Aquaintance has trouble getting engine fixed ... This is sad

An engine will run you about $5k of course that doesn’t include the other stuff you should change when you do an engine.

Even if the truck is in good shape the owner probably doesn’t wanna spend $10K+ on it and most shops know that so they just say no.
 

Attachments

  • 87197045-F36E-4746-AB77-4910D30761C1.jpeg
    87197045-F36E-4746-AB77-4910D30761C1.jpeg
    168.5 KB · Views: 57
I was going to say look for a shop around the Philly/Camden area or frankly anywhere in Jersey with a lot of trucks. But towing, unless you can tow that truck on a U-Haul dolly or with the transfer case in N is another thing.
 
To the fellow that says he would work on it? On these cheaply built disposable engines is it even worth the time to disassemble it clean it etc. just to find split pistons and cracked cylinders and bent and or broke valves and possible rods too (yeah worse case scenario stuff). When all that wasted time would be better spent prepping and installing a used engine? I guess that works if you plan on doing it for free. This is why no one really wants the job, it is a huge bit of work for the warranty the fellow would want after said work is complete.
 
Also, I am not condoning this, but I have seen it done a bunch. A shop will not want to do to the job, but are trying to be nice and not say they don't want to do the job. So they just give a massive quote to make the person leave. Its funny, just today a shop called for an engine on a 02 Econoline. The shop is one that is super professional and the owner said "you know if you say its obsolete, I will be forever grateful to you."
Well ever since you put my new engine in the transmission slips, what did you do when you had it! Never did that before!

I can’t blame any business from wanting to avoid the ever since club. I’d want to be really familiar with the customer before I’d jump on the grenade of putting an engine in a 20 year old vehicle.
 
Well ever since you put my new engine in the transmission slips, what did you do when you had it! Never did that before!

I can’t blame any business from wanting to avoid the ever since club. I’d want to be really familiar with the customer before I’d jump on the grenade of putting an engine in a 20 year old vehicle.
Exactly. Why take the risk when you can keep your bays full with R&R sensor / alternator/ whatever all day, and go home with everything complete and no worries.
 
Who keeps old vehicles on the island? Or the Metro area for that matter. It's the land of leasing vehicles. Not enough regular work to cover overhead for Indy shops.
There is a giant collector and muscle car community there. I found this out looking at WEBE Autos page for the past couple years

Most of the stuff that is left is pricey now. Sounds like this Terraplane engine has a knock so I would avoid it.

 
Exactly. Why take the risk when you can keep your bays full with R&R sensor / alternator/ whatever all day, and go home with everything complete and no worries.

I couldn't do Alternators, Brakes, Belts, Shocks, Sensors etc all day everyday.

If you don't do major Engine/Transmission work.....How can you possibly become good at it? I can have the cab up on a Ecoboost 3.5L F150 in twenty minutes......Not because I'm awesome.....But Because I've done a lot of them & know exactly what to do.
 
I couldn't do Alternators, Brakes, Belts, Shocks, Sensors etc all day everyday.
many young techs are ok with that as long as they book the hours they need and get their paycheck.

the car care/easy jobs only shops don’t want to pay for higher skillset techs, and certainly for any screw ups that somebody makes on their way to the top.

i’ve told people before if you’re not learning anything or growing just leave. a toolbox has wheels 🛞
 
Last edited:
When my fiancé's son's 2014 F150 with the 5.0 developed timing issues at 190,000 miles, the local Ford dealer just wanted to replace the engine for around $9K instead of trying to see what the problem was. It had low compression in all of the cylinders on the passenger side bank. He didn't want to pay that much so he took it to a local guy who used to work at a dealership as a Ford tech and he fixed it for around $1,500. Truck is still running strong with around 240,000 miles on it now.
 
It's a sad truth.
Bummer is, I rebuilt an engine in a car once, to keep it alive, only to have electrical gremlins pop up a year later, not related to the engine rebuild. I sold it to the next handy guy that wanted to fix it, as I was DONE with that car.

It’s a tough spot to be in. If the engine on my 09 Camry goes, I would be tempted to do another engine rebuild/swap, but I am able to do so. Most people aren’t.
 
$12000 for a 11 year old truck to get another 10 years out of it, or $65000 to replace it (plus a dealer upcharge)? Seems like the replacement engine is the right way to go. I'm even considering a $3500 reman transmission for my 2001 F-350 because of the cost of new trucks.



You have Eric O from SMA for the win! I believe his shop is right outside Buffalo.

I've been by there before, it's about due south of Rochester. 100 miles from Buffalo, 100 miles from Binghamton and 70-ish from Rochester.
 
High profit minimal effort shop life !

Anyways 12 grand ain’t terrible hoping that the truck is paid off and in great shape otherwise. If not might as well junk it

Like bdcardinal said you get someone at a dealer to do it and it will take awhile because most dealer techs cannot dedicate 8 hours a day to 1 vehicle there are numerous ones they will have to get side tracked on every single day so you might get 2-3 hours today getting the cab off and some basics out of the way. Then maybe engine pull the next day. New one in next day. Try to button up by day 4 or 5. And that’s a good week.

Big jobs like that kind of become side projects because the small jobs keep the money flowing for everyone
 
I live in the Charleston SC area and there is one shop here that would touch a timing chain job that I know of - and they wouldn't touch one that the chain snapped - as mentioned - too many risks, too much money just to find out what actually all is broken.

Lots of Indy places here that will pretend to fix your car - but simply throw parts at it until the problem goes away. Seen lots of "you need all 4 oxygen sensors for $1500.00 repairs" when it was the cat or an exhaust leak to begin with.

Not sure how the dealers stay in business, there the worst of the bunch with higher prices.

If the truck is not rotted out its worth an engine swap. My guess is $10K +/-
I know how they stay in business, just not sure how people are paying for all this stuff. Maybe the economy is better than I thought... or people are just up to their eyeballs in debt. A good friend works as a service advisor at a local Ford dealer. They have a bunch of trucks and SUVs sitting on the lot waiting on engines, lots of $10,000+ repairs and people just sign for it without questioning.
 
Back
Top