Back in December I used Blue Devil Pour-&-Go to get my 2013 Prius back on the road and earning for Uber. About 3 weeks ago I had to replace my water pump (1500$) due to over heating issues. Now I'm overheating on city streets. I brought the car into the same shop I did my water pump and they confirmed it was the head gasket again with test fluid and do not advise using another sealant product to fix the problem. They've giving me two options other than getting a new car; 1.) Head Gasket Repair (2400$) Or. 2.) 80k used engine installed (3400$) I'm really stuck in what to do and appreciate any assistance ahead of time. Thank You!
I would go with the new engine and put the new water pump off of the old one on the new engine. Is there a warranty with the new engine, that would make it a deal breaker.
Welcome to Prius Chat . Some questions: How many miles on your Prius? What did your mechanic say about the failed water pump (as in what was the cause)? What mechanic are you using? Does the mechanic have experience with hybrids? Is your engine coolant level decreasing? Was the thermostat changed with the water pump? Keep us posted .
On the other side of the water pump. If you take off the air intake, you’ll see the black housing for the thermostat . 3 nuts / bolts and it’s ready to swap.
I wouldn't do either of those things!! They are overcharging you ! Sell it as is and use the extra change to get into a new car. I'm facing the same exact issue except I haven't been quoted numbers like those!!! Someone said they would put in an engine for us at $400. He's a friend at this point lol.
Look for another quote for engine replacement. I think the shop you got your quote from, is pretty high
I am curious as to what prices people are paying for labor on an engine swap? I am at 180,000 miles on my '14 without any problems so far but I know that it is a matter of time before that will start changing. A head gasket swap would not be in the cards for me but if I had an idea of what the worst case repair might be, I would be better armed to pull the trigger when the time comes.
$5-6K is about the market price. An used engine is around $2500 (plus mark-up), fluids and parts (plugs, w/p, etc.) can add another $500, and then you need to budget for about $2k in labor (market rate is about $150-$200/hr). In other words, it is probably not a cost-effective repair for most people unless you can find someone to do the job at less than market rates.
