My Evo 8 is out of commission and has been down for 18 months. I took it to AMS for a tune up and reflash. They could not tune it because the cat was not flowing properly. An AMS exhaust is $1000 and I didn't have the $$. The tech guy told me that my car would not have full power until I got a new exhaust. No worries because 85% of an Evo is the same as 100% of most cars, right?

I was driving from Chicago to Ann Arbor and all of a sudden I could not go over 100. Then no faster than 80, then 60. I pulled off and the exhaust manifold was ORANGE and my car was ticking. The tow truck driver said the poor flow made the exhaust go back into the engine and I likely have a bent valve. I started another thread a while ago and I was told that a valve repair is $2500 or so.

My car has 103000 miles on it. I could fix the valve, but something else could go wrong with it. How much would it be if I swap out the whole engine, get a trade for the one I have and just go from there? The rest of the car is fine. Clutch was replaced two months before the car died. Never had any other problems. Wondering if I should just shoot for $4000 to replace exhaust plus fix the valve or save a bit more for an engine swap plus exhaust. Let me know your thoughts.

 

Umm, get a test pipe and move on?

 

Few things wrong here.

You need to get a better analysis of what is going on here. If you burnt a valve or took out a motor... that is a big difference.

The bad Cat-converter..... go install a test pipe or get a highflow cat. Both options are in the 100's not 1000's.

Most will not recommend any fix without knowing the problem. Also, A tow truck driver is not a qualified mechanic; hence why they are towing cars rather than working on them.

Go have it looked at and get a real game plan with a budget that fits your pocket.

 

if you have the cash, and dont mind waiting, drop your car off and get a built engine? Sounds like you need to get a high flow cat at minimum (assuming you want a cat still;if not go test pipe). The ticking may have been the metal cooling down after being heat up to such high temperatures. when you opened your hood, the ticking was the metal being exposed to a dramatic temperature change.

 

If your car still works after cooling down from your mishap, I would start by getting a DP and High flow cat. You don't necessarily need a full exhaust and a DP/HF cat combo will not only fix your existing problem, it will also net you a bit of power without being significantly louder than stock.

l8r)

 

**** it, open dump that *****

 

Find a knowledgeable evo owner in your area and meet with him and look at your car.

There a lot of exhaust options out there that don't have you spending $1000. A test pipe or replacement cat being your cheapest option.

Next can you explain the situation a little better? Sounds like you were driving the car hard and it started to slow down. Not a very detailed explanation.

 

It started with the above situation at AMS. Two weeks later I drove from Chicago to Ann Arbor. I always go pretty fast, averaging 85 with a few triple digit blasts. I would not consider that driving it hard.

I had my car towed home from Michigan. The tick (knock) that I heard when I had to pull over is still there. I have no power and can barely limp from one spot in the driveway to another.

Maybe I didn't phrase my question properly as I really did not mean to go down this side track. I am not looking for a diagnosis and I know AMS will get it fixed once I take it there.

I had a Conquest ten years ago. I had some engine work done on the Conquest and I remember wondering if I should've just bought a new engine. Now that my Evo needs engine work I wanted to get a $$ figure for a new engine to keep in mind. When they tell me it will be $$ to fix the car I could compare the estimated cost of a new engine and see if it's worth paying more for a new one.

So...how much is a replacement engine for an Evo?

 

Well, i'm still unsure of the official diagnosis. I mean, it could seriously be a bunch of things that have gone wrong. If it's just head issues and your bottom end is OK, then i would buy a aftermarket head(from a trusted vendor), valves, valve springs and cams and be done with it. If you have blasted the bottom end in the process, then you should look into a full rebuild and/or new longblock.

Either way, knowing what a replacement engine for your Evo is going to cost is hard to nail down without asking yourself a few questions. Do you wish to remain on the stock bottom end? Are you looking for a built longblock? Do you want a stroker or wish to stay 2 liter? What is the engine going to be used for? What power levels are you looking to make? What turbo are you currently running? What are your support mods? Most of all, what is your budget?

I will say this, you made a critical mistake on your build already, please do it right this time and don't cut corners. If, in fact, your cat was what caused this(who knows at this point), a $200 test pipe would of been a good investment. Let's face it, you can't keep backpressure to a minimum with a restrictive exhaust and you can't make power with a lot of backpressure. Not to mention, your EGT's will be high which can cause a whole host of issues.

My advice: Do a lot of research, learn all you can so you don't keep making the same mistakes. Understand what all these parts do, how the your evo works and what you should and shouldn't do. If you just don't have the time, then prepare yourself to pay a trusted shop to do the legwork for you.

 

i would just get a built engine.

 

1) Get an eBay test pipe
2) Find out if you even really need valvetrain, which I doubt
3) If you do, beehive valve springs, retainers, new valves, seals, and seats will run you $1000 if you do it yourself, not $4000.

 

Just unbolt your DP from the turbo outlet on the car and fire it up and see if it drives better. A fully melted cat which is what sustained high speed driving and the slow down like you describe is a common symptom of will not allow the car to run at all. If a car has a plugged exhaust it cannot run. Just remove the stock exhaust and see if it runs good. If it doesnt then have it diagnosed. If the motor is good the 100K is neither here nor there. If the motor is shot then a built motor is not a bad idea.

The big question is how much do you want to invest in your car? If a built motor is something you would want in the future then go for it if the motor is bad. If you were happy with a stocker buy a used good stock motor and be on your way.

 

you got it backwards bro. you should find out what is wrong with the motor 1st. then find out the price for parts/labor and then if you feel that you would rather get a new/built motor then go look for it because motors are every where! always find out what exactly what the problem is 1st then take the next steps. evom have many vendors that sell long blocks fully built or in parts.