Post your part in, we recondition and return it.
Meksta Engine Reconditioning
Guide

Engine failure: what do you do now?

Av Robert Wiklund, motorbyggare med över 30 års erfarenhet av motorrenovering. Uppdaterad 6 september 2026

Suspect an engine failure: stop somewhere safe, switch off the engine and do not keep driving. Continued driving with a warning light on or clear unusual noises can turn a repairable fault into a write-off, and it can also affect warranties and insurance claims. After that, this is the order: diagnosis first, decision next, order last. This guide goes through every step, with real cost ranges and no panic selling.

Is it really an engine failure? Common signs

A workshop has to make the real diagnosis, but these signs are classic warning signs:

Unusual noise: Knocking or thumping from the lower part of the engine, rattling that follows engine speed.
Warning lights: The oil pressure warning light above all, it means stop immediately, not "drive home first".
Smoke: Heavy blue or white smoke from the exhaust, or smoke from the engine bay.
Fluids: Coolant that disappears, oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil, metal particles in the oil.
Loss of power: The engine suddenly loses power, runs unevenly, or stops and refuses to start.

One or more of these signs does not automatically mean the engine is done for. Sometimes it is an ancillary component, the turbo for example, that has failed, and that is a substantially cheaper story. So: diagnosis before decision.

The first steps, in the right order

1Do not keep driving. Better to have the car recovered once too often than once too few.
2Let a workshop make the diagnosis. Ask for it in writing: what is broken, what is the cause, what is recommended.
3Check your insurance. Some cars are covered by mechanical breakdown insurance depending on age and mileage, check with your insurance company before you order anything.
4Find out the cause, not just the damage. If the failure started in an ancillary component, such as the oil cooler, turbo or an injector, it must be fixed regardless of which engine solution you choose, or the next engine risks the same fate.
5Do the sums on the car as a whole. Compare the cost with the car's value and condition before you decide.

Repair, replace or let the car go? The decision tree

Partial repair: sometimes that is enough

If the damage is limited to, say, the cylinder head, a cylinder head remanufacture or a ready-remanufactured cylinder head can be enough, at a fraction of the cost of a whole engine. Meksta remanufactures cylinder heads ourselves, in our workshop: see cylinder head reconditioning at meksta.se or fully reconditioned cylinder heads in the shop.

Recondition your own engine

Your engine is stripped down, the fault is fixed and the engine is built back up again. You keep the original engine, which has a value on less common cars. It has been Meksta's core business for many years: meksta.se/motorrenovering. The lead time depends on the damage and the engine, ask the workshop about the timeline for your specific case.

Exchange engine: known cost and known timeline

A fully reconditioned engine replaces your old one. Fixed price incl. VAT, 12 month warranty with no mileage limit, and a timeline you can plan around: the engine is delivered after order, delivery time normally approx. 1 week, up to 2 weeks during high workload. The right choice when you want the car back on the road with a predictable cost. How the product works: Exchange engine: how it works.

Used engine: cheapest, and highest risk

A used engine from a scrapyard is the cheapest route, roughly from about 5 000 kr and up, with large variations. We cover the risk in its own section below, since this is where most people get burned.

Letting the car go: an honest option

Sometimes the car is not worth the engine. If the car is worn elsewhere too, the wisest move can be to sell or scrap it, and there are plenty of buyers for defective cars. If so, sell after doing the sums, not in a panic: an engine swap on an otherwise good car is often cheaper than an equivalent used car with an unknown history.

What does it cost?

Quick ranges, all incl. VAT: the labour to swap an engine normally runs 8 000-15 000 kr, a complete swap with a used engine approx. 13 000-27 000 kr, and a complete swap with a remanufactured exchange engine approx. 40 000-90 000 kr, more for large engines. Our exchange engines start at approx. 32 000 kr. The full breakdown, line by line: What does an engine swap cost? For reconditioning of your own engine, see Meksta's price list. Two examples from the range: BMW N47 and Mercedes OM651, both with price, remanufacturing scope and fitment right on the product page.

Realistic timelines

Plan on the process taking a few weeks either way, whichever route you choose:

Diagnosis: From a day to a week depending on the workshop's queue.
Exchange engine: Delivered to order: normally approx. 1 week from your engine version being verified against the VIN to delivery, up to 2 weeks during high workload. The delivery time is in practice at industry level: industry delivery times are often up towards two weeks for remanufactured engines.
The installation: The swap itself takes roughly a full working day of workshop time, but book a slot in advance.
Reconditioning your own engine: Varies with the damage, ask about the timeline.

Avoid buying used blind

The used market is large and searchable, aggregators gather the supply from over a hundred scrapyards. But a used engine is sold in the condition it sat in the car, and that is unknown: how the timing drive is doing, how the engine has been driven and serviced, and what condition wear points like the turbo, injectors and EGR are in rarely factor into the assessment. If you still want to buy used, ask these questions first:

  • What is the engine's mileage, and can it be verified?
  • What warranty is given, how long, and what does it actually cover?
  • Has the engine been tested, and if so, how?
  • What is included, and what happens if the engine turns out to be defective during installation?
  • Who pays for shipping and returns if something goes wrong?

If you do not get clear answers, the price is not low, it is just the risk that is high. The comparison in short: a remanufactured exchange engine is gone through with new wear parts and is delivered with a 12-month warranty with no mileage limit.

If it is the turbo, not the engine

Some so-called "engine failures" turn out to be turbo failures. If it is the turbocharger that has failed, it gets reconditioned at our sister site Turbo.se, part of Meksta AB. And remember: when swapping an engine, the turbo and injectors from the old engine must be checked before they are reused, that is a warranty condition.

FAQ for engine failure

No. Continued driving with a warning sign can make the damage bigger and more expensive, and can affect warranty and insurance claims. Have the car recovered.

Next step: see the price for your car right away

Search by your registration number and we will show which engines fit your car, with the price right away, incl. VAT. Would you rather talk first: get a quote with your reg number or VIN and we will normally get back to you within one working day, and we will guide you honestly, even if the answer is that you do not need a new engine.

See all exchange engines