Lude Generation

Hi All,
Hoping for a little help with this..
As some of you may already know, my engine went south about a year ago (borked head gasket - see here)

I took it to a garage soon after, but the mechanic said "..it wasn't worth spending the money on"
Well, since then, the 'lude has been sat in my garage gathering dust while I try and scrape together the cash I needed to buy the parts in order to fix it myself.

Now - before I go any further, I know I'm going to get a chorus of people saying "Give it up mate, fit a H22 and have done with it, the H23 isn't as good as a H22 anyways", but I love my H23, and I'm going to try and stick with it if I can, so here's my question..

I've just been given £1500 by a very generous (and very sympathetic) mother in law to get it sorted - however..
I took the rocker cover off about a fortnight ago and found one of the cams (exhaust I'm guessing ) encrusted with rust. I literally have done nothing to the engine since it went south, so there has been a water/oil mixture sitting in the engine all of this time. So what am I looking at?

Is this a total engine rebuild? What's likely to be damaged because of this? should I have a mechanic sort it out, or should I be able to do the majority it myself? (remember I have the enthusiasm of a Williams pit crew, but the knowledge of a chimp)
If I have a mechanic sort it, how much is it likely to cost (ball park)
I really, REALLY don't want to replace the engine unless I absolutely positively have to..

I was considering PAW, but it would probably cost £1500 to trailer the car there from Dorset!

I should also say that this car has a lot of sentimental value - it originally belonged to my father in law who has recently passed away - I gave him my word that I would get this car back on the road, so I need to make this £1500 go as far as possible..

Thanks so much for any advice
Cheers
Doug

Honestly, sounds like a money pit with many potential issues if water has been sat inside and caused rust. I think your best bet is to simply replace the engine, which you could do yourself with some time and patience, which engine, H22 or H23 is your choice of course.....

Honestly a uead gasket is a fairly major job. And no cheap either by the time you buy a gasket set and have the head skimmed. Thats if the head or less likely the block isnt cracked. If your taking the head off it maybe worth considering going the psiton rings and valve stem seals and if your doing the piston rings then consider the bottom end bearings.

It can really really snowball and I hate to say it but dropping 1500 on an (and I hate to say it) Inferior motor seems daft. That money could buy a h22a7 with a u2q7 fitted and transform thw car, it aould take less time and there is far less to go wrong.

If your dead set on a h23 consider 2nd hand they are cheap as chips now

Hmm..
Fair do's - Looking like a replacement engine then - cheaper and less hassle all round.
Can anyone give me any ideas where to look for a quality H23? Egay seems completely bereft of them ATM apart from this - and I'd rather get one from a recommended place anyways to be honest..
Thanks guys
Doug

Have a look at rover 623 engines aswell

4th Gen Doug wrote:Hmm..
Fair do's - Looking like a replacement engine then - cheaper and less hassle all round.
Can anyone give me any ideas where to look for a quality H23? Egay seems completely bereft of them ATM apart from this - and I'd rather get one from a recommended place anyways to be honest..
Thanks guys
Doug

That engine is the h23a vtec engine, thats why its so expensive.

Second hand H23 would be cheaper than re-building your existing engine, yes. And nothing wrong with sticking with an H23, they're a good engine and rarest kind in a lude now, too (over here at least).

But when you say rusted cams, really how badly rusted do you mean? Cams can surface rust reasonably easily depending on the environment they're in/how long sat.

Pics?

@wurlycorner - one of the cams has what looks like a massive scab on one of the lobes. I did have a pic of it, but my phone felt it no longer wanted it so it's gone .
I think I'm resigned to replacing the engine, so I'm on the hunt for another 2.3i at the moment..
There's a 2.3 vtec bluetop on egay ATM (has been there for some time), but it's £850 and theres no ecu - so I think I'll give that a miss.. I'm really looking for something to slot right in really..

Yep, 850 without an ECU is ridiculous!

You sure your head gasket has gone on yours?

Problem is trying to find a h23 is difficult because so many were scrapped becaue the cars aren't deemed to be worth it with the lower spec motor!

What puts you off a h22?