500 miles ago, I had the engine rebuilt on my 02 Accord LX at approx. 140K miles. Now, I am planning a cross-country move from MA to CO with my girlfriend in late August. Long story as to why I paid for the engine to be rebuilt before our move, so I won't get into those details.

Is this viable to do? Is a rebuilt engine generally reliable enough to transport 2 people and a couple hundred pounds of stuff across the country in August? Or would I be pushing my luck? FWIW, the engine runs well now and has not experienced any issues.

Any input is appreciated!

 

Compression test the engine to see how strong it is.

 

If you properly broke-in the engine and the rings are sealing properly then you should be fine. Just make sure you change the oil before any extended trip.
I usually do the 30min break in to set the cam/rings. Change oil and filter.
Drive ~500 miles and make sure to put the engine through a decent load change. Driving up a hill at a modest speed and driving down it allowing the engine braking. This will aid in seating the rings fully. Don't rev it, just drive normally. Change oil and filter and you should be good to go.

 

If you can't make that trip, then you just wasted a bunch of money on that motor.

 

Might it be better to sell the car private party and use the cash for a down payment on something else? (Income being sufficient)

I'm pretty concerned about a failure somewhere in the midwest and being SOL.

 

If the job was done right then there should be no cause for concern.