I parked my '97 5VZ-FE (3.4l V6) one Sunday and come Tuesday it wouldn't start. It wouldn't crank over but it didn't sound like a low or dead battery. I checked voltage and it was fine. I then pulled and checked the starter, it was fine. Then I pulled spark plugs 1 by 1 to check for a wet plug. Sure enough when I got to the second from last plug, Cylinder 3 spark plug was soaking wet and smelled of coolant. I stuck a long zip tie down and pulled it back out like a wet dipstick full of coolant. I left the plug out and cranked it over real quick and it spit out all the coolant. Figuring then I had either a blown head gasket or cracked head. I took it to a local shop where they quoted me $5,700 to replace the head on that side and said it would be $7,000 to do both heads for parts and labor and stated the cost of the heads was most expensive. Now I wonder, do I replace just the one side, do I replace both? I can't imagine an overhaul or complete motor swap with a rebuilt 5VZ-FE would cost much more than replacing both heads. It has about 260,000 miles on it now.
Anyone have any experience with similar situation or any advice? TIA.
Anyone have any experience with similar situation or any advice? TIA.
