Engine replacements: Opportunity or headache?

Motor, Aug 2003 by Seyfert, Karl

Of course, some shops have used these outsourced engines and are happy with the results. Make sure you and the customer understand that a fair amount of "adaptation" may be required to make the replacement engine work properly. This will require extra time, and should be reflected in your estimate.

Trolling for Customers

If you've decided to add engine replacement work to your menu of shop services, you may be satisfied to wait until the work finds you. If a customer brings a disabled vehicle to you, you 11 do the work, but you won't actively pursue it. Other shops have made the commitment to make engine replacement a specialty. What types of vehicles and customers do they consider good candidates for engine replacement work?

First and foremost are commercial vehicles. The owners of these vehicles depend on them every day. If a vehicle is unavailable, they're not making money. Heavily loaded vehicles put a greater strain on the engine, so its more likely to wear out or fail more quickly in this type of service. As we mentioned earlier, it can be relatively costly to transfer all of the equipment that's already on the vehicle to a replacement vehicle. So the owner should be very receptive to the idea of replacing the engine rather than the vehicle. Also on the plus side, replacing an engine in die relatively spacious engine compartment of a domestic pickup truck is a walk in the park when compared to comparable work on a late-model, front-wheel-drive vehicle.

Motor homes are another type of vehicle that put a heavier-than-normal strain on the engine. Big and boxy on the outside, most motor homes are pretty conventional under the skin. So if you don't mind the unconventional conditions (working inside the vehicle instead of under the hood), replacing the engine on most motor homes isn't much different from doing the same job on a light- or medium-duty truck.

Owners of sports cars, collector cars or special interest vehicles will often authorize repairs without the usual concern about total vehicle value. Regardless of how infrequently they're driven, most of these vehicles will require an engine replacement at some time during their lives.

Some families may own second, third or even fourth vehicles. When the engine fails in one of them, the decision may be made to resurrect it for use by a younger family member. The customer may be comfortable with a car they already know (and have already paid for), rather than replacing it with an unknown used (or more expensive new) car. The cost of the engine replacement represents a one-time expense, as opposed to the ongoing expense incurred when a replacement vehicle is considered.