My motor is f'in dead :(

[NeedCAforS13]

Allright here's the story...

As most of you now know, the motor was hardly able to start...and never idled well. Shortly after trying to start it the turbo seized up on me. Well now we know why:



those were sitting pretty in my cylinder #2...and in my turbo's exhaust housing:rolleyes Those helped the idle for sure...

And sorry you can't see the damage real well, but the head is pretty fukced too...



those two side peices should be flush with the bottom of the head...not curved up!

And to top it all off...I have no idea where any of this $hit came from...I HATE LIBERO USA!!!!!!

Don't worry guys tomorrow is b1tch and scream at Libero day...I'm demanding my money back (they pay shipping) or my attorney will have afew words to them!:angryfire

and the stuff you can't see is all the metal flakes that come off on your finger if you run it around the cylinder walls! I'll get more pics tomorrow in the day time, cause its dark out now...

I hate Libero! NEVER BUY THEIR ENGINES!!! THEY ARE CRAP!!!

Sean

[Nathan]

Good luck, I want to know where that **** came from...I think that could probably be fixed...have a lot of money? Hopefully you can get a refund from libero...or a new engine (take it apart and check it out THOROUGHLY if you do) keep us updated!

[Oneor1]

Damn man, I dont know what I'd do if that happend! I'd be beyond pissed if I pulled the motor and went through all that work just to have that happen. Hope you have some good luck come your way.

-Rick

[GoofyATX240]

GAH!!!!! That sucks hard as hell. Make sure you stay on there case about that ****. Hopefully they refund you and you can buy a front clip from somewhere else. Good luck bro.

[FrEaK]

That's awful...

[udelslayer]

what is your block (and other parts) condition in? Can they not just ship you a replacement head and turbo since those are the most messed up parts? It would save time and shipping and probably a lot of hassle. Get it milled a touch, replace the head. The shavings are bad but do you think the crank is eaten up as well?

I mean, this isnt a "rebuilt" motor, so we dont know what really happened to them as the owners drove them. We're told they have 40-60K on them, but what do we know? I would say that they would have to ship you a new head (so long as no block damage) and possibly pay you for labor to install it... if their warranty is worth a damn. From looking at the pictures I find i the FSMs, they dont seem too difficult to rebuild, and its only one head so I dont imagine there are way too many parts to replace.

jw

[udelslayer]

I've got another question. Where is the turbo relative to the cyl configuration? Is it symmetrical or is it closer to a specific cyl number. I've read on the WRX that the turbo sitting next to #3 will actually produce enough heat to warp the cylinder wall and cause blowby as well as melt the aluminium parts its next too under constant abuse. This could be the case in the turbo setup for these cars also. There could a problem cylinder that commonly fails when you're running the engine hot and hard for periods of time. There could be increased heat relative to one cylinder when compared to the other 3.... and it finds the weakest point to destroy first.

The block is iron, so it can withstand flogging about the head and ears, but the head is 1990ish aluminium, which dissapates heat well... but if that heat gradient hits too fast, can cause a bit of damage to aluminum parts.

any thoughts on this?

[boost_boy]

Judging from what I've seen and knowing the insides of busted CA18's all too well, this engine was dogged and leaned out long before you (I hope). Hopefully they give you your bread back and just cut their losses with you. That really sucks major donkey sausage!

[themadscientist]

the only cosistent failures I have seen in CA18s is the #1 conrod bearing failing due to a coked up oil passage in the crank from poor maintenance.

[stoops417]

if you get a refund and by some miracle get to keep what you have... I WANNA BUY IT!!!!

[NeedCAforS13]

the chunks are steel (or something other than aluminum) because they can be picked up with a magnet, so they have to have come from somewhere other than the head...and the block appears to be in good condition (with the exception of the pistons (which Paul has an extra set of he'll give me) It just needs to be thoroughly cleaned (metal shavings come off on your finger if you rub it on the cylinder walls) I'm thinking its not worth the effort of fixing, and seeing as I bought a "working" engine I'm going to do everything in my power to see that I get my money refunded!:(

Sean

[NeedCAforS13]

if you get a refund and by some miracle get to keep what you have... I WANNA BUY IT!!!!

