What are some potential concerns when looking at buying a motor from a burned vehicle?

I know the intake manifold will be toast, and there is the potential for water/rust in the cylinders (hopefully nothing a hone wouldn't take care of), and the head gaskets might be damaged. What else?

 

It sounds like you already know the sensors/intake/anything plastic will be toast... As long as you're using it for a rebuildable core, you should be totally fine. It takes quite a HOT fire to burn anything on the long block and most engine fires don't burn hot enough for that.

Myself... I've used 3 burned cores from salvage yards and never had anything more than a cleanup and machine work, and those are already expected during a full rebuild anyway.

 

I would be very careful if i were you. An engine out of a burned vehic. might be distorted from the heat of the fire and thats hard to see. Especially the aluminum heads. Its just a risky thing to do. The block can get so hot that it will distort or even the parts inside it will.
Derek

 

if ur buying it mainly for just the block and crank...and plan on boring it out and getting new pistons/rods and heads...would it be ok?

 

You are wanting to use the block for your LQ9 build up right? If oyu are planning on using the heads there may be melted plastic in the intake runners or on the tops of the intake valves but that should be able to be cleaned off. Sounds like you already know what needs to be done. If there is some melted plastic in the cylinders that can be cleaned out too and the noing will take off any residue left after getting in chunks in there.

 

So the message I'm getting is that as long as I have everything cleaned up and checked (which I was going to have to do anyway) it should be fine. That's what I was hoping to hear. I found a long block LQ4 from a burned truck for $800 that I am probably going to take and get started on.