MX5 Engines

[baddie]

My girlfriend loves her MX5 but didn't fully appreciate the value of oil. It now has what the dealer is calling a "severe crank rumble" and needs a new engine. Dealer is helpful but wants £4.5k for a new engine. However they will fit an engine sourced by me, and I've found one on E-bay for £500. Too good to be true?
Does anyone have any experience of changing the big end bearings on a 1.8 mk2?

[bint]

I only have experience of replacing Toyota engines - so this is all I can offer;

A basic ST engine (1.8) for my Celica, 2nd hand cost about £400 - Fensports also sell them for about £500 - liable to have about 50K on it on average.
A NEW Toyota Celica engine for the new shape 1.8, and from Toyota, PLUS fitting will total about £3500 all in. So yes, sounds like they're pulling a fast one as IMHO it sounds over priced.

Are you wanting a new or used/reconditioned? Pop onto the MX5OC and see if anyone has an engine for sale etc or where you can get one from.

[baddie]

Not bothered if used, but would like some assurance it isn't going to go pop in the first 100 miles! Have seen one on Ebay, and the seller sounds very nice and helpful, he's asking £500. Thanks for your experience, reassuring that the numbers are in the same ballpark

[bint]

Seriously - engines shouldn't go pop - unless oil starved etc....... I think you'll find that unless the car is still very new, it's not really worth putting a brand new engine in the car - it won't put any money on the car. Also, a 2nd hand engine often means it's a little looser and not so 'tight' to drive.

[mechsympathy]

As has been mentioned the MX5 clubs/forums is probably the best place to look, and there are various specialist breakers around.

I'd have thought there are likely to be more written off MX5s than engines blown so you should find one easily, and not have to pay over the odds for one. I replaced the engine in my MR2 with one from a breakers and it did another 30k hard miles with me before I sold it

[PJLarge]

Do a search on ebay for a seller called 'scrapman40' - he's called Duncan and he's in Bristol. He does a lot with MX-5's and buys a lot of insurance write-offs. I've had stuff off him in the past that's been off cars with less than a thousand miles on them. Although he doesn't have any engines listed at the moment, it's worth emailing him as I bet he'll have one.

Phil.

[steve bowen]

phone Karl at www.mx5mad.co.uk they have stacks of earlier engines, may well have some newer ones.

Edited by steve bowen on Thursday 3rd August 21:07

[turbo-tastic]

Source a good 2nd hand lump from either an owners club or a specialist breaker IMO. Plus, if there's anyone on the owners club in your area who's handy with spanners, they might be willing to give you a hand fitting it for a few quid.

Or the breaker might too, given enough persuasion

Hope you get it sorted, and dont ever go back to the dealer unless the work is gauranteed to be FOC