just wondering if anyone on these forums has rebuilt their own NSX engine. With rebuild prices around 5000 dollars its not "THAT" expensive for a like new motor, but I was wondering if anyone here has rebuilt their own. Or are parts for the rebuild nearly the same price as taking it to a shop to have it done?
has anyone Rebuilt their NSX engine DIY?
- Thread starter redsuns3838
- Start date
Although I have never touched an NSX motor, I have rebuilt an engine before. I would not recommend doing the tolerance or machine work in the short block if its your first time. You can certainly drain the fluids, take the engine out and seperate the heads from the block.
In all reality most all (normal) engines are pretty much the same. You have certain clearances that need to be watched for and most things go together the same. So you should be able to take various parts to a good engine mechanic and given the proper specs they should be able to put everything together.
What do you mean by rebuild? Like just new gaskets and seals and other consumables or stuff like lower compression pistons, new valves? The parts themselves will most likely cost the same or very little difference, the difference is going to come paying someone else $60-$120 an hour to do all the work where as you can do alot of the grunt work yourself and then just pay a guy an hour or 2 to do the specialty work here and there.
Replacing an engine is an excellent way to bond with your car. Afterwards every little hose and wire will make complete sense to you and will know the engine bay much better. Its daunting, but if you to take your time and do it right you will feel very rewarded afterwards.
The engine that I did the most amount of internal work on was a Honda CR-V B20B. I put in 12:1 pistons, Crower Cams, new valve springs and retainers and cam gears. I completely took the engine/transmission out of my Integra at the time and put the B20 in there. Other then having the new piston wrist pins pushed into the original rods, I did everything myself. I was a little scared about the 12:1 compression ratio and during the install I took the Honda headgasket apart and removed the middle layer. I did not put back the rivets to keep the gasket together. The car actually ran for about 8 months, then one day it started smoking real bad and idle'd like absolute rubbish. I ended up trading the dead engine to a friend and when he took it apart he said it just look like the headgasket had failed and that everything else looked fine. I had a feeling thats what it was going to be, and had I done that right the first time it probably would have lasted. I used the Internet, a Haynes manual and a Helms manual to help me. I also bought a couple special tools along the way (Moroso crank pulley wrench and Snap-On valve spring compressor...it was the only one that could get the correct geometry on the springs).
In all reality most all (normal) engines are pretty much the same. You have certain clearances that need to be watched for and most things go together the same. So you should be able to take various parts to a good engine mechanic and given the proper specs they should be able to put everything together.
What do you mean by rebuild? Like just new gaskets and seals and other consumables or stuff like lower compression pistons, new valves? The parts themselves will most likely cost the same or very little difference, the difference is going to come paying someone else $60-$120 an hour to do all the work where as you can do alot of the grunt work yourself and then just pay a guy an hour or 2 to do the specialty work here and there.
Replacing an engine is an excellent way to bond with your car. Afterwards every little hose and wire will make complete sense to you and will know the engine bay much better. Its daunting, but if you to take your time and do it right you will feel very rewarded afterwards.
The engine that I did the most amount of internal work on was a Honda CR-V B20B. I put in 12:1 pistons, Crower Cams, new valve springs and retainers and cam gears. I completely took the engine/transmission out of my Integra at the time and put the B20 in there. Other then having the new piston wrist pins pushed into the original rods, I did everything myself. I was a little scared about the 12:1 compression ratio and during the install I took the Honda headgasket apart and removed the middle layer. I did not put back the rivets to keep the gasket together. The car actually ran for about 8 months, then one day it started smoking real bad and idle'd like absolute rubbish. I ended up trading the dead engine to a friend and when he took it apart he said it just look like the headgasket had failed and that everything else looked fine. I had a feeling thats what it was going to be, and had I done that right the first time it probably would have lasted. I used the Internet, a Haynes manual and a Helms manual to help me. I also bought a couple special tools along the way (Moroso crank pulley wrench and Snap-On valve spring compressor...it was the only one that could get the correct geometry on the springs).
redsuns3838 said:
LOL If that's a serious question there is a lot to be learned prior to attempting to rebuild an engine. Tolerance refers to the level or range of precision required. E.g. the as-new clearance between the crankshaft and main journal is .0009 - .0019" total. Runout is .0006". To put this in perspective, a sheet of paper is about .0045" thick. We all have to start somewhere but an engine rebuild isn't the place
.Do you have reason to believe your engine needs to be rebuilt? Oil pressure or compression out of spec? There's a local owner who's at 330k without a rebuild yet. I would guess an NSX engine could run strong through 200k at least if properly maintained.
Thanks. I thought that is what he meant but just didnt know the exact term.
Anyways, I do not have an NSX yet, but was planning on buying one soon. Just looking for the right one. But a lot of the ones that I am looking at are slightly higher mileage. Plus I plan to track it often, almost exclusively. Id rather spend 2-3K on a rebuild early on than have to purchase a new motor becuase something went wrong.
Ive got experience installing boltons, installed suspension and multilink, swapped motors, (not on an NSX) so I dont really know what the next step is besides taking a motor apart. Sometimes the best way to learn is to just jump into it, take your time, and follow the FSM and you really cant go wrong. Atleast not from my experiences.
But I do agree with you its probably not a good idea to try it on an NSX when I get one without experience. think I will try it on my daily driver (since a used motor is only 2-300) and then attempt it on an NSX, when i do get it, later down the line.
Thanks for the info and clarification btw.
Anyways, I do not have an NSX yet, but was planning on buying one soon. Just looking for the right one. But a lot of the ones that I am looking at are slightly higher mileage. Plus I plan to track it often, almost exclusively. Id rather spend 2-3K on a rebuild early on than have to purchase a new motor becuase something went wrong.
Ive got experience installing boltons, installed suspension and multilink, swapped motors, (not on an NSX) so I dont really know what the next step is besides taking a motor apart. Sometimes the best way to learn is to just jump into it, take your time, and follow the FSM and you really cant go wrong. Atleast not from my experiences.
But I do agree with you its probably not a good idea to try it on an NSX when I get one without experience. think I will try it on my daily driver (since a used motor is only 2-300) and then attempt it on an NSX, when i do get it, later down the line.
Thanks for the info and clarification btw.
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We all have to start somewhere but an engine rebuild isn't the place
Amazingly enough the engine swap I did was the first big car work I ever did...I was rather impressed with myself. I don't know if Helms makes a manual for the NSX as well, but if they do I would spend the money for it....the one I had for the Integra was the best written thing I have ever seen. I kept it after I sold the car just because I think its so awsome. Being mechanically inclined is a 100% must though. You need to be able to understand what parts are doing in order to install them correctly.
Well if thats all your going for then you probably won't need to replace much of any of the internals. And with things like Titanium connecting rods I don't think you'd want to :biggrin: However the "consumables" that you would look to replace would be (from top to bottom) valvecover seals, manifold gaskets, headgaskets, (maybe) hone the cylinder walls and new piston rings, new bearings on the crankshaft and connecting rods (U shaped metal bands) and then maybe the oil pan gasket. As well as water pump, oil pump, and timing/serpentine belts. The piston related stuff and bearings should be done by someone who knows about engines because there are tolerances that have to be kept in mind and certain methods to check them.
In all honesty the camshafts/timing belt are always the worst part for me. Because you have to get everything aligned and if you off by just one tooth on the cam gears the car will either A) run like poo or B) not run at all.
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