gator_shawn

My 95 legend l has been blowing smoke out fht exhaust for a few weeks. Getting worse each week. Was 1 QT low last oil change. Repair shops said he suspects Valve Guides and Valve Guide Seals. Estimating 4-5K for Reconditioned engine. These guys have never steered me wrong, but this sounds like an awful lot.

he said used engine would be much cheaper but availability is going ot be tough with a 95 vehicle.

Any suggestions? is it worth putting 4K in instead of a new car?

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My 95 Legend

 

Philendrick

You could probably find another decent 95 Legend L for 4K. There is always the option of ordering an engine and having it shipped. There are all kinds on www.car-part.com. What is the rest of your car like?

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Philip

2001 CL-S
94 Legend L Coupe (To Be Restored)
94 Legend LS Coupe (Sold & Missed)

"Remain respectable in everything that you do, to earn the respect of others, and to learn to respect yourself."

gator_shawn

Radio is shot. Antenna won't power all the way up even after buying a new mast....It's been hit twice by people in parking lots...

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My 95 Legend

ari_one

You should be able to get an engine from numerous places on eBay shipped to you for under $1000, you could probably even get a type II for that. Then the question is how much would it cost for your mechanic to install and at the same time change the timing belt and water pump. Normal numbers I've heard is somewhere in the $800 - 1200 range.

johnnie34

That is high for an engine. For 5500 I not only got a newer (not new) JDM engine, but a new clutch and totally rebuilt manual transmission as well. Engine by itself installed would have been about 3k. Labor rate is about $75 per hour for that price.

I paid $4k for the car so yeah you can get another Legend for what I put in to mine, but there is no gurantee you aren't going to have the same d@mn problems with the new one, or worse problems then you already have.

I thought I was being careful when I bought mine. I pulled a carfax. I paid for a mechanical inspection. I drove it a good 30 or 45 minutes on surface streets and highway. It didn't matter cause I still didn't find out about the headgasket and transmission until it was too late. I guess the best I can say is I got the guy to knock $1000 off for the weak clutch I did find.

Buying used cars is a crapshoot IMO. It's better to stick with a known problem then something that could be much worse I think. Then at least you know what is repaired and what isn't.

Regards

JonnyBlaze

Take it to another shop and get a second opinion. It saved me 5300.00. I was told I needed a new engine and I was still convenced that I had BHG/SHG but it was just a sensor. I still replaced the gaskets for good measure.

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LPB

You need to find a more honest repair shop.

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Alperovich

mike diaz in ohio does a 3.5 swap for 2.5k. IMO your quote is WAY high!

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94 GS
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gator_shawn

Okay but 3.5K is not a lot less than 4K. and 4-5K was a ballpark estimate after closing time on Friday before the guy could call his suppliers and get prices.

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My 95 Legend

gator_shawn

I should have been more clear. The 4-5K was a ballpark guesstimate given after business hours on Friday when it was too late to call suppliers. These guys are honest good guys. They just don't specialize in Acura so they're not capable of giving precise estimates off the cuff.

That said, for something as major as engine repair I'd take it to the guy on the other side of Atlanta which does exclusively Acuras. He's going to give me a price quote Monday.

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My 95 Legend

geodeejr

He was talking about a 3.5L engine from a 1st gen RL for $2500. Big difference.

gator_shawn

Sheesh, my bad. yes, so is the 1st Gen engine better?

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My 95 Legend

geodeejr

No worries but yeah, it's the engine from the 96-05 RL... I don't know much about it at all but search for it. Read Mike Diaz's DIY on the engine swap here: DIY: 3.2L to 3.5L engine swap (+ Type II Swap, Hybrid, and JDM Information)

KEYZER SOZE

I'm breaking my engine down this week to replace my own valve seals. I've replaced the headgaskets already, but saw a little smoke during long periods of idle due to seeping seals. If I can be of any help, let me know. There's not much about this engine I don't know. After my rebuild, I drove to PA for the TRi-State with no problems. Maybe I can save you some money as well as that precious legend. Let me know.

johnnie34

Don't let somebody who is not a specialist in Honda/Acura repair replace your engine. Just because someone can work on a Ford or a Chevy or even a Honda Accord for that matter, doesn't mean they can swap an engine in to a Legend. If they can't quote you a price any better than that off of the top of their head then they don't know enough about the car to do the work IMO. Honda built these cars COMPLICATED. I mean how many other longitudal mounted FWD cars do you know of?

When I had to get the big repairs done my mechanic's off the cuff estimate was pretty close to what it cost. Yeah I managed to find some of the parts cheaper then he did, and yeah the radiator didn't have to be replaced (just looked like it from all the d@amn overflow), but aside from that he pretty much knew what it was going to take to get it done.

If you are going to drop that kind of coin in to your car then give it to a mechanic who knows a Legend front to back and top to bottom. And I don't mean a dealer either. Look up the dealer nightmare thread that has been on here recently for the reason why I say that. If you want I can PM you my mechanic's info since you live near Atlanta. They aren't the cheapest, fastest or most convient. But I do trust them with both my cars. They put my JDM ZC DOHC in to my CRX as well.

Regards