Found a complete engine for $200

[Lonestar Cruzer]

So there's a complete engine about 60 miles away from me for $200, compression test read 49/10/30/120 psi from 1-4. Obviously it needs some work! Should I pick it up? Should I bore it out, put fancy bearings, coatings, and upgraded internals in or should I just restore it and keep it in case BB or one of her sisters here in Texas end up in hospice. It's an '86 engine, so I'd imagine the valves are tuliping.

I honestly don't know what the upper limits of this engine are, and putting a bunch of work into it might be a total waste of time/money if it's not going to come close to modern litre bike performance.

[works4me]

I wasn't totally against the idea until you said
"modern liter bike performance".
Modern ( current ) liter bikes approach 200 HP/ liter.
86 Concours not so much.

[Lonestar Cruzer]

I'm not concerned with HP, I have no need to go 130+ mph. Torque is the number I'd like to see go up. Is it realistic to hope for 90+ ft/lbs?

[MAN OF BLUES]

Call the dude, and ask if you can inspect it, seeing as its only 60 miles from home
If he's selling the engine only, its probably sitting on the floor, and would only take 20 minutes to inspect....
Take some wrenches and feeler gauges, pull the valve cover and check the valve clearances... if they are closed down and at zero, and there is less than 3/8" exposed on the adjuster threads, buy it... the valves may be open and thus the low compression, also, most of the bikes with tulipped valves, never made it to 35k miles, so that is another thing to ask, if it has 60 k on it, the valves wrent tulipped.

[Lonestar Cruzer]

I might make a trip up there to check it out, I have to borrow a vehicle to load it up since I don't own a cager any more. They say they don't know how many miles were on it, they sold the gauges and didn't check

[connie_rider]

If your engine is working ok, I think it would be better to spend $$ on it.

A carb job with 2 minute jett kit will help smoothness/torque but costs more than $200.
Or you can Buy and install the Jet Kit yourself.

Could install a torque cam,
or you could install a Exhaust Sprocket for less $$.
 
All of these options would increase low end torque...
(Best to go to his site for prices.)

Ride safe, Ted

[Lonestar Cruzer]

The 2 minute jet mod is a supplement for the torque cams from what I understand, and I'd be looking at $850 + shipping and a rental while my bike is out of commission to get all that done right now. I'd love to be able to do that for her, but January is a bad month for property investors haha. My thought process on the engine was to have it to work on and not be without a vehicle, and when it's done I can swap it in and refresh her current engine. Maybe I'll just keep riding her till she dies and keep replacing stuff that breaks with more readily available parts from other bikes until she's less Concours than custom tourer.

Edit: If anyone else is interested in the engine for $200, message me. I have room to store it but you'll have to eventually come and get it from Ennis, Tx.

[connie_rider]

You can buy Jett Kit and Cam,,,, and install both yourself... for less than 1/2 of what you stated.
Or Jett Kit and exhaust sprocket for about 1/5th..

Go to Steve's site for exact prices and info..

If interested, you could buy some old Carb bowls (Ebay or other) and ship them for overflow tube installation.

Only down time would be the time it takes you to do the installs.

Ride safe, Ted