Hi everyone,

Quick facts: my mechanic took off a doghouse and showed me dried antifreeze along the edges.

Plan A: to open up and see below how damaged the manifold and head is, estimated at $2600 job, in case it's doable.
Plan B: if a damage is severe, the cost of an engine replacement is around $5800 minus $500 core, plus $2200 his labor, plus materials = $8000.

I'm in south FL. Is that realistic or overpriced? He said that this type of engine is special for motorhomes etc. Mine is a shuttle minibus though.

Anyone tried Jasper engine with financing, is it worth it?

Thank in advance for any input!

 

2006, E250, 5.4, 215,000 miles, want to tow a TT.
$8500, reman motor and transmission.
Installed.
NE Fla.
FYI

 

So you know the coolant leak is the head gasket or no? There are other things that could be leaking coolant.

$8k to replace an engine is highway robbery IMO, I know these vans are hard to work on but geeez.
There is nothing special about the engine in your truck.. in fact it's the least special of all ford motors currently in production... just a lowly 2v 5.4. I see these available for $2k with a 100k warranty.

 

Ya these prices ya all quoting are scaring me LOL. When I bought mine I looked online and was seeing remaned engines for 2-3k, these 5k+ costs sound like direct from ford or some super top of the line rebuild!

 

Very, very true and given there's a quote that doesn't confirm the coolant leak is indeed caused the head gasket rather than another component I'd find another shop to more completely and properly diagnose this problem.

Simplicity of the engine has nothing to do with the labor required to R&I it especially on an E-Series. Even the most sophisticated engine requires pretty much the same processes as the lowly 2V 5.4. If you're able to do this job completely DIY without concern for time then yes it could be done for less. How much less would depend on what brand of reman'd engine was used.

The $8 price for a new engine as a turn-key service isn't as egregious as some might think. The difficulty working on a vehicle that's nearing 20 years old factors in as well. Rusted fasteners, by-now fragile other components needing R&I or replacement etc etc all affect the price of such work. Until the job is completed there's simply no way to accurately predict or quote the final cost.

Labor costs are rising---as we all know---and those of us in any sort of automotive/commercial truck service can attest qualified trustworthy repair shops and technicians are pretty much an endangered species these days. As a result when farming a job out you'll pay what they're asking---or do without their service. They really don't care as most good shops have wait times that vary with their popularity or reputation in their general area---IOW there's plenty of work available.

Being completely honest if a customer thinks I charge too much for my rather unique service they're invited to shop for a price they'd rather pay. Those who fully believe "time is money" tend to accept my costs because I can have them back in service sometimes days before other shops.

That's a dilemma or a choice I suppose one faces with service work of this depth or nature.

 

My sentiment exactly/ Find another wrench. You are getting hosed. You did not tell him you are a democrat did you?

 

I like your last sentence!

 

Thank you for your reply!

Actually, I moved to South FL from GTA, say hi to Ottawa from me)

So, my coolant reservoir is filled with grease, which is an obvious sign of leak.

Where do you see engines for $2k with 100k warranty?

 

Interesting.

Do you mind asking, where you did that and how long ago?

Just curious, how much is it now

 

I do not know now, it was started in late 2021, finished by Christmas.
Still running great.
Local pop shop that I trust, and it is justified.