Blown HG, options

How the F do people blow head gaskets in the 100k mile range?

OP, the FSM is in the 3rd gen stickies. Proud of you for doing the work, I'm sure you will have a blast and learn a lot, but make sure to get the heads machined and checked for cracks/etc.

Obviously, the forum here is always a great resource when you get stuck.
 
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OP you could use that head gasket fix in a bottle stuff and see if it works temporarily if you're desperate. If you make it up to Chicago, I'd be happy to lend a hand - we could knock it out in a weekend for sure.
 
well don't be alarmed that's a low ball figure on a HG job for a 3rd gen. ive seen quotes for as much as 3500.

if you have patience and can follow directions to the tee you can do this job yourself. Ive done quite a few 3rd gen and taco head gaskets job without ever doing one. I bought the Hg kit from sealtek and a oem waterpump and timing belt for less than 400 and the cost of resurfacing the heads. Labor is your own time.

I would look for a used engine and drop it in there. down here in texas they run anywhere from 600-1000 and 10hr labor to install.

When you have the heads resurfaced have them pressure test them for any hidden cracks that you cant see.

if you decide to sell it as is PM me and send me some pics and I might take it of your hands.

good luck!!


jpshoe said:
Looking for some advice on here. Took my truck in today to confirm what I feared I had, a blown head gasket. They are working on an estimate right now but looking in the range of 2k as many of you know. I am moving to Chicago and have decided I will sell the vehicle before I move in May. My options are to sell it as is, no clue what it would sell for, or fix it and sell it. It's a 2000 SR5 4x4 with 127k on it, well maintained since I have owned it the past year and have done a lot of work to it. New suspension, new rad, timing belt and water bump, all fluids done, rear axle seals, brakes all around among other stuff. I feel if I fix it and sell it I could probably get 5k for it if I'm lucky (in central FL). Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

P.S. Even though I plan on selling it, don't worry I will eventually buy another 4Runner after I am done with grad school lol.
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Thanks for all the information and offers to help, this is a great community. I actually started tearing it down today. Did all the easy stuff and just got all of my tools together that I'll need. I have a 3 bay garage all to myself so staying organized should be no issue. I'll keep everyone posted with the progress. I haven't ordered any parts yet as I'm cleaning everything as it comes off thoroughly so if you guys can point me in the right direction in the parts department it would be greatly appreciated.
 
camelback toyota for online parts that are well priced. they are a dealer from AZ and their parts almost always are cheaper than my local dealer.

if you need a TB/WP/seals/etc kit, Google 'Aircabinman' on Ebay. A lot of t4r members use his kits for that job.
 
So i'm looking at cost for this job and doing it myself. I have posted some links below of the parts I'm looking at. Not listed but will be replaced is:

Spark plugs and wires
PCV valve and grommet
Oil and coolant (obviously lol)

Parts I plan to buy:

Head Bolt set $28.95 x2 (I believe I need two sets, the description is unclear if it's per head.
5VZ OE Head Bolt Set (1995-2004)

Fel-Pro Head Gasket Set $279.97
Robot Check

TB/WP Kit $289.76
Timing Belt Kit Water Pump Genuine OE Manufacture Parts 3 4 V6 15 Pieces | eBay

I'm sure other stuff will come up along the way. Like I've said I have nothing but time on my hands (well at least 3 months of not being busy at all) to do this. In addition, once I have the heads off I'm going to take them to a machine shop to have them pressure tested and resurfaced as this seems to be a common theme. Should I encounter a worst case scenario, I am looking at these remanufactured heads as they seem to be from a reputable seller and a reasonable price:

Toyota 4 Runner 5VZFE 3 4 V 6 Rebuilt Cylinder Head | eBay

Anything I'm missing at the moment? I am doing a ton of pictures and detailing every step so I will be able to post a collection of my experiences at the end. Not ordering anything just yet as I'm still in the early stages of teardown.

Thanks.
 
If I remember NAPA sells the OEM brand head bolts (altrom?) and if memory serves after shipping they were $10 or $15 cheaper. Every little bit helps.
 
jpshoe said:
The quote was for both sides with t belt water pump all gaskets valve stems and machine shop cost factored in. That was 1300 in parts then 1700 in labor. I'm going to do it myself I decided but will definitely be needing some guidance from the experts on here. Wouldn't have been able to do any of the work I've done without this forum lol.
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Are you due for a timing belt? If not, that's absolute bullshit. I sent you a pm with my phone number. Call me before you get started...it's easy. Also, you don't need do both..just the one side that blew. The shop you're dealing with can't diagnose shit which is why they're wanting to do both banks. I'm an ex-Toyota tech...You can fix this over a weekend for less than $100 in parts...call me and I'll walk you though the diagnosis and the fix.
 
