Engine Repair in Detroit
Engine repair covers everything from a leaking valve cover gasket to a full rebuild, and the only way to know which one you are facing is a compression and leak-down test. We run that test first at our W Warren Ave shop, tell you what the engine is actually doing, and quote the repair against what the car is worth. Plenty of engines that get written off elsewhere come down to a timing component, a head gasket or an oiling problem, and those are fixable jobs.
Bring it in if you are seeing any of this
Not sure which of these it is? Call and describe it. Half the time we can tell you over the phone whether it needs looking at today or whether it can wait for the weekend.
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- A knock or a deep tap that speeds up with the engine
- White or blue smoke out of the tailpipe
- Temperature gauge climbing in traffic
- Oil disappearing between changes with no puddle on the driveway
- Rough idle, misfire, or the car shaking at a red light
- Coolant that looks milky or oil that looks like a milkshake
What we actually do on this job
- Compression and cylinder leak-down testing to find the real fault
- Scan-tool data on misfires, fuel trims and cam or crank correlation
- Cooling system pressure test when overheating is part of the picture
- A written repair-or-replace recommendation with the reasoning
- Gasket, timing, head and short-block work in house
Turnaround. Diagnosis usually the same day. Internal engine work runs several days depending on parts.
What the price depends on
We do not publish a flat price for this, because a number quoted before anyone has looked at the car is a guess. You get a real one after the diagnosis, and you approve it before any work starts.
- Whether the engine comes apart in the car or has to come out
- Repair versus rebuild versus a used or remanufactured engine
- How many cylinders and whether it is overhead cam or pushrod
- Whether the head is warped or cracked and needs machine work
- Parts availability for the model year
Free full synthetic oil change on your first visit
New customers only, with a paid service. One per vehicle. Ask for it when you drop off.
Free towing with any service over $300
Local tow to our W Warren Ave shop. Applied to your invoice once the repair is approved.
Engine Repair questions
What people ask us about engine repair
How do I know if my engine needs a repair or a full rebuild?
A compression and leak-down test answers it. If cylinders hold pressure and the problem is a gasket, timing component or sensor, it is a repair. If several cylinders are low and pressure is escaping past the rings or valves, the engine is worn internally and a rebuild or replacement is the honest answer. We run the test before quoting anything so you are not paying for guesswork.
Is it worth rebuilding an engine on an older car?
It depends on what the rest of the car is doing. If the transmission, frame and body are solid, a rebuild is usually far cheaper than replacing the whole vehicle. If the car has rust through the rockers and a slipping transmission on top of it, we will say so. We would rather tell you to put the money somewhere else than sell you a job that does not make sense.
My check engine light is on and the car is shaking. Is that engine damage?
Usually not. A shake with a check engine light is most often a misfire from a coil, plug or injector, and that is an inexpensive fix caught early. Left alone, raw fuel washes the cylinder and can take out the catalytic converter, which is when it gets expensive. Get it scanned quickly.
Do you work on engines in trucks and vans too?
Yes. We handle four, six and eight cylinder gas engines in cars, pickups, SUVs and work vans. Call with your year, make and model and we will tell you straight away whether it is something we take on.
Tell us what it is doing
We will call you back with what it most likely is and what it takes to find out for certain. If it is faster to talk now, the number is right there.
(313) 253-030020142 W Warren Ave, Detroit, MI 48228. Closed Sunday.
Related work
Timing Chain & Belt
That rattle for two seconds on a cold start is a warning. A stretched chain that jumps takes valves with it.
Head Gasket Repair
White smoke, milky oil, or a car that overheats and pushes coolant out. We confirm it with a block test first.
Check Engine Light
A code tells you which circuit reported a problem, not which part failed. We test the difference.
Who we do this for
Engine Repair for drivers across west Detroit and the communities on our side of the city line.
Need engine repair in Detroit?
Call and describe the symptom. We will tell you what it usually means and what it takes to be sure.