Head Gasket or Remanufactured Engine

Hello

I have a 94 4x4 Ext Cab V6 3L that has a blown head gasket. Truck is/was great shape very clean did not use any oil or leak oil. It has

220K and buying a new truck out of question. So trying to figure out my best options.

  1. Get head gasket fixed, With a guy I trust is 2200 if heads are not cracked another 250 each if cracked.

  2. Get a re-manufactured engine with a 3/100000 mile warranty for 2300
  • 1800 to have my guy install it plus another 300 for a kit that has all new hoses and water pump ect. so say 4600 total with tax.

  1. Get Jasper re-manufactured engine that my mechanic wants because he says they are build very well and he trust them. But they are 5800 installed with the same kit as above.

Now am planning on keeping the truck but really didn't want to spend that kind of money for new engine. I was wondering what people think if I tell my guy to start the head job since I know this engine has bad gaskets I would be betting that rest of the engine could have 50 to

100k which would last me 2 or 3 years. If he finds a cylinder block issue then I would replace the motor having to eat the labor to get to point of seeing the block. Since I had the truck I had no trouble with it till this It has not over heated since I had it and does not use any oil am tempted to just do head job. Guy before said he no issues and the truck is very clean in and out including engine area.

So big question how big of a gamble am I taking if I just do the head gasket? If doing head job any thing else I should do while there? Timing Belt? Valves?

Thanks for the help David

Reply to
dbeast
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David,

I hate to say it but given the age and likely value of the truck you may be hard pressed to justify keeping it, given the extent of the repairs needed.

Were it mine, I'd likely keep it - but I can replace my own head gaskets. I'd do that, plus the timing belt and related tensioners, and the water pump while I was in there. With that engine, and that mileage, and assuming that the engine was running well when the gasket blew - the gaskets are all I'd do. I'd expect a welding job and redecking if a head was cracked, and to junk the truck if the block were cracked.

I don't know what labor rates are in your part of the world, but those charges seem excessive to me. You may wish to shop around in your local area - not necessarily to find another mechanic but to see if what he's wanting to charge you is in line with going rates, for negotiating purposes.

Reply to
Mike Harris

Yes, 2200 to replace head gaskets seem pretty excessive to me. TIme maybe to look for another mechanic that you do not "trust" as much with your wallet.

----------------- TheSnoMan.com

Reply to
SnoMan

Rock and hard spot. Rates on labor are about the same everywhere in my town of Tehachapi in the mountains of southern California. My issue of junking the truck I wonder what I can to replace it for the money of the repairs. I thought I did good when I bought this for 4500 it looked and ran great. Resale value not an issue but want to spend less as possible. If I pay the expensive fix I would have about 10k in the truck. 10k in California still gets you a high mileage truck so would I be better off fixing it? And if I fix it which option is the best? Do you think if I fix it I would have a good truck not considering the resale value but considering what I could buy with the repair money? The 4500 is gone. I just don't want car payments.

Thanks for the info.

Reply to
dbeast

I'm not a mechanic but I think $2200.00 is really excessive. I have a '92 4x4 with the V6 engine. I do all my own engine repairs and even though I'm only a rank amateur it still looks like only a 10 hour job to me. As to the question of being worth it just add up all your costs and see if you can get a similar truck for the same money. This means that the similar truck would need to have a just rebuilt engine with the same warranty. And the paint and interior would need to be in the same condition. Finally, it sure better not cost even $500.00 to pull the heads and check the block. So if it were me I'd go for the head gasket repair. In fact, your mechanic should be able to tell which head has the blown gasket before he starts any work. So only one head really needs to be removed unless you drove the truck for a long time after it overheated. If the block is bad the garage owner will be able to return all the un-needed parts for full credit. Especially if he is buying a rebuilt engine from the same supplier. ERS P.S. Whoops! I forgot to mention that some Toyotas had head gasket problems and Toyota issued a recall on them. Check with Toyota to see if your truck is one of them.

Reply to
Eric R Snow

I have a 91 4x4 with a 3.0 V-6 and 285,000 miles. It has had the head gaskets changed twice now. I would suggest doing the heads and whatever necessary gaskets in the area. Like the injector seals before they start leaking. The timing belt should be done at least every

90,000, I used to do mine at 60,000 but started doing it at 90,000 since it is a non interference engine and the belt always looks fine at 60,000. Another gasket to change is the oil cooler seal. It is just a few dollars and takes maybe 20 m> Hello
Reply to
sgt_az

Did you check with Toyota to see if the gasket was replaced under Special Service Campaign SSV06? I personally know someone(3rd owner) who had it done Sept. 2006 by Toyota on a 1992 pickup. Worth a shot by calling 1-800-GO-TOYOTA and asking.

