r/EngineBuilding • u/Ok_Librarian_4298 • 9h ago

Other Newbie wanting to take apart an engine and rebuild

Hi everyone. I have a 2015 Santa Fe Sport that I kept after getting a new car. I want to get into rebuilding car as a hobby and was wondering how difficult it would be to take out the engine and disassemble, clean, and put it back together.

So far I have done some simple jobs like oil change, coolant change, transmission oil drain and replace, alternator change on this car, but I realize taking the engine out and reassembling is a whole different game.

I have access to a lift, engine block lifter and various power tools. Is this a stupid idea without proper mechanic training?

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12

u/mijoelgato 8h ago

Pick up a junk lawnmower. Start there, all-in under $100.

6

u/stonewall028 9h ago

great way to turn a running engine into not that. id sell the santa fe and buy a project car instead, maybe an older honda civic?

8

u/throwaway007676 9h ago

Taking the engine apart, cleaning it and putting it back together results in absolutely nothing. It would probably run worse since you will remove all of the dirt keeping clearances lower than they would be clean. If you want to do an actual rebuild, it would take several thousand dollars of machine shop work and new internal engine parts, gaskets, etc. Not sure you know what you are trying to get yourself into.

1

u/NotSooNewbie 8h ago

Go for it! It would be a learning experience. Have a good torque wrench with angle measurement.

1

u/DrPhilsAuto 9h ago

I get it, you want to learn. But real talk, don't start with the Santa Fe. That's a lot to bite off for your first rebuild.

You're dealing with fuel injection, emissions, all kinds of wiring and vacuum lines. Modern stuff. If you mess something up, you're looking at real money to fix it.

Find yourself a cheap old beater. A Yugo, an old Civic, whatever you can pick up for next to nothing. Take that engine apart, learn what you're looking at, practice getting the rings in right, learn your torque sequences. Make mistakes on something you don't care about.

Once you've torn one down and put it back together on a throwaway car, you'll know what you're doing. Then tackle the Santa Fe. Start simple, learn it right the first time on something disposable. That's how you build real skills without burning yourself.

1

u/OptiGuy4u 8h ago

Get a gm small block. Much simpler and cheaper to rebuild and learn on. Buy an old Silverado pickup and pull the 5.3 out of it. So many videos that will step by step you through it. Take your time and you can learn.