cascadia

Hey,

This is my first post but I've following this yotatech forum off and on for a year or so now.

I bought a 1995 T100 3vze a few years ago and recently (within the last 3 months) replaced the fuel pump, tires, and clutch.

I've put a lot of money into repairs and just found out the head gasket is going/gone. I am not able to do the work myself and received a quote at a shop that is nearly $2000 for the replacement of the head gasket and resurfacing, nothing else. This is also a best case scenario quote.

I guess what I am looking for is advice. I know of more work that is going to come down the line with the truck, cv boots, exhaust replacement, radiator replacement. Looking for educated/experienced opinions from toyota truck owners. I love this truck, but $%^& its a money pit.

If folks don't mind sharing their experiences and expenses in regards to rebuilds like the one I'm considering doing on mine, I'd be much obliged. What has been peoples worst case scenarios in this situation?

Charchee

Your worst case scenario is going to be a warped head and a pitted block caused by the head gasket failure. In this case you will need to have both the head and the block surfaced and then go back with the best head gasket set you can buy. You will be looking at a whole bunch of money. I have a 3vz-e that I was thinking about rebuilding before failure but decided not to because of the cost associated with the issues that may be there that you can't see without the heads separated from the block. I know how it is to love one of these trucks but you may be better off selling the truck while it's running and finding you another one like it to dump money in to. Another good option would be to find you a good used engine to drop in which could be done for less than the cost of the HG replacement or maybe even upgrade to the 3.4L if you could find one for a good price. I know you can buy a dressed reman long block for $2500 and I think you can get a complete reman engine for around $3000. Long story short, your worst case scenario is going to be more expensive to do the head gasket repair than it would cost to have a reman engine installed.

Oh yea, I'm forgetting to ask the most important question. How do you know your head gasket is failing? The very first thing you need to do is to verify that you have an issue that requires such desperate measures. What tests have been done to confirm that you have a bad HG? What are your symptoms? I bought my truck for $300 because it had a blown head gasket. I did my own tests and found that it did not and after a little work and a couple hundred $ in parts I had a perfectly good ride.

Anyway, best of luck and share a few more details. Maybe we can help. I've been where you're at before and it isn't fun but we'll try and help however we can.

Charchee

One more thought. There are reman heads out there that can be had for about $500 a piece that are already rebuilt, surfaced and ready to be installed. A pair of them and a good head gasket set should run you less than $1500 and surely you could get someone to install them for $500. That's just something to think about before you spend $2000 on just a HG replacement. I'd call that a better best case scenario.

Israel Church

What kinds of tests should I run on my 94 T100 that is white smoking out the tailpipe? also it's losing compression. Could that still all be valves causing this? Furthermore, it was experiencing quite a bit of valve clatter under load. It's parked for the moment.

coopster

White smoke out the tail gasket is not valves. Typically that's water vapor (your coolant has found a passage into the combustion chamber. Head gasket probably.) So if you're getting coolant into the combustion chamber, you likely also get pressure into the coolant jacket. Look for hydrocarbons in the coolant. Gray goo on the oil filler cap.

You have bad compression in at least one cylinder? Did you do a compression test? Excuse my ignorance, but what engine family is in your T100?

Israel Church

The motor in this t100 is a 3vze. I haven't done compression tests on it yet because I was pretty sure it was the gaskets. The mechanics I spoke to at the Toyota dealership here told me it could be just as expensive to buy a donor sr5 tacoma that was wrecked and transplant a 3.4 from that engine family into the vehicle as it would be to fix the 3.slow in it now. Thoughts?

coopster

Sorry, guess no one else has seen your thread. I've been on a Utah NP loop this last week, so haven't been in touch with the "artificial world', haha.

Well, on the swap vs cost, yeah, very possibly. But that depends on what exactly is wrong, and what you can find to replace with. And the biggest thing is How much can/are you willing to do yourself? There are lots of threads here and other places, and a few in this process right now. OTH having someone else do a swap for you will also be expensive. But there are a few dudes on this forum that specalize in that. They started a few years back doing what you're fixin to. (Little texas lingo there). And now that's a business. Cant recall any handles right now, but seems like some of them are here in CO area and one dude in N Ca, and one in OR or WA.

I had/have a 3vz that I loaned out, came back broke. So bought a salvage vehicle to swap the motor. Well, that was pretty trashed, so decided to rebuild. 5 yrs later, and I finally got my ducks arranged so I"m about to reassemble the top end. I'm probably 1500 in now. And can't find my dang water pump. Lost lot of stuff it seems. bummer. Is a timing belt that's been in the box 5 yrs still good? Haha. Qien sabe. But I'm also putting the manual tranny in that was on the 'wrecked' 'parts car.