Have a 92 toyota 4x4 with a 22re. Blew the headgasket today tryin to go snowboarding hah. 163,000 miles.

Weighing my options here. To get the head done here in town (vegas) its about 400-450. Plus my buddy will do the labor for 400-500. Total probably like 1100-1200 with misc gaskets and other parts. Need to do the exhaust manifold too.

Thinking about doing an engnbldr head with cam. about 600. Motor will need to be re-ringed for this most likely. Probably 100 more labor. This is more like 1400-1500. Maybe more?

Or should I just buy a new crate motor?

My mind is kinda racing and it couldnt have really happened at a tier time. Allthough I do have some money that I saved up and could throw at it to add a little performance. Just wanted to see what some of you thought. Thanks.

 

Well first, your sure its the head gasket? The 22re is kinda of invincible engine. The 20-22r's are just solid engines. Were you seriously revving the engine, overheat it?

Just curious.

 

they are very solid engines. I wouldn't say Invincible...but long lasting. they DO blow head gaskets.....

Tell us the symptoms you think are from the HG

 

Pretty sure. Very little compression on number one cylinder. And whoever had the truck before me ran only water. (ive only had it a little while). Pretty sure it blew on the way up to Mt. Charleston. Truck just wouldnt go. I think it had low compression anyways when I got it. So even if the headgasket didnt go, its got a burnt valve on number 1 or something.

 

Well I know the 22re's are solid engines but I have been through two....well I think it has been two...long story and I will doing some digging next week since the light bulb went off on the way to work today....no I don't drive the piss out of them either...still love my little wench...

 

If you don't know, or haven't done it yet, drain the oil and look for signs of coolant in there. Drain the coolant and check for signs of oil in it. do a compression test. do a leak down test, or have a shop do it. what does the exhaust smell like?

 

I'd first determine if there was an issue that lead to the headgasket going on you. If it is determined that it just died of natural causes, then I'd replace the head gasket and do the timing chains while you're at it. The rest is up to you to decide. A cam probably will make the difference between holding say, 4th gear on a hill, or needing to downshift.

 

If you blew a head gasket and didnt crack the head or block for some good reason, get a 24 dollar head gasket and a case of beer and the job can be done in about 2 hours. It is a simple as that, I did my HG twice in a 2 day time period because of Keystone Light, A LOT OF IT, and it only came out to 50 bucks in HG's and NO COST FOR LABOR, now the shi_t runs great. 12 hundo for an HG is a little radical broski

 

The exhaust smells really bad actually. Not quite sure how to describe it other than that.


This is definately the next thing I do. Either of those things means bad head gasket though right?

True. Very well may be just the gasket. Wont really know until I get it apart. But I am definately going to have the head checked to see if valves may be the problem as well. But for what it costs to have the head done here in town, I can get one of the better engnbldr ones for $467.

 

If he is going to charge you $500 labor for a toyota head gasket he is not much of a friend. I'm not a mechanic and I did my last one in about three hours.

I pay about $20 for my machinist to check my heads. For a 22 head if they are going to require machining its generally cheaper to buy a new head.

 

Wow. Does 500 seem to much to anyone else?

 

It doesn't sound like he's doing you any favors. That sounds more like shop rate to me. I guess it depends on how good of friends you are. I do a lot of side work for cash. I would do that job for a friend (not an acquantance) for a couple hundred bucks labor.

 

if coolant is leaking into the engine and being burnt off, the exhaust will most likely smell sweet, kind of like maple syrup I do believe. If the coolant is mixing with the oil or vice versa, it doesn't ALWAYS mean a bad HG, but more than likely yes. the head could be cracked somewhere allowing coolant to seep in or even a crack on the block.

 

He is a pretty good friend but he runs a shop out of his garage and thats how he makes his living.

 

Come to the conclusion that this is gonna get done for 400. This includes re-ringing the pistons. Gonna do the engnbldr performance head for 467 and torkr cam for 88. Also gonna do the exhaust manifold as it was leaking.

 

Ok well the truck is done and runs great. Ended up re-ringing it, putting new rod bearings in, new fuel filter, and new timing chain kit from Engnbldr. It also got a set of re-manufactured fuel injectors, as I think the number one injector was causing all of the problems.

Now another question. What shocks would you guys recommend for my truck? I drive it everyday and off road occasionally. Right now it rights stiff as hell due to stock shocks.

Next upgrade is a header I think =)