Bad head :(

D

davehaynes1

New member
Right so I've managed to get you here with a good title hey! Haha
So my 4runner is in for a head gasket repair and the shop phoned me today while I was at work and left a message asking me to phone them back, I imagine it's bad news as the job can't be finished yet......
So I'm thinking the machine shop has found out my head is cracked, my question to you should I have the head repaired if possible or get an old head from a wreckers?
Thanks.
 
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You should call the shop back and see exactly what the problem is. It might just be that you have bad valves and they need to be replaced. But if it is a head there's a plethora of things you can do. If it were my runner I wouldn't get a junkyard head, cause maybe that's why it's in the yard? This is just my opinion, keep us updated to see what happens
 
I'll be calling them back first thing in the morning, 2am here and I've just finished work.....
There is a local wreckers who specialise and only deal in hilux's and 4runner's so I'm guessing they may be abit more reputable than just any only junk yard and may sell me a decent head.
 
What motor? Talk to them first, but if I had a busted 22RE head (and I lived in the States, which you don't) I'd ask the shop to order me a Street RV head from engbldr.com. No idea what shipping to Aus would be, probably too much, but surely you could find something similiar a little more local to you.

If you don't have the cash for that a junkyard head would be an option, but don't let them just slap it on there, have it checked out and rebuilt first.
 
Ohhhh see I'm being self centered and thinking everyone's on my time. Haha Well , for what it's worth what I've noticed while working at a shop is a lot of customers expect the worst when we ring their phones, and in reality it's not as bad. But if you have a reputable yard that stands by their parts, I'd say go that route, if it comes to it. Good luck, man! Hope your runner isn't as sick as you think!
 
Just phoned the guy.
He said..... "I've taken a look at the car and I don't know how far you want to go with this, it could end up turning into a 4 - 5 thousand dollar job. If it's just the gaskets changing your looking around 2,500 but I don't know what else is wrong until I stay opening it up"
I understand you can't really price it until it's striped, but really what the hell could cause it to double in price?!?!
 
davehaynes1 said:
Just phoned the guy.
He said..... "I've taken a look at the car and I don't know how far you want to go with this, it could end up turning into a 4 - 5 thousand dollar job. If it's just the gaskets changing your looking around 2,500 but I don't know what else is wrong until I stay opening it up"
I understand you can't really price it until it's striped, but really what the hell could cause it to double in price?!?!
Click to expand...

"I won't know until I open her up/tear it apart" is an old ripoff con.
Once it's apart (engine/trans/etc) that have you by the balls.
If you say no once the final 'guess' is in, they charge half that to put it back together so you can drive away.


RUN AWAY FAST.

Find a reputable shop.
 
Agreed! If they can't give you a LEGITIMATE reason why the price jumped, just say "put it back together I'm picking it up" , and find a better shop. That's ridiculous, I don't think I've ever heard of a Toyota head job costing equal to or more an engine R&R
 
He hasn't touched it yet, just phoned me to get the go ahead. But worse case scenario I've got a cracked head, surely that can't double the price of a head gasket replacement.
Spoke to another shop and they said looking around 2,500 to do the job but again won't know the real damage until it's apart, which I true I suppose as you won't know if it's got a cracked head until it's off and you can test it.
Also spoke to the hilux wreckers and he had a sound v6 engine with 240k on it and he will fit it for 2700
So do I go for the gasket work at 2,500 + possible extra money if had is cracked
Or just get a new old engine put in for 2,700
 
Yeah 2700 installed but means I would have to take 3/4 days off work to get the car there.....
So I risk possible extra costs replacing the gasket and the risk with a new old engine is it could have problems shortly down the road
 
Damn that's a tough deal. And also thinking about it, they are probably talking about 5-6K for a new head And labor. But I mean if it's in the shop, there is the possibility it's not cracked. I'm not exactly sure which road you should turn down at this point.
 
+1 find another shop. Sounds like he'll give you the run-around.

fourwd1 said:
"I won't know until I open her up/tear it apart" is an old ripoff con.
Once it's apart (engine/trans/etc) that have you by the balls.
If you say no once the final 'guess' is in, they charge half that to put it back together so you can drive away.


RUN AWAY FAST.

Find a reputable shop.
Click to expand...
 
+2 for take it to another shop.

For what it's worth you can't assume the heads are cracked and if that is the case, you can always buy rebuilt heads or heads from the wrecking yard you mentioned.

Regarding the used motor, does it include any warranty? All of these motors have had the head gaskets done at least once, some twice, so do you really know what you're getting with a used motor?

You don't have any easy options. Sorry it isn't so black and white.

Best regards,

Jim S
 
The shop is in now is a friends dad's shop, not an overly closer friend, just a guy I work with but I still don't think he would try and rip me off. Every garage I have spoken to had quoted me 2,500 for the head gasket and all have said they can't give a price until it's striped incase it needs head work out anything else....
Anyway that is a little beyond the point.
The new old engine will come with a 3 month warranty but as you said you really don't know what your getting with a used engine.
I think the engine I have is pretty sound before the gasket went, I just don't know weather to go down the route of strong it and finding out there's alot wrong
 
I guess doing it yourself is not an option?
If you did gaskets, timing belt, coolant, oil ..... You could probably walk away at $400. The rest is all labor.
Buy me a plane ticket and put me up for a week. We can get it done for less than $2500, airfare included.
 
I Unfortunately doing it myself isn't an option right now im working on a farm 6/7 days a week doing 12 hour days.
When I say $2500 in talking Australian dollars so that's about $1800 usd.
 
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