If you're wondering, “is it expensive to fix a cracked engine block” The short answer is yes. Engine block repairs start at least $1500, and that's in parts only!
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Your vehicle's engine is a core component, and when it goes bad, you're talking about thousands of dollars in repairs in some instances. Therefore, it is critical for you as a driver to maintain your engine and fix it when possible before it gets too severely damaged.
Unfortunately, there are some scenarios where you'll deal with major engine problems like the cracked engine block. In that case, repair costs will be extremely high, and many automotive experts recommend evaluating your situation before heading to repairs.
This article provides you with all you need to know about the question, “is it expensive to fix a cracked engine block?” It will highlight a rough range for expected repair costs for a cracked engine block. It will also walk you through some basic information about the cracked engine block, including the main causes, symptoms, and whether it's worth fixing your vehicle with a cracked engine block or not.
Cracked engine block symptoms
when we refer to a cracked engine block, we're discussing a very severe problem that is very critical and can lead to significant engine damages in a short time. Therefore, if you could detect the crack engine block early on, you save yourself a ton of hassle in some scenarios, but that does not guarantee that you won't pay thousands of dollars on repair.
in the list below, we highlighted the top reported cracked engine block symptoms that you will experience to help you detect the issue before it gets more complicated:
- Significant reduction in your vehicle’s engine performance and fuel economy
- clouds of smoke coming out of the engine hood
- significant increase in your engine temperature and situations of engine overheating
- very high-temperature gauge reading on the dashboard
- fluids leaks, including oil and antifreeze
- damaged radiator
- strange excessive smoke coming out of the tailpipe
- reduction in the coolant level
It is important to note that many of the mentioned symptoms can be associated with other problems. Therefore, before you move ahead and check the engine block, you must go through your list of potential culprits and confirm that they're not causing what you're seeing now.
Can a cracked engine block be fixed?
Before we move into the details about “is it expensive to fix a cracked engine block,” it is critical that we get an idea about whether a cracked engine block can be fixed in the first place or not.
If you don't already know, your engine block is designed and created from a very durable aluminum or iron material that makes it withstand extreme temperatures and other conditions in the engine compartment. However, this does not necessarily mean that the engine block is not susceptible to damage, especially overheating.
When the engine block gets cracked, it doesn't necessarily mean that your engine compartment is not repairable, but it depends heavily on the severity of the crack. In some situations, your mechanic might find some workaround to resolve the issue and fix the created crack. However, the question always remains it is worth fixing the engine crack because it is a very labor-intensive job and will take a lot of money to implement.
Is it expensive to fix a cracked engine block?
As we discussed before, fixing your engine block is very expensive, and it starts at a minimum of $1500. Keep in mind that this price only represents parts and does not cover any labor costs.
The labor cost is typically calculated by the number of hours needed to fix this issue in your vehicle. Typically fixing a cracked engine block will take between 12 to 35 hours, which is a very extensive and long time. Imagine if you're getting this repair done at a dealership where repair costs are dependent on the very high labor hourly rates, your bill will be extremely high.
For example, if we assume that the hourly rate for the mechanics is about $100, imagine that you'll get up to $3500 just on labor costs only without considering the parts.
The number that we indicated, the $1500, does not necessarily mean that this is the value you need to pay for any vehicle. So, for example, if you're driving a luxury car, repair costs can climb up significantly and approach beyond the $6000.
Some people think that going to a small independent shop will save a ton on labor costs. First, however, you must think about your mechanic's required level of skill sets. We're talking about a cracked engine block, which means that it needs very high skilled mechanics to fix the issue without causing any troubles that could cost you thousands of dollars. This does not mean that independent shops don't have good mechanics, but it means that you'll need somebody who knows your vehicle and knows the brand design to fix the issue.
Therefore, many drivers of valuable vehicles prefer to get the cracked engine block repaired at a dealership even though it will cost them much more than going to a small independent shop. This way, they confirm that they're not going to deal with issues they're not prepared for. Still, this doesn't mean that every driver of a valuable or luxury car will get the cracked engine block repaired. As we indicated earlier, it is a very expensive job and requires some thought before making a final decision.
