When you are considering having used Honda engine installed in your car, there are a few things you will want checked to ensure it will perform well and you will get good use out of it. The best option is to buy used Honda engine imported from Japan.
1. Compression: An engine isn’t worth at all without proper compression. A thorough check of the compression will take a lot of work including removing the spark plugs and using a pressure gauge to check each cylinder. There cannot be more than a 10 percent difference in pressure between each cylinder. Compression is measured in “psi” which indicates strength of the cylinders.
2. Leak down Test: A leak down test will help determine if there is too much wear and tear on the head gaskets. This test will reveal if Cylinder head was overheated which can be caused due to faulty cooling system. Engine that fails Leak down test is not worth buying.
3. Oil Pressure: The good thing about an oil pump is that if it fails the oil pressure test it can be replaced. Replacing on oil pump will allow the engine to maintain the proper oil pressure and will make the engine acceptable for use. The only problem is Oil Pumps are expensive.
4. Sludge: Engines that have oil build-up can cause issues by blocking the passages of the engine. In order to check for sludge the valve cover is removed. If there is sludge chances are the original owners did not change oil regularly. Therefore used Honda engine with sludge is not at all worth buying.
5. Complete Inspection: Once an engine has undergone all of the above tests one must ensure that the engine has a complete inspection to check for any other issues from cracks on the engine block.
If the engine passes all above tests, it is safe to buy such an engine.
