Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

Got a guy offering me a vehicle trade.

The swap is supposedly an LS/VTEC bored to 2 liters. So on to questions...

84mm right?
Have to be sleeved to do that?
Any ways to tell if he's full of ---- without tearing into the motor?
Any distinct sounds to listen for, ways to tell its built? I know some pistons make alot of noise...

Thoughts?

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

pull the oil pan

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

That is what I was going to say, easiest way without tearing the head off.

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

can't think of any other way of telling without having to tear into it, pistons slap a bit when cold.

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

i dont conside that tearing into the motor.... how the ---- else do u think your gonna know

there is no way. the head would have to come off

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

take it up to 25 pounds of boost and see if it takes it

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

reciepts n talk to the guy that did the work?

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

ask for reciepts.

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

i guess bottom line. someone is serious enough to build a ls/vtec. they have reciepts for the parts.

if he doesnt, id be leary.

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

unless he's reputable I still wouldn't trust receipts

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

Then that shoulda been your answer. I kinda figured it was a shot in the dark anyways.

get off my nuts

lol, that'd require a turbo wouldnt it?

yeah thats kinda what im thinking...tho if the car is decent exterior wise, and has a stock ls/vtec in it, id probably still trade the SI for it.

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

take the spart plug out, get a small flashlight and look, you can tell, stock cast pistons look way different from a set of forge's

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

any replies to the other questions?

have to be sleeved for 2.0L bore?

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

yes, i thought you where joking. sleeved to go past 82mm, and a 2 literwould be 84+

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

All motors are built at one time or another. :)

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

hold your breath steve! you're wasting air.

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

Just becarefull and talk to the people where the work was done. Learn from other peoples past mistakes. Bought a car in cali the guy had 3grand in paperwork. Drove the car back to washington. week later had it in the shop and everything on the paperwork was not true. Best guess would be to just go ask questions to as many of those shops as possible where that car has been. Good Luck tho.

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

Usally you can tell if a motor has been pulled/tore apart. Usally there are odd colored bolts in somewhere, you can see gasket sealer that has gushed out somewhere...somewhere in the entire thing you should be able to tell from the outside its been tore apart. Whats done on the inside...thats a little iffy. I was told my old toyota had a "built head". the fucker ran to 8500rpms...no problem at all, a few things looked a little funny, the head was clearly hottanked (cleaner than the block) few bolts missing...that kinda thing.

I guess what I would do, get a letter written by you, signed by him, you and awitness stating whats done, then when you get the car...find out for yourself.

reciepts are just as valid as his word IMO. in reality, who says the recipts arent from someone elses car... :-\

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

if you pull the pan you'lee be able to see everything. Takes 30 minutes, so whats the problem?

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

put the bitch on a dyno and see what kinda torque numbers she makes, that will defiantely show it

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

I would agree with the oil pan. That is the quickest way to get a visual on it. Not sure if you can or are willing to do that.

Receipts tell that he bought them, but were they returned...sold off...or just not in there?

Hard to say without having receipts, visual verification, and trusting the guy.

If it is like you said "I would trade for a stock LS/Vtec". Then I would do it if he was "local". Tear the pan laterafter getting it. Then you can deal with him if it is not right.

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

take off the oil pan and girldle. youll see the rods, rod bolts, and the underneath of the pistons (at least 2 up close).

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

can't read either?

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

Josh's suggestion is what I would do. Should be pretty easy to spot if they are OEM slugs. That and listen to it run cold of course.

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

my car makes that noise....its stock...

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

borescope 8)

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

my wifes ls with 90,000km's makes enough piston slap when cold that I would bet it has forged pistons, but its bone stock :1

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

ways to tell a motor is built: do it yourself

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

exactly, even if it is full of forged parts who knows if it was put together correctly :-\

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

The only way to check without dismantling the motor is using a scope similiar to the ones used to take pictures of the inside of your stomach and such.
You can also measure the compression ratio and displacement by pouring oil into the spark plug hole :)

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

you ladies are missing the point.

i dont care if its built or not, i was just looking for ways to check. if its a bone stock b18b block i dont care, ill still take the car probably.

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

then why ask....if you dont care, dont do anything about it. If you care, pull the pan, end of story.

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

i dont care if its built or not
If you don't care if its built then why are you asking us this

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

my idea was the best jewbags, and you'll see what afr the car was running at to see if it was running healthy or not

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

Yeah, the ls/vtec would NEED to be sleeved to make 2.0 liters'. which yeilds it a 84mm bore by the stock 89mm stroke. If it wasn't sleeved all that would be left of the cylinder walls wouldn't even barely take a high compression ls/vtec...

If he can't show reciepts I'd be suspiscious too. If worst comes to worst, pull the pan and look. It is way better than pulling the head :-\

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

to cure curiosity.

last time i checked that was ok.

Re: Ways to tell a motor is built?
 

Take it to a hospital and tell them you droped your testical down the spark plug hole, They can look in there with the ass scope and see whats going on. ;)