[phil-l]

I'm sorry to hear about the problems with your van. I'm sure this is no fun, and you're stressing out right now. Stop! Breath in; breath out. Relax. It's just a vehicle; it will all work out somehow.

Now on to the issues at hand...

If the engine really threw a connecting rod, I wouldn't want to fix that engine anyway. It's extraordinarily difficult to guarantee *everything* that was damaged in such a situation is fixed correctly. BTW, you might want to have a more experience shop check it out; quickie repair shops that don't do serious engine work don't always get the diagnosis right (bad personal experience has taught me to be wary of 'it needs a new engine' statements).

In reality, you're probably looking at installing a rebuilt engine. If you could even find a factory-new engine for a '95, the price would be prohibitive.

In any case, quality rebuilt engines will last as long and run as well as the original. The key will be the costs involved.

A co-worker of mine had a head gasket fail on his '96 Windstar; coolant leaked into the engine intake - and seriously damaged engine internals the next time it was started (BTW, I suspect this may be what happened to your '95, which are noted for head gasket failures. Has yours been repaired before?). He had a rebuilt engine installed; I seem to recall the whole job cost close to $4000 (surburban Baltimore area prices, private repair shop). As always, talk to some local shops to see what price ranges you might be looking at.

Now you need to do some math. What is the van worth - and what is it worth to you? What's your current budget situation? Is the van otherwise in good condition?

If you really want to keep the van - and need to spend less - you could also find a shop that will install a used engine (not all shops want to do this kind of work). You take a few more chances in this situation (no one can guarantee how well a used engine will work out), but you can save some money. It still won't be cheap - there's a tremendous amount of labor involved in swapping an engine.

Of course, you also need to compare to the possibility of buying a similar used van. I've seen used Windstars on eBay sell for very reasonable money (though you've got to be willing to put in the time and effort to find a good deal and avoid problem vehicles).

Personally, if my Windstar blew up tomorrow, I'd be pricing rebuilt engines. The van has been good for us - plus I've done some modifications to it to tow a popup camper. If, for some reason, that didn't make sense - I'd be looking at 2002+ Windstars (which got the new, well-regarded transmission upgrade) or early Freestars (I'd love to find a 4.2l with OEM tow package).

I hope your situation goes well for you. Let us know how it works out!