'93 purchase advice

[adamharo]

Hi everybody, I'm new to the forum and hoping for a little advice.
I am considering trading my '91 Suburban for a 93' 4runner with a 3.0L V6. This will be my first Toyota and as I started doing research I've been reading alot about the 3.0L having head gasket problems.
The current owner gave me a little history on the car. The original motor was swapped out by the dealer due to bad head gaskets. The dealer put in a Japanese exchange motor that had 44,000 miles at the time. When the current owner got it he had to do the head gaskets on the current (japanese exchange) motor. It seems to run real well and he said he drove it for a couple years after doing the gaskets.

Are the head gaskets pretty much guaranteed to fail? It sure seems that way. I've always heard good things about 4runners but this seems pretty risky.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ozzyleven]

I know more than one person who has never had a problem with their head gaskets. My vehicle only had them done as part of the recall. I've never done it myself, but it seems if you are fairly mechanically inclined, it doesn't cost too much to do them yourself if you need to. I don't think they are guaranteed to fail, but it seems like so many vehicles were affected by the problem that Toyota went all out on the recall. I wouldn't let that scare you away. I'm very happy with mine and I think most on this forum would say the same thing.

 

[adamharo]

Thanks for the reply. Further reading seems to point the finger at faulty head gasket material/construction. If the current owner did the gaskets within the last few years is it a safe assumption the gaskets used would be made out of better material?

 

[hoe_nah]

Don't let the headgaskets scare you. If it needs to be done in the future then so be it but what other vehicles are still around with over 200k miles on the orignial block

 

[Hyde802]

Is there paperwork for the motor swap? Is this an auto? Have you test driven it yet?

 

[SwiftRunner]

Why would you need to replace the head gasket? What are the symptoms?

 

[Saved]

Why would you need to replace the head gasket? What are the symptoms?

3.0 V-6 HEAD GASKET RECALL

V6headgasketrecall

 

[adamharo]

There is a sticker on the door jamb and inside the engine bay that was put there by the dealer certifying the engine swap. The swapped engine has already had the head gaskets replaced by the current owner, he bought with bad head gaskets and fixed it.
The motor sounds fine and there doesn't seem to be any symptoms. My main concern is since the head gaskets have already been done on this motor is this something I should worry about fixing again in the future or is the head gasket issue not really a concern since its already been done?

 

[SUBTEGRAL]

Just figure on having a head gasket blow somewhere within 80,000 to 100,000 miles after they were replaced.

Rest easy until then.

 

[adamharo]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I think I am going to pass on the deal and keep the Suburban for now. If I come up on a 4runner with a 22re or 3.4 than I'll go for it.

 

[hellsbells]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I think I am going to pass on the deal and keep the Suburban for now. If I come up on a 4runner with a 22re or 3.4 than I'll go for it.

I was in the same boat and after a long search finally found a 91 4runner 4dr 5spd with a rebuilt 22re. Ive been told by many toyota mechanics that the 22RE is one of the best and can last up to 400,000miles +

 

[SUBTEGRAL]

I bet a 3VZ-E is also capable of that -- if properly pampered forever.