Really getting into the playoffs, when my Bride of 24 years calls me from the cell phone and tells me her car(93 24 wagon 107K) just quit on her. It kind of caught me by surprise, it's been the most dependable car we have ever owned (we have three 240's). So not wanting to miss all the game, I grabbed the car trailer and brought it home it time to find the game was over, pizza was all gone, the brew was warm, and my buddies skipped out before I got home.

So here is the situation:

Battery and electrical are good
FI checks okay
with timimg belt removed, cam is free
with nut on crank pulley, I can not rotate the crank with the spark plugs out. If I try the starter I get a very, very nasty grinding sound. When crawling under car and remove the A/T to engine bracket I can observe the starter gear engaging and disengaging. I would suspect the starter, if I could rotate the crank by hand with the plugs out. By the way, what do you guys use to remove the top starter mount bolt.

Up unitl this point this car has performed flawless, regular maintence, oil and filter every 3k miles. Fluids flushed every two years. Been a great rig.

So now I suspect bottom end failure and have decided to pull the engine. At 107K miles I would rather overhaul or replace the engine vs just fixing whatever it might be. Living on the Kenai in Alaska offers limited parts and mechanical service, especially with the V-cars. So, what do you think, should I by a reman'ed engine, used, or send it out to a reputable shop ($400 - $600 in shipping both ways). Anybody care to recommend a shop or business that sells engines, west coast would be less for shipping.

And last of all. does anyone have a suggestion, I think I have covered most of my bases, but I am capable of over looking something. So..lay it on me, I can take the heat.

Oty