Advice

[Jgordon0505]

I have a 1995 Taurus with the 3.8 engine and the head gaskets I believe are going. Is it worth replacing those or just doing an engine swap? I don't feel like trashing the car because it is in great shape.

[drdisque]

if you haven't driven the car much since they started leaking, then go ahead and replace the gaskets, its cheaper and easier than replacing the engine.

[Jgordon0505]

Ive been driving around with it for 2 months now. I know I need a new o2 sensor because my gas mileage is bad and who knows what else could be wrong.

[drdisque]

ya, you should've parked it once you noticed the decreased acceleration and the white smoke. Driving it for those 2 months probably cost you a pretty good car. Unless you can drop a junkyard motor in yourself its probably just best to junk the car now.

[Jgordon0505]

It acutully does not smoke right now. Its real odd but my I know it is the head gaskets because you can smell the anti-freeze. It still accelerates but when you let off the gas then the whole car shakes so basically you got to keep getting on and off the gas.

[Jgordon0505]

Almost 6 months have passed and the engine still ran. I ended up putting a 89,000 mile engine into the car for around $1300 including the engine so I figured the car would be good as new. Was I ever wrong. I needed a new radiator, which wasn't a big deal because I figured that needed to be replaced soon anyways. After that was fixed, the car didn't start due to the wiring in my car so the computer basically messed up the whole thing. What a waste of time and money. I sold the peice of trash and got a Contour with 52,000 miles on it and it is much more reliable and nicer looking than the Taurus. My advice, don't buy a Taurus unless it is a 2000 or above because they just aren't reliable.