What to Do With A Car With Engine Problems?
A broken car engine can result from various types of damage. However, it is mainly caused by a failure in the cooling system or deficiencies in the lubrication of the vehicle. It is a fairly common car issue, but it’s not always possible to repair an engine.
It is an expensive and complex car part, and depending on the extent of damage, repairing may not be an option. Instead, you might need to sell or trade in your car with a bad engine. We buy many of these cars every single day, so we have some insight as to how the process works.
How Do I Know if My Car Has A Blown Engine?
Before repairing a broken engine, you must identify the origin of the breakdown. There are several possible reasons for engine breakdown, so you must find the correct source.
Engine seizure can result from a lack of lubrication. As a result, friction is generated by the interaction of metallic engine parts and high temperatures. Alternatively, insufficient oil levels can cause overheating and eventually wear out the main components of the engine.
If the car with the damaged engine is old, you can simply sell it as junk, or trade it in as totaled if the repair costs exceed the value of the car.
The seizure of an engine can affect other mechanical elements such as the pistons, cylinders, crankshaft, or cylinder head. To repair the engine in any of these cases, a mechanic will have to remove it from the vehicle when it is cold as well as all of the coolant and disconnect the exhaust.
Reasons for a Blown Engine
Most commonly, seizure occurs between the piston and the cylinder. The seizure usually happens in the upper part of the cylinder, which is where temperatures are hottest.
Engine seizures are costly, and it's generally best to prevent them from happening in the first place.
There are several other potential causes of engine seizure that you should be aware of including:
- Bad lubrication: due to lack of pressure or because the oil loses its qualities or has a low viscosity level.
- Poor cooling: low water level in the engine or breakdown of the cooling system.
- Compression segment failure: the lubricant layer breaks between the two elements or ignites thus increasing friction.
- Imbalance of the connecting rods: if the crankshaft is not well balanced, the cylinder will wear one side of the piston more.
Proper car maintenance can help to prevent such engine damage. Otherwise, you might find yourself with a vehicle that is no longer running.
How To Tell If My Engine is Failing
There are several tell-tale signs that your engine is failing. Common engine symptoms include a loss of power and a decrease in speed. It might also become increasingly noisy. These sounds are akin to knocking metal or rattling clicks.
Here’s a tip if this happens on the road: as long as traffic allows it, lift the foot of the clutch so that the oil lubricates the cylinder. This helps lower the temperature and immobilize the car.
When repairing a broken engine, it is advisable to always change the cylinder head gasket. This is because when opening the engine, it tends to deform and lose the original compression. If not changed, there is a risk of the engine crashing again.
It is also essential to correctly reassemble all parts of the engine that seized after the repair. This way that there are no clearances that can cause friction and irregular wear.
Tips for Trading in A Car With Engine Issues
When repairing a broken engine it is advisable to always change the cylinder head gasket. This is because when opening the engine it tends to deform and lose the original compression. If not changed, there would be a risk of the engine crashing again.
In addition, the replacement of the head gasket is relatively inexpensive. The complete kit is sold between $100 and $200. Cost also depends on the car’s make and model.
How much does it cost to repair a broken engine?
As with other repairs, the cost of fixing a broken engine will depend on the make and model of the vehicle as well as the extent of the damage caused by the breakdown. The cost of labor as well as the price of the engine or engine components can run you at least $1,000.
Buying a rebuilt or scrapped engine is a good option for those who cannot repair the engine of their vehicle. For a mid-range utility, the cost of a rebuilt engine can be around $1,600, although this price will only go up based on your model.
Taking a vehicle with a damaged engine to the auto-wrecking yard might a better option than trying to fix it. Try looking for car junkyards near you or simply junking it online if it is something you are considering.
How To Sell A Car With A Blown Engine
If you have to sell a car with engine issues, it’s important to keep your expectations in check. The value of a car with a bad engine is significantly lower than the value of a car in good working condition, so it can be difficult to get a good price.
