I'm looking on Marketplace for a used 4ZE1, but every ad I look at just seems super sketchy. Anybody have any luck buying a used import engine or are they all scammers?
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Are any used engine sellers on Marketplace NOT scammers?
- Thread starter ripcord
- Start date
Is any ad in marketplace not a scam? It's always a gamble. I can't wait until there is a better place to go.
MolaKule
Staff member
I would ask around or request a list of customers that have purchased engines and try to contact them and determine if those purchased engines were functional.
The mechanics I work with usually purchase a salvaged engine for a customer and do a complete teardown before installation just to make sure there are no "hidden" flaws. this saves the customer and the shop future headaches.
Any purchase of a salvaged engine is a crapshoot.
The mechanics I work with usually purchase a salvaged engine for a customer and do a complete teardown before installation just to make sure there are no "hidden" flaws. this saves the customer and the shop future headaches.
Any purchase of a salvaged engine is a crapshoot.
have you checked with LKQ? www.car-part.com also is a good place with reputable salvage yards.
Nothing on LKQ and the car-part.com doesn't show one inside 300 miles and at a reasonable price (200k motors for $1K)
hmm yeah I googled 4ze1 and see its a late 80s isuzu engine probably gonna be hard to track down at salvage yards since they like newer late model vehicles where they can turn over the parts quickly. If theres any facebook groups out there you can join there seems like theres always 1 or 2 guys out there that hoard that particular vehicle thats the "go to" guy that everyone trusts and looks up to for parts and help.
Humm, I think @RooflessVW has had some luck on sourcing those engines. Since he has an '87 or'89 Trooper.
What's your budget? Theres a member in the FB group out of Vegas that sells rebuilt engines with a warranty.
My budget is "nearly broke, recent college graduate nephew." 
What is wrong with the engine you have?My budget is "nearly broke, recent college graduate nephew."
With those odd engines- might have to freshen up what you have.
Pretty much the only thing would exclude it from a rebuild is excessive crankshaft end play.
Re-ring and top-end kits are pretty cheap. Just make sure you use a Isuzu or Fel-Pro HG.
The cheap one the PO used on mine didn't make it 10k.
Junior noticed steam coming from under the hood. He pulled over and added coolant to the overflow tank thinking he was adding it to the engine. Then he got on the freeway and drove it for a few more miles until it lost power. They had it towed to my place. I fixed the heater hose and filled it with water. When I went to crank it, it sounded like no compression. I pulled plugs and they were all wet and I got a geyser of red coolant from multiple holes when I cranked it again... I drained the coolant and it had lots of oil in it.
99% sure it's more than a simple head gasket.
Only one way to tell. When mine failed it went pretty quick. I went with a new head from Clearwater and a Fel-Pro HG kit.
It's not much work to pop the head off and see what you got.
No local places to purchase from? There are seven in Colorado and you can inspect before you buy.
I neglected to contribute to your first question. I've bought two low mileage JDM Subaru EJ engines and a 3rd Toyota 1ZZ-FE is sitting in my garage waiting on me to finish other forever projects. That engine was likely used in a bunch of models in Japan that never was seen in the US. If you go that route, plan to replace all gaskets, timing components, hoses, and swap over some original parts like the intake, flywheel and what not. JDM engines are a little pricey, but i've had success.
That's an odd-ball engine in a car that likely doesn't have a lot of monetary value, unless it is mint and low mileage. You probably will have to find a junk yard to ship you one from out of state for more than you want to spend...and it is still a gamble. Or work with what you've got.
If the rod/main bearings aren't spun you might be able to get away with a driveway rebuild. Send the head out and have it checked and decked if needed and put it all back together. Anything more than that and it is time to move on from the vehicle and put that money towards something else.
If the rod/main bearings aren't spun you might be able to get away with a driveway rebuild. Send the head out and have it checked and decked if needed and put it all back together. Anything more than that and it is time to move on from the vehicle and put that money towards something else.
