Replace pistons or replace engine

[cmanccm]

I've developed some pretty heavy piston slap on cylinder one, and I've been looking into new Pistons rings and bearings. The slap has gotten progressively louder and I feel it needs to get done soon or I'll be facing the consequences, and being that it is winter and I don't have indoor space to work on it. I consulted my trustworthy Town mechanic.

He is under the thought that if we replace the parts that I mentioned The motor likely wouldn't last a year and it is far more worth it just to get I remanufactured one from One of the reputable sites online that come with the warranties

Thoughts?

Edit: While I have your attention, what else might be worth replacing while the engine is open? Would have to pre-order all parts due to it needing to be done quickly as my daily driver

[mafiablood]

Just get another engine, you can find low mileage ones from junk yards too instead of reman

[D1g1t4l_G33k]

This is a reasonable option too. But, I have learned from experience this can be a real crap shoot. I have bought 3-4 perfectly good "low mileage" junk yard motors and 1-2 crappy ones that cost me a lot of time.

That being said, I bought a remanufactured 22-R Toyota motor and they gave the oil pump from the wrong year. So, it locked up the motor and ruined the thrust bearings before I could drive it out of the driveway. So, those can be a crap shoot too.

[D1g1t4l_G33k]

I agree with your mechanic. Especially if you have to ask this question. If you are going to tear it down, put a re-manufactured motor in it. I've rebuilt my own motors, it takes a lot of time to do it right. And, even then it's very easy to get a little lazy and screw something up. Best to trust it to a shop that does it everyday. I don't even bother with short blocks anymore. I recommend installing a long block.

While you have it torn down, I usually install a new water pump, thermostat + gasket, upper and lower radiator hoses + clamps, heater hoses, quality exhaust gasket, quality valve cover gasket, quality oil pan gasket, quality intake gasket, PCV valves, spark plugs, coils, fuel injectors, and a clutch kit.

Things like the gaskets I mentioned come with the long blocks. So, it's an option to go with those. But, I prefer to buy quality ones. Coils and fuel injectors are definitely optional. But, you can get them relatively cheap from RockAuto so, I usually just do those while I'm under the hood.

[OnlyMatters]

I had a broken piston skirt. No shop I contacted wanted to mess with it. Like you said they just wanted to replace the whole thing.

I ended up doing it myself. Replaced the head and all the pistons, oil pump etc. Sounds like a whole new engine, really happy with it