I have a 95 with the 3.SLOW and I went outside to get in and looked under it and their was a huge puddle of anti-freeze, I looked under it and their is coolent dripping from the back of the motor and I can see that i have a bad head gasket. How much does this usally cost at the dealer to fix the head gasket>

 

I was quoted 2250 here in Virginia

 

$1000-2000 depends on where you go

 

At the dealer, you'll be looking at something in the neighborhood of 1-2 grand.

 

I had mine done at my local mechanic for around $550 just for labor. I used the rest of the quoted money and bought many more parts to be replaced rather then just his price for the headgasket.

 

The toyota dealer her in Massachusetts wanted 1600 JUST for the headgaskets and nothing else. There's no way I could justify taking it to the dealer. Just find a mechanic who will just charge you labor and you buy the parts. It's rediculous to just replace the headgaskets when you have the motor torn down that far.

 

Check the "J tubes" at the rear of the block. Could also be a casting plug corroded or loosened. These items are almost as common as the BHG on these motors. All may not yet be lost...
Also, the 95's (to mid 95) are still covered by campaign V06. Youy might be getting a free engine.
Call Toyota national and find out if your's has already been done.

 

$19.95 for a Haynes manual. Then do it yourself. You WILL become intimately familiar with your Yota. I know because I just did this myself for the first time back in January. Unless you got a spare 2 Grand laying around then I suggest let the dealer do it. I didn't have that luxury.

 

Even better yet, there are a couple of digital FSM's floating around this forum somewhere (free download). Ebin is right.. The amount of knowledge you'd gain from fixing this problem yourself would be priceless.

Think of the money you'd save next time your yota needed a new timing belt, valve adjustment, or whatever. You could take care of it yourself with ease.

I repaired my blown HG for less than 300 bucks.

 

Orrrrr if you are going to spend the money... might as well replace the engine! That's what we did when the hg went on our 88.

 

I was going to mention that. My J tube went bad from salt corrosion. The salt ate write through the metal hose. The thing is, I think you have to take the head off just to get back there. A non-dealership mechanic replaced it and the head gasket for around $1200.

Edit: I'm referring to my old '95 with the 3.slow, which is now sitting in a junkyard somewhere -- mostly due to rust due to plowing.

 

Do it yourself if you have the space and the tools! I did my 22RE (yes I know it's less work than the 3.0) in January and learned a ton.

Rob

 

Felpro Head set $280 @ Autozone. Walk across the street to Checker's and pick up a $18 Chilton's. Buy the Torque-to-Yield head bolts from Toyota @ $6 each.

 

I wouldn't use Fel Pro, go with Toyota or I hear engnbldr has good head gaskets