engine replace

[Previologist]

My head gasket is leaking and I don't trust the engine its on because it was supposedly rebuilt less than 10,000 miles ago but its out of warranty. I figure if the head gasket is bad already, the rest of the rebuild can't be trusted either. So replacing it with a JDM seems like the only smart way to go. A used domestic engine only saves me a few hundred bucks.

The problem is cost. They won't let you replace the head gasket on a JDM, that voids the engine warranty. In order to get the head gasket warranty and a partial warranty for head gasket labor if it does go bad, their requirements knock the installation cost up to nearly $3000 plus tax at Toyota, plus the engine and warranty costs which will be well over a thousand.

How can I reduce the cost without increasing my risk of having to do it all over again? Should I shop around for a cheap shop that may or may not know what they're doing? The best foreign auto shop in my area (based on reviews) gave me a great price but then said they wouldn't do the job. If I lived where there were Previas for sale I would just set this one aside for the the future and buy another one, but I don't.

[Andywear]

I've replaced a head gasket on a straight I4 cylinder jeep engine. 91 YJ square headlights, loved the simplicity of that thing.
I understand your concern that if in fact that motor was rebuilt 10K ago why did it go bad. it happens. You can check the compression, you can check a few small things to know if the motor is still in good shape without tossing the whole thing away.

I imagine you can replace your own head gasket. save aaalllll the money and know it was done correctly.

I did my Jeep head gasket with no garage, very few tools and in the front yard.

[Previologist]

I try to most of my own work (which isn't much on a Previa), but I won't do a head gasket on a Previa. I would gladly pay 13-1500 for someone to do that, if I could be sure that was the only problem. The compression is within normal limits, but I have reason to question the quality of other work on this van which is why I feel just replacing the head gasket could be very risky. Not the least of those reasons is the fact it was supposedly done when the engine was supposedly rebuilt supposedly only 3 years and supposedly only 8000 miles ago. Would you trust it?

[Previologist]

Would you trust it?

I want answers!

[Previologist]

Engine replaced with a used JDM from Foreignengines.com. I test drove it yesterday and it runs like a champ, and it even sounds better and more healthy than it did. Will be picking it up next week and testing it hard locally before taking it on a long trip at the end of the month.

I'd like to bring the old engine home and practice doing head gasket replacement on it, but I have no way to do so unless I rent a trailer and drag it off with a tow strap when I get it home. And that will only get it to the driveway.