taprackandroll

Alright guys I have been looking through the head gasket (replacing ) threads and I am not too sure if this is something I have time/skill to handle. I have a 88 p/u single cab with 145xxx miles. At the end of last summer I realized I may have a HG going out just made sure I keep the engine cool with water and continuely checked the oil for water with no signs of it. I parked the truck for the winter because I didn't want to continue to feed coolant in. I started the truck about once every two weeks or so. The truck ran great.

Fast forward to yesterday. I had to take some things to the dump about three miles down the road ran the junk down there and stopped and picked wipers on the way home. As i was ruturning home I noticed the truck was idling like crap(run great before the winter) and died as I pulled into my driveway and would not restart. I went about my business to let it cool off( It was hot but not super hot). Once it cooled it fired right up no issue, turned it off and did somethings around the house.

I had to make one more run less than a mile down the road. I decided to check the oil before i went due to the issues earlier. To my dismay i had a milkshake. FUuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu. Drained the oil immediatly. It contained around 7-8 qts of fluid. I let it drain for over and hour. I replaced the oil (not the filter). Started it and back to running smooth as butter after about 5 seconds.

I know cool story Bro.

I am in a quandary with this while I like this truck(extra vehicle but only truck) I don't know if i want sink this amount of time (assuming i can do it myself and that is a large assumption) or money if I send it somewhere. I am also concerned that it may be the head not just the GK.

So I am humbly seeking adice on this considering I was debating on selling the truck anyways.

Teuf

Looks like you do not have not many choices. If you are methodical it will not take all that long. Just plan ahead.
OH and welcome.

justin_4runner

i am asuming u are talking about a 22re motor? if it was me i would see if u can find someone that knows those motor that lives close and have them come and help rebuild the top end, pull the head and have a shop do the valves and pressure check it. then put it back together and do the chain and oil/water pump and u got a truck that will run nice for many years. or u could go to junk yard and pick up a motor and drop that one in and in a yr or so end up with the same problem. or not have a problem. its all up to how much u want to spend on the truck.

taprackandroll

Sorry, forgot to mention it is a 22R not RE.

bone collector

buy a head gasket kit from engnbldr.com and a manual. take your time and mark everything. good luck and take lots of pictures during each step. refer to the pictures if you get confused where something goes. good luck

scope103

There's no shame in recognizing your own limitations (time, skill, otherwise).

The fact is, rebuilding any engine is not cheap. Even if you carefully price it all out in advance, you're going to find something unexpected that's broken/breaks, and you'll need to deal with that. And what do you have at the end of all this? A 25-year old truck, with an engine rebuilt by an amateur (you).

Personally, I say if you love your truck and would otherwise PAY someone to save it, by all means put in the time to do it yourself. But if it's just your second vehicle that you drive a few hundred miles a year, don't be afraid to just let it go. Use your money to buy another one; it won't be perfect, but it will at least run.

Good luck either way.

bone collector

^^^^ good posting

Teuf

I was forced to do mine a few years back. I had broken a spark plug in the cyl head, #4.
Good thing though as I had a cracked cyl head. Blessing in disguise. I was very intimidated, but I got through it with no prob. give it a go.

crashnburn80

Could it have been your timing chain wore through the water jacket, causing coolant to pour into the crankcase? And not the headgasket?

If you are mechanically inclined doing a head gasket job isn't too difficult on the 22re if you have a manual and some time and patience. I'd suggest buying a new preloaded head. This way you do not need to resurface and rebuild your existing one and it makes easier as you can immediately remove the old and install the new, vs tearing down the old one after it is removed, take it to a shop to resurface and then rebuild the old one before moving on to reassembly of the engine.