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How Do I Know If My Junkyard Engine Is Good? 10 Simple Steps

How Do I Know If My Junkyard Engine Is Good

If you're searching for “how do I know if my junkyard engine is good,” follow these ten simple steps:

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  • Do your research
  • Perform a visual inspection
  • Consider a compression test
  • Check for any leaks
  • Inspect the oil
  • Check the bearings and crankshaft
  • Consider checking the cylinder walls and the engine block
  • Do not forget about the timing components
  • Listen for any strange noises
  • Look for the service history and mileage

When your car's engine fails, it might require thousands of dollars for repair. Many look for affordable options, like purchasing a used engine from a junkyard.

While getting an engine from a junkyard is a great idea, it comes with challenges, especially if you don't have experience inspecting the engine and confirming a single shape.

This article provides ten simple steps to help you answer the question, “How do I know if my junkyard engine is good?”

How do I know if my junkyard engine is good?

Junkyards are perfect places to purchase affordable used car parts replacements that do not require much hard work to take them out of the cars.


However, if you're planning to purchase any car park replacement from the junkyard, you must pay attention to what to look for, especially if the car part is expensive, like the engine.

Purchasing an engine from a junkyard is not very cheap and means some money which means that you have to know exactly what needs to be done to confirm that this engine is in good shape. Otherwise, your money is going to go to waste.

Since automotive experts understand this challenge, they list ten important items you must consider when asking yourself, “How do I know if my junkyard engine is good?”

1-    Do your research

Before you even go to the junkyard, you must do your research. In other words, you need to understand what engine you're looking for and what type of vehicle are considered parts replacement for your car.

Without doing that, you can deal with a lot of hassle trying to figure out what you're looking for, and it's very hard to find a person who could walk with you and help you get out of that part without picking the wrong engine.

2-    Perform a visual inspection

Once you confirm that you know the engine type and specifications you're looking for, the next step is to find this engine. Assuming that you fall in this part, you must perform a quick visual inspection.

By looking at the engine, you can tell immediately if it's in good shape. In other words, if there are a lot of signs of missing components or damaged parts, it is a clear indication that you have to walk away.

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3-    Consider a compression test

Now if you're ready to purchase this engine and you think it's expensive, one of the things you could do is perform what's known as the compression test. This test checks whether the engine can perform how it should and provide the required compression to generate the energy.

Since understanding the details about the compression tests are beyond this article, you might want to consider looking at youtube videos that could show you how exactly this should be done. Typically it's not very complicated, but it needs some preparation.

4-    Check for any leaks

Another thing you want to ensure you address is any potential leaks in the engine. The last thing you want to do is To purchase an engine that leaks the most important fluids like the coolant or the oil.

The engine leak is very severe and is one reason you have to get rid of the engine and purchase a new one. In other words, all you're doing is purchasing A damaged engine that won't serve you.

It's important to differentiate whether this engine leak is related to the coolant or the oil. Sometimes some of these problems might be resolvable if you have a good deal, but it could also mean major problems, which means that you have to check with your mechanic and confirm that this leak is acceptable or resolvable.

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5-    Inspect the oil

Like inspecting the engine leaks, you also have to ensure that the engine is cooperating with the oil properly. In other words, you want to look at the oil and confirm it's in good shape, quantity, and quality.

The oil ensures all the internal components are lubricated enough to prevent any internal friction that could lead to engine overheating. The oil must be in the right quantity and quality, and if it's not meeting the standards, which could mean the engine is failing.

For example, if you feel that the oil is not consistent enough and it's dry or there isis some clear contamination on the oil, you should consider purchasing a different engine because it can be a lot of work to get cleaned.

6-    Check the bearings and crankshaft

Another thing you want to check when searching for how I know if my junkyard engine is good is by looking at the crankshaft and the bearings. These are also important components; if they fail, they can mean a complete engine failure in no time.

You want to ensure that all the bearings and the crankshafts are secured properly and nothing is loosened. Sometimes you might want to tighten things up, and if this works, you can still purchase this engine.

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7-    Consider checking the cylinder walls and the engine block

Assuming that you have checked all the previously mentioned components, the next step is to inspect the walls and the engine block. If you feel any cracks or potential whereabouts, you might want to consider purchasing a different one.

Engine block cracks are unsafe and can mean your engine is about to fail. You won't tell if the engine will not operate without connecting it to your vehicle, which could be too late.

8-    Do not forget about the timing components

The timing belt is also important. You have to check. Suppose you feel that the timing belt is damaged or is about to get damaged. In that case, you might want to consider purchasing a different engine because this means the engine will fail. There won't be good communication between the engine and the different components.

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9-    Listen for any strange noises

Typically, automotive experts recommend that you never ignore any weird noises from your vehicle, whether related to the engine or any other component. The same principle applies to purchasing a used engine from a junkyard.

They recommend you connect the engine and see if it's making weird noises. Some of these noises could be tapping or rattling, or sometimes knocking. If that's a visible noise, it indicates that the engine is failing or about to fail.

10- Look for the service history and mileage

Finally, and if possible, if you can check for any information about the vehicle mileage and the service history performed on this engine, that could be a plus and tell you a lot about whether this engine was taken care of.

You cannot get this information in every junkyard, but it could help you identify whether you should purchase an engine or consider choosing a different one.

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How do I know if my junkyard engine is good? Final Thoughts

Purchasing an engine can be a burden, especially if you want to buy a brand-new one. That's why many people consider using an engine from a junkyard. However, you might purchase a bad engine if you don't have the right experience.

This article highlighted ten important things to remember when searching for how I know if my junkyard engine is good. These start with researching, inspecting every component, and looking for potential information about the service history.

If you feel that the engine is not in good shape or if there's any potential syndicating that it's bad, you should consider purchasing a different engine, even if this means that the drunkard does not have any other alternative.

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