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3.0 V-6 HEAD GASKET RECALL

To view official Toyota documents, see bottom of page.....

I've included this brief page to keep the Toyota 3.0 V-6 owners out there aprised of the ongoing Toyota V-6 headgasket recall.

This recall has been ongoing for several years. Many are under the impression that this recall in now over, but in fact that is not the case. Unlike recalls of the past or by other manufactures, this one is ongoing for an indefinate period of time and regardless of mileage of number of owners.

POOR HEADGASKET DESIGN

When Toyota introduced the new 3.0 V-6 motor during the 1988 model year, it was the first V-6 engine installed in a Toyota truck. Toyota has had problems with the V-6 headgaskets since the beginning. They always seemed to fail early in the engine's service life for no good reason. I've heard this is due in part to the materials used in making the gaskets, such as a lack of abestos or the design in the gasket. Whatever the case, it caused a lot of V-6 owners heartache.

In October 1996, Toyota came around and initially all 3.0 V-6 gaskets were recalled and replaced at no charged, as long as the trucks were less than 8 years old and had less than 100,000 miles on them. This initial recall involved all V-6 engines made from 1988 through 1995. However this has subsquently changed. In December 1997, Toyota declared that all trucks made before Jan, 1990 would no longer be covered. Probably because they fell outside of the 8 year limit. But Toyota modified it's policy to continue the recall, indefinately, on trucks manufactured between Jan, 1990 and Oct, 1994. Trucks manufactured before Jan 1990 are not covered, so in general, 1988 and

1989 models are no longer covered, while most if not all, other 3.0 V-6 models are. The 8 year/100,000 mile limt no longer applies to trucks made after Jan. 1990.

WHAT TO DO

Toyota has committed itself to repairing each and every V-6 that has the original headgasket and falls under the limited model year production. Toyota has even taken the extra step of repairing or replacing entire engine blocks where damage has occured due to the faulty headgaskets. Dealers have been instructed to inspect the engine blocks for scoring or other damage. Typically, damage is found around the #1 and #6 cylinder walls. When damage is found, Toyota will either replace the entire engine short block with a brand new unit or bore out the cylinders and rebuilt the short block. All at no cost to the owner.

It is important to note that while Toyota will replace the headgasket for free and fix any damage that has occured regardless of engine age or mileage or number owners the truck has gone through, Toyota will only fix it once. Toyota considers the problem to be a faulty gasket design. Once the gasket is replaced by Toyota, the problem is considered solved. Any issues arising after the gasket replacement and inspection are considered the fault and responsibility of the truck owner.

To determine whether your truck was fixed prior under the recall, one only needs to call any local Toyota dealership and provide them with the truck VIN #. The recall is called the "VO6 Special service campaign". Some dealers have been known to either not know what's going on or to not want to participate in this program for whatever reason. If you run into any problems, simply hang up and try another dealership. If the truck's gaskets have not been replaced according to the dealership checking the VIN, then you should immediately schedule an appointment to have them replaced. Not only could you be saving your engine, but there is no telling when Toyota might decide to end the recall once and forall.

For Official Toyota document # 1

For Official Toyota document # 2

For Official Toyota document # 3

Special Thanks to PETE CASTRO for the above documents

Hopefully this information will help someone out.

To return to my main Toyota 4X4 page click HERE

Reply to
anon

I can't address the economic issues for you, of course. Do you like the truck? Is it otherwise in good condition? Would you rather stick with the "Devil that you know" instead of buying a replacement high mileage truck and it set of unknown problems?

You've seen some information in this thread on recall campaigns for the Toyota V6 engines. Assuming that your truck is not covered by a recall, it might be worthwhile to spend a couple of hundred dollars to flatbed the truck to Bakersfield or Lancaster/Palmdale if you can save more than that on the repair.

Oh, and of course when you were calling around to other shops in town, you

*were* asking "How much to replace a head gasket / install a remanufactured engine" and not "what is your hourly labor rate?"
Reply to
Mike Harris

This should have been covered by a manufacturer's recall. You may want to check with Toyota. I bought a used 93 Runner in 99 and got a notice in the mail about six months later to bring it to the local dealer.

Reply to
Bubba
21 Toyota headgasket & oil sludge recall sites:

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Sidney=AE =99 Repairs tv's,vcr's,home/car audio out of my home E-mail: snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com Dartmouth,Nova Scotia Canada

1985 Toyota 4-Runner,solid front straight axle,factory cruise control,sunroof,22R-E,W56,RN60LV-MSEK,with 252 000 KM

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Reply to
sidneybek

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