So I finally found out what my cooling problem was. It's the coolant seals. The car confirmed this for me today by belting out mass amounts of smoke

So, I have no time to mourn the loss and I need to get the car running soon. I immediately thought rebuild, but I wanted to take a step back and see what other options are out there for me. The car is an s4 1988 convertible. I would love to do a turbo swap, since my last car was a turbo honda project. I was thinking, how easy would a swap be compared to a rebuild? I was thinking easier, especially since I know much more about turbocharging systems than I do rotary internals, never opened one.

Also, just a guesstimate, I was thinking about $1000 for a rebuild if I do all the work. On average what does a used turbo engine run and am I going to have a hard time finding one? Basically, what would you do?

 

im in the same boat my water seals are busted and i think im just going to rebuild mine cuz doing a swap you will spend more then 1k for sure

 

I would just go with the rebuild for now if time and money are an issue. I've seen 13bt's used for around $1200 but it really depends where you look. Plus they are used so the condition of the motor could be less than desirable. You may end up having to rebuild the 13BT after you drive it for a short time. Also wiring may be an issue unless your good with electronics. I have an N/A S5 engine which went bad and I was considering swapping in a 13bt but the cost and time on the swap don't seem worth it.

 

I will have to look into it more. If it's a matter of 500 bucks difference I'll go for it. I guess it all depends if I can find a 13bt that's in good condition. What do you mean more time? I'd think the swap would be much quicker no?