votum

So I told you guys I'd keep ya updated, here it is =/

Trucks been in the shop about 6 weeks [horrible I know] and its finally fixed. The head was cracked so I got a used head and had it resurfaced. Headgasket got replaced. Truck is running now. The mechanic calls me up and tells me that its ready to pick up, but he found another problem. I ask about it. Turns out I have low compression in #2. I wish he would have found this out before he put the head back on, because now from what everyone here at work is telling me I'll have to undo all the work he did. Is 700 bucks reasonable for a new head + resurfacing and all parts required to do the swap? How long can I go without fixing the piston, and should I just save up and do a full rebuild / put in a v6 / sell the truck???

TOYOTA 1

whats the compression numbers?

votum

I couldn't hear him on the phone that well but he said either 120 or 20. I think its sipposed to be at 190, so im hoping 120 is what he said lol.

TOYOTA 1

well they can all be that low and it still should run ok.

IE. if 3 of the cylinders check out @175 and one @60 then that would more than likely cause a problem. they are all suppose to be within 10-15psi of each other.

if it still runs ok, then i would just drive it. but always know that you have a low cylinder, so try to be easy on it.

and if you like the vehicle, it wouldn't hurt to think about a rebuild/new motor for latter on.

abecedarian

If he said '120' I wouldn't worry much about it but can't say for sure without knowing if he did say 120 and what the other cylinders were at. But they should be within ~10% of each other so if he said 120 and the others were 130-135... should be fine. Does the engine idle smoothly?

Where was the head cracked? on #2? (get where I'm going?)
If that's the case, there's a chance #2's rings were cleared by the HG leak and will get better after the engine runs a while and oil cokes up around the rings again.

votum

Picked her up, was very excited
Engined died at a stop sign ten miles away from the shop. I got pulled off the road and called the mechanic and he came out, looked at it and said everything should be fine. I noticed they lost my dipstick too =/ Started it right up while they were there and ran fine. They had no idea why it died and neither did I, so I drove back to Spokane, made it the whole way. It is idling rough, I've got to keep it revved or she dies. I wasn't able to use 5th gear without losing a lot of power at the beginning of the drive, towards the end I was able to accelerate to about 80 in 5th gear, and I had a 600 pound motorcycle in the back the whole way. The engine seems to be jerking a lot in low gears, a little in 4th, and not at all in 5th. Drove to work this morning and no power in 5th again, so it must need to be warmed up good for that. Have 177 miles on it so far, running OK, but I want to either sell the truck, or do a V6 engine swap, and I am leaning towards the swap, too many good memories in this truck! Anyone have any recommendations on what engine to get, and am I safe just grabbing one from spaldings junkyard or should I save up and get a brand new one?

egesledder

If you already spent 700 bucks on a head job, you could pick up a rebuilt 22r short block for cheap and throw your newly machined head on. Saves quite a bit of money...

pcmentor

Sounds like one cylinder not firing. If it has really low compression the fuel may not fire. I tried a couple ounces of Marvel Myst Oil through the spark plug hole and let it sit a couple days to loosen a possible stuck ring. Just a shot in the dark on mine. Haven't tested it again though.