1.7 VS 1.8 Engine Rebuild .. Options

[Beakster]

Hi Guys .. I'm being told that it is better to rebuild a 1.8 to get more torque from the engine then rebuilding the 1.7 .. and even the 2.0 casing .. would love a 2.0 but they are getting harder to find .. Is this TRUE ... If I should look for a 1.8 then spend too much $$$ in my 1.7 .. What's your thoughts ... ???

[McMark]

I had a motor (from back when I was JUST getting into cars) that I put new rings on. Ran it only a few 100 miles and parked it for awhile. The new rings and the cylinders were still breaking in, so they were still scraping each other and exposing bare metal. When I parked it, condensation probably caused corrosion. There wasn't enough oil residue built up to prevent it. Tried everything to break it free and had no success.

I would suggest that even if you do manage to break it free, assume it's damaged, at least slightly.

I would suggest disassembling it and seeing what you have, then making a plan. But don't do anything unless you're prepared to spend at least $2k on the build. And if you're upgrading components, it can easily rise to $5k-$7k -- more if you've having a shop do the work.