I feel I will need a new engine this year and couldnt find any remanufactured ones without the jet head on the internet. Where would be the best place to get one. I would consider getting the clearwater head (non-jet) and a short block pre-built if that would be the better route. Any advice would be appreciated. This forum and the members are great and I welcome any inputs guys. Thanks

clearwater head + good machine shop.

remans are junk. Those great warranty they offer are bs.

Just how difficult are they to rebuild and what kind of machine work could I expect? Crank, bore over, ETC... I could do it myself but I donÆt really know just what to expect.

Where to begin...?

Clearwater head for sure.

Here's what I did - and it doesn't get much easier than this.

I took pieces to the best machine shop in town. I called around and got recommendations. Once there, I talked to the guy who was the foreman and assured him that I didn't know what the Hell I was doing as an engine builder. I also made it clear that I wanted a quality job and that he was not to cut corners.

I asked that any parts he needed go past me first. If they had to be sourced, I wanted to do it since that's how I make a quasi-living. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Of course, they had better sources than I did for some things, but I insisted upon Mitsubishi parts for almost everything. They kind of snookered me with the oil pump (Melling), but I can't complain as it does fine. If I had it to do over again, I go OEM. I supplied the head and a Mitsu. Starion OE gasket and asked that they mount and torque it.

They supplied bearings (Clevite) and pistons (can't remember, but a name brand) and the rest of the guts.

I'll caution you now. Unless you tell the shop to do it, they probably won't put the rocker arm plug in at the rear of the head - and it's the devil to do after you get the engine in. It won't come installed from Clearwater either.

I believe the key is to find a shop you trust. Let them do their jobs.

I don't recall anyone here having good luck with a reman engine. Built by the cheapest labor they can find with the cheapest parts they can find.

Ask established repair shops in your area for machine shop recommendations. Count the machinist's fingers as a rough and ready guide to how careful he is. Do all the work they recommend - probably cylinder boring, and perhaps crank grinding or polishing (the latter, you hope), and perhaps a line bore of the crank saddles. NEW oil pump. They will also assemble the engine for you if you want, but at a minimum, have them install pistons on rods and rings to pistons. The rest is just torque wrench work and clearance checking with plastigauge on mains and rod bearings, and a big wad of cleanliness and careful assembley.

If you order a Clearwater, spec non-jet valve and hydraulic lash adjusters, as the stock non-jet valve head had manual lash adjusters which require regular lash resetting.

i got mine with the man adjusters but it is just my preference.i dont mind adjusting them every 10,000 miles.