If you’re trying to figure out how to sell a car that needs a new engine, you should start by contacting dealerships in your area and seeing what kind of trade-in value they might be willing to assign to you. Not all dealerships will let you sell a car with engine problems (running or not) to them, but some might.
If dealerships in your area aren’t biting or offering what you think is a fair market value, your next option would be to try to figure out who buys cars with blown engines — the answer is probably going to be junkyards. You may be able to sell a car with a seized engine to these yards for a better price, but you’ll need to worry about towing costs.
Arguably the easiest way to get the value of a car with a blown engine fast and sell it is to use an online junk car buyer like JunkCarMasters.
Sell Your Mechanically-Damaged Car To JunkCarMasters
At JunkCarMasters we are specialists in buying cars with mechanical problems for fair market values. So, if you have a seized engine, we would be happy to make you an offer.
Wondering how much is your car worth with a blown engine? You can get a quote in less than 90 seconds! With partners all over the nation and a smart system for creating quotes, we can tell you exactly what your car is worth lightning-fast.
Ready to sell your broken-down vehicle? You can get paid in 24-48 hours on the spot when we come to pick up your vehicle. Towing is always free, and so is title transfer.
Get an offer from JunkCarMasters today and find out what you can get for your car, truck, van or SUV with a blown engine now.
Can You Trade In A Car With A Blown Engine?
Yes, you can trade in a car with a blown engine, but you may not get the best price for it. Dealerships don’t specialize in cars with problems, and they may undervalue your vehicle if they don’t have the means to repair it and put it back on their lot as a used car.
An easier way to sell your vehicle with mechanical problems is to go to a yard or online business that specializes in cars with problems, such as DamagedCars. We’re the best place to sell a car with a broken engine!
We can give you a quote for your car in just 90 seconds with free towing and title transfer included, and you can get paid for your vehicle in just 24-48 hours after accepting our offer!
Where Can I Sell My Car With A Bad Engine?
If you’re selling a car that needs an engine replacement, the best place to go is somewhere that specializes in damaged cars. A local yard may be able to give you a fair market rate offer for your vehicle. However, not all yards will include free towing in their offers, which can be a problem.
If you’re trying to sell a car with a bad transmission or a blown motor, you’ll probably need to have it towed, and you don’t want to pay for that yourself. Instead, look for someone who will pay you cash for your car with mechanical issues and include free towing in that offer.
Is It Worth Replacing An Engine In A Car?
If you're thinking about replacing your engine, you need to do the math first. In most cases, it’s just not worthwhile to try to replace an engine. That’s because the cost of a new engine can typically be several thousand dollars — if your vehicle is older or has other problems, chances are it just doesn’t make financial sense to pour that much money into fixing it.
Is It Better To Fix A Bad Engine Before The Trade-In?
If you’re thinking about trading in a car with engine problems and want to know if you should fix the engine first, you need to do a few calculations. Engine repairs are expensive, and spending too much on repairs could significantly eat into potential profits without much to show for it.
It’s important to ask yourself, “how much is a car with a blown engine worth? Will repairing it still be profitable?” In most cases, the answer is no.
An engine replacement can cost several thousand dollars, which means unless your vehicle is brand new, paying for a new engine or a replacement will be too expensive to make financial sense.
How Much Could I Get If My Car Has A Seized Engine?
If you want to know how much you can sell a car with a bad engine for, the best way to find out is to get an offer from a convenient online service like DamagedCars. Whether you have a blown engine, transmission problems or serious frame damage, we can make an offer on your car in just 90 seconds and pay you for it in 24 to 48 hours after you accept our quote.
It’s a Quick and Easy Process
Vehicle Details
Provide us with your vehicle’s details and a picture if asked.
Offer
Request your guaranteed offer from us online.
Accept
Accept the offer if you’re happy with it.
Get Paid
In 24-48 hrs, you will get paid and have your car towed for free!