dude

Don't you have an almost built replacement engine to drop in?
Your car doesn't need to mean anything to anyone else besides yourself.

And running, it can put a twinkle in a 19 yr old's eye that leads to offloading to someone else.

An object is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. If you're content with getting $100 at the scrap yard vs $500 from a 19 yr old, that's your decision.

My point is, there is a market for just about everything.

 

The engine is essentially built... Needs front cover and valve cover bolted on, oil pan sealed, and installed... The cost of that installation is the single obstacle I face, in the form of various bolts to hold the clutch on and paying a shop to assist me in performing the swap...

Running, it'll put the twinkle back into my eye, and I'll surely keep it and feel twenty-five again; not a problem, except for my drive to finish rebuilding it... With a seemingly insurmountable financial obstacle, I feel depressed just looking at the engine, let alone finishing it's resurrection...

Unfinished, I couldn't sell it to anyone for much over $200 due to its parts being nearly useless unless the future owner also had an 04 Ion...

One must also acknowledge its somewhat lousy fuel consumption(compared to that of my daily driver) and its requiring 93 octane gasoline, which in some areas local to me, is nearly a dollar more per gallon... Both of the above are typical redline characteristics... The consumption could be improved upon with tuning, modification, and diligence, but the octane requirement, I fear, could never be waived...

 

The desperate owner of an 04 IRL will pay more than you think......

 

Well, the oil pan on the engine is sealed up and torqued down... I also discovered a small crack on the pan that'll get sealed up with JB weld before the engine is installed... Due to the sludge that used to reside in there, it hadn't leaked before, but once cleaned internally with starting fluid, the solvent seeped through the crack... My helper used to work for Jasper engines, so I trust his ability to repair my pan...

 

Aw, hell... I'm gonna fix this thing, I guess... I made a good chunk of extra cash driving for Uber, that will pay for my flywheel bolts and maybe a new TOB(which isn't absolutely necessary)... I also found a local yokel, which claims to have changed a couple Ecotecs, and can get my LSJ done in a day... While I doubt just one day, I can easily believe a weekend, with prior experience... Best part is he is cheap labor, who doesn't need the entire sum up front to start working... Yup, looking up for this car... I might get to play with it a little before snow flies, lol

 

Well the local yokel flaked out on me, but I have everything I need to finish this thing... Probably gonna wait until spring and pay a shop to finish her, due to my lack of experience and equipment

 

Well, spring is nearly here, and though complicated with life issues, the build with this car will press forward...

What's happened since:
Engine completely failed(lost oil pressure and locked up) so the cars not moving right now

Plans going forward:
Replace failing wheel bearing
Change engine(hope the one going in is healthy enough)
Add water/methanol injection(washer fluid tanks are cheap, as are the rest of a decent setup), on a Hobbs switch, coming on at 10psi
Hopefully a dyno tune by ZZP...
Grab a couple different pulleys to be able to change on the fly(it's easy with the ZZP pulley system)

Hopefully, with my home ported head, the ZZP valve springs(raise rev limit to 7500 with the tune), and the water/meth, I can make an honest 285whp at around 18psi

 

So, guys, it's happening! My engine swap is underway!

Here's the old one, on its way out

This pic illustrates a couple things that are important... Notice the RTV on that intake gasket? It doesn't require RTV, leading me to think the previous mechanic tried to reuse the gasket and it leaked as a result(remember my vac leak at idle?)

The other and more obvious observation is that my block is no longer rebuildable due to the two holes punched in it by the #2 connecting rod... I'm hoping against hope that at least the crankshaft is salvageable...

And here's the hew one, on its way in...

All accessories are attached, but in this pic, there aren't any spark plugs or coils... I'm running the ZZP coils, with NGK 4644 plugs gapped at around .0325

As of right now, the engine and trans are in, but the subframe isnt(powertrain is hanging by mounts). This approach eases the task of wiring the engine and transmission. The engine has oil, but not coolant yet(no subframe to support radiator)

Plans are to pick up a running car on Saturday(I've got work tomorrow)

 

Perseverance has its benefits.

Don't hose your back again.
Might you want to hang it by a support bar instead of punishing your mounts?

 

I call dibs on the piston.

I'll track down goalie and mail it to him