Services · Engine Repair
Most engine work is a driveway job. I'll tell you when it isn't.
Engine trouble sounds expensive, and sometimes it is. But most of what makes an engine misfire, stumble, knock, or leak is a part bolted to the outside of it: coils, plugs, injectors, sensors, gaskets, belts, pulleys. That's work I do on site, on most makes, gas and diesel.
The rest, rebuilds and most swaps, I don't do. If that's where yours is heading, you'll hear it from me before you pay for anything but the diagnostic, along with an honest opinion on whether the vehicle is worth it.
Texting is best — I'm usually mid-job and can't pick up. Stranded or an emergency? Call.
- No fix, no fee diagnostics
- Quoted price is the final price
- 12 mo / 12,000 mi parts & labor
- I come to you
What it's doing, and what it usually is
The most common cause first. It's a guide, not a diagnosis. That's what the visit is for.
- Misfire, rough idle, flashing check engine light
- A coil, a plug, an injector, or a vacuum leak. Stop driving on a flashing light: it's damaging the catalytic converter.
- Down on power
- A clogged filter, a weak fuel pump, a plugged catalytic converter, a boost leak on a turbo engine, or a sensor feeding the computer bad numbers.
- Ticking, loudest on a cold start
- Often an exhaust manifold leak or a broken manifold stud, and not the engine at all. Lifter noise is the other common one.
- Deep knock that rises with revs
- This is the serious one. Low oil, or a bearing on its way out. Shut it off and call before it turns into a rebuild.
- Oil on the driveway
- Valve cover gasket, oil pan gasket, oil cooler lines, or a seal. Where the drip lands tells me a lot.
- Smoke from the tailpipe
- Blue is oil. White that smells sweet is coolant, which points at a head gasket. Black is too much fuel.
- Rattle for a second on start-up
- A timing chain tensioner or a loose heat shield. One is urgent and one isn't. I'll tell you which.
What I do in your driveway
- Ignition: plugs, coils, wires. Fuel: injectors, pumps, filters, pressure regulators.
- Sensors and the wiring to them: crank, cam, oxygen, air meter, throttle body.
- Gaskets and seals: valve cover, oil pan, intake and exhaust manifold, front seals.
- Belts, tensioners, idlers, and pulleys. Water pumps and thermostats.
- Timing belts and chains on many engines, and motor mounts.
- Compression and leak-down tests when I need to know what the inside looks like before you spend money on the outside.
How the money works
- $150
- Flat, to diagnose it. It's separate from the repair. If I can't find what's wrong, you don't pay it.
- Quote
- Before anything comes apart. The price I give you is the price you pay. If I find something else, I stop and ask you first.
- 12 / 12k
- Months and miles, parts and labor. If the repair doesn't hold, I come back and fix it free.
Travel is free within 30 miles of Bastrop. Further out, there's a flat travel fee. The full warranty terms spell out what's covered.
“Car was running extremely rough… and could not find a place or anyone that can take a look at my car. I was fortunate enough that he was available and responded immediately a few minutes later. Asked great questions, bought the parts, did the diagnostics, did all the work… Really knows his stuff and won't screw you over like most mechanics do.”
Questions I get asked
How do you know it's not just a sensor?
By testing, not by replacing. If the computer says a sensor is out of range, I check whether the sensor is wrong or whether it's telling the truth about something else. A lot of engines have had three sensors thrown at a vacuum leak.
Is it the head gasket?
Maybe. White sweet smoke, coolant disappearing with no leak, oil that looks like coffee, or bubbles in the reservoir are the classic signs, and I can test for combustion gases in the coolant on site. If it is, I'll tell you what the job involves and whether it's one I'll take on for your engine.
Is it worth fixing?
That's the question I'm actually here to answer. The diagnostic gets you a clear picture of what's wrong and what it costs, and then you decide. I'll give you my honest opinion. I don't sell repairs on vehicles I wouldn't fix myself.
Can you do an oil change while you're here?
Yes, alongside any other job. I don't do standalone oil changes, but if I'm already under it, it's a sensible add-on.
Do you work on diesels?
Yes. Diesel pickups and work trucks have their own page, but the same rule applies: everything bolted on, nothing inside the block.
Often goes with this
All servicesDiagnostics
Warning light on, odd noise, or something that just feels wrong. I find out what it is before anyone spends money on parts.
Diesel Repair
Diesel pickups and work trucks that are hard to start, running rough, smoking, or down on power. I track it down and fix it where the truck sits. No engine or transmission rebuilds.
Cooling System
Overheating, steam, or coolant on the driveway. Worth catching early — this is the one that turns into a big bill.
Based in Bastrop, free travel within 30 miles. Where I go, and what it costs further out.
Let's look at the engine repair
Flat $150 to diagnose it, and you get a price before anything gets taken apart. Mon–Fri 9am – 6pm.
Stranded or an emergency? Call (512) 980-4368 — for anything else, a text gets to me faster.