Let's play "how screwed am I?"

It's about time unless you do it all yourself, can you pay more for less? The whole engine is cheaper.

 

What's possible isn't about skill. I didn't know whether there was any feasible way to find out whether the rest of the engine is in good shape. I've gotten my answer: Yes, but if I have my mechanic do it, it will be cheaper to get a new engine.

BTW, the mechanic has quoted me about $4,000 for a used (87,000 miles) engine, installed. The engine itself is about $2,000.

 

Alright. Well, if it's that or spend $4000…I know what I'm doing. I'm pretty good at following instructions. So will the engine overhaul procedures in my Haynes manual be sufficient?

 

You're correct that my answer was hasty in that it did not account for how much you may want to learn about engines or are into doing this yourself. Merely about most economical. Are you WANTING to learn more?

If you perform tests yourself, pull engine yourself and rebuild it yourself with a block that is in good shape and hopefully non cracked heads....yea, probably do it for 1/2 that or about what a the used engine would cost. Japanese parts are expensive. There are cheaper Chinese kits (with pistons) that are considerably cheaper but I don't know that I'd trust them. I may be wrong. Many people run those Chinese stroker cranks and say they're fine. (Then again, those EAGLE cranks aren't really that cheap) so I guess it's all up to you.

Why don't YOU just round up a used engine and change it out yourself? That's not too mechanically difficult and would cost about the same.

 

See, that's useful information. I had no idea that an overhaul of the engine would cost about two grand.

 

It could. We don't know what that noise you described was. It does need more test/inspection.

Sorry to have not been on track with better advise, I did read though a little quick.

 

This is what I would end up doing in your situation, unless you have a nice work space and a lot a patience.

 

Look into a JDM used 3.4l v6...JDM imports used ones from Japan where they are discarded with low mileage due to Japan's strict emissions laws. You can get a used 3.4l with well under 100k miles on it for a decent price.

 

The cold weather froze it. The mechanic got it started, but it's blowing coolant out the tailpipe. Likely a cracked head, but who knows what other damage there is.

 

It's funny how you can get completely contradictory advice here sometimes. There's another thread where someone was asking about JDM engines, and the response was, "why don't you just rebuild?"

 

Not everything is written in stone, someone's bad experience doesn't necessarily make it a bad idea. I know of several accounts on here of successful JDM engine swaps, but at the end of the day it comes down to what you're comfortable with doing after doing your own research. There are so many opinions on this forum regarding just about any topic that you're going to find some condemning one thing and others praising it.

 

I don't mind doing the work of rebuilding, and my Haynes makes it sound not too difficult, but if it's going to cost as much as a new engine there's not much point.

 

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/GlitteringFlamboyantHalcyon-size_restricted.gif

 

How many miles on the engine?

Depending how you value your time, maybe just replace

 

I have more time than money at this point.

 

then do the repair yourself could be a good learning experience haha
Or find a used engine and swap it in yourself - still much cheaper than paying som1 to swap a used engine.

My first thought when I read your original post was maybe timing belts slipped causing damage of engine components, but I believe this motor is a non-interference motor so maybe not..
don't quote me on that though

 

The engine froze in the cold weather. Likely the head is cracked.

The question is, how much will a rebuild cost?

 

You need to ask an engine rebuilder, not a mechanic. Ask how much to check for cracks and how much to repair/rebuild.

In my youth I did this stuff for a living and it requires tools you don't have and don't want to buy. A rebuilder will also tell you whether he thinks rebuilding just the heads is a good idea or not and why. I don't think it's a DIY project, but YouTube probably does. I wouldn't attempt it without access to a shop.

 

That's what he could find at a local salvage yard (87,000 mi). I haven't been able to find a JDM for that cheap. Where should I look?

 

I don't know what an "engine rebuilder" is, or where to find one. Sounds like a big city thing.

Haynes seems to think that it's doable: "overhauling an engine isn't difficult, but it is time-consuming." Not that I know anything about it.

As for tools though—besides a hoist, is there anything I couldn't rent from O'Reilly?