To make a long story short, my engine overheated to the point where the car wouldn't start again. I checked one of the plugs and it was wet. I could also smell exhaust from the coolant tank and the oil on the dipstick is watery. I'm assuming that my head is warped since it overheated so bad.

My dilemma is deciding to part out and junk the car, sell the car as is, or take a chance putting on a new gasket and head bolts in hopes that the head isn't warped.

The thing is that I need a car to get me to work and I could really use the money letting the car go to put towards getting another car. If I need a new head, then I would need to spend more money on parts than what the whole car is worth.

The exterior and interior only have some minor flaws which makes me feel so bad about the situation but my finances are limited and I need a reliable vehicle to commute to work M-F.

What would you guys do in my situation?

 

Get to work via public transportation, any public bus system where you live?

This is just for the mean time, while you find a buyer. Parting out the car, won't get you the money you need in a hurry. Parting out a car is a slow affair, people will nick pick your car over months and up to a year.

The money you would get, would be spread out over that period of time in small amounts, which is not what you need, being you want a whole lump sum, so you can buy another car.

Sorry to hear about her over heating, what lead to it? water pump died and you didn't know?

 

Unfortunately there is no bus system that can take me all the way to work since it's 50 mi. away. But my wife loves me enough to let me take her hamster car (Kia soul) in the meantime while she gets a ride from a co-worker.

The car actually overheated due to the upper radiator hose popping off for some reason, so the coolant must have shot out like a garden hose since I was doing 75 on the freeway. By the time I noticed anything and was able to cut through traffic to pull over the oil temp was pretty much over 300°

 

That actually happened to me, once. I just had a mechanic i knew, work on my car. He didn't push the upper radiator hose in all the way, so you can hear the click. So i'm driving back home from his place and on the highway, a big puff of white smoke, comes from my hood and disappears behind me.

I pull over immediately, open the hood and see all the coolant, leaking on the ground and notice the upper radiator hose, hanging loose!


I call him up on the high way and bitch him out and tell him, YOU'RE PAYING FOR THE 4 QUARTS OF COOLANT TO REPLACE, THE 4 I JUST GOT FINISHED, PUTTING IN MY CAR!

I had to drive for about 1 mile at a time, then shut down the car and let the engine cool, when the temp reached the middle, until i reached a ramp.

I saw a dental office was open on a Saturday, ask them for a jug of water and put that in the coolant tank, bleed the coolant system until the air was out and then drove back to him, had him buy 4 quarts of coolant and then i was golden.

I just don't understand, how a big white puff of smoke, didn't come from your hood, being all that coolant leaking out.

I guess it didn't hit the hot exhaust!

 

If the head is warped you are indeed screwed. The way I see it... the B5's are too sexy to let go.

If I were you I would either look for a used head or find a used motor.

 

1. I'd take care of that wife, even though she has fugly taste in cars.
2. I'd pull the head, take it to a shop and see if he can shave it. If its salvageable, between gaskets, new head bolts and shop we're talking $300 - 400.
3. If you aren't comfortable doing number 2 youself, put it on Craigslist and move on.
4. A Kia Soul? Really?

 

+1 +1 +1 +1

Pull the head and get it to a machine shop with the capability and knowledge of multi-valve heads. I agree, no more than a $400 job max. My A6 head rebuild was $200 plus head bolts and a new gasket. Good luck.

 

Poor fella, he's reduced to driving a KIA soul from a Audi A4

 

Lol and not to mention, there is a Tinkerbell sticker on the back window ha ha.

I've already gone through putting in a used engine since the timing belt broke shortly after buying the car a couple years ago. I actually got a good deal on a motor with 50k mi. for $900, but with parts and labor I ended up spending about $2000 which I will not go through again. Having to throw more money at the car again just doesn't seem worth it to me anymore. For the car to be in top shape I still need more work done on the car on top of this.

The suspension clunks - need a complete control arm set
One strut is rattling in the rear - need a new upper strut mount
Front windshield has a huge crack - replace
Boost leak - need new DV
TB change is overdue - TB kit
Rack and pinion is leaking from one side and makes popping noise when making sharp turns - replace
Oil leak from valve cover, crank case breather tube, and cam seal too.

All this has been bothering me for a while but time and money is not on my side. I'm just cursed with this car and no one will probably even give me $1000 for the car in the condition it's in unless they really love the body with the lowered suspension and rs4 replica bumper.

 

Oh and I just wasted money on new tires, struts, and brakes.