silverstrand

Hi I am new here, but I have a 93 v6 4runner. After a 900 mile roundtrip to Mammoth my check engine light came on and the car has no power at all. I took the car to a mechanic that I really trust and his diagnosis was that there are 2700 hydrocarbons in the cooling system and that the headgasket is cracked. He won't do the job b/c it is too big for him.

So I took the car to a Toyota Service center, they basically looked at it and said that it is definately not a problem with the head gasket, and instead said that I need a new 02 sensor along with replacing the knock sensor and valve covers, resealing, etc. And their quote to do this...~$1500.

I called the original mechanic again and he said that it is a no-brainer and that is definately has to be the HG. My gut instinct is to put more stock in what the original mechanic said. When I called the Toyota center and insisted that they recheck the HG, they pretty much laughed but will take another look at it and isn't their cost for replacing a knock sensor way too much ( esp after looking at other people's threads about the cost of a knock sensor)??? Help, anyone in San Diego know of a good Toyota mechanic??

rimpainter.com

Have it compression tested and look at the uniformity of each cyl. Let us know what you get.

nunsa

Greetings,
Now that's expensive!! The 1st thing you should have checked was the code, with that being said, it should have been a code 52 for a knock sensor. That quote is way to high, I just did my buddies HG because Toyota wanted $1800 that included the machine work. To change out the Knock sensor and the VC gaskets, there's no doubt you have to remove the Plenum, but it still wouldn't cost that much! Anyhow, do a leak down test if it's leaking you'll see it coming up through the radiator or out the exh. they also sell kits to check the coolant while the engine is running and it will tell you if your HG has went bye-bye! To have the HG replaced at the "stealership" and including the VC gaskets and knock sensor and machine work it shouldn't cost more than $2000 - $2500! No kidding! Good Luck!

silverstrand

the work order I have from the Toyota place says it had code 14, ignition signal possibly related to knock sensor. Rec. replace knock sensor and clear codes and check further. The order also says that "checked compression and its good, block tested good."

My original non-Toyota place mechanic did a test on the engine and found that the cooling system was full of hydrocarbons. So should I take the car to a third party??

To me, it sounds like Toyota isn't sure its the knock sensors, and I definately don't want to shell out the ridiculous price that they are charging to replace it, only to find out that it isn't actually the problem, something else is.

dragon564

Okay the HC count is the rad is out of whack...on most of the V6 when the HG does go you will over heat and it happens quick, See if the first mech will do a comp test for you, the difference between the cyl is what you are looking at if the are all with in the limit then it might not be the HG. Also check for water or AF in the oil, or oil floating in the rad, have you lost any rad fluid? There are other things that can get the HC count in the rad out of whack and that should not be the only thing to base a HG replacement on it is a PITA job on the V6, so yes based on what you have here I would ask a third party.