SMOD

Put so much money and time into this 4runner. Still no dual transfer cases. Never could go thru all of fordyce. Just sunk 38in super swampers. Arb front, longfields, had to pay shop 1400 to fix brand new arb that had problems. Spend 6 months. Was tip top. Have rebuilt the top end with new heads 10k miles ago. Project for 7 years. Sunk more than 20k into it. Worked on it more than I have driven it. The radiator literally exploded yesterday while driving it. Put in a new radiator and you guessed it. The head gaskets are blown and heard a clatter when radiator blew. I don't think I can do this anymore guys. I love going places not everyone can go and seeing amazing views. Sometimes I don't like the scary feeling I might flip or fly off a cliff to my death but that's the adrenaline rush of wheelin. I sure as heck can't get much money from it the way it sits. I am so over doing work on it myself. I'm not a professional. And can't spend 2k or more to replace head gaskets/heads at my mechanic. I just need to share this because I literally have heart ache right now. Not good guys.

millball

Wow, you and Joelsmithdesigns ought to get together for a good drunk. I guess you guys were born under a bad star.

I can't imagine spending 20 grand on one of these machines. I could build 3 very capable trucks for that kind of money.

In any case, very sorry for your loss. You can make it right again

You may not be a professional, but if you are diligent and use the best practices, your work can equal, or better a professional mechanics every time.

They always need to get over the top of your work, to do someone elses. Better luck to you in the future.

SMOD

I tried putting in head gasket sealer and it seemed like it was working. Temp and idle went normal but then went down hill from there. It overheated a few times. I know for sure the head gasket is blown but how likely would it be that the heads may have cracked? Like I said I only have put probably 10k miles on them. They were remanned heads. I know I'll only know for sure when I take them off but maybe I'm thinking because they are so new they may not have cracked. I'm considering replacing the head gaskets again. The gasket seat is cheap so it would just be my time basically.

Charchee

I've been staring at this blank white box for half an hour and I just don't know what to say.

Wow! $20,000.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

It happens I easily have that in my 92 4Runner .

You don`t have any friends that can help even if it is only handing you tools .

We all it seems every once in a while have something like this happen just in different ways

I had Hurricane Sandy drop three big Trees On my Ford F250 and a Toyota Truck I went to Michigan to get

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

Wheelin is an expensive hobby, but sounds like it is just the normal wear and tear that is getting the most difficult. Your head gasket blowing is something that is just part of the age on these trucks or any older vehicle. It does get frustrating when one breaks down after so much work but to get one of these in great shape, you have to go thru every system.

osv

i'm not at $20k yet, but i'm well over $12k, and the smog check is overdue... i've been thru a head swap that didn't take(new head), and i'm on my second 22re, after the first replacement engine overheated due to some yahoo blowing a trailer tire on the freeway, which put a big chunk of aluminum off of his wheel into my radiator.

i've ripped the sidewalls on two new 37" mtr wranglers, but by some fluke the road hazard warranties saved me, i had to pay less than $100 each... no more warranty, tho, the next rip will cost me over $450 to replace a tire.

i've got cancer under the windshield trim, and in several body places on the body... the hi/lo headlight switch looks like it needs to be replaced, the interior is trash, and the paint is of course gone, lol

throwing $$$ at rock crawling gear is money that could have been spent on small tires and stock parts... did i really need that heavy tg axle housing, and a new set of longs? or the 140amp alternator conversion? where does it end?

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

i feel your pain, i quit counting $$ while working on my 81 Trekker about 2 years into the 10 years I had it.
I am into my 94 for about $4k over about a year and a half. when the 3.0 has issues it will probably get a 3.4

SMOD

Can the head gasket blowing cause heads to warp also? My heater stopped working when I tried putting the sealer in and my temp gauge has stopped working.

millball

Putting the sealer in was a BIG mistake.

The troubles that might be fixed by such goo are few and far between, Mostly it causes more problems than it can cure.

The heads and block will have to be hot tanked to clean them out. The heads can be checked at that time.

Other passages like the bridge that hold the line of temp sensors is likely fouled. Heater core may be ruined.

Charchee

That sealer will try and seal any passage where the flow is not strong enough to push it on through. If your radiator has some restriction in it, it will seal it on up for you, If you aren't blasting your heater non stop, the heater core is a likely place for it to come to rest. I wish they would stop selling that stuff. If there was a pill out there that made your eyes bright and shinny but gave you rectal cancer, the FDA would pull it and shut the company that made it down overnight.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

Sealer is just a temporary fix. I have yet to see it work for the long haul and usually just makes a mess of things.I feel they should stop selling it as well.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Yes it is a short term fix but if it gets the vehicle through the year till the off season I am all for it .

