blown head gasket? gas smell from coolant reservoir

[cleex024]

So I've been working on my 4 runner lately and after doing my coolant I've been smelling gas from the reservoir and even around my car after turning it off and getting out of the car. could this mean a blown head gasket?

Also how much time would it take to diy this at a shop?

 

[cleex024]

ok so i guess it is my head gaskets after looking through some google searches. so im going to try to diy this and any help would be appreciated...should i get my heads resurfaced? should i do this since my car has 240k miles?

 

[Whitebeauty]

It would be easier to replace the engine. Especially the with that many miles. I had to do the same thing. And in order to replace the head gaskets u need to remove the timing cover to remove the heads.

 

[Greydog]

I guess it depends partially on how long the bottom ends on these motors last.

Anyone with a sense on that?

It seems as though the oil pumps and crank bearings are fairly durable if maintained, haven't seen posts on those going bad.

 

[KidVermicious]

It would be easier to replace the engine. Especially the with that many miles. I had to do the same thing. And in order to replace the head gaskets u need to remove the timing cover to remove the heads.

Easier to buy a new truck than replace the engine. I'd just do that.

:suspicious:

 

[cleex024]

so everyone agrees to not to replace the head gaskets? if i buy another engine wouldnt this problem occur again anyway? i dont see why this motor wouldnt last me another 200k miles.

does anyone have a diy on this because i love working on cars and would like to try the diy...i dont see why it would take more than 8 hours to do it. the engine bay looks farely open to work on. i have a bmw that i replaced the valve cover gasket which was a pain in the ass but only took me about 4 hours to do.

i think i could just figure it out but just wanted some pointers if there is anything special i have to look out for.

 

[KidVermicious]

so everyone agrees to not to replace the head gaskets? if i buy another engine wouldnt this problem occur again anyway? i dont see why this motor wouldnt last me another 200k miles.

does anyone have a diy on this because i love working on cars and would like to try the diy...i dont see why it would take more than 8 hours to do it. the engine bay looks farely open to work on. i have a bmw that i replaced the valve cover gasket which was a pain in the ass but only took me about 4 hours to do.

i think i could just figure it out but just wanted some pointers if there is anything special i have to look out for.

I'm no help with the DIY, but I think you absolutely should take on the head gasket repair. Replacing an entire motor for a bad gasket is silly, especially if you have the skill and willingness to tackle the DIY. I say go for it!

 

[gshadow325]

I am reading this while taking a 30 minute break from a radiator replacement job on my volvo. This is how I look at it, go tackle the head job. Pull it off, examine the piston tops when is off. Check the cylinder walls for scoring and do a finger nail test. If it passes, great get the head milled and finish up the job. If it's no good, find a engine and drop it in. You can't mess up a messed up engine lol.

Find a place that can do your head first and has good reviews. Locate a engine first before you start. Price of a engine will be almost the same price as you going and doing the head including parts. I am guessing here, since that's what it cost me when I did my volvo.

If you do go had route, it should last for another 200k.

If you go engine route, it will eventually go again and you just don't know when it will go.
Fastest way go get vehicle back on the road is engine. Fastest way for you to really be one with your truck, head gasket.

Time line for head gasket when I did it on my volvo was.... 3 hours tearing it down and taking tons of pictures so I know what went where. And 4 days at the machine shop. And 5 hours putting it back in. But I also did tons of other preventive stuff too. Hoses, vacuum lines, ect. When I was done it was basically a new engine!

 

[gshadow325]

Also, buy new stuff when ever you can. Like head bolts, seals, gaskets, thermostat ect. Penny wise dollar foolish. Document everything, fun thing to do is start a thread here as you are doing it. I know when I did it on my volvo lots of people subscribed to the thread to watch progress and offer advice as I went along .I wasn't in a rush to get that car done. Btw, make sure you have mechanic friends you can bounce issues off of, and possibly borrow tools too. I needed a real real nice toque wrench for my job, needed to stretch the bolts 130 degrees after 40ft lbs.

 

[cleex024]

Also, buy new stuff when ever you can. Like head bolts, seals, gaskets, thermostat ect. Penny wise dollar foolish. Document everything, fun thing to do is start a thread here as you are doing it. I know when I did it on my volvo lots of people subscribed to the thread to watch progress and offer advice as I went along .I wasn't in a rush to get that car done. Btw, make sure you have mechanic friends you can bounce issues off of, and possibly borrow tools too. I needed a real real nice toque wrench for my job, needed to stretch the bolts 130 degrees after 40ft lbs.

this sounds awesome but whats all needed in a head gasket replacement? i thought it would be only the gasket? why would i have to machine anything?

 

[gshadow325]

correct me if i am wrong. a bad head gasket would be from one of the two mating surfaces not sealing correctly thus allowing the coolant/oil to seep by.

this would require a machine shop to resurface the head. thats from what i know. i could be wrong. i am not a mechanic by trade, i DIY as a hobby/cheapskate LoL

 

[cleex024]

correct me if i am wrong. a bad head gasket would be from one of the two mating surfaces not sealing correctly thus allowing the coolant/oil to seep by.

this would require a machine shop to resurface the head. thats from what i know. i could be wrong. i am not a mechanic by trade, i DIY as a hobby/cheapskate LoL

hmmmm that maybe be true...i have no idea since this would be my first time working on a head gasket...i just thought it was from the head gasket just cracking or something. didnt realize it would have been from a deformed head.

so how would i be able get the bottom portion machined? take the whole thing out? if thats true that seems like a ton of work lol.

would anyone know how long the diy is on this? someone has to have worked on this head gasket before.

 

[gshadow325]

Usually the head warps not the block. Block is usually harder that the head. The most time is in the machining of the head. There is a place in Florida that does head repair and has heads in stock. Clear water heads in Florida cylinder-heads.com has it in stock. $350 rebuilt cleaned machined. They have a exchange program.

I would order a head, order in gaskets, order in belts timing stuff, fluids and knock it out over a weekend.

 

[gshadow325]

I personally have not used them BUT many of my volvo brethren has. That's how I know of them. Good service, good quality work.

 

[cleex024]

I personally have not used them BUT many of my volvo brethren has. That's how I know of them. Good service, good quality work.

thanks a lot for the advice...i will try them out probably but damnit this truck is costing me a lot of money to repair lol.

 

[cleex024]

oh and has anyone tried to head gasket leak fixer that all the auto parts stores sell? wonder if that could help me a lot.

 

[gshadow325]

Those things are going to cause more havoc than good. They go into everything, like the little water ways inside your radiator.

Look at it like this, if the rest of the truck is in good shape then invest in it. If it's not, then might have to cut your losses and get rid of it. A t4r with that many miles might be only worth $5000 with a running engine, no running engine might be worth half that.

 

[jimithing]

Before you go all crazy here how about you get a leak down test and confirm it's actually a blown head gasket.

 

[cleex024]

Before you go all crazy here how about you get a leak down test and confirm it's actually a blown head gasket.

Where can I get that done? There is definitely a gas smell in my radiator reservoir after turn off the car

 

[cleex024]

Oh and how much would it cost to get a new engine? I'm getting a lot of wire smoke now lol