Originally Posted by spic
That being said, it would be better to build an engine since it'll be new, have stonger internals, and you'll have a better understanding of how an engine works after seeing everything go together.
I agree. Build your engine, not only will you have a greater understanding of how the engine performs internally, but you can build it to whatever specs you desire & you will appreciate it more if you do it yourself. Just make sure you do all of your research before hand; that includes making sure everything is compatible (don't want a piston to eat a valve), and knowing exactly what needs to be done before you begin.