Sell/Break/Rebuild?????

[ash]

Took my FD to Hayward today and I suspected the worse and Carl proved that the engine was low on compression. So, no Im torn between 3 things, do i break her, sell as is or try and rebuild her myself?

I could do with the money (couldnt we all ), wouldnt mind rebuilding her but would take time and need to save or, sell and save for another??

I drove 120 miles today from Watford to Newbury and the drive was fine, just took it nce and slow around 60mph and it never missed a beat.

Compression results showed around 4 bar on each rotor. She was rebuilt only 6000/7000miles ago by Hurley in late 2004, Hurley still remember it as the previous owner spent a small fortune.

Heres the spec;

1993 L reg   
- 75,500miles approx.   
- Red with Mazdaspeed side skirts
- Recent respray   Shell £500
- 17" Sparco staggered alloys with red anodised rims   Â£200
- 235/45/17 front dunlops but need new tyre - see my post on \'Why is my FD pulling to the right, you wont believe it!!\'   
- 255/40/17 SP9000 dunlops on the rears 6.5MM TREAD   Â£100
- Standard body with Mazdaspeed side skirts   
- Body work is very straight, but the splitter could do with a respray.   
   
Engine:   
- Rebuilt by Hurley 4 years ago, now has low compression but still runs fine.   Â£500
- Single turbo conversion [Garrett] with RR print out of 294bhp @1bar   Â£200 (for the turbo only)
- Apexi Power FC [only ECU not commander]   Â£300
- Turbosmart wastegate   Â£100
- Anodised pulleys   Â£25
- Greddy intake elbow   Â£80
- Uprated injectors (not sure what size) £50   
- Blitz BOV welded to intake   Â£100
- Trust/Greddy SMIC - THICK!!   Â£250
- Custom hard pipe system from turbo to I/C   
- New battery   Â£25
- New spark plugs (NGK BUR9EQP\'S)   Â£15
- Apexi N1 straight from turbo back exhaust   Â£175
   
Interior:   
- Execellent conditon, no rips or tears to the seats.   Â£80
- Lots of good condition plastics   Â£100
- Greddy exhaust temp gauge   Â£50
- Greddy Air/Fuel ratio gauge   Â£50
- HKS Boost Gauge    £50
- HKS Gauge holders x 3   Â£50
- Autogauge exhuast pressure gauge, pillar mount   Â£25
- Autogauge oil pressure gauge, pillar mount   Â£25
- Greddy E-01 Manage display system   Â£100
- Mazdaspeed gearknob   Â£35
- Mazdaspeed handbrake lever   Â£35
- Drilled pedals   Â£10
- Missing some boot plastic bits   
- Rear bins, more desirable!   Â£150
   
Suspension:   
- New TEIN SuperStreet Height and damper   Â£300
coilovers   
- All bushes on inspection look healthly and new   
   
Brakes:   
- New discs and pads on all 4 corners   Â£100
   
Sounds system:   
- Someone has spent a lot of money here, Kenwood high end CD player with seperate Kenwood graphic equaliser.   Â£200
- Focal crossovers   Â£50
- Unsure of speaker make   Â£10
- Full amp wiring all ready placed   Â£20
   
- Clifford 300 alarm system   Â£100

Whats everyone thoughts on this and what do you think i should do?:xconfused:xconfused:xconfused

[Jit]

thats a nice spec tbh Ash and its not often you will hear me say this but id look to rebuild that car! Breaking an FD in this current climate is prob the worst option so i would discount that one at the moment.
Either sell as is or rebuild...i think if you get that car rebuilt, it will be a very nice example of an FD!

[SiH]

Jesus, 4 bar on each rotor after 7k? That\'s fcuking terrible

Gutted for you.
All depends how much you love her really - the way I feel about mine right now I\'ll 100% rebuild the engine when it goes. But financially, it usually makes a lot more sense to break - you can proba make mor ethan you think - for instance, what single tub is on it?! that seems very cheap for a single setup...

[ash]

The turbo is a Garrett - not sure apart from its got M12 and AR.50 on it. Its quite small but very responsive, the prices are just taken from the top of my head and £200 i just for the turbo.

[kev-yorks]

It could well just be weak springs if so a cheap rebuild where figures the same across all faces?

[ash]

Carl did mention it could have been the springs actually. One rotor had very different figures 7.1, 0.0, 0.0 (the electronic gauge didnt read below 4bar!) but the other rotor had very similar results. Any ideas how much a rebuild kit would be if it was just the springs??

[Jit]

have u got the original receipt from hurley which states what parts were new at rebuild? - could sway the decision if it had new housings etc, then the rebuild might be a lot cheaper?

[kev-yorks]

I think Hurley made there own springs at one time then reverted to mazda springs because of this reason give em a call and ask em.

[ash]

JIT - No, but I could call them. The thing is it was over 4 years ago, but they should still have kept the records yeah?

I would like to rebuild, it would be a leaning curve but Im quite technically minded and have a fair few tools.

[matt p]

Ouch sorry to hear that dude, Id say keep it and rebuild it

But if you do break it there are some bits there ill take off your hands.

Fingers crossed you rebuild though, thought jaydee may of been closer?

[Jit]

forget calling them...they wont have a record...i had a mate in a similar predicament...they didnt have a record...
i think you should pull the engine out and inspect it and then if its bad, re-evaluate

[ash]

That may be a sensible option actually, good excuse as any to buy some new overalls

[Jit]

i think its good cos if you do decide to sell it, its less work for the next person to rebuild it..and youre no worse off (apart from maybe the new owner not being able to drive it home!)...if the internals turn out to be decent then you can go for a cheapish rebuild!
If you do decide to go down that road, i dont mind dropping round to give you a hand if im free!

[HaywardRotary]

we actually got a funny reading on the rear rotor,it seems that maybe there might be a damaged seal,but the front was just under 4 bar,so I think maybe a combination of flat springs and a damaged seal.
Regards
Carl

[karl_tate]

shame mate,

just do what feels best but like others have said, i dont think it would be worth breaking now.

also, the power figure 294bhp, i take it that is at the wheels??

what i would like to know is, what could the factors be for such low compression after such a sort period of time apart from springs??