Probably need new engine--now what

[usinjin]

Greetings fellow Mafia members--so recently I posted regarding a sudden degradation of engine performance. It began right after accelerating to get onto the highway. Firm yes, but not redlined by any means (car is an auto). Cylinder 1 showed no compression, wet or dry. The mechanic believes I bent a valve while accelerating. He's thinking replacing the engine may be a better route than pulling the head and doing a valve job (he cited issues with possibly stripping threads)

I thought this seemed strange. How would an acceleration randomly bend a valve? Engine has 101,xxx miles on it.

The mechanic did find traces of "dark dusk" that he said indicated a failing cooling system, and thought that it could have been overheated sometime in the past, weakening something.

I do have a local friend who has a totaled ZHP with a good engine--102,xxx miles on it and I think he's asking a good price for it.

My question is this--what would the next best step? I don't have any experience in this area. Is replacing an engine the norm in this situation? Would I get anything for the old engine? Should I sell/part out the car instead?

[az3579]

Get the used engine.

And him saying that accelerating caused this is bullshit. Acceleration by itself will not cause engine damage. There must have been a pre-existing condition that lead to this happening. Overheating seems like an unlikely thing to blame - that would be more of a warped head / blown headgasket sort of deal in my mind.

[slater]

i agree with BP.

get the used engine - the mileage similarity is destiny.

[fredo]

Wow, that's bad news. Did you check with the Indy I recommended ? Buying the used engine is the way to go IMHO.

[usinjin]

Wow, that's bad news. Did you check with the Indy I recommended ? Buying the used engine is the way to go IMHO.

I did! That's actually where she's at right now. They quoted me $6000 for the valve work it required, if I went down that route. They are somewhat perplexed with the situation, saying that I either "burned or bent" the valve, and according to them this never happens.

If I went down the new engine route, they quoted me $4000 for the install (if I supplied the engine). Yikes. The engine is out of an '04
ZHP with 102,xxx miles, and they guy wanted $1500, which I thought sounded pretty sweet. But not the $4000 to install.

If I can't find a less expensive means of installing the engine, I'm really thinking about selling it as-is. Either way, very disappointing

[slater]

I did! That's actually where she's at right now. They quoted me $6000 for the valve work it required, if I went down that route. They are somewhat perplexed with the situation, saying that I either "burned or bent" the valve, and according to them this never happens.

If I went down the new engine route, they quoted me $4000 for the install (if I supplied the engine). Yikes. The engine is out of an '04
ZHP with 102,xxx miles, and they guy wanted $1500, which I thought sounded pretty sweet. But not the $4000 to install.

If I can't find a less expensive means of installing the engine, I'm really thinking about selling it as-is. Either way, very disappointing

$4000 for the install?! that's insane. if you were local i'd do it for $750. it's a day of labor, maybe 1.5 days. try to find someone local who can help out - it's not that hard of a job even though it sounds daunting.

[fredo]

I know another mechanic, not a BMW one, but I bet he can install the engine for less. I'll send you a PM later.

[az3579]

$4000 for the install?! that's insane. if you were local i'd do it for $750. it's a day of labor, maybe 1.5 days. try to find someone local who can help out - it's not that hard of a job even though it sounds daunting.

This. Holy crap that is an expensive quote.

Any shop is going to be in the 4 figures range, but 4k is excessive. I don't think you should be paying any more than $2k to get the engine installed...

[usinjin]

Thanks all--really appreciate the advice. I'll definitely ask around for some more reasonable quotes.

[usinjin]

Okay--dropped my car off--going for the replacement motor.

While most other mechanics were befuddled by how I could have hurt the exhaust valve, the last one was left in no doubt--"poor quality gas". According to him, a combination of "dirty" gas (also 87 octane..) most likely did it in. Under acceleration (kind of low on gas at the time, too--bad, bad, shame on me!), something got somewhat gummed up and hurt it. It's very possible I destroyed it and have no one else to blame.

Whatever the case--Shell 93 octane V-Power is all that's going in from now on. A friend tried to convince me that 87 octane gas is "just fine"--no more.