Ok, so last week my water pump gasket failed letting all my coolent loose while driving. I didnt catch the temp going up till she was already pegged and steaming. By the time this happened i was 1/2 mile from my house so i just took a chance and drove her home, pulling into the driveway with blue smoke blowing heavily out the tailpipe. Now to me this seems like pistons rings being fried, my bad. Anybody have any idea as to if she is salvagable? i have it torn down in the truck to the timing belt and water pump being what i look at when i open my hood. I dont want to go any further until i have a little info on what i can possible do to it to maybe save the engine. Ive looked into a 22RE swap-in or just replacing the 3.0L, but i wanna know if its worth my time before i go ahead and dig in. Any ideas or suggestions welcome!!!!! i need help guys i go to collage in about 3 weeks and id like to not be driving my brothers Ford Focus when i do. Thanks!!!

 

Oh and i am not sending the block out or anything to rebuild it, dont have the time or the finances. Its either run it and blow it or buy a used engine and put all new gaskets in that one and run it.

 

"so i just took a chance and drove her home"

You should have stopped immediately. You've got your work cut out for you. I can't imagine good things happened inside the engine during that 1/2 mile. You won't know for sure until you tear into it. So either replace the water pump & run it as is, or tear it down & see what trouble you've made for yourself. At a minimum, you'll be needing head gaskets replaced soon if not now.

 

yep sounds like a blown head gasket / happened on my truck / $800 for a shop to mill the head and fix.

 

yeah that was my biggest fear, i knew i couldnt afford even a half mile tow so know im stuck with a dead truck in my driveway. im just gonna fix the leak, put her back together (minus the A/C system, never gets used) and run it. if it runs ok and only smokes a little ill drive it till she really blows.then maybe put an engine in, i just need something to drive for my 3 month CDL program then after that she can die all she wants.

Any info on how much of a pain in the @$$ the head gaskets are to change on the 3.0L? ive done them on a Chevy 350 in the truck and it wasnt that bad. it looks like a tangled mess of vacuum lines and headaches for the 3.0L.....

and yes i know my biggest mistake was driving it home, but thats the risk i took and i learned from it. Live and Learn.

 

It's not the simplest job in the world. The good news is, you get better every time you take it apart~ lol

 

I had my 3.0 overheat on me last year. It was leaking right on top of the engine (rear timing idler bolts got loose, no idea how). Drove it home, found the leak, did a pressure test, all good. Been running fine ever since.

Try to fix the leak first, and see what happens. If it doesn't work, you'll have to tear into her again, but you might get lucky too.

 

ouch! i agree with all the above but if u do a motor swap dont go down! go up! put a 3.4 in her, i have two 2nd gen 4 runners, and for what it cost for shop work and the headaches that come with the 3slow, u will be happier with the 3.4