I recently had a fire in the engine compartment in my 1982 El Camino Conquista, and it basically destroyed that whole area. Is it even possible to replace all the electrical in that area and replace the engine for a reasonable price?
2007-11-26 08:19:26 · 9 answers · asked by Onyx 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
year one should have the electrical harness..the fire wall forward is about $200..you can get one in any wrecking yard for about $30
the motor is most likely not hurt ...it needs a carburetor ,
distributor..and i am guessing new valve covers..
you are talking less than $500...
if indeed you do need a motor get a rebuilt for $1,500..
you are still under $2,000...no mater what
2007-11-26 08:29:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When i worked at a nissan dealer, we did a lot of "in frame " overhauls. This works well on nissans, because the cylinders wear very slowly. I believe the Japanese use better cast iron for the blocks, and/or softer rings. so the piston rings would wear out, not the block. 20 years old, tho? It might be worthwhile to get an estimate, for an "inframe" (replace rings, rod bearings, valve job). THEN, have them pull the cylinder head, check if it's flat, and how badly the cylinders are worn -then decide what you want to do. I'd try to find a place familiar with the inframe idea - ask your local dealer if that MIGHT be an option. If you call around, for estimates, you might be able to get a hint - If they all seem to think you'll likely need a cylinder head, save your money. Some engines are more prone to warpage, and if yours is warped, all the ones in the wrecking yard will be too. They can be sttraightened/ machined, to some extent, but not likely to be garunteed. As far as replacement : it used to be possible to get used engines, from japan, relatively cheap - apparently they junk their cars after a few years, and sell certain parts. These engines will fit right in but are likely to use parts that are unavailable here. like carburetors and distributors that won't interchange - can cause real problems later. call around - someone who has done this to the same model, can give you an idea of the hassles. Wrecking yards are a good place to go, for installation of a used engine. They do that a lot, and will often give a short gauranty - enough to find out if the replacement should've stayed in the junkyard.
2016-05-26 00:53:57 · answer #2 · answered by doris 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's definetely possible, painless wiring makes a kit for your car....it's the entire wiring harness from front to back. The wiring kit alone is going to run between $500 and $700. The engine can obviously be replaced as well, you can drop in a lightly used 350 for around $700.
You can find low mileage 350's, 305's, etc at salvage yards across the country by using:
www.car-part.com
This will return complete engines for your vehicle based on your location. If you find one that's out of reach it can usually be freighted via semi for around $150.
It's really a judgement call on your behalf. Is the rest of the car in good condition? Suspension, brakes, tires, transmission, interior, paint, etc. If so then yes, it could certainly be worth it to have it repaired. The above parts prices I quoted above come out to $1,200 to $1,400. Expect to pay $400 or so for someone to put the motor in and another $400 - $500 for a shop to replace the wiring harness....maybe more.
You may want to consider letting a shop look at it prior to making any purchases. It may just be part of your wiring harness that's burnt up (obviously the wires leading the back are fine). The motor may be fine as well....a decent shop will be able to give a complete repair quote pretty quickly. If you're lucky the front half of the harness can be replaced and all malfunctioning/burnt parts on the motor can be replaced as well. All of the internal components of your engine are fine...it would take one hell of a fire to destroy them. The pistons, block, heads, etc should be in the same condition they were in when the vehicle caught fire. All hoses, sensors, etc will have to be replaced obv....anything that's rubber, plastic, etc!
Hope this helps!
2007-11-26 08:30:32 · answer #3 · answered by mrharris32 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You probably would not need to replace the engine, since it takes considerable heat to damage an engine. However, replacing all the necessary wiring, carburetion, and other accessories which were probably damaged will be considerably expensive, especially for a vehicle over twenty five years of age.
Highly doubtful that you will be able to find decent used parts, including a wiring harness, at a salvage dealer. A lot depends on how much you love this old car and how much you want to invest back into it.
2007-11-26 08:29:24 · answer #4 · answered by acermill 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It depends on your definition of "reasonable". What's reasonable to you may be five hundred dollars, but to the next person it may be ten thousand dollars.
The bottom line is what is the car worth to you? Does it have sentimental value? Or are you just fixing it to sell it?
If you want to keep it, it may be worth all you have, but if you are looking to sell it then it's only worth what someone else will pay.
It sounds to me like several thousand dollars to replace the engine and the wiring harness.
cheers.
2007-11-26 08:28:04 · answer #5 · answered by Perplexed 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
that is a nice ride but its also going to be an expensive job so weigh out how much that car means to you
2007-11-26 08:27:55 · answer #6 · answered by crooky 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
unless you have a car you love, then it would be ok the repair, the costs is incredible to replace, just get a new car.
2007-11-26 08:26:22 · answer #7 · answered by v v 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i'll offer you $500 for it
2007-11-26 09:00:15 · answer #8 · answered by dusty_guy107 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
BETWEEN $3500.00 TO $5000.00
2007-11-26 08:26:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