If the waterpump gave out you should have had it towed at that point. The
most common failure mode for pumps is that they leak. That said, if you
found a replacement engine in the junk yard that was in good shape you could
either scavenge it for parts or swap it out. It seems encouraging that they
"have a bunch of them" at the parts yard. I am not sure, but I wonder how
interchangable the heads would be if there were one with a damaged engine
but which had a good head? (can't think at the moment what sort of damage it
would have sustained that wouldn't also mess up the head, unless it was
overheating, or getting partially mashed in an accident.

Good luck.
--
KWW

"Googamooga" <googamooga@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040906112918.25562.00000207@mb-m29.aol.com...
> It was on my 2nd belt, it had 170,000 miles on it. It failed somewhat
> prematurely since the waterpump gave out and it started to overheat often.
It
> got real bad when I went to Walmart for an oil change, they did something
and
> the water pump causing the water pump to leak water like a river, I had to
fill
> the reservoir up 2 times on the ride home.
>
> The mechanic was a bit fishy, I told him since the engine was most likely
a
> goner I would probably give it to the junk yard, he then offered to take
it off
> my hands if I couldn't find a junk yard who will take it.
>
> Since its a 90 model, the junk yard refused to pay for it, it has no rust,
the
> transmission is in great shape, but they were saying its too old and they
have
> too many cars like it in their lot already.
>
> So now I have decided to give it to a friend in need. Most mechanics he
had
> talked to don't know how to test for damage before cashing out for the
timing
> belt and water pump. I will be sure to mention to him about the head
removal
> for inspection.
>
> thanks