3rd Gen Head Gasket Advice
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PitbullRescuer
New member
At 280K, you're better off dropping in a good used engine. Much less labor. And you don't know if it's a head gasket or a cracked head until you take it apart. Get a known good used engine and keep driving it.
vipergrhd
New member
Can help
I could lend a hand depending where in the East Bay you are located,i live in Pittsburg and work in Antioch.I bought my T4R over a year ago with a blown headgasket at 245k i did end up putting in a Reman unit from Raptor engine (Oregon) a few months ago and i was happy with the outcome.It is really up to you on what and how much are you willing to spend on your rig and any plans in the future.I would suggest to get a baseline compression check and see if it's worth it to do a head or just find a used engine.
I could lend a hand depending where in the East Bay you are located,i live in Pittsburg and work in Antioch.I bought my T4R over a year ago with a blown headgasket at 245k i did end up putting in a Reman unit from Raptor engine (Oregon) a few months ago and i was happy with the outcome.It is really up to you on what and how much are you willing to spend on your rig and any plans in the future.I would suggest to get a baseline compression check and see if it's worth it to do a head or just find a used engine.
Question is how much is the truck worth to you? If you want to keep it and drive it for a long time, I agree with PitbullRescuer - drop in a lower miles used engine and drive it for a long time to come.
I'm at 240K now. When the engine goes, I'll buy another truck for parts, swap out the engine, and have a ton of other spare parts for when I need them - all for under $2k. And I plan on slowly rebuilding the old engine I pulled.
I'm at 240K now. When the engine goes, I'll buy another truck for parts, swap out the engine, and have a ton of other spare parts for when I need them - all for under $2k. And I plan on slowly rebuilding the old engine I pulled.
prospectator
New member
2K is a lot cheaper than buying a new car! My family has owned an engine shop for 50+ years and that's what they always told me. I would ask, "Why do they spend 3-4K on an engine when their truck is only worth 4K?" The answer I would get went something like this. "If the truck does what they need it to do and they like driving it, why spend 20-30K on a new truck when they can spend 3K and keep driving the one they have".
Can you do the labor? If not, it's definitely easier to just swap in a used motor (you just can't guarantee anything with a used motor). If you have the mechanical ability to perform the labor yourself, I'd rebuild the top end if compression is good on all the cylinders.
Most won't agree, but I chose to rebuilt the top end new. OE gasket kit, valve job (one new head), new water pump, timing belt and new tensioners. Overall it was probably a little more expensive than a used motor but I know everything is new. My cylinders all had good compression before taking it apart, and all of the cylinders had very little wear (factory crosshatch was still visible) after 220K. I only drive it about 10K a year so if it lasts another 100K I'd be pretty stoked.
The nice thing about a used motor is you have your old one to rebuild if you plan on keeping it. Then just another swap and your on your way to 500K :thumb:
It's a tough decision. Good Luck.
Can you do the labor? If not, it's definitely easier to just swap in a used motor (you just can't guarantee anything with a used motor). If you have the mechanical ability to perform the labor yourself, I'd rebuild the top end if compression is good on all the cylinders.
Most won't agree, but I chose to rebuilt the top end new. OE gasket kit, valve job (one new head), new water pump, timing belt and new tensioners. Overall it was probably a little more expensive than a used motor but I know everything is new. My cylinders all had good compression before taking it apart, and all of the cylinders had very little wear (factory crosshatch was still visible) after 220K. I only drive it about 10K a year so if it lasts another 100K I'd be pretty stoked.
The nice thing about a used motor is you have your old one to rebuild if you plan on keeping it. Then just another swap and your on your way to 500K :thumb:
It's a tough decision. Good Luck.
This car is priceless to me, we've owned it since it has like 80k (second owner). Parents gave it to me when I got my driver license, so it's my first car, and I drove it literally to hell and back. Never off road it, though. I don't have much money, and the way I think of it is, 2k into this car I know it'd drive to hell and back with me any day. I spend idk 5k on another 4Runner or Tacoma, mileage is going to be high and I might run into the same problem.
Small mechanical things I'm willing to learn, but engine rebuild... Not that I'm not up for it, its too important to **** up. haha
Future plans, I'd like to mod it up, for my recreation sports, camping, and light off roading.
