Blown head-gasket, help needed

[scrapper]

My thread won’t be particularly helpful because I didn’t do the work but I will follow up with photos showing what my mechanic did.
I did (again) what no normal person would do and spent more than it’s resale value to keep it.
I’ve had a lot going on. Long story short- it lives!

 

[gamefreakgc]

My thread won’t be particularly helpful because I didn’t do the work but I will follow up with photos showing what my mechanic did.
I did (again) what no normal person would do and spent more than it’s resale value to keep it.
I’ve had a lot going on. Long story short- it lives!

It's either take that same amount you spent and toss it at a down payment then still have monthly payments for the next 5 years, or repair it and be payment free. That's not a bad decision you made.

 

[scrapper]

Thank you sir! I have zero regrets.

 

[WeakSauz]

I did (again) what no normal person would do and spent more than it’s resale value to keep it.

Oh, don't worry. I think most of us here have done that

What's better, though? Spending cash to fix it and keep it going, or $400-500/month for 5 years on a new one?

i'm fixing mine, all day every day!

Glad you're back up and running

 

[mikeferg]

yeah us 3rd geners dont believe in car payments, glad you fixed it.

 

[scrapper]

Rebuilt, etc...

Lots of new shit so I can keep my girl! However, my other girl doesn’t particularly know what the hell Im thinking but dammit... I love my 4R!

 

[Majkmichael]

Grab a bottle of blue devil head gasket sealer. Give that a go first. Worked on my 99 4runner. That thing was spewing white smoke. Ran a bottle of blue devil and problem solved. $20 ended up saving me a major repair bill. Interesting stuff. Polymerizes at the site of maximum temperature discrepancy to produce a seal. Essentially repairs the hole or tear in your head gasket.

I did the same with K Seal on my 02. Still holding perfectly

 

[jwkiss0]

Same situation at 178,000 miles and my quote was $5k min and about $8k with new heads. Either parts have went way up or I’m getting ripped off.

 

[mtbtim]

At your mileage, the money is better spent on a quality rebuilt engine. I wouldn't put $2500 into an engine with 290k miles.

Some would recommend the JDM used engine route, but that is a serious crap shoot. You have no way of knowing how many miles are on that engine. No way! You're taking some person's word for it that you don't know. That's a huge risk.

It sounds like you don't turn wrenches and that is unfortunate. I have a video series that would show you step by step how to swap out the engine. I also have a video series on how to replace the heads.

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[brillo_76]

Same situation at 178,000 miles and my quote was $5k min and about $8k with new heads. Either parts have went way up or I’m getting ripped off.

178k blown gaskets might have got hot in the past. Everything is extremely expensive now. It's probably depending on your area what the labor rate is.

Sent from my SM-A536V using Tapatalk

 

[mtbtim]

Same situation at 178,000 miles and my quote was $5k min and about $8k with new heads. Either parts have went way up or I’m getting ripped off.

Dude, you can get a quality rebuilt engine for $4500 from Yota1 Performance. You need to start to learn how to turn wrenches. [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I have built a huge library of videos for 3rd Gen 4runners that you can tap into.

With a $8k quote for an engine with new heads, that means they are charging you a minimum of $3500 in labor. Just think of how many tools you can buy with $3500.

Anyway, the information is out there for you to do the work yourself.

 

[jwkiss0]

Dude, you can get a quality rebuilt engine for $4500 from Yota1 Performance. You need to start to learn how to turn wrenches. [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I have built a huge library of videos for 3rd Gen 4runners that you can tap into.

With a $8k quote for an engine with new heads, that means they are charging you a minimum of $3500 in labor. Just think of how many tools you can buy with $3500.

Anyway, the information is out there for you to do the work yourself.

I appreciate the comment. I have gotten lazy. I am a former aircraft mechanic so I am capable. Time has been very limited so I have been paying for repairs. This was end of the line. Like to try to figure out how to diagnose my issue and see if it really needs heads or gaskets. I appreciate the videos. They will be a huge help!

 

[jwkiss0]

178k blown gaskets might have got hot in the past. Everything is extremely expensive now. It's probably depending on your area what the labor rate is.

Sent from my SM-A536V using Tapatalk

My wife was waiting in school line. Said CEL came on and then temp guage spiked. Shut if off immediately. Radiator lost the fluid in overflow tank but no more. I topped back off and when I restarted it ran rough. I don’t see coolant in the oil, but mechanic says it’s likely heads or head gaskets. Trying to figure out if it could be something else. He didn’t check anything, that was his gut feeling.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

I appreciate the comment. I have gotten lazy. I am a former aircraft mechanic so I am capable. Time has been very limited so I have been paying for repairs. This was end of the line. Like to try to figure out how to diagnose my issue and see if it really needs heads or gaskets. I appreciate the videos. They will be a huge help!

I’ll admit the older I get the more I want to pay someone else to do stuff also.


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[brillo_76]

Oh... thanks for the additional feedback. Do a wait and see. Some diagnostic tests should be done before assuming the head gaskets are gone.

Maybe you have a line leak somewhere.

There is a leak down test that should be preformed. Plus compression test.


If you seeing bubbles in your antifreeze you probably have a head gasket leak.

It's diffenately possible a gasket went. Especially the running rough. I just like to verify things before going a head gasket route. Because what caused it? A faulty gasket or a crack in the head?

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[gamefreakgc]

Same situation at 178,000 miles and my quote was $5k min and about $8k with new heads. Either parts have went way up or I’m getting ripped off.

You are getting ripped off. That shop doesn't want to do the work and the only way they'd do it is to make a fortune off you. Even in CA no one pays $5,000-$8,000 for a head gasket job!

Look to get another quote in the $1500-$2000 range. At 178,000 miles I don't think you need a new engine, that one has lots of life left.

 

[jwkiss0]

You are getting ripped off. That shop doesn't want to do the work and the only way they'd do it is to make a fortune off you. Even in CA no one pays $5,000-$8,000 for a head gasket job!

Look to get another quote in the $1500-$2000 range. At 178,000 miles I don't think you need a new engine, that one has lots of life left.

The $5k was to remove heads, pressure test and milled for new gaskets. It also included timing belt, radiator, water pump, spark plugs, and wires. The other $3k was if it needed new heads. They quoted me $1300 each on them.

 

[gamefreakgc]

The $5k was to remove heads, pressure test and milled for new gaskets. It also included timing belt, radiator, water pump, spark plugs, and wires. The other $3k was if it needed new heads. They quoted me $1300 each on them.

I had a set of heads pressure tested and milled by a local shop a few years ago. It's $60 per head.

They are ripping you off and everyone else that walks through their door.

 

[jwkiss0]

Oh... thanks for the additional feedback. Do a wait and see. Some diagnostic tests should be done before assuming the head gaskets are gone.

Maybe you have a line leak somewhere.

There is a leak down test that should be preformed. Plus compression test.


If you seeing bubbles in your antifreeze you probably have a head gasket leak.

It's diffenately possible a gasket went. Especially the running rough. I just like to verify things before going a head gasket route. Because what caused it? A faulty gasket or a crack in the head?

Sent from my SM-A536V using Tapatalk

Do you have a suggestion of where to start?

 

[brillo_76]

Do you have a suggestion of where to start?

You started your own thread on this. Other members have given great thoughts on where to start.