Can you explain in more detail about how the cost is the same.

I see your right about there being a smaller supply of heads... but they are available. From $125 -$350.

There are a lot more engines available but range from $350 with lots of miles, to $700 with 30k miles. Does the head replacement take special tools?

Do you have to buy other items to install an engine... I suppose you have to buy gaskets when you replace the head... is that what brings the price of the head replacement up to the engine cost?

I just dont know how I would handle a big ole engine it seams like a much harder job... just from the sheer size of it and not having the lift and stuff to get it in and out.

Will my old engine have any value? I think I'll ebay it!

"1999 1.6 L Engine in MINT COND**!!"
"RUNS LIEEK A MF KITTEN! PRRRRRRRRRR"
"BUY NOW WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!! A STEAL AT $700!!"

**Just a teeeeeny tiiiiiny little tiny crack, which is to small to see with the human eye! NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT TO BE SURE!!!"

Honestly, with limited experience - the whole she-banging engine would be easier.... No head gasket mistakes to be made... A lot less to disconnect (believe it or not...)

Get an engine with the minimum amount of miles/max remaining life you can afford...

if you or a friend is in the miltary near a base - use the base autohobby shop - the cheapest/best solution for tools and free expertise for da' nooB. ;)

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

after paying for gaskets, a machine shop to true up the head the cost will be about the same...the work is much more involved also...You can rent a lift, then you just basically bolt it to the tranny,bolt down the engine to the mounts and run the wires

^werd^

Allright Macdaddy... you've sold me.

Where can I find a guide to do the job right?

you've got PM

Thanks for that Macdaddy!

Update on the problem... I was sure that there had to be a crack in the head, on the outside of the head in one of the exhaust ports into a water jacket but there isnt one... I took the exhaust manifold off the front of the engine (to prove to myself that I needed to replace the engine) and ran the car and with that pressure removed it should have stopped the bubbles... and there was no cooland coming out of the exhaust ports... was dry as a bone. There is not a crack or break in the cylinder either. Damn I'm pretty stumped. Had a mechanic look at it and he's stumped too. I cant figure how to prove that there is a break or crack in the head or block. Air is getting into the coolant system but cant figure out how or where. You can understand that I don't want to drop $800 on this if it is some stupid like the water pump is sucking air into the system. Sigh.
I was so ready to replace the engine until last night.

did you check the water pump for leaks ??? What numbers did the compression test shough ???Unfortunately the only other way to prove there is a crack is to remove the head

Yeah... no leaks anywhere.

I took the head off, and its warped 9/1000ths of an inch. They can mill only 3/1000ths of an inch. But they can heat it up and put it in a press to get it within the 3/1000ths range but then they would have to mill every part of the head... which will cost $300 - $500 they say. Plus the new head gasket will cost $100. So it looks like I'll be getting an engine. I don't know why the compression tests passed. But they all held and did not leak down... all cylindars were around 150psi.

What do you think about $750 for a 23k mile engine with a Lifetime, unlimited miles warrantee?

Yeah you could do all that work and it still not run right. Like I said, new engine is the way to go...with a low mileage engine like that, sounds like a good deal.

I wonder what the conclusion to this gentleman's situation was. This decade old thread came to me from a site search.

I'm thinking that there was a crack on the combustion chamber area of the head.

One action that was taken, and posted about more than once, was the use of a cylinder compression tester. The use of this tool was both proper and improper.

The proper use was to test how many psi each cylinder would crank up to. If he had also done a "wet" test he would've had more information in regards to his "swap eng vs. machine head" decision.

The improper use of the cylinder compression tester was using it as a cylinder leakdown tester. Every cylinder compression tester i've used had a pressure release valve that had to be manually activated to allow any pressure at all to escape. Even then, the exhaust port vented out the pressure anywhere but the port the pressure came in from. Using the tester in this manner would not result in unusable info.