I think if I were in your shoes I'd still do both sides. If you have some sort of heat damage then it's possible if you only fix the one the other will go soon after. It's a little bit more work but good for the peace of mind.

I have the FSM on my computer if you really get stuck and need it. It's in pieces but I can send you the parts you'll need if you want, just PM me.

And yes, you can fix a head gasket for WAY under $1300 in parts. They are just trying to rip you off. Try and use Toyota OEM parts as much as you can though, except for small stuff like the gaskets (head gasket maybe not). Fel-Pro is great though, I've used their parts many times and works perfect every time.

Timing belts should be done every 100-125k. So if you never had it done yet then it's due.
 
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gamefreakgc said:
I think if I were in your shoes I'd still do both sides. If you have some sort of heat damage then it's possible if you only fix the one the other will go soon after. It's a little bit more work but good for the piece of mind.

I have the FSM on my computer if you really get stuck and need it. It's in pieces but I can send you the parts you'll need if you want, just PM me.

And yes, you can fix a head gasket for WAY under $1300 in parts. They are just trying to rip you off. Try and use Toyota OEM parts as much as you can though, except for small stuff like the gaskets (head gasket maybe not). Fel-Pro is great though, I've used their parts many times and works perfect every time.

Timing belts should be done every 100-125k. So if you never had it done yet then it's due.
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Even if it's a bit more expensive... non-OEM head gasket!?

But... I have never heard of Fel-Pro until this post, so I can't judge.
 
Do you have a torque wrench? If not you need one, borrow or buy.

And I agree about doing both sides. For a DIY guy I prefer to do whatever I can while I am in the neighborhood.
 
I would still be cautious of an engine that blew a head gasket with that milage. Before buying any parts I would do a compression check, valve clearance check and then pull off the head that is bad. This will give you a better idea of the overall health of the engine and exactly what caused the problem in the first place. Then you can make a more informed call of how to go about fixing it or just replacing the engine.
 
lbhsbz said:
Are you due for a timing belt? If not, that's absolute bullshit. I sent you a pm with my phone number. Call me before you get started...it's easy. Also, you don't need do both..just the one side that blew. The shop you're dealing with can't diagnose shit which is why they're wanting to do both banks. I'm an ex-Toyota tech...You can fix this over a weekend for less than $100 in parts...call me and I'll walk you though the diagnosis and the fix.
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Wow that's a generous offer. I am due for the timing belt and water pump so I'm definitely doing that. I'm gonna go ahead and do both for peace of mind since it'll already be torn down.

7echo said:
Do you have a torque wrench? If not you need one, borrow or buy.

And I agree about doing both sides. For a DIY guy I prefer to do whatever I can while I am in the neighborhood.
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Agreed. Doing both sides. Also I do have a torque wrench. The house I rent (girlfriends parents rent it for cheap to me) has an empty 3-bay garage with every tool you could ever imagine in it, so I'm covered there.

buccaneerbandit said:
Sent you a pm with my contact info jpshoe. Im in Apopka let me know if I can help.
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Thanks, I appreciate it! Know any good machine shops I can have take a look at the heads in the area?
 
amalik said:
Even if it's a bit more expensive... non-OEM head gasket!?

But... I have never heard of Fel-Pro until this post, so I can't judge.
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Well if you can get an OEM gasket cheaper than aftermarket then definitely buy an OEM one! If this were the 3.0L engine I'd say go aftermarket since those head gaskets blow like there's no tomorrow but it's much less common on the 3.4L, they must have learned from their mistakes.

jpshoe said:
It's funny you mention that, they quoted 609.73 for the HG kit and 489.00 for the TB/WP. I found those exact part numbers for under 600 combined and shipped. Unreal.
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Every shop will mark up parts when they "sell" them to you when placing on your vehicle. It's pretty much an industry standard, 25-50% seems to be the norm. Most shops will not install parts you give them either, since they will make a much lower profit doing it that way (except for fabrication and off-road shops).
 
jpshoe said:
My options are to sell it as is, no clue what it would sell for, or fix it and sell it. It's a 2000 SR5 4x4 with 127k on it, well maintained since I have owned it the past year and have done a lot of work to it. New suspension, new rad, timing belt and water bump, all fluids done, rear axle seals, brakes all around among other stuff. I feel if I fix it and sell it I could probably get 5k for it if I'm lucky (in central FL). Any advice is appreciated.
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The answer is almost always, "fix it." The market for non-working vehicles is smaller and comprised mostly of mechanics.

Here is a good podcast on the topic of repair vs replace. https://radicalpersonalfinance.com/255-how-to-decide-if-you-should-repair-your-car-or-replace-it/
 
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