Question for the San Diego guys.....

who can you trust in san diego to work on head gaskets.....don't want to go to a stealership, but if that is my only option for trusted work then I will bite the bullet and take it in the shorts. the recall is not an option cause this is the second time, first time at 100,000. It has 177,000 on it now. (I bought it with 170,000. Wifey aint happy cause I told her this rig was going to run for ever) I don't want some hack job.

Is there anything special or extra or performance wise I should have them do or look into doing when the heads are off.

P.S. I have been wanting to hook up with the SD guys for some wheel'n. Your past trips have all been on weekends that I was working......

thanks, mike

 

Look up and independent Toyota place. There's one off of Convoy I went to that I liked for timing belt/water pump stuff. I had brought the truck in to have the valves checked, turns out all the pulleys were bad as well as some rubber dampner on the lower main pulley. They were honest and even diagnosed an engine code for free. I didn't even ask them. I believe they are on Rytheon Rd. off of Convoy to be specific. I can't remember the name but it's the only one on that road.

Frank

 

It would be a good time to install headers. And if you want to get really crazy, you could have the heads P&P'd. But that would be $$.

 

thanks for the replies...I have downey headers on already.....

 

I don't know what the headgasket job will cost, but with those miles, why not just go with a new factory 3.0? I checked down here with one dealer and he quoted me about $4k off the top of his head. A headgasket job is gonna cost at least 1/3 of that...and having to do it twice in 77K ain't cool. It makes me wonder if there isn't something wrong with your block, heads or both.

 

I just called San Diego Trux for a price and they gave me an estimate that is less than 1/2 the price that Poway and Kearny Mesa Toyota quoted me.

http://www.sdtrux.com

 

thanks, I called them this morning...have you done business with them in the past?

mike

 

No but they come very highly recommended from members here.
That's good enough for me

 

that's why I came here first!!

mike

 

Smart move
If you run a search you may find some other places. I've heard about one in San Marcos but I don't remember their name. I think I remember they were supposed to be good too. Pro-trux or something like that?

 

SD Trux is a very good shop. I've used them (mostly) for the time I've owned my 1999 SC'd 4 Runner. A coworker had used them for years and when I bought my truck, introduced me to John. They have always seemed very honest and trustworthy and their prices have always seemed reasonable.

 

Protrux.net

 

I have, for waterpump/t-belt/t-stat,asst'd maintenance. Their prices are pretty good,and their experience is worth more.

 

I also have used, and like, SD Trux.

I would seriously consider the possibility of swapping in a newer motor... at least get some prices...

 

All these posts from SD people----WHERE ARE YOU WHEN WE PLAN TRIPS???
broken down I guess

 

No kidding, I don't think we've had any new people join us for quite some time now. Just the same SD crew for at least a year. Oh well, at least we know each others ability and dont get in over our heads.

 

I'm usually suffering though school and totally broke. If I get my truck back to wheeling this summer I'll try to make it out.

Frank

 

I'm new to your forum. I'm active with TTORA Socal. I'd love to go on some local runs with you all.

 

You guys are all 4WD snobs and don't let any of us 2 wheelers play

 

I have wanted to go on one of your trips for a while. I am in east county and all this talk about carveacre and not knowing where it is. I wanted to go on the last trip to the desert but I was working that weekend. O well enough crying, I am not going anywhere other than the repair shop....Some day when it is running I will join up with you guys. that is if you don't have some strange entrance special test or something. ..until then thanks for the info!

mike