What to do w/a sickly 130K '91 SE-R

[geo3@earthlink.net]

Pat Stafford <ppstaff1@excite.com> wrote:

>I have a '91 SE-R w/130K.  Has the 5th gear pop-out problem, burnt cam lobes
>& lifters due to a blocked oiler tube, and much black tar buildup in the oil
>system.  I purchased this car new, changed the oil religiously @ 3000mi, and
>used it mostly for freeway commuting.

Out of curiosity, how often would you say you get the rpms above 3500?

It's strange how some cars get crappy inside and others don't.  Some folks
couldn't believe the varnish that was in the engine I rebuilt.  It had Mobil 1
every 3k miles per the original owner.  He's a friend and I believe him.

The black sludge is due to heat I'm sure.  I've often wondered if some SR20s
run hotter than others for some unknown reason.

>Should I dump the $4,000+ ($2600 for head rebuild/$900 for trans work, $160
>AAC valve, + some other misc stuff) into it for repairs (unfortunately I
>haven't the facilities or time to do it myself), or cut my losses....

Well, if the rest of the car is in pretty good shape, I'd repair it.  It all
depends upon the condition of the rest of the car.

You can get imported engines for anywhere from $500-850 and used gearboxes for
roughly $500.  I'll bet you can find someone to install the two for under
$1000.

Where are you located?

George Roffe

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