Hi guys. I'm not automobile-savvy at all, so bear with me please.

I have a 2002 jimny, bought brand new. Mileage now is 80k.

Late last December, while driving, napansin kong biglang tumaas yung temp. So punta ako gas station. Ubos laman ng radiator and even nung reservoir. So pinalagyan ko ng tubig and coolant. Drove again.

Before I reached the office, tumaas na naman temp. Nakarating naman ako without much more incident. Nung gabi, topped up the radiator and reservoir with water again. Nakauwi ako without the temp rising from its normal level.

Brought it to the casa the following day. Lo and behold, they said na may crack daw yung engine/cylinder block (?), and it would have to be replaced, with costs amounting to a minimum of 140k (includes engine overhaul daw)! Thing is, though, yung tinuturo nila sa aking crack is a hole dun sa tinawag nung isang SA na core plug (may isa pa akong nakausap sabi naman tawag dun water plug). Para syang pabaliktad na bottle cap covering about a 2-inch hole dun sa engine block (specifically, located dun sa area beneath the exhaust manifold). Yun lang talaga ang butas na nakita ko, and yun lang naman ang itinuturo sa akin.

I googled the matter and it appears na madali lang palitan yun (iba pang tawag is freeze/frost plug). Many videos on youtube actually show core plug replacement as capable of being DIY'ed. Napadaan ako sa isang auto repair shop sa Malabon (Pitstop ang pangalan, located along McArthur Highway sa may Potrero), and they said na basta may pyesa, madali lang palitan yun.

The question I have are these: has any of you had experience like mine? Madali lang nga kaya palitan yun (assuming na yun lang talagang plug ang problema)? San kaya maganda pagawa yun kung sakali (I live in Valenzuela, malapit sa San Miguel Brewery)? Any of you know if Pitstop is ok?

Salamat po. Pasensya na sa mahabang kwento at maraming tanong.