2000 Toyota Celica GT-S Need help!!!

I bought a 2000 Toyota Celiga GT-S about 6 months ago, and was very happy with it up until early January when I discovered a coolant leak, that the dealer had promised to fix, was again leaking... from the side of the motor.

The motor for this car is a 2ZZ-GE.

I took it to a mechanic to have the head gasket replaced, and it turned out the head was warped. I've been told that the head cannot be milled due to low tolerance in the engine, and that this information came directly from Toyota. Does this sound reasonable?

I was told that I had two options: Replace the engine, or replace the head and swap everything over. According to my mechanic, both options were going to cost around the same amount ($4000 - $4500), and replacing the whole engine was probably the better choice as there could potentially be damage to the block as well.

The head is apparently $1300 on its own, and I owe $1300 labor at this time... does this price to swap things seem too high?

I found a site on the internet, www.truetestengines.com, which put an engine on backorder for me, and the remanufacturing is supposed to be completed by March 1st. It is supposed to have a 3-year unlimited mile warranty, and is going to cost me $3000. Does anyone have any information about this company? Are they reliable?

I have learned that jasper engines seems to be the number one choice, however they do not have the engine I need, and told me they will never have it due to the kind of engine it is.

Please, any information about where I can find an engine, how much is too much, or just what I should do in general, would be very greatly appreciated.

The head can be machined. The best course of action with machining is to install a metal head gasket that will match the amount of material removed from the head. The 2ZZ is a high compression engine, so yes, the tolerances are VERY close, but as long as you "put back" what you took off, you should have no problems.

If you are looking for a used 2ZZ, go over to newcelica.org, people sell them on there sometimes for a good price.

Thank you for your reply, I will talk to my mechanic about that.

I also just had the radical idea that I could look for a head that is fully built and just has to be put on a block. Am I going to be able to find something like that, or probably not?

A brand new head is $1300 as I believe I said, but I was told having everything transferred from the olde one to the new one would add a significant amount to that price. If I can find a head with everything already installed, then my cost would go way down.

Has anyone ever heard of monkeywrenchracing.com? If so, have you heard good or bad things about them?

Thanks again.

monkeywrench is good, but they are a bit pricey, as they cater to performance.

You could check car-part.com to get a used head

Again, thank you very much for your reply!

I'll check the site you recommended.

I called MonkeyWrench and they told me they would give me a head ready to install for around $1250. I've been warned, however, that this may be a bad idea as the block could, as I said before, potentially be damaged as well. Its a lot less money, but if I have to do another major repair again in the near future, it ill save me nothing.

What I'm trying to decide now is: Should I buy a used motor? Or a remanufactured one? MonkeyWrench and my mechanic tell me that $3000 for a remanufactured 2zz seems a bit too cheap, and now I'm starting to get worried that maybe I'll buy trouble if I buy from www.truetestengines.com (whom I cannot seem to find any information about). MonkeyWrench racing, however, I can find info about and they have used engines for $2750+shipping and I would have the engine in a week instead of 3+ more (not including the 6 I've already waited).

So what I'm asking is: Just a new head? Or should I go with used or remanufactured? If a whole engine, which would be the better choice, used, or remanufactured? What are some recommend places to buy through regardless?

Thanks in advance.

i think you should go with the used off of monkeywrench. they're reputable, and like you said, you can find information on them, get the motor in a week. i think for the extra 1450 bucks go with something you know will work out in the end rather then putting life back into a half dead motor.