What thoughts can I get on an EBay rebuilt engine for $2600? Looks like a pretty good deal to me but I welcome ALL comments. 99 XK8 with 4.0

 

Check the status of the builder. If a good reputation, not a bad price, but get what was done and post. It would be hard to buy all the parts to do a major build of 4L for that price, plus the machine work.

Wayne

 

To quote Daniel Defoe "second thoughts are best".

Unless it comes from a reputable rebuilder with a convincing provenance and has a suitable guarantee, it looks too good to be true at that price.

Graham

 

most engines get rebuilt when they are tired or broken. My own preference is to buy a low mileage replacement. The exception, as others have pointed out is when the engine has been reconditioned by a really reputable engineer. So much of an engine cannot be returned to original spec, especially when the engine has broken. I'm afraid I've seen, badly ground cranks, worn heads with new cams fitted. Heads so badly resurfaced, you can put a fingernail in the scratches, and hellicoils! anyone who uses hellicoils extensively, then calls the engine reconditioned needs shooting.

 

What's your beef with helicoils VMAX? Use of helicoils is an industry accepted practice and produces a thread bearing surface superior to that of the original threaded alloy. Just curious.

 

Thirty years of discovering hellicoil springs wound around the bolt instead of staying in the castings. Timeserts aren't so bad but I prefer to use parts that are sound instead of 'best of a bad job' repairs. I would use timeserts to repair my own engine if I had to, but I think if you're reconditioning an engine for resale, you should use parts in perfect condition.