I bought my son a 2003 honda crv with engine k24a1, it was $1000. The gentleman who sold it to me stated it over heated and does not work. When I received the car I turned the car on and was able to drive it onto my drive way and it did not smoke.
The vehicle has 277,000 miles and has one leake from the power steering.
My question is, will it be worth rebuilding the engine (timing kit, water pump, piston rings, and radiator......ect) or try to get a k24a (Japanese version of the same engine with low miles) and clean and add new timing kit and cooling components with a new radiator?
It will be my son's first car and I want to make the best financial decision for this project. The body is in very good condition with new brakes and struts/shocks.
P.s. do you know of any reputable companies I could probably buy a k24a from if you think that would be the better option.
It costs a lot of $$$$ and is a lot of precision work to properly rebuilt an engine, probably more than the vehicle would be worth when you are done - then you need to worry about the transmission, especially if it's an automatic. (Honda automatic transmissions of that era are on the weak side.)
Installing a good replacement is probably the better option. A used JDM engine might be OK but there may be differences between the Japanese and U.S. versions of the engine to contend with during installation.
A car is not an investment, it is an expense! Try not to pour too much money into it.
Can you guide me as to where I can get the same engine with low miles or the jdm version?
You can check junkyards but getting a good low-mileage engine for a 20-year-old vehicle is unlikely. I have no experience with JDM engines myself, perhaps someone else here does.
Lot's of people think of the resale value when making repairs. Dave Ramsey is one of those guys. My philosophy is a little different. You need to weigh the all-in cost against the cost of another suitable vehicle you would purchase. You have already spent $1000 on this vehicle. If you are handy and have the tools, the value of working on the car with your son may make a life-long memory and teach him very valuable skills. Teens, especially males are likely to have some sort of accident ion their first car, so you don't want to spend too much on that. If he invests some of his life into the car, he will likely be more careful. There are a few reputable engine rebuild companies around, but I can't give an endorsement from personal experience and I think the cost is still a few thousand. I have helped to work on cars since long before I could drive one. I take pride in being able to do most of my own repairs and maintenance and shared that with my son and daughters. My son was an auto mechanic for years before he became an aircraft mechanic. His experience with me, developed into a career for him to comfortably support his family.
I wish you the best of luck with the Honda. The only other option I see is to work out a swap with someone who needs the body and other parts.
