STEP 1 BUYING THE ENGINE
If you have warranty, and do not have mods, go directly to the dealer, do not pass go.
If you have warranty and mods, be prepared for them not to cover anything. Don't let them rack up a bunch of diagnostic fees before you realize it won't be covered - fight this fight BEFORE they do a diagnostic of any kind.
If your engine is going to be covered under warranty, rejoice and stop reading here. Document everything and enjoy your day.
If, on the other hand, it is not going to be covered under warranty, then you have to decide if you're going to pay someone to do this for you, or to do it yourself. Doing the job yourself isn't actually that hard compared to some vehicles, it's just time consuming - and if you don't have the proper tools be prepared to spend a LOT on tools and equipment. Still cheaper than paying a shop to do it.
So, when buying a "new" motor you have some choices:
1. LKQ Online or LKQ on eBay. Sometimes they have different inventories. Check both. Also other eBay sellers.
2. Local Salvage yard - you're not likely to find one here, but good luck. Most are getting parted out for resale and not let to sit on a junkyard.
3. New engine from Fiat. Here's the catch: A long block from Fiat, as I understand it, comes disassembled(!) and you will have to build your engine ground up or pay a dealer to do it for you.
For most, #1 is the best option. Engines from LKQ range from $750 to $1250 currently, with large mileage range. You can still get low-mile engines with 15,000 or fewer miles - I highly recommend getting the lowest mileage possible. This will help avoid previous owner sins such as not changing the oil, etc.
The engine you need is ENGINE CODE H. Not R.
H = 1.4L 4 CYL Gasoline Turbo (EAF)
R = 1.4L 4 CYL Gasoline Non-Turbo (EAB, EAC, EAE, EAJ, EAK)
A lot of times an eBay seller is pretty clueless about the difference between turbo and non-turbo. It's also no hassle to them to charge you a restocking fee for not checking, and they will quickly blame ebay's software for any listing mistakes and you for not doing due diligence. Short version: DOUBLE AND TRIPLE CHECK which engine code you're ordering. Do not order an engine without pictures - and make sure it visually matches the Turbo model. Water/oil fittings on the front are different, as are the mounting brackets to the intake manifold from the valve cover.
You also have several vehicles you can order from:
Fiat 500 Abarth / 500T - these are obvious.
Dodge Dart 1.4 - Not so Obvious.
Fiat 500L - maybe Jeep renegade? Don't know of anyone who's done it but it SHOULD work.
The best option here is actually the Dart. Why? Availability. There are a butt ton more of them out there than there are Abarths, and many came with 1.4 Turbo. Also, sellers tend to charge less for Dart motors than for Abarth motors for some unknown reason, so you'll usually save some money. It does not matter if it was a manual or automatic as the flywheel and flex plates are different anyway - you'll be using those parts from your original motor.
Also, since you'll be swapping the wiring harness and other bits, don't worry about matching your year. Get the newest one you can - the base engine hasn't changed.
CONDITION
Be sure to inspect photos carefully if they are provided, and inspect the engine when it arrives. Once the engine arrives, they usually include the VIN of the donor vehicle. Search it on Google. Once you see what kind of damage the car had, it can give you a clue what damage to look for on the engine. In my case, it looks like the car hit a pole!.. Indeed I found some damage which I had to address.
Anything that sticks out is prone to damage. In the case of my motor, the oil cooler was dinged up, pieces of the front bumper were embedded in the felt cover from the oil cooler assy, and the thermostat housing was broken off. Also, the bolt bosses on the block where the exhaust bracket mounts are broken off. If this is the case, check that area very carefully for damage. Honestly I would not knowingly order an engine with that damage, but it was too much hassle to send it back over that.
If the vehicle was upside down, you may need to make sure the cylinders and other internal parts are free of any stray fluids that may have "moved around" during its upside down phase. If it was flooded, use your best judgment but I wouldn't want it, as there's some reason they parted out the vehicle instead of just repairing it, which usually means pretty major flood damage.
BUYING
Once you buy the engine it will be delivered to you via freight, if you bought on eBay. Most sellers charge the freight charge up front. For residential delivery, keep in mind some freight companies charge extra for a lift gate, and not all have pallet jacks on board. I was lucky in that respect, my delivery charged no extra for liftgate or pallet jack so the engine was put right in the garage where I wanted it. It arrived very quickly.
Now, you'll notice when the new engine arrives that it PROBABLY was cut out with very few apologies from whatever donor vehicle it came from. The wiring harness and all hoses were likely cut out with a sawzall. Even if the wiring harness is intact, you will need to swap this and some other parts from your old engine. So do not discard ANYTHING from the old engine until this project is finished.
NEXT EPISODE:
Tools You Need and Pulling The Old Motor!!!!
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What an engine on a pallet looks like. (Rotated for some reason by the software which doesn't like vertical photos)
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The last time the old engine is fully comfy in my car.
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Someone's bad day means a 10,000 mile engine for my Abarth for $750+$250 Shipping.
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