Head

[Seajunkie]

I found a 1980 2000 w fi. The car has some rust but not too bad. The problem is with the head. Apparently the owner changed it out because of a crack and there is still a problem. There is water in the oil. He doesn't know if it is the gasket, the head itself or something else. How much would I expect to pay a mechanic to either replace the gasket, machine the head or replace the head? If the math works out it may be worth while.

[So Cal Mark]

expect to spend at least $1200 and maybe much more depending on what is damaged. FWIW, this will require some exploration since it's been worked on and still has a problem. All of the old work will have to be assessed and any other damage will have to be determined. If the car has been sitting for any length of time with water in a cylinder, expect to rebuild the engine. If the previous repairs were performed by someone with limited knowledge, they may have damaged several things inadvertenly

[Seajunkie]

Thanks for the reality check. I need to be patient.

[katsi]

Wouldn't it be WAY less expensive to replace than to repair? You can probably pick up a running motor for less than 500.00.