[fredio54]

Ok, I have a few options here :

A. run around pick a part and TRY to find a decent low comp one thats clean enough, and will probably run, spend 300nz on it, and half a day pulling it and a feed for a mate and no guarantee that it will work ok afterwards.

B. buy a whole running car that i know goes ok, and i think has low comp pistons, and has a semi known history. if i go this way, i can sell the trans, panels, and wheels. (maybe even the nifty rotating electric blower thingy to someone on here) equal half a day or more pulling it apart, but i know it goes, and even if its a bit dirty, its just had a cambelt, and new waterpump.

the particular one i'm looking at has tps,o2,4:1,fe3ncams,cat, and didnt pull much after 6k (but its auto) it also didnt blow a lick of smoke sitting on the rev limiter at 7200 and didnt tick at idle. it did however have rust stains in the coolant reservoir and black carbon build up on the inside on the cam caps etc. i looked with a light through the spark plug holes, and could see a small recess in the pistons, but no dome. that doesnt mean it wasnt there...

how much should i pay for this... depends on cost and availabiltiy of other options, but removed from the cost is 200nz for wheels sold, 100 for body sold, and possibly trans and panels etc too...

C. buy from a wrecker. should run as they pull them from runners usually. cost just under 700nz. probably cleaner than the runner in B, dont know if i can get a low comp one from a wrecker.

..................................

other considerations

even if its high comp, i wont be doing huge miles on it inside one month before i leave the country after i finish, so i can afford to run high octane race gas in it.

i'll be pulling the rocker and cams out anyway to put in fe5a cams, and clean lifters, and vr6 springs, and retorque head tighter. so i can clean a dirty engine a lot while doing that. i'll also be pulling the sump to inspect the big ends and fit my bottom end setup. so i can clean in there too.

i'm leaning towards the running car at the moment as it comes with a coil and igniter and wiring some of which i dont have, or have wrong types of. it would also be good to pull it at home at a leisurely rate. rather than being rushed at pickapart. plus i can almost certainly get the whole car cheaper than the engine from a yard.

let me know your thoughts, reasoning and ideas.

fred.