Hey all,

I've had my Previa for almost 3 years now. Mine is a 1991 5 Speed. I like the van and all the utility it brings, but I think the head gasket could be about to go. The coolant reservoir is bubbling. The previous owner used straight up water instead of coolant, and there's tons of rust in the system. I would rather do an entire swap than just a HG repair, because the valvetrain is varnished heavily, leading me to think it wasn't maintained all that well. I am considering doing this swap, but I am intimidated by the difficulty. This leads me to my questions below.

1) Is E-bay a decent place to go for JDM engines? There are 2 available from companies that provide 6 Mo warranties. I like those alot. Can anyone recommend another source where I could find JDM previa engines?

2) Do you guys think I could actually do this job? I have replaced 2 timing belts, one on a v6 transverse engine and another on an inline 4 engine. I replaced a FWD axle, and steering rack. That is the extent of my mechanical projects.

3) Besides clutch components. Are there any other parts I should replace while the engine is out? I'm only talking about parts that require the engine to be out to be replaced. I will also do engine mounts, of course.

4) Should I just swap the HG instead? Will a JDM engine really not be in much better condition than a 190k engine?