My car is running terrible. It barely starts and once it does it sputters and putters at idle and while driving. It sounds incredibly terrible.
I have a OBD11 tool and I have used this to fix some things on many different vehicles I have had over the years.
I was getting a P0340 Code. I replaced the camshaft position sensor only (not the synchronizer) and this went away. I was also getting a P2197 code which from what I read online was a oxygen sensor or vacuum leak possibly.
I know i could have tested the vacuum leak with carb cleaner but I don’t really know what areas to spray and I thought a smoke test would be better. So I took it to a mechanic. They said it is something internal in the engine and it needs a new motor. Giving me a quote of $1700. $750 for the motor and $650 for labor and the rest is for new spark plugs, hoses, and a few other things they mentioned. The car is only worth $1300 KBB so I won’t be doing this but I wonder if it is really needed work. Don’t get me wrong the car is running terrible. But I wonder if it really needs another motor put in. My car has 154,000 miles on it and I would just like to get a little more life out of it. But not another motor for $1700.
I believe you misunderstood your mechanic’s advice. There is no possible way anyone would replace the entire motor, even with a used one from a junkyard, for anywhere near $1700. I suspect the quote is to replace your timing chain(s), guides, and tensioner(s) which might very well let the car run like new again (if that is the problem).
Also, I wouldn’t fall into the trap of basing “repair or replace” decisions on what KBB says your car is worth, but rather on the general condition and how long the car might last if repaired. Even a $2000 repair on a $1000 car could be worth it if you like the car, and it is in decent overall condition, and could run for several more years. Remember that the KBB (and other similar pricing guides) tell you what a stranger might pay for a particular used car, but the value to the owner is almost always much higher.
What you need to do is to tell us exactly what this “internal” problem is as stated by the mechanic.Surely they were specific…
From my perspective it seems a bit premature to blame the engine because it’s running poorly. Even a badly worn engine can appear to run fine. Without details…
Yes the mechanic said he would replace the engine with a used one that had 76,000 miles on it for $1700. About 3 years ago the transmission in the car went out so I put a used one in for $1200 but at a different mechanic. I went to this guy because he was closer to my house but that seems to be a fair price for my area to install a used engine.
However like I mentioned the car has a used transmission in it. I already put 50000 miles on it since the used transmission. It also needs a new windsheild put in from a crack in order to pass inspection. With this high mileage and already having a used transmission put in I was hoping to spend around $500 to fix the issue.
This mechanic did not tell me what was wrong internally in the engine. He just said it needed a new one because this one was tapping. Now it seems to me like he didn’t look to far into. He just began giving prices on a used transmission. His intentions might to repair this one but charge me $1700 for the used motor and not put it in. I don’t know. However I am going to have it towed to a different mechanic for a second opinion. I feel like he jumped the gun on needing a new engine without really take the time to see what the problem was.
But I guess my question for you guys is…Would the P2197 code be something internal? My research showed it being an O2 sensor or Vacuum Leak?
Here’s the info on that code. Not indicative of an internal engine problem However that doesn’t preclude one either. More info needed from the mechanic. https://www.obd-codes.com/p2197
If that is the going rate in your area for a used engine installed…that’s the price.
We really don’t know what tests the mechanic ran on the car, yet he may have heard the telltale sounds of a “Rod Knock” and needed no further tests to make his determination.
He could have done a compression test and found the engine to have too low of compression on a couple of cylinders too.
@raystownprimitives_143914 can always pay the guy $500 to pull the old engine and dissect the 14 year old puker.
Would that be a wise way to spend $500. I doubt it!!!
