Head gasket or new engine - 2001 Suburban

[311Hemi]

I have a small head gasket leak and need to do something with it sometime soon.

Generally speaking, I assume it's cheaper to have the head gaskets replaced than buying a used motor for $500-$750 and having someone install it?

The current motor has some manifold bolts broke off, and I get some lifter tapping after it sits for a weekend and I start it up. That tapping goes away after a minute.

160k on the current engine. I think John's auto had some engines with 100k for around $700, but then there is no way to know the condition of the gaskets on those engines either.

Any thoughts?

[Ufatz]

Well, if you like that big old beast I'd say go for another engine. They gotta be common as dirt so it shouldn't be hard to get a good one. The Suburban is quite an animal and, as I'm sure you know, a very handy truck to have around.

Unless there are other problems-or major troubles on the horizon-track down another engine and get another five years out of the rig.

[311Hemi]

I don't mind it, it's starting to rust out but has been fairly solid for what I bought it for. The thing is to sell it I would probably not get much for it with the current head gasket issue, on the other hand I was quoted $1500 to replace both head gaskets.....so I would need to pay that in order to make it sell-able IMO. That $1500 is for the gaskets only, they do not really inspect the rest of the engine...and that was a full service BP shop. I have not shopped around yet for additional quotes.

I paid cash for it 2-3 years ago and have not put much into it, and like not having a car payment.

[Jeremy airjer W]

I just did a GM 5.3 crate engine in a pickup to the tune of a tad over $8,000. $1500 isn't to bad!

Those heads will likely be sent to a machine shop. They will take care of any broken bolts when they go through the head. Typically many shops use a cylinder head exchange program. They call up the shop, tell them the heads are off, the shop brings out to ready to go heads, and picks up the old heads all in one stop. Very convenient and saves about a day of down time.

If the engine had 260k on it I would lean towards the used engine with low mile. 160k I think the head option would be just fine.

[Snowking]

I just replaced my 5.3 in my pick up It cost 411.00 delivered. Bought a gasket kit for a little over 200. So for 611 bucks and 14 hours of my time it was well worth it to keep an old truck running. If its a daily driver I'd have to think long and hard on it. But if its an occasionally used truck. I'd say put a motor in it.

[Scott K]

For about $2500 you could buy a complete reman. Then you have a complete refreshed motor. Just throwing that out there.