2001 MT 250,000 miles check-engine light...misfire cylinder 3...compression test indicated 20 psi. I need a new engine. My Honda mechanic (not a Dealer...but works exclusively on Hondas) says that he needs to buy a $600. tool to connect the IMA motor to the block and transmission. Is this correct? I'm going with a used Insight engine. The local Honda Dealership was going to charge me $7,574. for a new block & head installed. I'm able to get a low mileage used engine for $2,000. (plus installation). Has anyone gone this route...replacing an engine?
Have you burnt out a valve? Sounds much more likely to me. I would take the rocker cover off first and check valve clearances, then remove head and check that no 3 cylinder for a burnt/ chipped valve.
Why do you need a new engine? You shouldn't unless something has really broken like a piston or crank causing other massive damage etc
You do not need the special tool if you are buying a complete spare engine with flywheel attached, it is only for taking off the IMA motor rotor!
No but it seems the best option you have regarding the mileage of your engine. I would not repair a such high-miles engine. If you have it out you still can decide to give it a full rebuilt and sell it or have a spare one.
2001 MT 250,000 miles check-engine light...misfire cylinder 3...compression test indicated 20 psi. I need a new engine. My Honda mechanic (not a Dealer...but works exclusively on Hondas) says that he needs to buy a $600. tool to connect the IMA motor to the block and transmission. Is this correct? I'm going with a used Insight engine. The local Honda Dealership was going to charge me $7,574. for a new block & head installed. I'm able to get a low mileage used engine for $2,000. (plus installation). Has anyone gone this route...replacing an engine?
Hello Dick,
You might want to find out if it is a valve or piston ring, because it might be cheaper to rebuild. Most engines are sold with the E motor still attached.
Ebay has a few MT engines. These are in Ohio, near Toledo. You might find a better deal in a local junkyard. I would definately firm up the installation price before begining, $2,000 plus installation is a tad high, IMO.
When you do the post mortem, please drop a note to Insightcentral. Good luck.
Kevin
P.s. If you junk your Insight PLEASE contact me about the hitch.
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$674 + $200 126k miles
The special tool they refer to is the IMA armature puller.
I have used a different technique successfully.
Separate the tranny from the IMA/block.
Remove the clutch.
Slide some brass shimstock in the gap between the IMA rotor and coil assembly, filling the gap as much as possible.
Unbolt the IMA rotor from the engine crank, and then remove the whole coil assembly and rotor. The rotor will stick strongly to the coil assembly but the shimstock will keep it centered enough so you can put it back on the new engine as a unit.
The rotor magnets are covered with what looks like a Kevlar wrap, and this is what gets damaged if you try to remove the rotor without the tool or shimstock.
Good luck
Your whole engine is probably on the worn side of it's tolerances. If you can get a 64K engine for $1000 that would be the way to go.
There is an IMA rotor puller list $573.33 Majestic honda $407.06. All it is is a puller with three threaded bolts through it. It would take me less than an hour to make it at home. All you need is a standard 3 way puller, a plate behind it with three holes in it, and three metric bolts and nuts. It's only for removing the IMA rotor from the engine, not for installing the rotor on the engine or removing or installing the engine from the transmission/vehicle.
Last edited by JuiceMcGoose; 02-26-2010 at 11:38 AM.
Reason: Sorry Mike, your post wasn't there when I started looking up the tool. Come to think of it, you don't need the nuts.
You could probably buy another Insight with half the miles on it for what you'd pay a mechanic to do this job. I'd would simply buy another one and sell or part out the one you have. At 250k I think you got your moneys worth.
The puller has three guide rods that let the rotor stay centered and not rub the coil structure when the rotor is extracted or replaced. I have a photo of one somewhere.
The shimstock also allows the rotor to be removed from the coil structure with another technique.
Place the rotor/IMA coil assembly on top of a paint can. The assembly will be held together with the magnetic field. Press down on the coil assembly and the paint can will push the rotor out, and the shim stock will stop the coil lamination's from damaging the Kevlar wrap.
Putting it back in is a bit more tricky, as the rotor with shimstock will strongly pull back into the coils assembly when you start to lift the coil assembly, so make sure the shimstock is inside the coil assembly and surrounding the rotor when you lift the coil assembly.
Don't get your fingers in between, as the force is sufficient to cut off the ends or your fingers.
The factory tool works ok, but if you make one, make the rods fit the puller hub with close tolerance, or the Kevlar could get damaged.
I have used the shimstock technique on at least 3 IMA motors, and still have all of my fingers.
There is no need to remove the rotor if you will just put it on another motor.
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