Okay, just helping out my brother here. First off, he's a horrible driver (doesn't listen to his car when it needs fixing) and he has a 2009 Honda Fit base model. It was sent to a relative who owns an auto-shop and he (my uncle) said that the compression ranges from 0-50psi and the valves are bent etc; etc;. The fit was bought in a bank auction or $6,000 and the previous owner did not service it at all since 2009 (had over 90,000 miles on it too) It was in rough condition, but when we got it it had a good tune-up and my mother then gave it to my brother.

My uncle said in total, the job may cost ~$3,000 to repair the engine and what-not (and replacement parts from Honda Dealer) Any recommendations? Can I just buy a new cylinder head for under $500 shipped?

 

Are you having any problems with it?

 

My brother called me up one night asking what to do... It wouldn't start and when it was towed to my uncles shop the reader wouldn't even turn on to grab any codes.

 

You might be able to buy JCrimson's engine and ECU if he has yet to have sold it... Check out wrecking yards for an used engine also if he or someone else here doesn't have one for sell.

 

So if the valves are bent... check and replace the timing components, polish the piston tops, get new valves, diamond paste them and reseat them, check the new installed height adjust the lash and let her rip

Why on earth would that cost $3k?

 

Cause it's easy money to be made from family.. I say look into a replacement engine from a wrecking yard, it's cheaper.

 

I dunno I think that would be a pretty common quote! Or at the very least, an initial quote would be close to that. It may not be that much work but, crucially, it's more work than most people can do on their own ... therefore the price to pay someone is a lot higher than, say, brake replacement where there is an alternative (ie do it yourself). It probably doesn't cost nearly that much for the shop to do it but that's what they'll ask. Could be wrong, of course

 

So the only symptom was that it wouldn't start? You guys already checked the common culprits like the battery, alternator, and starter right?

Any shop can check your battery and alternator for you. Just make sure it's not a cheap to fix before jumping into something bigger, even if it is family that's saying you need a major repair.

 

If compression is 0-50psi in all holes shes not gonna fire..

 

used motor and tranny im sure i u can find it for 1100

 

Not sure I'd sink $3K into an engine that was so thoroughly abused by the PO. I think I'd be searching salvage yards, which I know would be a gamble, but if the wreck looked like it had been well maintained and if the engine compression is OK.

P.S. Just checked eBay. There's a 34K mile complete engine from an '09 for $750 including a warranty of sorts.

 

Since the engine that is presently in the car was never maintained properly a decently maintained engine from a wrecked car would be the best option.... If it was only bent valves you had to deal with, what DSM suggested would be the best route to take, but it sounds like the engine you have is going to be a PITA due to 90,000 miles of neglect.

 

Well I am familiar with mechanics myself, I've taken an automotive course at school and since then worked a lot on my 98 Civic. But it's a Civic, it's easy and i've never done anything dealing with engine components yet even though I've changed out my own head-gasket. The thing about the Fit I hate is how compact and techy it is with all it's sensors and the way the ECU works. If it was our older vehicles I wouldn't have a problem working on it myself but the Fit just isn't my forte. I don't know if they checked it or not but when I walked in to assist him with some things it wouldn't start, the CEL reader wouldn't grab any codes at all, and the battery eventually died. I honestly, have no clue what in the world my mother would want to do with it. It was a fine car before my brother was given it, and i'm just so disappointed because i'm actually fixing my brothers old CRV which he busted too and i've been working on for months. Okay i went off track there but the fit's a fine car, but if more than $2,000 has to be put into it i'd rather buy a 90's honda and fix it up. What do you guys say?
The labor would cost a lot because my uncle doesn't have machines to do the necessary adjustments to the head and our OEM dealer here is horribly expensive.




Locally, that'd be hard. Haven't seen or heard of any Fit down and where I live is pretty darn small.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/09-10-HONDA-...ht_4175wt_1063

That one huh?


Good point, he suggested to just check online for a fairly good head too because it might cheaper. (i don't think he really wants to even go through all that work)