gah, Head Gasket.

[blackeagle603]

So it finally happened. The '97 Mitsu Montero LS quit Friday. Head gasket. 192K on it.

Here I sit in Kaohsiung Taiwan talking long distance with my mechanic and pondering what's bound to be at least a $3500 decision. Scrap the vehicle or have my local mech drop a rebuild in it? If I scrap it I'll just be buying another used vehicle for about the $ame amount I'd put into this engine. It's a backup vehicle/teen driver car/college commute/weekend gone surfing_cowtrailing_go shooting car.

I'm inclined to risk the money on a rebuilt engine. No rust. Actually looks half decent after a wash. Interior good to excellent, esp for the age/mileage. It's a real beast underneath -- built like a Land Cruiser. Less than 3K on new rubber. About 40K since I did the front hubs/bearings and brakes all around proper. Less than 20K on the radiator. A/C works well (did major work on it several years ago).

Of course, I haven't the life bandwidth to R&R the engine myself like I would have years past. Wouldn't just do the heads on this engine. It's big enough job in tight space of that engine compartment and the labor is the better part of just swapping in a longblock. The head is almost certainly cracked so the parts bill would be big. Even if head is not cracked, a proper rebuild of the heads costs the better part of just getting a long block.

Yeah, I know it sounds like I've made up my mind to rebuild it. But, I know I'm a romantic that is inclined to throw good money after bad to save/rebuild the rebuildable -- even if the economic case is weak.

[308Mike]

When figuring costs to keep repairing, DO NOT forget the cheaper car insurance AND registration fees. Also, how would you feel when each car receives parking lot dings? Would you be inclined to repair them on the newer car vs. just letting them go on the older one? What are you willing to carry in your older car that you wouldn't be able to (or unwilling to) in the newer one?

It's NOT ALWAYS throwing good money after bad, when ALL things are considered. There's nothing wrong with having a four-door sedan truck.

[cu74]

You convinced ME.... Looks like a rebuild is the way to go.

[308Mike]

You convinced ME.... Looks like a rebuild is the way to go.

Sorry, I seem to be doing this a quite-a-bit lately: :jacked:

Unfortunately, from what I've been told, Commiefornia has some of the highest vehicle registration fees in the NATION. Even though you only pay it once a year, depending on the vehicle, it can be a SIGNIFICANT chunk of your budget for that month. And if you've just bought a VERY EXPENSIVE CAR or RV, the fees will run into the THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

It was Gray Davis who wanted to TRIPLE the vehicle registration fees to help balance his dhimmicraptic budget simply 'cause he couldn't see enough past his nose to cut some BS programs and would rather HAMMER EVERYONE's vehicle registration - and THAT was one of the BIG reasons they started a recall to kick his butt outta' office!!

You have to remember, California has been designed around the automobile. Stuff is SPREAD OUT and if you don't have a car, you're screwed (unless you live in the heart of downtown). So what diskhead Davis did was to piss off almost EVERYONE in the state, which worked wonders for his recall!! I only wish Brown would do something similar (but he might if he signs SB-249). The liberals have sucked whatever intelligence that was left in the legislature out of this state. We might as well start thinking we're a third-world country - with USA backing (unfortunately).

[blackeagle603]

First option is known now: a 125K mile engine salvaged from a 2002 for $1500 (+labor/consumables it would north of $3K). Ouch. That's not going to happen.

Waiting to hear on a rebuilt engine. Afraid that's going to be off the chart$. I may need to start planning the funeral (or setting up on my lower lot to strip and sell parts off myself). Shop owner had to go home early today dehydrated so some info still lacking. 100F+ today and his non-A/C shop has a brutal western exposure to afternoon sun.

Alrighty then, off shortly to find the Kaohsiung train station and catch highspeed rail up to Taipei for this afternoon's work.

[Fivetoes]

A bottle of Bars Leak and then the for sale sign.

[SoupOrMan]

Ah, Kaohsiung! My fastest sprint ever through an airport.

[HTRN]

Uhm, color me stupid, but have you considered simply changing the head gasket? Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, "It's aluminum, the head is warped", but that's not always true. And if the head is warped, you can get it trued for far less than a rebuilt engine.

[Rich Jordan]

First option is known now: a 125K mile engine salvaged from a 2002 for $1500 (+labor/consumables it would north of $3K). Ouch. That's not going to happen.

Waiting to hear on a rebuilt engine. Afraid that's going to be off the chart$. I may need to start planning the funeral (or setting up on my lower lot to strip and sell parts off myself). Shop owner had to go home early today dehydrated so some info still lacking. 100F+ today and his non-A/C shop has a brutal western exposure to afternoon sun.

I don't know if they still do this, but back when I worked in a foreign auto parts store, you could buy 'used engines from Japan' for many of their imports. The vehicle inspection laws were so severe that very few cars could be registered after 7-8 years, so importers started scrapping them and bringing the usable parts to other countries (including here). I know for a while it was less expensive than the in-country orderable rebuilds.

If that is still done it might be an option.

[MarkD]

Uhm, color me stupid, but have you considered simply changing the head gasket? Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, "It's aluminum, the head is warped", but that's not always true. And if the head is warped, you can get it trued for far less than a rebuilt engine.

I assumed the loss of gasket caused loss of oil which caused damage to the engine. Then again, I am not a mechanic, nor do I play one on TV.