Help me! (determine if engine was swapped)

insnedrmr · February 13th, 2007, 10:37 PM

Hey guys, im buying an 87 gt. The car has 200,000 miles on it, and the guy im buying it from says that there was an 88 engine and tranny swapped into it and they both have 87k on them. I was wondering if there is anyway for sure to tell it was done because he has no receipts, and wont give me a time frame of when it may have been done. Hes selling it for 2500. What do you think?

Tony_90fox · February 13th, 2007, 10:48 PM

It depends on what the body and interior look like for that price. Any Rust? If both are good and straight, you could always pull the numbers off the block and tranny and see. No way to really tell how many miles are on the engine or tranny, but if it runs poorly of shifts poorly, they will need rebuilt. bore it out and freshen it up with some new parts and it should run fine.

mdvaldosta · February 13th, 2007, 10:51 PM

I'd have a mechanic look over the car, do a compression test, etc. and see what kind of shape the drivetrain is in. Those years are so close there's nothing you can probably do to find out for sure. $2,500 is a fair price for a GT though, so if it's in good condition then I'd go for it either way.

Stangzilla · February 13th, 2007, 10:55 PM

I dont know how you would tell by the numbers if you can even tell.Maybe Darrell or someone knows I dont..

Tony_90fox · February 13th, 2007, 11:12 PM

Don't the numbers tell what year it came out of? He could tell if it was 87 or 88 components couldn't he?

Stangzilla · February 13th, 2007, 11:14 PM

I dont know

Racinjason81 · February 13th, 2007, 11:23 PM

THERE SHOULD BE CASTING #S ON BLOCK D=7_ E=8_ THEN THE NEXT #
LIKE A E8 WOULD BE AN 88 A E9 IS AN 89 AND SO ON

Tony_90fox · February 13th, 2007, 11:32 PM

That is what i was thinking. Because my 89 LX that i just parted out had an E5 block out of a 85 GT. But there is definitely no way to tell the miles.

I totally agree. Have it checked out. Compression test, all those goodies.

February 13th, 2007, 10:37 PM	#1
insnedrmr Newbie Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 28	Help me! (determine if engine was swapped) Hey guys, im buying an 87 gt. The car has 200,000 miles on it, and the guy im buying it from says that there was an 88 engine and tranny swapped into it and they both have 87k on them. I was wondering if there is anyway for sure to tell it was done because he has no receipts, and wont give me a time frame of when it may have been done. Hes selling it for 2500. What do you think?

February 13th, 2007, 10:48 PM	#2
Tony_90fox MM Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bowling Green, KY Posts: 3,445	It depends on what the body and interior look like for that price. Any Rust? If both are good and straight, you could always pull the numbers off the block and tranny and see. No way to really tell how many miles are on the engine or tranny, but if it runs poorly of shifts poorly, they will need rebuilt. bore it out and freshen it up with some new parts and it should run fine. __________________ Suck on it Trebek. Suck it long, suck it hard.

February 13th, 2007, 10:55 PM	#4
Stangzilla Hardcore Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: On my way to Baines's house!! Posts: 2,992	I dont know how you would tell by the numbers if you can even tell.Maybe Darrell or someone knows I dont.. __________________ Rotating The Earth 1320 Feet At A Time!! The very existence of flamethrowers proves that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves, “You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I’m just not close enough to get the job done.”

February 13th, 2007, 11:12 PM	#5
Tony_90fox MM Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bowling Green, KY Posts: 3,445	Don't the numbers tell what year it came out of? He could tell if it was 87 or 88 components couldn't he? __________________ Suck on it Trebek. Suck it long, suck it hard.

February 13th, 2007, 11:14 PM	#6
Stangzilla Hardcore Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: On my way to Baines's house!! Posts: 2,992	I dont know __________________ Rotating The Earth 1320 Feet At A Time!! The very existence of flamethrowers proves that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves, “You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I’m just not close enough to get the job done.”

February 13th, 2007, 10:51 PM	#3
mdvaldosta Maintenance Man 2002 Mustang GT 11.47@120.58 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Valdosta, GA Posts: 3,945	I'd have a mechanic look over the car, do a compression test, etc. and see what kind of shape the drivetrain is in. Those years are so close there's nothing you can probably do to find out for sure. $2,500 is a fair price for a GT though, so if it's in good condition then I'd go for it either way.

February 13th, 2007, 11:23 PM	#7
Racinjason81 Hardcore Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,199	THERE SHOULD BE CASTING #S ON BLOCK D=7_ E=8_ THEN THE NEXT # LIKE A E8 WOULD BE AN 88 A E9 IS AN 89 AND SO ON

February 13th, 2007, 11:32 PM	#8
Tony_90fox MM Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bowling Green, KY Posts: 3,445	That is what i was thinking. Because my 89 LX that i just parted out had an E5 block out of a 85 GT. But there is definitely no way to tell the miles. I totally agree. Have it checked out. Compression test, all those goodies. __________________ Suck on it Trebek. Suck it long, suck it hard.

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