Why are so many engines swapped? [closed]

Question

I've noticed that there are a lot of questions on this board about engine swaps, which makes me think that it is a fairly common practice in at least some countries. What are compelling motivations for performing an engine swap?

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Why i am asking this because where i live (Netherlands) engine swaps are quite uncommon. Usually engines perform fine for at least 200-300K KM, after which a car is so old (at least 10-15 years) that the economic value of the car does not warrant the need for the high cost involved(*) and amount of time needed to perform an engine swap. Of course there is the occasional enthusiast exchanging an engine or sometimes the engine on a newer car has failed, but still it is not done that often.

(*) Assuming an engine swap is done by a qualified mechanic and not by someone in their back yard, since most people lack the tools, space and technical knowledge needed.

Answer 1

This is a highly subjective query.

Sometimes engines are swapped because the body, or "Shell", of a vehicle is in good condition but the engine failed. Possibly due to neglect. Possibly due to abuse. Whatever the case, it's cheaper and easier to spend ~$3000 to change out an engine, than to try to find a quality used vehicle for likely more money.

Other times it's purely for performance reasons. Honda's tend to be a very specific example of this. My neighbor probably does an engine swap a week in his home garage with just a chain hoist, and an engine crane. Not exactly expensive tools. Take a engine from a vehicle with a more powerful engine, put it into a lighter vehicle, and you have instant "performance." The other part of this is that crashed cars are generally very cheap. Salvage what you can and it saves money.

I don't know what the car culture is like in the Netherlands, but in America, it's a lifestyle for most people. It's everything to some. People spend all their disposable income, and even more, on it. Some people prioritize it over everything else. So like any other lifestyle, or hobby, an outsider can't really understand it, unless they empathize with the concept of earning money and doing what you love to do.

Plenty of folks keep vehicles for over 10 years, like you mentioned, without swapping engines. I don't feel that all USDM vehicles are flawed relative to EDM vehicles. I've been involved in numerous engine swaps done out of necessity, but I've never owned a vehicle that I needed to swap an engine in. I have also been involved in many swaps for performance and/or personal choice. There is a very strong level of desire for "modification" in America, as well as other countries like Japan, for example. Maybe it's this desire to "stand out" and be different, that is different from the overall culture of the Netherlands? I don't know.

So in conclusion, this is highly subjective, but the occurrence of engine swaps might be due to a difference in culture, necessity, supply, or just to be different.

Answer 2

I think you've made an assumption in your question which suggests an answer. Where you say that specialist tools, space and technical knowledge is required to swap an engine. If this were true, engine swaps would be relatively rare. However, swapping a complete engine is usually simply a case of draining the fluids, disconnecting the looms and linkages then unbolting it. The only specialist tools that may be required are an engine crane but these can be hired at very low cost. They aren't always required either. It is possible to drop an engine into a wheeled trolley or even a trolley jack and roll it out from under a raised vehicle.

As for space and time required, an engine swap can be undertaken on a private driveway on in a single garage and completed in a matter of hours. Indeed I've personally removed an engine and box from a car in under an hour.

Compared to the costs of rebuilding an existing failed engine, swapping for a known good second hand replacement is a very low price option.

I know that personally, the first ever engine swap I performed, with only basic tools, took me one weekend. That's parking the car on the driveway on Saturday morning with the old engine in and driving it away on Sunday afternoon with the new engine fitted.

Answer 3

There are basically only two reasons for an engine swap:

1. As a Repair: If it is, over all, the most economically sound option.

2. As Tuning: The original Engine may not be able to produce the desired output.

As especially the latter reason is not quite common, people tend to ask about that on the internet to reach a broader audience. To find somebody who has first-hand experience. While it is easy to find someone who knows how to change break pads just around the corner, with engine-swaps it is not.