Hello,
Recently I took my 2008 Toyota FJ cruiser into the shop because it was over heating. I have a blown head gasket. I want to put a crate engine or used engine in it. I live in Rhode island and called dang near every machanic shop and they won't even give me a quote let alone work on my FJ. Just want to know if you know any shop that would do this repair and how much it can cost?
Find a different mechanic. Installing a rebuilt head will be about 1/3 the cost of a rebuilt engine and you don't know what your getting with a used engine. Replacing a cylinder head is like Mechanics 101.
Dumb question from a non-mechanic. What is involved in replacing a head in terms of fixing the head gasket?
I thought the head comes off as one piece, stick in a new head gasket, put the head back on. Or do you have to take apart the camshaft too?
@kaizen - The cylinder head is removed and sent to a machine shop for a rebuild then is installed with a new head gasket. The crankshaft, pistons and rods, etc., do not have to be removed. If you get a rebuilt head from and auto parts store, they usually come with a cam installed (OHC) engine, but if not, you install your camshaft in the rebuilt head.
Why don't you get a rebuilt head instead of a replacement engine?
The machanics iv talked to said I might as well get a new engine because they can try to do the repair but there's a possibility the repair won't work. I'm open to it if someone knows they can fix the problem. However if there's a 50/50 chance it won't work I would rather just get a new engine at that point. Or maybe I need to find a different mechanic you tell me.