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1999 Taurus Wagon 3.0 Blew Head Gasket!

4K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  james27613 
#1 ·
Hi, I am getting white smoke (coolant) and the engine runs like crap. I believe I have a blown head gasket. Labor costs being what they are is it smart for me to look for replacement engine rather than fixing this one (it has 138,000 miles on it)? Can somebody give me some links to good sources for replacement (junkyard) engines?

Mark in PA

:ford:
 
#2 ·
#3 ·
Just FYI,

If you're looking to have a garage change the engine you probably won't save too much with an engine swap. After you pay for the engine, and the labour to install it, you're probably going to be in the same ballpark.

A gasket change on a 3.0 should run you in the $900 - $1100 range.
 
#4 ·
The 3.0L bottom end is pretty robust. If you get a used one, who knows the shape of the headgaskets or the heads on the used engine. I would get new gaskets and have a machine shop check your heads for cracks and reseal your engine then you'll know what you have. I have a Ford Ranger with same engine, at 150,000 miles I just replaced the head gaskets after the my local machine shop gave my heads a clean bill of health.
 
#5 ·
$1000 for a head gasket job on a Vulcan? Nahhh. $500-$800. It's not a terrible job, and if there's no coolant in the oil I'd rather fix my known good engine than install a mystery. I always do a double oil change after head gaskets just to be safe.
 
#6 ·
hi,

lost the headgasket at cyl #1, burned into coolant passage,
the month before I r/r the transmission myself. runs great.

the felpro gasket set, new head bolts, prestone,
and new water pump (158K, it was shot and easy to r/r
when alt and ps removed along with intake and heads.

I caught it in time, happened to catch the temp needle
hit max as I glanced at my gauges. lucky me !

no damage to engine and did the job over the next
weekend. $ 300 total parts incl. water pump.

regards

james
 
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