Hello my name is Jacob! I am new to this forum so I am not sure exactly how it works but I am having engine problems. I have a 2000 Lexus GS400 platinum series. It has black plasti dipped rims and is a nice car. I just recently found out that the head gaskets are blown. I have had several problems with it pertaining to the engine overheating on multiple occasions. It has 181,000 miles on it. I fear that there are more problems from the head gaskets blowing. I think I should go ahead and put a a whole new engine in it or if thats even worth it. Thoughts??

 

Welcome Jacob,

You should budget $5,000. for a reliable mechanic to put in a used low mileage JDM motor. If you have the skills to do the swap the you can save maybe half that. There is a few parts that will need to be swapped over and a new timing components should be installed. Rebuilding the existing motor will be more time and perhaps money.

The cheaper alternative might be to rebuild the heads and install new gaskets. (I've done this with other motors 7M, 3vze, 22r and 1fz) but the 1uz does not blow head gaskets unless it was savagely abused. At that point the lower end connecting rods might be trashed. I would not go this route unless you know the bottom end is good.

Is your car worth it? That will depend on the condition of the body and interior... why is there plastic on the passenger side?

Also I would find out why the head gaskets blew... did it overheat? Bad radiator or what?

Tell us the RELEVANT back story on this car.

 

Thank you for your answer! It all started several months ago when I was driving home from work (40+ miles) and the radiator busted and white smoke was coming out obviously. So of course I pull over quickly and have it towed. I replace the radiator but it was still losing antifreeze and overheating. I thought it may be water pump but turns out it was just some bad hoses. So I get all that fixed and I am driving one day and its still overheating but not externally, its leaking internally and I checked the oil and it was slightly milky. I had checked for that before several times and never really noticed it. So I get them to run a combustion test to find out its blown head gaskets.

 

And there is plastic covering the window because my car was broken into at work a couple weeks ago.. I haven't had a whole lot of good luck with the car. And the interior has a couple rips in the seats but the body is in good shape.

 

its better putting in a low miles used motor then doing the heads. Too much work!

 

Just saw these close to you:

Atlanta - https://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/pts/5341592499.html

Charlotte - https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/ptd/5320886320.html