Desperately seeking advice!
I've got an '88 Ford Bronco II that is gonna need a new engine. (During a tropical storm flood, water got in the air intake under the headlight, then I messed up and tried to start it the next day, bent two rods. Live and learn.) No flood damage to the truck though -- water never got up to the undercarriage, engine was never submerged, no electrical got wet, etc. I wouldn't call it "flood damaged", if it was, I would junk it. Aside from the engine, which never gave me any trouble for 225K, the truck is in fine shape.
And I've been letting it sit covered for a couple of years now. I checked prices at the time and it looked like the best option for keeping the truck was to go with a remanufactured engine from a local dealer: they tow it, pull it, replace with reman engine, 3yr/36k warranty and I'm on the road. The reman was about $2300 then.
Now I've got to decide what to do with the truck, and would seriously appreciate any advice and experience. The way I see it, I have three options:
1) Get a junkyard engine and get my mech. to drop it in. According to him, any engine we find will be just as old (88, early 90s) with high miles, and it would be hard to find the engine anyway. My fear is, why trust someone else's engine - how do I know that junkyard engine won't crap out in 15 minutes, leaving me *exactly* where I am now, minus $$$ and needing a new engine?2) Rebuild the engine in it. About $3000.
3) Remanufactured engine, installed about $2300. What I have in mind is Roadmaster or Thunderbolt, installed there, not AutoZone etc.or, 4) buy something else. Unfortunately I can't really afford to upgrade or take on a car note. What I get for my $2300-$3000 in used truck, again will be around the same age with high miles, again what's keeping that replacement truck from having a worn out engine, leaving me where I am now.
I'm sentimental about the Bronco II, but I don't want to go with an option that leaves me with more trouble. I'd rather put up to $2500 into it and drive it for at least another 100K over taking $120 for scrap and picking up a 80s POS. Oh and even better, it's got to pass California smog check next year (which I guess is easier with the reman than a used engine).
Ideas, advice, horror stories... I need 'em!
David snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com