inspect the pickup tube and stuff that I said. Do that first and report back.

Are they gonna look under you hood and check the engine plate in the bay? if not then just take the det through....mine breezed through emissions....i know cali is harder but a good running det with a good cat should pass the sniffer test

This seems like a bit much man. How often do you have to do this smog test out there?