gone postal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- St. Augustine, FL
I have a '91 XJ that basically just sits. I bought it a year ago for $600 and although it runs & drives, I wouldn't want it to be a daily driver in it's current condition.
I am considering making it my DD though so that I can park my Z28 a lil more and work on that so that it can be the hobby / weekend car that I intended it to be.
My issue is that I am an internal engine newbie. I'm fortunate that I have another vehicle so that I can take my time w/ this project, but I don't know whether I'd be best shelling out $1600 for a rebuilt engine (Ebay - 3yr unlimited mileage warranty - shipped & prepaid core shipping) or if I should undertake the rebuild myself - kits are around $450. What does a typical block boring job run? I'm sure doing it myself would be about half the cost of buying the reman., but I just have basic hand tools and having never built a motor, I just wonder if it's worth the risk. Also, how do I know what rings, etc to order? I know most jobs are .020, .030, etc over, but how do I go about finding that out? Do I just disassemble my current motor, take it to a machine shop and they'll tell me what would be best based on the current cylinder wall scarring?
Finally, I'd like to revamp the A/C too. Will parts from a '95 or '96 still fit my XJ? I want to do the R134 conversion, so I guess basically everything will have to be replaced right? I'd definitely do the compressor & accumulator, and try and do all the lines, but what about the condensor & evaporator core? I was just pricing it all out and those two parts add an extra $300+ to the job.
I am considering making it my DD though so that I can park my Z28 a lil more and work on that so that it can be the hobby / weekend car that I intended it to be.
My issue is that I am an internal engine newbie. I'm fortunate that I have another vehicle so that I can take my time w/ this project, but I don't know whether I'd be best shelling out $1600 for a rebuilt engine (Ebay - 3yr unlimited mileage warranty - shipped & prepaid core shipping) or if I should undertake the rebuild myself - kits are around $450. What does a typical block boring job run? I'm sure doing it myself would be about half the cost of buying the reman., but I just have basic hand tools and having never built a motor, I just wonder if it's worth the risk. Also, how do I know what rings, etc to order? I know most jobs are .020, .030, etc over, but how do I go about finding that out? Do I just disassemble my current motor, take it to a machine shop and they'll tell me what would be best based on the current cylinder wall scarring?
Finally, I'd like to revamp the A/C too. Will parts from a '95 or '96 still fit my XJ? I want to do the R134 conversion, so I guess basically everything will have to be replaced right? I'd definitely do the compressor & accumulator, and try and do all the lines, but what about the condensor & evaporator core? I was just pricing it all out and those two parts add an extra $300+ to the job.