5sfe Head gasket death! Options

[MotoFoo86]

Soooo, i went outside about 5 minutes early before departing to work to warm up my car. Started her up, and walked back inside to finish my breakfast, i happened to take a slightly longer breakfast then normal, and when i went back outside i saw this:

http://s1326.beta.photobucket.com/user/jer...94fc5b.mp4.html

Super lame. I let her cool down (which didn't take long with the hood open and it being 5 degrees outside), and then limped her the 1.2 miles to work. Looks like the coolant froze, i had JUST put the on the list of things to do, oil change. When i got off work, i tenatively i walked to the auto parts store nearby and bought new fluid to refill what had burned off. Filled her up, and started her with the cap open.

Looks like she blew her head gasket. Antifreeze is pretty milky. bummer! Now the question is, how far do i want to take this?

New head gasket?

Rebuild?

rebuild + build it?

or

Time for a 3sgte swap?


First step, drain and refill oil and antifreeze to make sure it's not just water or some other contaminant.

This post has been edited by MotoFoo86: Dec 31, 2012 - 9:16 PM

[MotoFoo86]

Seems like a v6 swap is not in the cards, on premise it sounds really awesome and realistically it's where i'd rather be. However, this car is my MAIN transportation up to the ski resort where i work at. Until i can afford to buy another set of wheels/studded tires for my prerunner tacoma i'm stuck. I need a swap i can pull off quickly without much fab. 3sgte seems to fit the ticket better.

However there are many here that know better then i.

That being said, i am planning to get another harness + swap engine harness over to dr. tweak asap to get that all done. i'm hoping thursday to do my fluids and do some driving to check it out.

I do have to say, i gave her a quick run, and she no longer seems to be leaking. There is no odd odors or colors in the exhaust fumes, and the engine oil appears to be dirty, but uncontaminated. The plot thickens........

Honestly, as much as i'm planning on doing the swap, i'm really hoping the 5sfe can make it to summer as the daytime high around here rarely is higher then the mid 30's and if i do the swap the best shelter i'll have to do it in is a shed that's unpowered and unheated. Making it hard to work long hours on it, and a chilly preposition. I also would like time to rebuild whatever engine i decide to swap in before throwing it in. If you're going to do it, do it right imo.

This post has been edited by MotoFoo86: Jan 1, 2013 - 2:14 AM