Drweeser

Well unfortunately the time has come. I've blown a head gasket. And my 3.slow has crawled to a halt. Now I知 stuck guys, I知 a computer person, not a person skilled in the arts of motors. I managed to limp into town on its dieing breath, pulled into the auto shop and told the gentleman at the counter my problems.
1. I have no heat whatsoever, no heat even at the hoses going to the heat exchanger.
2. My radiator is boiling like crazy, spits its juices back into the reservoir, and there seems to be little or no return of coolant from the engine, what did come back out was the stuff that boiled over.
3. My bottom radiator hose is cold. There didn't seem to be any circulation.
4. The truck overheats when i stop at a stop sign but when I drive it stays cool.

My first thought was that the thermostat had goe bad, went out and replaced that sucker. Still nothing. Leaveing me to believe that my water pump had puked and that痴 why i wasn't getting fluid circulation. Will 5 hours later i call the shop the inform me that they replaced my thermostat with one from the dealership, something to do with a check valve, and that wasn't the problem. And he told me he ran some kind of test to see if the head gasket was blown and he said it was. He tells me theirs a recall on them but its only good for 8 years or 100k mikes, I just peaked 160k.

So here I sit. Do I replace the head gasket for like $700 labor?
Do I swap my motor to a new 3.0 with fewer miles for the price of a new motor $700 labor.
Should I just consider the 3.4 swap from ORS? OSR told me that i would also need a new transmission to work with the new ecu. Total price tag kit + transmission + motor & ecu + transfer case + some other expensive adaptor = $5500 + labor.
I don't know what to do guys, kinda stressed with the holidays and all. Tell me what you think or what you have come across in this situation.

Thanks guys,
Drweeser

pepsilover

With $5500, I would get a new car. Just my 2cents.

scott.475

My truck was 12 years old when I got the headgasket replaced. Maybe you should try calling corporate HQ, I bet they would do something for you.

Cebby

$5500 seems awfully steep. You can find the parts for less. ORS could be tapped for the harness, but you can get all the parts yourself a heck of alot cheaper.

I'd buy a $500 beater that runs, and slowly do the swap yourself (if you have the patience and mechanical ability)

If not, then get the HG replaced for $700 and call it a day.