Purchasing a used engine is a massive investment wherein a lot of factors need to be considered before making the final purchase. A thorough analysis needs to be made as to whether the used engine has any issues or not. If it does have any issues, then, it needs to be checked as to whether they can be fixed or not.
This blog will explain different aspects of a used engine that need to be inspected before you purchase one.
Things to Inspect in a Used Engine
1. Unscrewed Bolts
When the bolts are unscrewed or removed from it, traces of the keys remain on the edge of the head of the bolts. This way, you can immediately make out whether the engine was ever dismantled or not, when it was given for service.
In case you have found bolts to be removed from the engine, you should not refuse the purchase of the engine. There could be a scenario where the maintenance was performed by removing the cylinder head cover of the valve or of oil seals.
2. Condition of Oil
Unscrew the oil cap and inspect the inside of it carefully. There should be no oil clots, carbon or dark metallic deposits. Apart from that, look at the throat and check for oil and carbon deposits in the internal parts of the engine. If these parts of the engine are clean and shiny, then it means that the engine is in good condition for the buyer to buy it. The owner of the engine has used only good quality engine oil on it.
3. Check Chain Drive
Chain drive is an “eternal” part of the engine. A chain drive can remain in good condition for the entire lifespan of a car if it is maintained well by the owner of the car. Having said that, the reliability of the chain drive can be questioned if the engine has been operated at high speeds, frequently.
While examining the chain drive, one should pay attention to the condition of the gears. There should be no scuffs or chips on the teeth of the chain drive. Also, the chain itself should not get stuck between and while changing the gears.
4. Inspect the Crankshaft
Inspecting a crankshaft means you need to rotate it several times with an L-shaped key or a knob. If the engine is serviceable, it is quite easy to turn the crankshaft. But you may feel the recoil from the pistons aka hand compressions. You need to rotate the crankshaft at least two or three times fully.
If the shaft is turning easily, you may feel jumps happening in the pistons. After that, everything is in order with the part itself.
5. Leakages from Cylinder
To check leakages from the cylinder, you will need to first unscrew the spark plugs from the cylinder head and then use a cylinder leak tester. The nozzle of the tester is connected to a rubber tube that has a tip, screwed into the place of the plug. At the same time, check the piston of the cylinder by scrolling the crankshaft and make sure it is set to the top dead centre (TDC).
After doing the above, the compressor starts pumping air in the cylinder until the pressure of 0.6 MPa is reached. This is monitored through a first pressure gauge. The other pressure gauge has a percentage scale that shows pressure loss. The pressure loss should not exceed 5% on new engines and up to 10% on used engines.
6. Exhaust Manifold Inspection
If an engine has an exhaust manifold, it is advisable to request the seller of the engine to remove this part. This is to make sure that the exhaust ports of the engine are clean. It has to be dry. Also, the presence of oil stains on the window will indicate that the oil consumption has increased by the engine itself.
If in case the seller refuses to remove the exhaust manifold from the engine and also stops you from doing it yourself while you are checking the engine, there is a chance that the seller is hiding something is wrong with the exhaust manifold. There could be various types of malfunctions that may have taken place. In such a scenario, the best thing to do would be to refuse the purchase of the engine and look for a used engine elsewhere.
A1 Auto Wrecking - Premier supplier of high quality and low mileage used engines across the United States
These are a few of the many ways you can inspect a used engine before purchasing one for your car. Make sure to have these items ticked off while you are checking or looking for a used engine.
A1Auto Wrecking provides premier quality & low mileage used engines to customers all over the USA. Our extensive range of makes & models ensures that you can find the best-used engine for your car, SUV, or truck at the best price. Whether you are looking for a used engine for your car, van, SUV, or even heavy-duty truck, we have all. If you need to book high quality used engine for your ride and want it to be delivered right to your doorstep, visit our shop today!