Is it worth repairing the engine block?
Answering this question depends heavily on your situation because it differs significantly depending on your goals and your vehicle's status. In general, if you're looking for whether it's worth repairing a cracked engine block or not, you'll need to evaluate the following elements:
1. repair costs
When you calculate repair costs, you'll need to include other problems that your vehicle is dealing with. for example, if your transmission is not in condition, you'll need to add any required repair costs. Similarly, if you are looking to rotate the tires or even change the oil, all those have to go into the total repair costs.
2. your vehicle's value
once you know the repair costs, you'll need to compare them to your car's value. Most automotive experts select 75% as a threshold to decide whether you should proceed with certain car repairs or not. For example, if the cracked engine block replacement requires repair costs close to 75% or more from your vehicle's valuable it means that it's worth selling this vehicle instead of dealing with these high repair costs.
3. Other factors
even if you confirm that it's worth fixing the cracked engine block, there are some other factors that you need to think about. For example, if you're not looking to keep this vehicle for a long time, why would you spend this amount of money trying to get it to work?
In other words, if you're looking to upgrade your car because you change your job or because you're expecting a new family member, spending money on this vehicle might not be worth it.
Also, you need to think about the change in your vehicle's value. In other words, if your car is worth $5000 and you're planning to implement engine repairs that will cost you about $2000, You need to confirm what are your vehicle's new value is close to or more than the $7000 because otherwise, it's not worth it.
Can I drive with a cracked engine block?
Never a good idea! It is never recommended that you continue driving your vehicle if you confirm that it has a cracked engine block. Most little water experts think that continuing to drive your car with the situation will lead to more severe issues that might damage your entire engine.
If you don't already know, a cracked engine block leads to many fluid leaks, and if we took one by one and discussed the negative consequences, you'll be surprised by the issues you'll be dealing with in no time. For example, if you continue to drive with some low oil level, it is very easy for your engine to overheat and gets damaged.
Similarly, if you continue driving with a coolant leak and the coolant goes to a point where engine overheating is a significant problem, you also end up with a damaged engine that will cost you way more than fixing the cracked engine block.
Therefore, we highly recommend never continue driving your car if you confirm that it's dealing with a cracked engine block. Even if you notice some of the symptoms that we highlighted before and did not confirm he had, we recommend limiting driving in this vehicle until the mechanic checks that out and confirms that you can drive it.
When you continue driving your vehicle with a cracked engine block, you might deal with additional problems that include:
- problems with the electric system that leads to significant damages in this instead of electric components
- a blown head gasket that will cost you thousands of dollars and will lead to other significant problems around the engine compartment
- troubles with the cooling system pressure that causes serious leaks and impact not only the engine block but other systems around it
What causes a cracked engine block?
Since the cracked engine block is a damaging problem, understanding the main causes of a crowded engine block helps you prevent the problem from happening in the first place. This way, you don't have to deal with all these hassles and high repair costs.
In general, your engine block typically cracks because of the following issues:
- Excessive temperatures cause the aluminum or iron to expand and get to a point where it cracks
- Ice buildup because of cold weather where water gets to the engine compartment
- engine running on very low oil level that leads to engine overheating
- troubles with the bearings and the rod that could cause the engine to crack because of the moose rod
- troubles with the valves and springs that might cause the Pistons to detach from this under
- issues with the camshaft that could allow opening the valves unintentionally, leading to cracking your engine's block
Final thoughts
A cracked engine block is one of the last things you want to hear from your mechanic because it means a killing problem. Unfortunately, you get to this point. Therefore, you must ask yourself, “is it expensive to fix a cracked engine block?”
Once you have a good idea about the expected repair costs, you'll make an informed decision, and you won't waste your money trying to fix a vehicle that is not worth it. In general, fixing a cracked engine block should cost you at least $1500 on parts only without, including labor costs.
Therefore, automotive experts recommend that if you get to a point where repair costs are very high, it is now the right time to sell your car and use its value to buy a better vehicle. Of course, if you're looking for someone to buy your vehicle with a cracked engine block, you'll find very limited resources, but the good news is that cash cars buyer will still buy your car!
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