over heating problems

[zakeeonline]

Hi,

I need some advice on the purchase of a 93 lexus es 300,

It has 167000 miles on it,when i was test driving for about a mile or so i found some white smoke coming out of the engine,the temperature needle was showing a high temperature, when i asked the owner he said the car has severe overheating problem since last month, as the thermostat was replaced last year he thinks the problem is with the head gasket.

please advice me if i should go ahead with the purchase as the deal is for $2000 and that if the overheating problem was solvable how much would it cost.

[Toysrme]

Originally Posted by zakeeonline

Hi,

I need some advice on the purchase of a 93 lexus es 300,

It has 167000 miles on it,when i was test driving for about a mile or so i found some white smoke coming out of the engine,the temperature needle was showing a high temperature, when i asked the owner he said the car has severe overheating problem since last month, as the thermostat was replaced last year he thinks the problem is with the head gasket.

please advice me if i should go ahead with the purchase as the deal is for $2000 and that if the overheating problem was solvable how much would it cost.

Well we can't really answer the question unless we know what the problem is. If you've got white smoke coming out of the TAILPIPE then it's 100% there is a blown headgasket. If it's only coming out of the engine bay, then it's overheating & the coolant is simply evacuating the system. That could be caused by any number of things.

In either case head gaskets blow easily & if the ehads warp they'll never seal for long. I would take it somewhere & have a compression, or cylinder leak down test done. RECORD THE NUMBERS. The test doesn't do any good if the guy doing itt just goes (ugh it's low on XX cylinder).

Replacing the head gaskets & common related parts (Thermostat, radiator & engine pressure caps, water pump, timing belt, Cam, Crank & Distributor seals, Valve cover gasket.) Should run around $1200-1300usd. In parts & Labor.
This doesn't include money spent for a machine shop. If the engine overheats enough for the heads to warp - they must be machined flat. This isn't expencive. Normally only $50-75 per head. (Do them both.)

The other option is to buy a JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) engine. In general they are much lower miles, better condition, & were used on vehicles longer than in North American Models (Where this engine, 3vz-fe, was replaced by the 1mz-fe in '94).
They can retail for anywhere between $500-$900usd (Not including normally $100-150 general freight shipping.)
Engine swaps are relatively painless. Parts & Labor for swapping would run up $2000usd.

If you have emessions testing, a JDM engine will NOT pass. The Japanese engine does not have EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation). To solve that, you simply take the old components off the old engine & swap them over. The rear exhaust manifold, Upper Intake Air Chamber (Big words for upper intake manifold) EGR pipe, EGR Valve & Vacuum modulator. It only takes about 10 min to swap it.
If you don't have emessions - it doesn't matter.

AFA Anything else. I would change the thermostat (get a failsafe model that will fail in the open setting) & both pressure caps. Only costs a few dollars.
99% of cooling system problems come from not flushing the coolant atleast every other year. As the inhibitor packages in the anti-freeze break down, the anti-freeze becomes a sludge mess that eats metal.
Generally radiators become plugged & water pump fins can be eaten off!
(Aftermarket rads cost $60-90 with a car, no biggie. Timing belt & water pump change normally runs $300-450 from an honest shop.)

If the head gaskets are blown, go a head & ditch the radiator.
If you drain the coolant out, the radiator oughta be an "awkward" 15-20lbs. If you drain the coolant out & it feels like it weighs 40-60lbs it's got sludge & gel in it & you just made a very, very good call about changing it!




The cars are bulletproof if you actually stick to the maintenece schedule.
@ $2000, if you have an honest mechanic, or can do things for yourself you can essentually pay for a new engine, or more than pay for replacing stock head gaskets VS the cost of buying one in good condition. ($4000-5000)


It may or may not be time for new springs & struts. (You can make that descison on your own, but most people like to ditch the OEM stuff in 10-15 years. Your call on getting more performance/lowering springs & struts. There's everything from "just bearly" changed, to $1500 coilovers, to springs so stiff you really could qualify for NASCAR races with them!)


The oxygen Sensors are old. It would be a good idea to replace them. (The good news, is that splice in Bosch units are normally only $30-40 & you only need 2)

Spark plugs, distributor cap & rotor. There's another $25-30. (Only use NGK, or Denso plugs.)














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