Stoops how much would you pay me for just the long block (head, block, manifolds, turbo) because you can use a pulsar ca18de head (found in a junkyard) if you want to go cheap. I just don't want to mess with an engine I'm not sure of...I'm going for quality here, and without a complete rebuild I don't think I could trust this engine...Anyways let me know what its worth to ya (or anyone else for that matter)

Sean

[McAdam]

dude!! that sucks! although, it may not be as bad as you think. ig you get your money back and they let you keep it, take teh money and better the engine! as far as teh head goes, its just valves, those arent too expensive. if your cylinder walls are screwed, OH NO! just another excuse to go 84mm forges. with forged pistons from ross ($390 a set), a few valves and some machine work (maybe another $100) and new gaskets and bearings ($250ish for a pulsar) you could have a damn near new engine back on the road in a matter of weeks.. . .

McAdam

[nlzmo400r]

hey, atleast u found a shiny dime!!!, thats 1o cents LIBERO will never see again, psshs, u showed them!!

[alfred183]

My condolences. Just so you know, your swap pictures were an inspiration to me. Don't give up! Sucks that they pulled "a Venus" on you. When my friend got his RB25, there was a small bolt and glass in the combustion chamber...guess they did a compression test and didn't bother putting the spark plugs back on >_<Keep us posted on what happens

[NeedCAforS13]

Don't worry...not giving up...I'll have another CA in a while...but my parents are selling our house and she doesn't want another engine in the garage being built (something about it detracting from the appearance of the house...sheesh! :rolleyes ) but as soon as I get moved into MY new house she can't tell me what to do in MY garage! If I can't get my money back from Libero, I think someone local (maybe Ray?) has a CA head and I can clean the block, Paul has some good condition stock pistons and I should be good to go!

Oh and my first day as a Nissan Tech went excellent! Those guys are really cool, and all I do all day is work on cars! And they pay me pretty good too! New turbo on its way?

Sean

[stoops417]

ummm i was hoping it would take you some time to get it all worked out cuz i'm dry right now.... if you still have it in a couple of weeks i might be able to grab it from you. if you have another chance to sell it first though... go for it

[nlzmo400r]

Don't worry...not giving up...I'll have another CA in a while...but my parents are selling our house and she doesn't want another engine in the garage being built (something about it detracting from the appearance of the house...sheesh! :rolleyes ) but as soon as I get moved into MY new house she can't tell me what to do in MY garage! If I can't get my money back from Libero, I think someone local (maybe Ray?) has a CA head and I can clean the block, Paul has some good condition stock pistons and I should be good to go!

Oh and my first day as a Nissan Tech went excellent! Those guys are really cool, and all I do all day is work on cars! And they pay me pretty good too! New turbo on its way?

Sean

kinda off topic, but how did u go about getting a job as a nissan tech, and what exactly do u do?

[NeedCAforS13]

I went in and applied...the manager likes engine swaps (he put a small block chevy in a suzuki samuri...hey whatever floats your boat!) and I talked about my 240 and my CA swap with him...he's a good guy, and he hired me. We've been talking about my current mess too, and he'll help out in any way he can.

I basically change oil and oil filters and air filters and fill up the fluids and check over things. Like today I spotted a leaky automatic transmission banjo bolt and fixed it on a new altima, and saw that the radiator hose on a maxima was leaking...I also helped change the brake drum shoes on an older maxima. just basically help out however I can. I work primarily with one of the master techs, but I do alot of oil changes. Its pretty easy and its more fun than flipping burgers or waiting tables.

Sean

[NeedCAforS13]

as far as teh head goes, its just valves, those arent too expensive. if your cylinder walls are screwed, OH NO! McAdam

the head is shot. no question about it. the aluminum part should be flush with the rest of the head is not. it curves up. so i need a new head. this has been confirmed by Paul as well so I'll take his word on it.

The cylinder walls are good as of now, but the block needs to be pulled apart and THOROUGHLY cleaned. And the walls probably need to be honed...

