Engine Issues

My original post seems to have disappeared so I will recap:

A few years back my balance shaft belt broke taking out the timing belt. Unfortunately it didn't just result in bent valves. It broke one of them off, put a good sized hole in the piston and destroyed the head.

I ended up picking up an engine a while back. Supposedly it was good but I decided to tear into it. The cylinders seem to have a large amount of wear. They have a good sized lip at the top of each one. Haven't been able to get my hands on a gauge to get exact measurements at this point though. Also it looks like 3 of the exhaust valves are leaking a little bit but I think this is just from carbon buildup on them. I was never able to do a compression test on it as it was already out of the car when I got it.

The cylinders on my old block with 130,000 miles on it have no signs of a lip at the top of them.

The real problem comes from the fact that I was just accepted into the program at the Olympic Training Center in Marquette, MI and I need to get up there ASAP to start preparing for the Olympic Trials in September. Of course my beater is on its last legs so I need to get the VR4 back up and running.

I am so frustrated right now I don't even know what to do. I am half tempted to just bolt the head back on this other engine and say screw it. Or could I replace the broken piston in my old engine with one from the "new" one then throw the "new" head on it? What would you guys do?

Hope you guys can follow all this. I am stressed and have a million things going on in my head right now...

 

[CarRacer]

First, I wouldn't be too worried about the ridge at the top of the cylinder.

As for what to do with the rest of the situation, it's tough to say. I just freshened the motor on my car, reusing the rotating assembly. I dropped about $1100 all said and done. I got all new gaskets, rings and bearings, all the timing components, Mitsu MLS, and the block machined and head freshened.

You could do that or you could piece together a motor from the parts you have now. Time is of the essence, so you could also start whoring the local boards for a running motor. That can be hit or miss and the price will vary as well.

Last option is to JSB the car and scrape together for a different DD.

Good luck with your decision and good luck training.

 

[fivestardsm]

You need to check the cylinder roundness. The ridges mean that they have ware. And they probably have more wear on the front and back of the cylinders like they all do. In other words, check to see if the cylinders are egg shaped because it will cause problems with seating in a new set of rings. And if you were to use your old rings, they would more than likely never seat and would have serious blow by, oil consumption, and loss of power.

 

[14u2nV]

*related, but off topic. how do you know your head is toast? I had the same thing happen, and have been keeping the head/block for a rebuild, but never really looked at the head.

 

Fivestardsm: Yes, there is more wear at the front and the back of the cylinders. I plan to check for roundness. I just don't have a gauge to do so with. I am pretty sure my neighbor has one but I haven't been able to get in touch with him.

14u2nV: Mine is pretty obvious. When the valve broke off it got smashed between the piston and the head multiple times. I need to get a picture and post it on here.