Gurus:
I took my great car, with 108,000 one-owner miles, in for an oil change and have been told it has a head gasket leak. Before I spend the $920 the dealer wants to replace it, I am turning here for advice.
A few things about the car.
- I did see a thimble full of red coolant on the garge floor, under the engine last fall. That was the only time I thought there might be a leak somewhere. The back of the engine, below the coolant bypass hose, shows corrosion.
- The technician told me the coolant bypass tank was empty when I brought it in. He tried to show me the leak, but I could see no fluid. Apparently, this is a very slow leak, though he started out telling me it was a big leak.
- He also pointed out that the coolant bypass hose was bulged and suggested that it too should be replaced. 0. ..... Also suggested was a transmission flush. 0.
- I last had the car in for an inspection about 3,000 miles (5 months) ago.
- The oil is clear. Not milky. The car does not burn oil and has plenty of zip.
The technician told me he's worked on Toyotas for 20 years and has never seen a leaky Corolla head gasket before.
I would like to (but don't have to) keep the car a couple more years. I would not sell it to someone without either having it fixed, or telling them about the problem. What would you advise that I do at this point?
It's a good car and I want to take good care of it, but I don't want to throw money at it without knowing that is the best thing to do. Thanks for your thoughts.