I have been reading the turbo charging threads and have been thinking about doing it. I rode in Willies Little Red Rocket last spring and was really impressed...especially since he lives in hilly country which takes a toll on a STOCK insights mileage and even with the turbo he was still getting an LTA of 58mpg and I was only getting a LTA 64 mpg with a totally stock car.
BUT with 230,000 miles I think it would be wise to do a full overhaul first!
How difficult is an overhaul? Can it be done with the block in the car?
__________________
Jim Isbell
2000, 5 speed, 250,000 miles
"If you are not living on the edge, well then,
you are just taking up too much space."
A good, used engine is about $500. But at 230K your engine
should be at about it's half-life. What's to worry about, and
consider "overhauling" prior to turbo would be the valve train, especially the timing chain and guides. Might not be a bad idea to
replace the oil pump and water pump. A compression test
would confirm top-end fitness.
A true complete overhaul would be quite expensive, with
necessary gaskets/seals alone coming close to the cost of a nice
used engine...
With more power on tap, the clutch assembly, if original, should
be on the list.
Why not risk it and let it blow and if it blows buy a used one? I don't like to touch the internals of an engine, too much risk.
Actually, I have no idea what the internals have been through as it had 157,000 on it when I got it and I have full faith in my mechanical abilities. I KNOW that if I overhaul it, it will be done properly and be BETTER than new because thats the way I do things.
AND, a thrown rod out the side of the case, yes I have done that, is not to be looked forward to when 300 miles from home. If I could warrant that it would happen within 50 miles of home the risk might be worth taking.
But maybe the next posters ideas might be worth a look. If it passes leak down test then maybe the valve train and the timing, etc WOULD be the best way to go.
__________________
Jim Isbell
2000, 5 speed, 250,000 miles
"If you are not living on the edge, well then,
you are just taking up too much space."
I didn't want to question your mechanical skills, no offense. The more you do yourself the better it is but there's still a risk of touching a running system I try to avoid whenever possible. Don't ask me how I know.
The main problem is that turboing an engine that has been constructed for natural aspiration is always risky. To be save the engine needs a lower compression with forged pistons to lower the combustion temperature and avoid knocking. This hurts mpg.
If you rebuild it please do a lot of pics.
I found this online, where they partially disassembled their engine, although they did not go into the bottom end. In the past I rebuilt my 1.0liter geo metro engine, I think the insight might be slightly more time consuming because of the extra things you have to be careful about since the engine is not as simple as the metro.
I didn't want to question your mechanical skills, no offense. The more you do yourself the better it is but there's still a risk of touching a running system I try to avoid whenever possible. Don't ask me how I know.
The main problem is that turboing an engine that has been constructed for natural aspiration is always risky. To be save the engine needs a lower compression with forged pistons to lower the combustion temperature and avoid knocking. This hurts mpg.
If you rebuild it please do a lot of pics.
No offense was taken, I was just saying, I am qualified so am not concerned about getting it right...if I have the right documentation before I start...
__________________
Jim Isbell
2000, 5 speed, 250,000 miles
"If you are not living on the edge, well then,
you are just taking up too much space."
My only concern with an engine at 230,000 miles is piston and cylinder wear. Especially with an engine with such short pistons. But since the Insight is not a sleeved engine I cant just buy a matching set of pistons and liners which means I have to wait till I tear it down to see if I need stock or oversized pistons. That means its out of commission for more than a couple of days. So I guess I will just wait till it fails if it passes the leakdown test.
__________________
Jim Isbell
2000, 5 speed, 250,000 miles
"If you are not living on the edge, well then,
you are just taking up too much space."
There is a post somewhere on here dealing with a full engine rebuild. From what I remember the person had to wait an extremely long time for parts as they had to be shipped from Japan and spent a few thousand dollars in the process. I would find that post as a first step.
another option could be to buy a used engine with high miles, which you may be able to get for around $200-300. Then just rebuild that outside of the car where it would be easier to work on. That way you can spend as much time as you want on the rebuild, and then you end up with a near-new engine as a backup when the one in your car decides to give up.
__________________
2002 Silver MT 225k miles LMPG - 60.8
Best Tank Distance = 722 miles @ 74.2
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
Overhauling the 1 litre engine
The more you do yourself the better it is but there's still a risk of touching a running system I try to avoid whenever possible. Don't ask me how I know. 
