The question I absolutely have to ask is for those who have only had the headgasket recall done - did you have it done because your headgasket failed? or did you have it done just because it was a recall? I think that is missing from the poll unfortunately and something that needs to be clarified. My truck had the headgasket done around 57,000 miles, but it wasn't because the headgasket failed, it was because the truck was serviced at the dealership and the headgasket campaign had just come out.

 

Call the a dealer with the VIN & they can tell you if it has been done...

 

The other question(s) I have for those with headgasket issues:

1) After blowing the headgasket a few times, and then blowing it again, did you get yoru head machined? Did it blow even despite the fact it was machined?

2) For those who have also blown headgaskets - how is/was your cooling system? Do you have a new or in good shape water pump, thermostat, rad with no holes in it? Your cat isn't plugged or anything? I quite frankly have this theory that if you keep your cooling system in absolute top shape with the 3vze that your truck won't be as likely to blow headgaskets/warp, etc.

 

Mine was done as just part of the recall.

 

Part of recall only; never any HG issues.

 

I bought a 95 Limited 6 months ago, it now has 154,000 miles on the original headgasket. All I've done to it was change the coolant and change the oil every 3000 miles. I think it has a rear main leak though but it's only about a quart every 1500 miles. I agree with coednaked, if you keep the 3vze cool and keep sufficient oil in it you should be fine. Mine will go 100 miles an hour no problem.

 

Quick question,
I just bought a 1990 with the 3vze. What years where affected by the recall and is there a way to find out if it was done. I just got a recall notice for the steering coloumn.

Thanks,
Jake

 

Never mind, just needed to finish read before asking questions.

Thanks,
Jake

 

never had any issues with the HG, then again the truck only had 50k on the ticker before it got totaled. then the truck sat for a year or two before it was sold, the guy that bought it planned on using the motor and when he did the HG blew, but i think that may have had something to do with the fact that the motor didnt fire for so long.

 

the org was replaced right at 100K (recall), at 160K the replacement blew. the fix for the second was a replacement jasper which has 60K+ on it and still going strong.

 

I Bought Mine With 87,000 Mi And They Went At 152,000 And The Dealer Still Excepted The Recall And Actually Long Blocked My Engine And All It Cost Me Was The Gas To Drive It There. Now The Odo, Is Showing 216,000 Mi And Still Going Strong. On The Other Hand I Work At My Fathers Auto Repair Shop, And We Installed A Reman Engine In 95 Runner, 3.0, Because Of The Hg's And Recall Not Covering It. Then After Putting 15,000 Mi On It, The Hg's Blew On The Reman Engine!!! Luckily The Place We Got The Engine From Covered It In Full. Thats My 2 Cents Worth.

 

Recall done on my 1994 at 86,000. Overheated and blew. They also replaced waterpump, radiator, hoses, plub wires, rotor & cap and timing belt. No problem since with 105k
QuietGiant

 

Previous owner had the recall done. The guy who had it before is a friend of mine. He said it didn't have any issues before the recall, and it's been good to me since I've owned it.

 

My '95 was not part of the recall, was manufactured Jun 95. Purchased May 06 w/90,600 miles, has 94,000 currently.

Only issue I have had was overheating on my trip to SoCal this past July when the valley temp was 110-115, pulling the Grapevine to Tejon Pass, fully looaded with my two teenage sons, all our gear and had been runnin 70+ all afternoon before I hit the hill. Temp got to just below the Red and I was able to cool it off at a water stop (twice) but each time it cooled right down splashing some water into the radiator fins. So far so good

 

My 91 got fixed for me under the recall while I owned it, but my 94 never had a problem.

 

I bought mine at 45k, I don't know if it had the recall done to it. When I took it to the dealer they never said anything. The gasket blew at 122k.

 

I bought mine at 181,000, The previous owner said it had the engine rebuilt by Toyota at 100,00. I am now at 202,000 and it runs great!

Robb

 

im putting a new head gasket on tonight on my yota. its has 120,000 miles

 

I too am of the suspicion that a lot of the HG probs have been amplified by not paying full attention to the cooling system.

Personally I have always run 66% ethylene glycol (anti freeze) in all my vehicles. At this concentration the coolant is always below boiling point and therefore the cooling system is not pressurised. It also minimises the possibilty of localised hot spots due to localised "boiling of coolant"

Mine has 150K km's and runs like a Swiss watch.

P.S.

This is my first post on this forum, I absolutely love the amount of 4runner info in it.

 

No HG problems here either bought her in '98, But then I only have 139,xxx miles on the clock and I am the 13 owner(well it traded hands 12 times before me- carfax).