How much should a cylinder head gasket cost on a 97?

[roger beck]

How much should a cylinder head gasket replacement cost on a 98?

I know they are expensive, just wondered if I had any choices. He says they have to take it off and measure it and possible re-machine the head. thx. roger

 

[CedRunner]

I'm not a pro but from what I read over the last few month, I may have to do HG soon, $50 for cheap felpros or around $200 for the good set (engine overhaul kit not just the head). But, as I said I am not the most knowledgeable person on the forum.

 

[roger beck]

sorry, I mean to replace it

 

[fourwd1]

It depends, could be $600 or so if they just need to replace the gasket, to $1K+ if they have to send the head out for work.

Shop labor rates are around $100/hr, plus parts, etc. It all adds up quick.

 

[FancyPantsMcGee]

I had both heads off my 5vz from cracked heads. If you are looking at surfacing the heads and a valve job, I would expect to pay $200 plus or minus $50. for both. (I went to cleggs in orem utah)
MLS head gaskets cost about the same for the pair. just gaskets.
New head bolts should be about $35.
(not including labor)

I think a little more information would be helpful in answering your questions. Why does your mechanic want to take your head/s off?
What engine do you have? What happened to it?

 

[roger beck]

Thanks, sounds like you guys live where everything is cheap! ;+)

The guy does charge $100 and wants $2200, including resurfacing I believe. I am assuming that most of the time the heads do in fact need resurfacing, since he didnt give me a lower number that was without surfacing. He said he would send it out and i am sure there is a couple hundred markup on that.

A dealer said $1500 minimum + another $500 if they need resurfacing. And that is if there aren't any other problems like cracked heads or whatever else could be a problem. All the other shops I called in Chicago to compare rates, 3 or 4, didn't even offer this service.

This truck has been relatively trouble free for the 75k I have owned it, a couple of injectors in the past year, some suspension work a couple of years ago otherwise nothing major.

 

[Buckaroo]

Consumer Reports has a feature that provides estimates for repair work by vehicle type and location. This is the estimate range for a '97 4Runner w/ 3.4L in Chicago area.......

Head Gasket Replacement
To prevent an expensive, recurring problem, the integrity of the entire cooling system should be inspected and tested when a head gasket is replaced.,During this repair, the cylinder head(s) will need to be inspected and machined. Additional repairs may be needed after the inspection, which can add several hundred dollars to the repair and are not included in the RepairPal estimate.,Cylinder head gasket replacement often occurs when the engine has high mileage; several additional parts may be needed during the repair. These may include cooling system components (hoses, water pump, radiator, thermostat, etc.) vacuum lines,timing belt, ignition wires, and more. These will be in addition to the RepairPal estimate above.

Common Symptoms
Head gasket failures are often due to an overheated engine, but can also be caused by high mileage and/or age.,An early sign of a failing head gasket will be a rough running engine when you first start the vehicle, especially if it's been sitting overnight. The rough running will generally last for only a few seconds.,A leaking headgasket will often leak engine coolant into the oil, causing a "chocolate milk" like appearance and the oil level my be higher than normal.,Failed head gaskets can produce a white, sweet-smelling smoke from the tail pipe.


Total cost:
$1331 - $2059
Labor: $901 - $1150
Parts: $430 - $909
Engine Oil
Oil Drain Plug Gasket
Oil Filter
Coolant
Head Gasket Set
Gasket Sealer

Good Luck

 

[Buckaroo]

fyi - that was an estimate for a '98....not a '97....

 

[roger beck]

thanks buckaroo, that sounds right, with the markup on top of that. It was overheating and that must be what caused it, but I didn't notice until it was too late.

 

[brian2sun]

Since it overheated, you'll probably need to resurface the heads and possibly the block too. Of course, still check it first to see if it's within spec, but overheating usually = warping. Hopefully they aren't cracked, but it's not uncommon at high mileage. I had both heads crack around 200k and mine never even overheated (at least in the 130k since I've owned mine).

 

[Big D's 4Runner]

2 grand would be a good rough estimate if that includes the timing belt and water pump since the belt has to come off anyways.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

No point in doing the job without resurfacing them. In fact, it makes sense to have the heads rebuilt. Get them cleaned, valve job and valve adjustment while its apart.

However, depending on how many miles are on your truck, it might be cheaper and make more sense to just throw a used motor in it. See my '00 SR5 build thread for more details.