Help Me Save My Truck!

[tokyohiker]

These are the words you never want to imagine on a diagnostic report:
*Recommend new engine*

Details:
1994 3VZ-E 4Runner; purchased Nov, 2004 for $3,900.
150,000 miles; "idled rough" when I bought it.
Changed drive belts, cap, rotor, wires, plugs immediately.
Compression check results: 140, 140, 140, 140, 140... *10*psi.
Poured oil into #6 hole and rechecked; no change. 10 psi.
Yanked the injector for #6, and changed the oil for my new V5 engine.
Took it to BrakeMax in Tucson to check valves.
They took my $70 and told me air was coming out of both valves...
AND air was leaking from #4 into #6...
AND there was oil in the radiator.

Any suggestions? Anyone know any trustworthy mechanics in Tucson?

 

[mikes4runner]

Was the head gaskets ever replaced under the recall on your truck?

 

[Cliff s]

The only way you are going to know what is wrong is to pull the head.
It could be a head gasket, or even more.
Even if the head is damaged it can be repaired.

Cliff s

 

[tokyohiker]

Re: Save My Truck!

Hello Mike and Cliff,

The girl who owned the truck before told me she had the head gasket recall done at 60,000, along with the timing belt.

The only other clue I have about the history is that she said she'd had it *towed* to Toyota before and that the problem that time was stripped spark plug threading in one cylinder. When I changed the plugs, I noticed that the #6 plug was different from all the others, so someone had apparently replaced just that one plug at one time.

I'm hoping to find someone in the Tucson area who might have some ideas about an honest mechanic who does 4Runners *well*, and/or suggestions for renting space somewhere to work so that I can go ahead and try to pull the head myself, and do what's necessary.

 

[tokyohiker]

Save My Truck: *Update*

Toyota confirmed that the HG recall was done in '99.

I found a mechanic, and I'm having him tear the heads down to inspect the block, replace the gaskets, and repair the valves.

Should I use Toyota gaskets for this? What else should I be concerned with? Valve seals?

 

[mikes4runner]

Yes I would use Toyota head gaskets they used a different gasket to fix the problem, I have heard that a few had head trouble again after the gaskets were replaced once.Having him check for cracks, warped etc. He should be able to tell.

I have yet to have any problems with mine since replaced about 70K on new ones.

 

[proj-r]

1993 sr5 v6 4wd blew it's gasket

Ugh,
My 1993 4runner v6 just blew !
I have been dumping money into this beast and now this !!! How much should I expect to pay for replacing the head gasket ?
How much other work generally needs to be done when the head gasket goes ?
The truck had been drinking up all of the fluid in the radiator every 2 weeks for about 2 months.
We thought it was radiator related at first.
Once that is fixed how much longer will it live without injectors or transmission or something else going ?

 

[YOTALOVE]

recall?

I'm new to the forum, but pretty familiar with my 4runner. I currently have my engine stripped down to the cams. My head gasket is garbage. I bought the whole top end gasket kit. But got a little intimidated when i saw that my cams needed to be removed. I've got the hayes manual, but would love some extra encouragement or direction. Email or post, thanks in advance.

Mike

 

[plb2862]

'94 4Runner 2WD - I recently had lifter noise @ 108K miles and had to replace seals. Recall was done by previous owner and Toyota seals were put in back in '99 but they didn't last. Sounds like Toyota parts in this area may be sub standard. I hope the newest steering rod recall doesn't go the same way.