Cracked Head ?

[Agent58]

Hi,

I've had my 1991 2.4 Hilux Surf for a couple of years now and it's been a dream to drive, but the last couple of weeks when starting from cold it's been sounding like it's only firing on 3 cylinders. Once it warms up a bit or I put on the idle up it soon clears up and runs as normal.
After a couple of weeks of it doing this, I decided to take it to a garage to have it checked over and they are now telling me that it's the head which has gone.
Could this be the dreaded head problem or are they merely trying to part me from my hard earned.

Apart from losing a little bit of coolant, I have been unable to find any other signs that it could be the head which is failing. There has been no overheating and the blowers are turning out hot air and the car is running normally with no noticable smoke from the exhaust other than the normal smoke I've had for the past two years.

They have also quoted me 2 grand to fit a new head.

Can anyone give me any ideas as to whether or not I should seek a second opinion or should I resign myself to being another victim of the head problem ?

[Maverick]

Get a second opinion (you should for pretty much everything now adays). Get the garage to do a pressure test on the block. You don't list what model yours is, and the normal sign of a head going on the 2.4 is when it overheats and spits all it's coolent out the expansion tank.
Are you checking the coolent level at the expansion tank, or at the rad cap, the coolent should be at the top of the rad cap.
Two grand is just abit high but not too much for a full garage (as they charge alot anyway), do a search here for details, and have a look at Stevo's heads ( his are the ones showing on the banner at the top). I don't think there has been any problems with any of his heads, I'm running one myself that was fitted by TonyN Easter last year.
But yeah get a second opinion.

[BUSHWHACKER]

Uneven running on start-up could be the glowplugs, or one or more blocked injectors not necessarily a cracked head. Go to a garage that services diesels for a second opinion.

[chrisinflight]

Hi,
My 1987 non-efi 2LT runs on a 2 stage glowplug system. The glowplugs should continue to heat on 7 volts once the engine has started until the engine reaches normal operating temperature. Just a thought- if this `secondary` 7 volt heating system is faulty, the vehicle may run rough in very cold weather- upon cold start-up only. Anybody please correct this as I discovered this on the web- & I no mechanique!
cheers,
chris

Also, I expect my head to have some cracks at her age. (1987) but if by chance yours is the head and cold starting is the only downfall,then I would live with it for a while keeping close I on coolant level.

[Agent58]

Thanks For all the info and advice. I must admit that I wasn't overly convinced when the garage said it was the head which had gone so I will definately seek a second opinion.

Maverick - The model of my Hilux is just the base model 2.4 Hilux Surf but it looks as though the Jap owner had all the optional extras fitted. It has no other badges on the car other than the Toyota and the Hilux Surf badges although it does have the Gold Toyota badge which I have previously only seen on Supra's before....