Did he mean the drain plug washer at the bottom of the transmission pan . . . that might explain rapid loss of fluid if there’s a problem in that area
Or are you talking about the windshield washer . . . ?!
No offense meant to your mechanic friend . . . but unless the used engine he intends to install is still doing duty in whatever car it’s currently in . . . there’s not a good way for him to determine if it was well maintained and/or is healthy right at this moment
But once the used engine is installed, I recommend that he perform a dry and wet compression test, oil pressure test at idle, in addition to hooking up the vacuum gauge at idle.
“seemed fine” is kind of vague, in my opinion
Since the car was towed there, versus driven, I’ll assume your mechanic friend didn’t actually drive the car and make sure it at least shifts correctly. There’s a lot a mechanic can conclude about a transmission’s condition by taking a test drive with a pro-level scanner hooked up.
You have two other cars so just donate the car to Goodwill or some other charity and get a deduction for your taxes, and a reduction on your insurance, property taxes, and license fees. You could fix it but you will never get any of that money back. It would be different if you needed something for a teenager or college student to trash.
The Tax deduction is not worth the trouble to donate a vehicle. It is better to just let a salvage give you something for it and donate that amount . Like Sanders says even then it might not even reduce your taxes . How many states actually call your vehicle a property tax item ?
As long as you don’t overdo it, you can claim more for a deduction using a book value than you can get from salvage. SC taxes your car each year, and to add injury to insult. you pay car tax in advance, whereas real estate taxes are paid in arrears. In 2003, I bought a new Dodge Caravan, paid sales tax on the purchase, and quickly received a property tax bill for $800. Because my income is mostly from a tax sheltered pension and some from investments, my Federal bracket is 32% and state is 7%, and I can’t do anything about it, no complaint, so the standard deduction doesn’t do much for me.
I would strongly suggest that the transmission front pump seal be changed while the engine is out. The last thing you want is to reinstall an engine and then have the pump seal start leaking. That means back out with the engine over a 10 dollar seal.
And to be honest, I would replace the engine rear main seal on the replacement engine also for the same reason.
That is something I’ve always done and never charged any additional labor for doing so; just the cost of the seals. It protects the customer and the mechanic who does not want to get blamed for a transmission or engine oil leak after it’s all back together.
I don’t know what state the OP is in and Minnesota doesn’t have a personal property tax plus I’ve never donated a car. I have been told though to be careful because when the place actually unloads the car, you get a statement on what they actually got for it, and that is the allowable deduction regardless of the book. Kinda begs for an audit though just like home office expenses. Even if everything is fine, it’s no fun.
They don’t always sell the donations. One I donated to Goodwill in running condition was given to a needy family. In any case, the savings in insurance, taxes, and license fees would be far more beneficial than the income tax benefit, if any. Also even with the engine and transmission replaced, that would not be the end of maintenance expenses.
The IRS only lets you deduct whatever the charity gets for the vehicle. The charity will send you a receipt after sale that values to car for tax purposes. Do anything else, and it is tax evasion. The only exception is if the charity keeps it for their own use. This includes charities that give cars to poor people that need one for work and family transportation.