I blew my stock 72k mile motor yesterday on my VIII, running e85 on a stock turbo. This was my daily driver, and I need to figure out what to do with it now. Here is a list of my current setup:
-Stock longblock, with a hole punched through the back of the block. The head is in unknown condition, with hks 272/272s still installed.
-Stock trans that should be rebuilt
-Stock VIII Turbo (unknown condition after the engine blew)
-Shep transfer case
-Full exhaust
-ETS 3.5 FMIC
-All solid I/C piping
-1000cc injectors, 255 pump

I'm considering replacing the short-block, having my transmission rebuilt(convenient time to do this), and getting it back on the road. I still need to assess the damage of the head/turbo, and I really hope they are OK. I will be buying a cheap beater-car to drive to work in the meantime.

I'm currently deciding:
1) If I should buy a built motor, or swap in a stock one
2) If I should do the work myself in my driveway
3) If I should send the trans out to be rebuilt since its out
4) If I should just get an FP black while I'm at it, since this is what I had planned for the car eventually

1) Does anyone know of a good Evo/DSM shop in or around the Philadelphia area, who can help with an engine swap?
2) What would you do if you were in this situation?

 

Cheapest way out is to do a 2.4 honestly. Short blocks can be had for 3k with no core as the blocks are cheap and everywhere.

Contact evo8dad on here he does tons of Evo work in the Philly area. GL with getting her back on the road man

 

im in the same boat man...im just gonna swap in a stock block,but id LOVE to do a 2.4 build

 

just get a stock block and get her running, if you dont have the money now you can just save and build it up later. I think that will be your cheapest route, there are many part outs and Im sure you can find an engine. Sorry to hear your car is down, hope you get it running again.

 

That sucks, sorry to hear that. I would probably try and pull the motor and trans myself and get the trans rebuilt for sure. I'd go with the stock block and reuse whatever you can. If this is still gonna be your daily driver when fixed. You certainly will want to determing why the engine blew. Good luck.

 

How long have you been running e85?

 

You might as well send the trans out to Shep an just get the motor built. I got the motor built and I just threw it in the car. Bolted everything together and payed to get it tuned and inspected. The head was already bolted on my motor. I did it all by myself and save alot of money that way.it's running like a champ

 

I luckily had a built trans that came back from Shep just a few weeks before mine decided to let go. I had an Exedy twin HD and an FP Red with GSC S2's and a bunch of other parts to run on the stock block in addition to what I already had.

Since the motor blew a month or so ago, I immediately exchanged the Red for a Black, exchanged the twin for a triple, and am doing a custom long rod 2.4L and am also doing a bunch of other things, its basically a full build. Not cheap really by any means. It'd be possible to do a 2.4L on a budget but since its going to be down for a bit, might as well do it right. It'd be silly to throw a stock motor back in because if you want a Black, doing it on the stock block just wont make much sense.

 

+1 more for dropping in a built 2.4 bottom end with a black during the downtime. Hope your head's okay.

 

since your in PA, id take it to CBRD and have them put a buschur motor in it
you wont be sorry

what caused it to blow anyway?

 

+1

 

Call cbrd.

 

How many lbs of boost? And what kind of timing numbers were you running?

 

+3

sucks to see this happen to a DD no less...

 

Id work out a deal with BR or TTR or someone along those lines and do a built 2.0 or 2.1L. No reason to get someone elses problem(used stocker). Shep trans def and get a black. My car was down for over a year but when you get the funds and do the build youll learn alot and be glad you did. Then get the car tuned and looked over.