Looks like a head gasket on my 1990 Toyota 4WD pickup with a 3L V6 has blown. This happened about 20 years ago and it was covered by Toyota, but I suspect it may cost more than the truck is worth to repair this time. Is there a market for selling my truck as is?

Talk about bad timing. Wish this had happened last week. Over the weekend I gave the truck a complete tune up with new plugs, cap, rotor, plug wires and air filter. I also took it in for a smog test this week and it passed and I paid for a new registration sticker yesterday. In addition, I just put a brand new metal core radiator in a few months ago.

 

What are the current signs that the truck is showing and what exactly happened?

 

The truck started running rough like one cylinder was missing. I pulled into a parking lot and opened the hood to look for something obvious while the engine was running. The engine started to run rougher so I walked back to the cab to turn off the ignition. As I opened the door to the cab white smoke started to pour from the tailpipe and I could smell antifreeze. I am sure this is the result of a blown head gasket.

 

White smoke out the pipe and the smell of Anti Freeze are definite signs of a blown HG. Also what is the history of your engine? Specifically:

Original one or different?

How many miles?

Has required work been done when x amount of miles have accrued? (oil changes, plugs, water pump, ect)

Was it burning any oil before this happened?

 

The motor is original, but Toyota did replace the head gasgkets about 20 years ago. I have the original work order.

Mileage is 165,000.

Yes, the truck has had regular maintenance. I change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles.

Engine did not burn oil.

Below is a scan of the original price sticker for the truck.

 

The market for these trucks is very location dependent, try looking on Craigslist.

But I'm afraid you're going to have a difficult time selling it with a blown headgasket. While the replacement of a head gasket is doable by a person with only modest skills (heck, I'VE done it), one never knows what else is about to/has already broken on a 26 yr-old truck. Your smog report will help (it's reasonably good evidence that the truck was working a few weeks ago), but even really well maintained vehicles have lots of stuff ready to break when you remove the heads.

Good luck!

 

Ok regarding this, there are a few options that can be done:

1. least expensive (50/50 chance) $1000 to $1600 Estimate
If the engine is still in good shape and if everything has been maintained in its life, you might be able to just replace the head gasket and be on your way.

2. Find a rebuild or used motor $1200 to $3000 Estimate
If replacing just the head gasket wont work, looking for a used or rebuilt engine would be the next step to look at.

3. Most expensive (full rebuild) $4000 to $7000 Estimate
If you have the money, good for a full rebuild. I when this route as my HG blew last January. I tried replacing just the HG like I did before but with no success. This cost me $4200 from a local shop in my area and them sending the bulk of work to a machine shop.

There maybe more options as well, these are just a few I would recommend. Let us know what you decide.

 

This is one of those things where you need to make the call

depending how the rest of the drive train looks I would pay @ $1000.00 depending on tires .

With the blown head gasket I have either a 3.4 or 7MGTE that will cure the blown head gaskets .

To bad I am on the other side of the country.

Best of Luck.

 

I would like to fix my truck if the cost did not exceed $2,00.00, but $4,000.00 is too much. It is impossible to know the extent of the damage without pulling the heads. I was just quoted $400.00 to pull the heads and inspect the motor. If I can get by with just head gaskets I will proceed. If the block needs to be pulled I will try to sell it as is.

BTW, below is a link to a thread I started covering the replacement of my radiator.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f120...acement-291870

 

buy a used motor from a part out on craigslist itll be dirt cheep. anything more than 700$ for a v6 engine used is to much in my opinion. in the northeast by me you can get one for under 400$ swap it in and keep on rippin!

 

Good God Man!

Buy some tools and fix it yourself. Cheapest, easiest, best chances of being money well spent. All the info you need to do it properly right at your fingertips. FULL rebuild less than $500 in parts MAX!!!

That is all.

 

Like he said. You can do it, there's tons of videos and step by step instructions here and online. Lots of experts here can guide you. It's so easy even a caveman like me could do it and I have no skills.

 

Our HOA would never allow that type of work to be done within our complex and vehicles left outside our garages overnight are towed. The only option open to me is to use a good mechanic if I want the truck repaired.

 

I could never live like that.

That is one of those places you buy new vehicles every 2 years .

 

No mechanic friends that would lend a hand & driveway for a weekend???????? Have all your parts & tools ready and 2 days should be plenty of time for even a novice. The hardest part is breaking loose the cam bolts & damper bolt.


Fuel injector connectors will probably crumble and fall apart after 20+ yrs, but they are replaceable.


There are numerous threads here to guide one which give the expected and unexpected.


As MudHippy mentioned, approx. 500 in parts + your labor, a little blood, sweat, and lots of hand cleaner.


Cheers
Andy

 

I guess if you're rich enough to live in a community that are that big of DICKS about it, you're rich enough to overpay thousands of dollars to get your cars fixed.

BTW, you came to the wrong place. We're here to help you solve technical issues. Not help make financial decisions for you.

So sad...

 

Thanks so much for your input. There was no practical way for me to take the work on myself and that is why I asked if there was a market for a vehicle in this condition. I am pleased to report I put the truck on Craigslist and received 29 requests to buy the truck within the first hour. The first person that contacted me drove all the way from Hayward to Aptos (two hour drive) and paid cash. One buyer from Monterey wanted to pay me $200.00 more than I was asking if I put him ahead of the buyer already on his way from Hayward, but I would never consider that once the first buyer and I agreed to the price. Hard to believe, but there was only four hours between the time I placed the add and the truck left my place on a flatbed with the new owner.

The person I sold my truck to is a very nice gentleman and I am very pleased the truck is going to a good home and will be running soon with an engine from a Tacoma.

 

All condos and townhouses in CA have HOA’s. Regarding the age of my neighbor’s cars, I would say the average is 8-10 years. My wife’s car is a 1998 Honda Civic and the truck I sold was bought new by me 26 years ago.

 

Forty-five years ago I would not have hesitated to do the work myself, but health issues and not being permitted to leave a disassembled vehicle in a fire lane overnight prevented me from doing the work now. I just had back surgery a few months ago and ten days later I almost died from a pulmonary embolism related to the surgery. Just this past Tuesday I ended up in the ER with supraventricular tachycardia. Regarding friends that could help me, they have all passed away or live on the other side of the country.

Thanks for the suggestions, but you can see they were not an option for me.

 

No worries Fire4Effect, have to do what you have to do. Glad you were able to unload it so quick.
Hope your health improves!!!!


Cheers
Andy