So after fighting my engine for two weeks with random misfiring issues, I decided I am going to just replace the darn thing. Its 200,000 miles old and it smokes like a bad habit. I found one at a local Pull-A-Part, guy said he doesn't know the mileage, and I dont know how long its been sitting but the guy said he'd sell it to me for 200 dollars with a 30 day warranty. My question is, should I get it? I'll most likely replace all seals since it much easier to do out of the car along with plugs and plug wire, coil packs etc.

 

I would not, We have seen guys buy 3800 with under 20K on the clock for under $500. By the time you install all the intake gaskets and seals you are going to have another $200 in it and if you fire it up and find low oil pressure or a blown head gasket all you are getting back in the 200 you paid for the motor. All your seals and gaskets are going to the scraper. Not to mention that is a lot of work just to do it over.

Remember the junkyard is not risking anything, as it stands the motor is worth $45 in scrap. He sells it to you for $200 you find out its no good he gives you your money back and he still gets $45 for it. You are the one taking the risks with parts and labor. I would want to be sure that risk has a high probability of working out.

 

Some junk yards will install a used engine and give a warranty, so that if the engine is bad, they are responsible to provide a good one and install it. It will cost a bit more than you doing the install, but you won't have to risk redoing the job. Since they do engine replacements on a regular basis, they have all the necessary tools and equipment to do the job, and have the expertise to do the work in a minimum of time. Due to a cramped engine compartment, 4th gen F body cars are not engine replacement friendly.

 

I have seen a few yard installed engine in my day, I would scrap the car first. I thought most of the yards stopped doing this awhile ago due to the liability. Most U-pull-it yards remove motors with a sawsall and torches. Sawsall is for the wires and hoses, torch does the rest.

 

I like the one where they use a payloader with a chain attached to the bucket and the engine while the the motor mounts are still attached. Operator lifts bucket and the front of the car comes about 6 ft off the ground, loader operator then goes under the engine and torches the motor mounts, car then falls down around the operator, and the engine swings above his head hanging from the chain. Operator climbs back into payloader and drives off with the engine and drops into a pile of engines. lol

 

Thanks to all of the nice responses on the Forum, I decided Im gonna go for a Series III 3.8 with 27,000 miles with a 1 year warranty for like $650. Id rather spend the extra cash and get something that is much better than a risk for $450 less.

 

What's odd is that I read somewhere that there were over 6 million of these engines put in cars ( I read it on the internet so it must be true ) yet I had a heck of a time finding one with lower miles and a realistic price.

 

It is one of the most common motors in yards. They sell cheap because they have so many.

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