I'm pretty sure that my 94 3.0 4runner has blown another headgasket and am wanting to call Toyota to gripe\vent\beg. My problem is, I replaced the engine a few years ago and can't find the VIN number of the 4runner it came out of.
Is the VIN number mounted on the engine and if so, where?

 

Anybody?

 

I don't think it matters.

 

Good deal!!
Doubt they'll do anything about it anyway.

 

Prolly not.

 

im thinking the headgasket recall is about to end if it hasnt already. they [toyota] was talking about it a while back when i was at work. but the vin #shouldnt matter on the motor. they will look at the one on your truck.

 

I'd say you're right that it has ended, which sucks for me I guess. Just wish they would stand behind this engine more. So far this 4runner has had 2 of them, the first blew one HG and was recalled then threw a rod, and the second one was fixed in the recall around 60k, lasted about 40k miles, was replaced again, lasted about 40k more and now might be blown again. Guess I'll just pray that its something else.

 

The big thing if you want to fix the problem is to use a steel slipperplate gasket, ensure that the mating surfaces on the heads and block are very much within spec, get some new head bolts and possibly getting rid of the crossover. Usually one of those things was left out at the dealer.

 

ive got 2 almost complete motors sitting in my garage. in my rebuild process i never came accross any number like a vin anywere on the blocks. (ie afaik there is no vin on the motor, you could swap them and they would never know)

 

I just talked to Toyota HQ today to find more information about the steering relay rod and to see about my own headgasket. They said if your vehicle vin is a problem one then yes its still under recall. 18003314331 ext 6. Wasn't too bad a wait time either(under 1 min). Mine wasn't under recall, so I guess they fixed the problem by this time. I am at 125k no blown head yet, but I would like to go with new headers. My question is should I mess with the head gasket at the same time if its not broken,
should I go ahead and replace it when I do the headers, or should I keep driving it until it eventually blows?
Any help or insight would be appriciated. Also, how important is a body lift with the Downey headers? I don't really want one.
Thanks in Advance
Andy