Cracked Head Thread

R

resurectedvikin

New member
:dammit:



I just want to get a thread going that is in regards to cracked heads.

Basic info will be like this: just copy and paste the template below

Year:________
Model:________
Milage/KMs(specify):____________
Driver Side/ Passenger side (specify):_______________
Which Cyl:_______________



I'll start with mine

Year:2000
Model:4runner limtied
Milage/KMs(specify):324000 kms
Driver Side/ Passenger side (specify):driver side
Which Cyl:middle cylinder




YIKES PRICEY!

Stupid yamaha engineering..
 
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Year: 1997
Model: 4runner SR5 3.4L
Milage/KMs(specify): 205K mi.
Driver Side/ Passenger side (specify): Both!
Which Cyl: I don't remember now.
 
Year: 2000
Model: 4Runner Limited
Milage/KMs(specify): 154,508 mi.
Driver Side/ Passenger side (specify): Both
Which Cyl: Don't know, luckily it was the PO's headache lol
 
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I believe it is more common than most people think and it is due to normal wear and tear.


How many people on this forum are really above 200,000 miles? Not that many.

I suffered a head failure at 199,800 miles and I would expect it on another 4Runner to happen between 180 - 225k.

Year:1997
Model: V6 Limited
Milage/KMs(specify): 199,800 miles
Where: CYL #3

Both sides were pretty fried. The Toyota mechanic didn't want to save them for refurbishing or anything like that because they were so gone. He threw them in the trash (I know because I made him pull them out of the trash so I could look at them)

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/88502-head-gasket-fail-199-840-now-what.html


Owner maintenance: meticulous maintenance for over 10 years. I bought the truck in 2002 and have taken care of it ever since. This failure was from normal wear and tear. Brian2Sun also took care of his truck so don't assume that it is an issue with the owners.

Once more - THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY FORUM MEMBERS with over 200,000 miles. Most of you are between 125,000 and 175,000.


Does anyone here work at Toyota dealership or shop? Please weigh in. I find it hard to believe this is really that rare at 200k.


Results:

$2,700 + taxes in parts and labor. The Truck Shop in San Diego installed (2) new aftermarket heads by JE; $800 each. I don't know very much about the parts but I trust the shop.

Back up and running again with 0 issues.

:biggrin2:
 
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Year:2000
Model:4runner limtied
Milage/KMs(specify):324000 kms
Driver Side/ Passenger side (specify):driver side
Which Cyl:middle cylinder
Click to expand...


Translated: 200,880 miles (not surprising :dammit:)
 
I think this thread is fantastic. This is great info to compile-this and the similar thread on the freqency of the milkshake are my favorite threads based purely on the potential they have to improve one's ability to make informed decisions.
(by the way 270k miles and no cracked head yet, fingers crossed; "come on million mile motor")
 
Curious. You guys that have experienced the cracked heads, did the engine overheat at all? Or was it exposed to extreme temps either way? Just wondering if it's a temperature thing or more of a casting defect in the heads themselves.

And if it is a casting defect, you guys that had two cracked heads, what are the odds that the defect showed itself in both heads at the same time?
 
For me:

1) only one head was cracked but I did both because I had the $ and am in it for the long haul with this truck.

2) the second head was just on its way out, trust me it looked like a 15 yr old engine part.

3) my truck never overheated, I took it in as soon as it started missing on CYL-3.


The cracks were due to normal wear and tear.

I would not call it a defect. A crack at 100k mi might be a defect but 200k, that is just wear and tear. The metal gets worn down. I dont know of any car ever made where > 200k mi a head failure is considered a defect.

My 4Runner ran perfect for 14 yrs before any engine failures occured. I consider it a great engine and just dont expect these thing to be rock solid past 200k.

I also think a lot of newb 4Runner owners have unrealistic expectations of reaching 300k miles. Yes it does happen but 200k miles is pretty damned good.

