There are many contenders for worst mechanical calamity to befall an automobile of any kind. High on the list has to be the cracked engine block. When one experiences this form of extreme bad luck, they will surely be wanting to know whether it can be repaired. And if so, how, and what will the cost be? How will the bank account hold up under this assault?
The answer depends on a few different things. A lot of the time, it will turn out that the cost exceeds the value of the vehicle in question. That is usually when one can tell that their car has entered its scrap phase and needs removal.
What are the Signs that Your Engine Block Is Cracked?
You will know that something is definitely wrong if the engine block is cracked, even if you don’t know what specifically the problem is. To begin with, there can be an outpouring of smoke from the hood area. That smoke is exhaust coming out of the crack rather than from where it is supposed to be coming from.
There are passages in the block where antifreeze and oil flow. They are kept separate, but when a crack appears they can mix. You can tell by checking the colour of these fluids. They should not look milky. This is a sign they are mixing. The fact that the antifreeze is now leaking can result in your engine overheating. On top of that, your car’s engine will just be under performing in general.
What Exactly Is a Cracked Engine Block?
The internal combustion engine has a whole bunch of parts in it, such as cylinders, crankshaft, passages for coolant to run through, and so forth. They are housed within the engine block. It is made of iron or aluminium. The cylinders have pistons moving within them. The moving parts will produce heat, which is why they need something to cool them down. This is made possible by having a water jacket that engine coolant flows through to the radiator. A cracked engine block is exactly what was just described, only now it has a crack located somewhere on it.
What Causes an Engine Block to Crack?
If the engine happens to overheat, which happens more often in hot climates, the metal that makes up the engine block will expand. When this expansion takes place quickly, the result can be cracking. However, the same calamity can occur in cold weather too. Only this time it will be the result of freezing. Specifically, the coolant within it expands, putting pressure on the surrounding iron or aluminum. The antifreeze then leaks, allowing the engine to overheat.
Should Your Sell Your Car with Cracked Engine Block OR Repair it?
It is possible for a cracked engine block to be repaired. But it is a very involved process which requires a lot of labour and man-hours to be expended. The amount of dollars that you will be spending can be astronomical, which is why often times many folk decide instead to have their vehicle sold to a Wreckers in Christchurch like Taha Car Buyers.
How is a Cracked Engine Block Fixed?
The engine requires a good stripping to begin with. All the different components need to be taken off the block. After the block has been completely stripped off all the parts on it, then it can be tested. The test is to see what the pressure is like within the block, and will tell you how much integrity it has. If it is decided that the engine is worth repairing, it can be welded. An alternative to welding is to have plugs inserted. Most times the entire block is simply replaced.
Perhaps the cost of having your engine block fixed and repaired isn’t more expensive than the car is worth. If this is the case, you can still expect it to be quite expensive. There are so many part replacements that are required, on top of the many hours of work. The bearings will need replacing. There will need to be new seals added, as well as gaskets. Some parts of your car’s engine may be accidentally broken while the engine is being taken apart. And then there is the cylinder head. It may have suffered some damage itself, and if so, that is even more work that needs doing.
How much will the Repair Cost?
As has been mentioned, the cost of engine repairs is often very high due to the amount of hours that will be spent doing it. We are talking up to 35 hours, or 12 at the least. Then there is the cost of all the parts as well. It can all add up to over $4000 in some cases. This is because the parts can set you back $1000 or more, and the engine repair will take up to twenty hours on average. Sometimes it really is better to just get another car.
How much does an Engine Cost to Replace?
Of course, maybe it will cost a whole lot less to simply have the whole engine to replace. So, let us look into whether it is worth it. Well, it turns out that a used engine will set you back between three and five-thousand dollars. This can result in people selling their car instead of buying a replacement engine, if their car is worth less than that amount of money.
Perhaps you are one of the folk out there who don’t have that sort of money, and your car isn’t even worth it to spend that much. You are not alone. And the good news is that selling a car that is now scrap is not hard at all. Just look up auto wrecking companies near you and drop them a line. You can even fill out an online form if you would prefer. Get that free quote from them that you so desire, and they will then come over, pay you cash on the spot, and remove your car free of charge.