I'm sick - first month and big engine problem $2,200 tear down, possible head gasket job $9500?

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TheLGuy<dot>com

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I'm sick - first month and big engine problem $2,200 tear down, possible head gasket job $9500? $2,200 will be credited to head gasket but don't know until they tear it apart. Could need new aluminum head, new cylinder sleeve, more?
Apparently some T valve corroded and dumped the coolant and I didn't see the engine temp. Don't want to think worst case but need to prepare for it. Any advice would be appreciated for any options. Good news is they can get parts. Are there remanufactured engines available reasonably?
 
w/o engine spec can’t provide any meaningful answers. So I will simply say “LS and simplify”
 
If it’s a 4D56 $10,000 on a head job is a bit steep. Where are you located? First off you don’t really need a tear down to tell if the head gasket is bad. Did they do a compression test and a leak down? Sounds like you need to find a new shop.
 
The Tick said:
If it’s a 4D56 $10,000 on a head job is a bit steep. Where are you located? First off you don’t really need a tear down to tell if the head gasket is bad. Did they do a compression test and a leak down? Sounds like you need to find a new shop.
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Thanks Tick, I'll ask them.
 
TheLGuy<dot>com said:
thanks Steven, it's a diesel engine. What do you think would be reasonable? This economy is so messed up.
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At around $10K you're solidly in the range of having a brand new Hyundai motor put in (along with everything else it comes with). Replacing the head, more like $4K... kind of sounds like they want to pull the engine to do anything on it.
 
sk66 said:
At around $10K you're solidly in the range of having a brand new Hyundai motor put in (along with everything else it comes with). Replacing the head, more like $4K... kind of sounds like they want to pull the engine to do anything on it.
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Am I understanding that the work can be done in place much easier and cheaper? If they insist on the $10k, the Hyundai is a better option? They fit in well? Where can they be purchased? I am SO grateful for all the help and advice from you and everyone. Thank you.
 
TheLGuy<dot>com said:
Am I understanding that the work can be done in place much easier and cheaper? If they insist on the $10k, the Hyundai is a better option? They fit in well? Where can they be purchased? I am SO grateful for all the help and advice from you and everyone. Thank you.
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Easier? It's not fun... but cheaper and quicker, yeah.

The Hyundai motor comes with all new accessories (IP/Turbo/etc) and costs ~ $5.5K; it is a direct swap (it is the same motor, with minor differences). And if the engine has to come out anyway, almost all of the work in doing the swap is already being done... i.e. do you want to spend another $5K on parts and labor for miscellaneous engine work, or for an entirely new engine?

You might be better off shipping the van to Karrma or Rising Sun and having them do the install rather than shipping the motor to a local mechanic. Being that you are in Oregon your best/easiest choice may be Steven Lee at Rising Sun (see above)... but IDK what would be involved since you can't drive it across the border. IDK for sure that they even still have new Hyundai motors.


FWIW, there have been a couple instances of the new Hyundai engines not lasting long (assembly errors/etc), but many more instances of them being perfectly fine and lasting many years...
 
TheLGuy<dot>com said:
Am I understanding that the work can be done in place much easier and cheaper? If they insist on the $10k, the Hyundai is a better option? They fit in well? Where can they be purchased? I am SO grateful for all the help and advice from you and everyone. Thank you.
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Here's the estimate, they will charge $2200 to tear down to further diagnose which will be applied to the work. This $9k is only for the head, if the block is bad they will go with the engine out of BC. Question, is there any way to verify the block is fine and won't cause problems down the road or am I better going with another engine? Thanks all, I'm a novice at this stuff and the dollars are big.
 

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TheLGuy<dot>com said:
Here's the estimate, they will charge $2200 to tear down to further diagnose which will be applied to the work. This $9k is only for the head, if the block is bad they will go with the engine out of BC. Question, is there any way to verify the block is fine and won't cause problems down the road or am I better going with another engine? Thanks all, I'm a novice at this stuff and the dollars are big.
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Thats awful steep, I would find a different shop who will do it cheaper.
 
The Tick said:
Thats awful steep, I would find a different shop who will do it cheaper.
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Sent the quote to Deans Car Care and they didn't seem surprised. And that's it for shops working on these locally (there is another for Delicas but their roof over their hoist isn't high enough).
 
If they’re changing out a head there is no need for a hoist. The info you keep receiving is very strange, makes me question the people you are dealing with.
 
Their parts prices are ridiculous.

I.e. I just bought new OEM radiator hoses, upper and lower, for $50 (incl shipping). They want $138 each?!!
And I got a complete OEM engine overhaul gasket set (every gasket/seal on the motor) for $200. They want $338 for just the head.
And the OEM rotating seals are $10 parts (crankshaft/balance shafts).
There's not a price on that list that makes sense, except maybe the radiator; which is concerning... it's probably aftermarket w/ plastic tanks for a 2WD.

Sounds like they are buying from a delica specialty shop (already at 200% markup), and doubling the price again as if they were buying wholesale.
 
TheLGuy<dot>com said:
Question, is there any way to verify the block is fine and won't cause problems down the road or am I better going with another engine?
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The cylinders can be inspected when the head is off. And you can get a pretty good idea about the piston bearings by checking for play. Pistons and rings as well.
But no option comes with any long term guarantees.

TheLGuy<dot>com said:
there is another for Delicas but their roof over their hoist isn't high enough
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Sounds like they want to drop the engine out the bottom... reasonable enough if the engine actually has to come out. A hell of a lot of extra work for the head.
 
sk66 said:
Sounds like they want to drop the engine out the bottom... reasonable enough if the engine actually has to come out. A hell of a lot of extra work for the head.
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It's a lot of extra work even if the entire engine has to come out. Out through the left front door is still easier.

...and yes, those prices are astonishing! $60 for a $10 crankshaft seal? That looks like a fuck off quote to me. As in, we don't want to do the work, but if you want to pay us this much then I guess we'll do it.
 
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