Sorry for being a downer but a 10+ yr old truck with over a 150k is a poor choice for a daily driver. What they are good for is camping and wheeling vehicles.

:bat:
 
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I agree with everything you say Brian, I just hope you wrong. I still hope that situations like yours are the exception and not the rule. (I daily drive my old girl and I'm a college kid living in a dorm, pretty far from "home", limited to the tools I own and can keep in the 4runner)

Anyway, I think im going to far off topic. I don't think this is all of the community that has experienced a cracked head, so lets keep them coming and try to get to the bottom of this phenomenon and its rate of occurrence.
 
Hopefully I just have bad luck and you will be fine.

Does anyone know how common it is on Tacomas? Same exact V6 engine.

The only reason I made my points is to warn new buyers about the dangers. I hate to hear about a guy with a family, low cash that buys a very high mileage 3rd gen thinking he will have no maintenance costs for several years.
 
i was under the impression that the 5vz did not have a head issue?

im at 219k miles, and feels like the day i got it. runs great, idles great, i stomp it - it goes. nothing done but changing oil, air filter, sparks, keeping on top of the fluids. my only complaint is the longevity of the sychros in my 5speed. other than that, mileage aint no thing if you are nice to your engine. its really all about how they are treated and maintained and the consistency of products used to maintain. IMO.
 
Never really heard of the metal getting worn down on a non moving part. I see what you're saying about going that distance before it being an issue but I still think it is some kind of defect that would cause it to crack. That's like saying your hood cracked because it was getting hot and cold for 200,000 miles. If the valve went bad or a rocker arm or something, okay. But the head itself, I don't see it.

Not trying to argue with you at all but do you see what I'm saying?
 
PitbullRescuer said:
Never really heard of the metal getting worn down on a non moving part. I see what you're saying about going that distance before it being an issue but I still think it is some kind of defect that would cause it to crack. That's like saying your hood cracked because it was getting hot and cold for 200,000 miles. If the valve went bad or a rocker arm or something, okay. But the head itself, I don't see it.

Not trying to argue with you at all but do you see what I'm saying?
Click to expand...


I am not an automotive engineer but there are a few on this forum so I will let one of them answer your question.

I believe a vehicle that suffers a cracked head at 200,000 miles is not defective, sorry that is just wear and tear from 14+ years of usage.

* My truck ran perfectly until it started missing out of the blue, rumble at low rpms, loss of power, CEL ect. I was nearby so I took it to the truck shop. It never got hot , which is why I was willing to dump cash into fixing it.

Although I have only been on T4R for 13 months, I have owned my 4Runner since 2002 @ 67k miles. It made it to 199k without a engine failure. I would call that pretty damn good, not defective.

* I expect plenty of people will think that me and others like Brian2Sun just didn't take care of the vehicle but it isn't the case. I have no idea how rare a cracked head is but I know it can happen on a perfectly maintened engine with NO warning.

If you have more than 175,000 miles on your 3rd gen, it would probably be smart to consider saving up for a DD and keeping the 4Runner for camping, wheeling, weekends around town ect. Anything but commuting 15k+ miles a year.

Brian
 
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Honestly, this is much ado about nothing.

Vehicles at 150, 200k break. Things break. There are so many variables that come into play, you can't attribute ONE thing to a vehicle that age. Someone not taking care of an engine the first 50k miles may not make itself apparent until 200k.


Anyone that purchases a used vehicle with that extreme amount of miles has got to be aware of the inherent danger. Rather than trying to stir up some issue, that I don't think is even there, I think it is important to educate people about making responsible decisions.

Purchasing a used car with that many miles is usually cheap... it is cheap for a reason. Simple economics. While NO used car without a warranty can guarantee a product that will last, everyone understands that the more miles you have increase the risk. The price of a car represents the risk.

I don't really see an issue at 200k being cause for alarm.
Even if it were wide spread. If you were to take all cars and look at WHEN in that cars life, you begin to see huge problems, my guess is 200k represents when a lot of stuff starts to go.
 
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