Small mechanical things I'm willing to learn, but engine rebuild... Not that I'm not up for it, its too important to **** up. haha
Future plans, I'd like to mod it up, for my recreation sports, camping, and light off roading.
jgue467
Senior Member
If I were you
If I were you I'd consider something like this
1) a used engine off ebay (for example) ebay# 291121639563 - 100K $1500 delivered or
2) a rebuilt engine on ebay (for example) # 281305892080 - Zero miles $1640 delivered. or
3) a remanufactured engine off ebay (for example) # 291085787499 - zero miles $2190 delivered. or
an engine like #3 from your favorite local rebuilders. That'll make it to 500K! Thoughts everyone? Let us know what you decide.
If I were you I'd consider something like this
1) a used engine off ebay (for example) ebay# 291121639563 - 100K $1500 delivered or
2) a rebuilt engine on ebay (for example) # 281305892080 - Zero miles $1640 delivered. or
3) a remanufactured engine off ebay (for example) # 291085787499 - zero miles $2190 delivered. or
an engine like #3 from your favorite local rebuilders. That'll make it to 500K! Thoughts everyone? Let us know what you decide.
sportscarfan
New member
Yes, sounds like you want a new motor. I've done all my own car work for 25 years including building engines. Just swapping a new [or used] engine is really easy [less difficult to F-up] than "rebuilding". If you have the space, tools, & time go for it. You'll be that much more familiar with it after.
Looks like 4runner engines are cheap in comparison to my nephew's Isuzu Axiom....they managed to run it out of oil at 100K miles - $2k for an ebay used engine that has the same oil burning characteristics.
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To play Devil's Advocate here... What's to say another used engine won't blow a head or headgasket after install? You then waste the cost of that purchase plus the cost of whatever you do next (buy another used, rebuild 1 of the 2 bad engines on your hand). In turn, that would likely end up costing more than the original repair of the first engine.
If the reply is "Well, the used engine on Ebay said it had 50k Miles".... Well, what a thing to trust in
-- Can anyone prove that?If you have a good engine besides the head gasket and maybe even the heads themselves, you at least have peace of mind on the rest of the engine. At least, that's the type of person I am.
So I found a legit engine with 55k on it for $1700. If I were to rip off my engine and let someone rebuild the head would cost me $1900.
I'm still debating. I understand the fact the "new" engine is younger, but I don't know what's going to happen after, etc about that engine. Obviously, that is the logical route because of cost. These engine are pretty darn reliable, so a "new" one isn't bad.
But, the old engine, I've known for years. It got my back on so many dumb things. Lol I know the engine is still good and strong, minus this stupid head gasket. Cost, not so logical than a newer one.
I'm still debating. I understand the fact the "new" engine is younger, but I don't know what's going to happen after, etc about that engine. Obviously, that is the logical route because of cost. These engine are pretty darn reliable, so a "new" one isn't bad.
But, the old engine, I've known for years. It got my back on so many dumb things. Lol I know the engine is still good and strong, minus this stupid head gasket. Cost, not so logical than a newer one.
LittleCaesar
New member
Get the newer engine and put it in. Don't over think what needs to be done. If the engine is out of the 4runner, take off the valve cover if possible and see what the internals look like.
Only you can make this decision in the end, none of us can make it for you.
The labor cost of installing the new engine will probably take you above the $1900 mark, so not sure how you are looking at it on a cost savings basis -- but the real question here is if you decide on the repair route -- did the HG failure do other damage you haven't found out about yet? If so -- the new engine would be a better route as others are saying. Maybe the mechanic doing your head rebuild could also look into the compression, pistons, rods, etc etc etc.
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Yeah at this point, a newer engine is the better decision. Less work and younger than my engine. One question that I have is that, since the engine is newer than mine, of course it'd be more powerful, should I be worried about a transmission failing on me? I know our engines are bullet proof, but I don't know about our transmission.
PitbullRescuer
New member
Trans will be fine. You're over thinking it.
Something I know about toyota engines... Low mile (around 100 K)used engines still runs longer than a rebuilt toyota engine (with OEM toyota parts).
Go for the 55K engine. I would expect that engine to look new for that many miles. Check the condition of the timing belt. Toyota says replace T-belt every 60K miles or 5 years. If I don't do 60 K in 5 years I will run for another 5-7 years (10-12 years total or until 60 K max).
Got some picture of the engine you are going to buy?
Install a new OEM crank oil seal at the rear end of the engine.
Go for the 55K engine. I would expect that engine to look new for that many miles. Check the condition of the timing belt. Toyota says replace T-belt every 60K miles or 5 years. If I don't do 60 K in 5 years I will run for another 5-7 years (10-12 years total or until 60 K max).
Got some picture of the engine you are going to buy?
Install a new OEM crank oil seal at the rear end of the engine.