I am just as Guilty as the OP 400 miles from home Head gasket repair on the road by a unknown shop or a Towing bill that would have been pretty close to the same price .

Less then $100.00 later drove vehicle home and for another 10,000 miles before I parked it for the Tacoma .

There are so many sealers that are a complete waste of money I do agree

But then we don`t use the cheap stuff @ $ 60.00 for a quart (This is the only brand I use if needed) and the heater core and radiator are out of the system while flushing and curing

Directions are followed to the letter This was at the Local School district Bus garage and from what I hear quite common with other school districts

GePa

Sadly it can happen, may the new heads where not put properly... It can be fix. But never again use gasket sealer, they do clog radiator and heater cores, they are POISON for the engine.

space-junk

iTrader: (1)

i used stopleak when i was almost a thousand miles from home. Engine ran like poo, but got me home overheating the WHOLE way. Never decked the heads, never decked the block. just pulled and replaced the rad, backflushed the cooling system after replacing the HG. Backflushed the heater core and associated components. slapped it back together and it was still running strong when i sold it 25k-ish miles later.

FWIW, idk where in CA you are, but if youre local, i we can prolly get together a work crew to come help work on your junk. theres a few local (to sacramento) guys who love helping. also, i know how you feel. i have more money than i care to admit wrapped up in my runner project and still nowhere close to being done. in fact, still stalled becauce i installed the damn flex plate backwards! i havent touched the truck for pert near 3 weeks now. but, DONT GIVE UP HOPE!!! Or, give up hope, sell the truck, go buy a jeep, realize you made a mistake, and regret your decisions forever.

gsp4life

I admit I've also got tons of $$$ sunk into my stock-ish 85 and used to just sit around telling sad stories. These days, I do my own diagnostic and repair work and never looked back. A mechanic working against the book will never be able to equal your work if you take as much time as you need to do the job right.

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wallytoo

iTrader: (1)

the cost of owning and driving old vehicles is relative. there is usually down-time while repairs are made, but the cost of the repairs and maintenance over the course of a year is often much lower than the yearly cost of the payments every month for a newer vehicle, nevermind the cost of insuring and registering the newer vehicle. my '87 runner is no different.

nothing wrong with jeeps, they require the same maintenance as toyotas. in terms of CJs, most of the motors in them were very good, with well-earned reputations for longevity. the 232/258 is exceptional. 7 main bearings, low-end torque. the 258 in my cj is original, 42 years old, never rebuilt, and has over 150K miles on it, much of that off-road, so it has hours the equivalent of a motor with 250K miles on it of highway use. mileage isn't horrible, either. considering that my lifted cj is as aerodynamic as a brick, i do pretty well to get 15mpg. i hear plenty of complaints from 3.0/3.4 toyota owners about mileage worse than that, even though their engine is more modern by two decades (the 258/232 design dates to the early 60s).

SMOD

So the shop said the cams carved grooves in the heads and metal shavings probably messed up the bottom end of the engine. They said they would replace the whole engine for 6000 dollars. I don't know what to do because I can only afford 2000 dollars. They said they could put heads on it but probably not warranty it for the year they usually do it for

gsp4life

$6000 for an engine? Ouch!

The shop I spoke with quoted me $4000 for a Jasper long block and install with 2 year warranty and even that figure left me running home learning how to rebuild.

I added everything up and with the machining ($1200), parts ($800), supplies and tools ($900, had to buy a crane and stand among other stuff) the rebuild was right around $2900. I only had 3 days a week to work on it so it took 2 months to complete. If I had to do it over, I could rebuild it again for $1500 within a month cause I'd use a different machine shop, I feel I got ripped off. There are much cheaper parts out there but I went as close to OEM quality as I could afford. And there's no warranty but I can fix whatever happens.

With $20k in it, seems like you're not wanting to sell, so I suggest you consider sourcing some help from a member here or rebuild it yourself.

Charchee

If I'm not mistaken, there are folks out there who will do a 3.4 swap for quite a bit less than that. May be an option. GSP, that $1200 machining bill was way high. Looking back at my notes on a potential rebuild of my 3.0, I'm counting up about 1500 in parts which includes reman heads. Figure on another 20 hours of labor if you aren't going to do it and that should leave you at around $2800 for the job. You really need to find you a real Toyota rebuilder in your area if you want to get quality work for a fair price. A dealer is probably not going to be your best option either. Most of their techs have never actually rebuilt a 3.0 since Toyota stopped making them when they were 10 years old. I bet there are several good shops in your area.