I'm still debating what I shoud do. I don't want to risk getting another crappy engine, and If i take the time to do this one right I'll be more comfortable doing stuff later on down the road...anyone have any real suggestions?

MadSci and Boost Boy...I'd really like to know what you think as you both are guys I feel have good quality experience with engine building. I'm talking to Ray, Paul, and Estevan alot because they are local guys with engine building experience, but its nice to have other opinions thrown in the mix...

Thanks,Sean

[boost_boy]

Hopefully they give you your money back and then you can take that engine and make good with a newly rebuilt unit. Depending on how much time you are willing to hold off, you can actually build a really nice motor and that's only if you got the time. But if you must have the motor in your car like last night, completely inspect and clean the journals, do a light-hone/clean-up on the cylinders and have some one provide you some good, but used pistons, rods and rings complete. Like it was suggested earlier, go get a pulsar's head from the junky-junk, get some new headbolts and bearings for a pulsar as well as new water pump and it's safe to use a stock pulsar's headgasket as I have done it and ran 20psi of boost safely. The key is the new head bolts and be sure to foolow nissan's torqeing sequence to some extent to endue that you get the head to seat right on the gasket. So if they give you your money back and let you keep the engine, I'd go with the used stuff if you really need your car up and running unless you can find some forged slugs readily available. If you do go with used pistons, at least get some new rings!

[NeedCAforS13]

Paul said to get new rings too...and I highly doubt they'll give me the money and let me keep the engine... maybe some of it but probably not all of it. Paul also said he could hone my cylinders and to pull everything off the head...to replace the bearings and to clean the block till you can run a white cloth through and it comes back out white!

And can i use a ca18de head...just as it is? I mean use my intake and exhaust manifold but a pulsar head? that'd be cool because there is one in a junkyard near me...not too many miles on it!

what head bolts would you recommend? what headgasked? metal w/stock thickness?

oh and my KA is working fine so I'll just throw it back in tonight...the way they did the harness its just plug and play. We didn't cut any of the KA one...so it should be pretty easy!

hopefully...

Sean

[elballoonrat]

hey sean, damn this **** sucks, this may chear you up, i started working at imagination engineering, we do full restorations and custom race prep on britsh cars, and the engine shop we use can probably do the work for you, if you get your head off i can glass bead it for you, free of charge. how big of a discount do i get, i got quoted a completely custom billet steel flywheel for the ol' aw11...$300. i will try to stop by this week, gimmee a call after 5:00, i lost my wallet and with it lost all of my friends phone numbers. ARGG!! i cant believe this, we need to get your car running.

[nlzmo400r]

I went in and applied...the manager likes engine swaps (he put a small block chevy in a suzuki samuri...hey whatever floats your boat!) and I talked about my 240 and my CA swap with him...he's a good guy, and he hired me. We've been talking about my current mess too, and he'll help out in any way he can.

I basically change oil and oil filters and air filters and fill up the fluids and check over things. Like today I spotted a leaky automatic transmission banjo bolt and fixed it on a new altima, and saw that the radiator hose on a maxima was leaking...I also helped change the brake drum shoes on an older maxima. just basically help out however I can. I work primarily with one of the master techs, but I do alot of oil changes. Its pretty easy and its more fun than flipping burgers or waiting tables.

Sean

thanks for the info man, sounds like what i do in our lube (i work as a car detailer, but help at the lube when it gets busy), and it kinda struck me when u said u spotted a leaky transmission on a new altima, i have a new altima and when i get under it, i see a lil bit of condesation or something on the transmission seal, i wipe it off and its thick, so i know its transmission fluid, but i dunno if its actually a leak or just normal, i park it in the garage and never have seen any fluid sitting on the garage

[McAdam]

couldn't they just build up the material on your head? kind of like combustion chamber reshaping/welding? as far as cleaning the block, AT fluid works very well, especially for catching metal.

as far as getting a pulsar head, the combustion chambers look identical, I've got a pic of a pulsar head up on my website, check it out.

sorry to hear about your crappy luck man, hope it clears up in the end

McAdam

[boost_boy]

Reread my previous post as it tells you the basics that you may have a question about the pulsar's parts.