Warning: I had to choose between a full engine rebuild or a used motor swap for a 2012 Focus

The car came in with a bad knock, and the owner gave me a hard limit of $2,500. I could rebuild the original 2.0L, which would take me about a week and use up most of the budget on parts, or I could source a used JDM motor for less and get it done in two days. I went with the used motor from a local supplier, got it in and running. It's been three months now and the customer just called to say it's running smooth. Has anyone else had a good run with a JDM swap in a common domestic car, or did I just get lucky this time?

3 comments

3 Comments

brian_jackson2mo ago

Used JDM motor for less" is the move. You got a good one, they're not all like that.

coleman.jade2mo ago

Saw a guy on the local forum last month, Brian Jackson. Dropped a used JDM motor in his Civic. Thing smoked like crazy after 500 miles. Just saying it's a real gamble. You can get a good one, but you can also get a total junk yard core. Not sure the savings are worth that kind of headache.

noah91722d ago

Heard a buddy of mine, works at a transmission shop down in Ohio, say that JDM motors for American cars are a total mixed bag because a lot of them come from older fleet vehicles overseas that got beat on. His shop did a swap on a Chevy Cruze with a JDM 1.4L and it started burning oil after 2,000 miles, had to tear it down and replace the rings. My guess is you got lucky because the supply chain for those Focus motors might be cleaner since Ford used them in the European market too. Take it with a grain of salt though, I'm just repeating what I was told.