99 accord help

[Gunther]

My 175k bone stock '99 lx accord 2.3 sohc vtec dd has been running warm. the other day it started to overheat on the way to the store and when i got home it was bubbling. let it cool and my overflow was filled with milk chocolate. cleaned everything and flushed the radiator twice. let the car run for 10 minutes with the cap off getting all the air out manually and sure enough milk chocolate started oozing out the radiator top so i instantly killed it. everyone tells me its my head gasket but here is the kicker. car runs great, perfect idle, no check engine, no sings of any engine part failure, no smoke out the exhaust. oil is 1.5 qts low but the dipstick, oil cap, and plugs have absolutely no oil, condensation, or coolant smell to them everything in the motor looks free of coolant. ums and tony tells me $513 labor and $150 for the whole cylinder head gasket kit. there is also a guy on here that will sell me the same motor with 102k on it for $300. i would love some advice and maybe some help to put the motor in if i buy it. i will obviously pay someone but i do not have a cherry picker. i have a compressor, tools, and engine stand just no picker. any good advice would be appreciated.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i285/dildila/boner23135.jpg

[johnehonda]

it definetly sounds like your headgasket.
my advice is to get it fixed, it will cost about the same if you swap another motor in.
and you dont know the history of a used motor
again this is my opinion.. good luck with your decision

[Mr.Burner]

Thats a pretty good deal on a rebuild if that includes machine shop work. Your head will most likely need resurfacing etc.

On the other hand. This other engine could be a unknown problem for you aswell. I would try and fix yours considering this is the first time its had a headgasket. And it would be nice to keep the original engine vin matching in your car. I would consider your car worth more money if you were to sell it.

[Gunther]

thank u guys I believe that includes machine work. tony said i could have it back the next day. the motor is from h-vtec on here it is in the for sale section and his feedback is 100%... if that adds weight to the decision. the motor is at a shop but he has no paperwork whatsoever which kind of makes me nervous.

[taketurns]

Resurface the head, don't waste your time putting in a new motor.

[recordwinner]

could it possibly be just a rusted radiator?