Urgent help needed!! Pleeeeease!? stuck in Czech!

[shawry87]

Hi mate, I bought my 3.0 just over a week ago and on route home I noticed steam coming from the engine so I pulled over, I could hear bubbling from the expansion bottle, once cooled down I opened it up and it was empty as was the rad. Had a friend look at it the next day (fellow surf owner) and he noticed the belts were loose, so he tweaked them up tight poured about 3l in the rad and filled expansion tank. Been fine for over 500miles so far. So could be worth checking those belts mate.

[Curly]

Just been to a local garage, and he confirmed that it was indeed the head gasket or a cracked head.

Good news is, that including a head pressure test, fix the crack if found, skim and a new head gasket, it's going to cost me just £300, and he can fix it for me this week!

Can anyone tell me what the part number is for a genuine toyota head gasket?

Cheers,

Curly

[Bogus]

My only cracked head experience comes from the 2.4, but I honestly think it will be a miracle if its only the gasket, Its more likely going to be the head, and if its cracked, skimming wont help, only a new head will. As far as Im aware skimming is something for alloy heads which maybe got a wee warp due to overheat, not for cracked cast heads. I wish you luck.
I almost hate to say this, but maybe its worth sticking some "magic" ( K seal or other ) in there to get you home, and then get a new head.
Anyway if youre taking the head off to do the gasket, youll soon know.

[Wolfracer]

@ tonyn i stand corrected. Mine went between the valves and the first i knew was the rad steam. I've had a head gasket go before on a mk2 escort and it covered the road in white smoke..! The surf was a little more discreet. @ the op. Save your money- thats half a new head you're gonna spend. As has been said, drop some k seal or rad weld in, make sure the fan is spinning and take it easy coming back. Oh, and have you thought about getting some breakdown cover?

[Curly]

My only cracked head experience comes from the 2.4, but I honestly think it will be a miracle if its only the gasket, Its more likely going to be the head, and if its cracked, skimming wont help, only a new head will. As far as Im aware skimming is something for alloy heads which maybe got a wee warp due to overheat, not for cracked cast heads. I wish you luck.
I almost hate to say this, but maybe its worth sticking some "magic" ( K seal or other ) in there to get you home, and then get a new head.
Anyway if youre taking the head off to do the gasket, youll soon know.

Is the head not aluminium then?

Cheers,

Curly

[s car go]

Is the head not aluminium then?

Yes they are!
The point is that,these heads crack through the thickness of the ally,and into water ways,,inlet and exhaust chambers. To be able to weld up a crack,would be nearly impossible.If the head has one crack,and lets say that could be repaired,the metal is tired and will soon start cracking else where.
I'm with the others on this,stick some gear in it and get it home,then do the the job once!!

Good Luck

Mark

[slobodan]

You've got time. If the head is cracked, get another head sent out to you and have it changed at their mechanic's rates.
Why go through the worry of driving home and paying British mechanic's prices?
Unless you are doing it yourself of course.

[TonyN]

I agree with Slobby.

They are decent prices, I charge £300 labour alone for doing a head, and that cheaper than most places over here.

If you've got the cash get a head delivered, or scource one locally even, they arn't anything special, its just a 1KZ/T head for any 3.0 Landcrusier or 4Runner etc...

Repairing a cracked head isn't really a reliable long term answer, would suck if you had to do it all again, but paying UK rates in a year or so.

Get the truck tested for exhaust gasses in the coolant first, then get the head pulled and pressure tested, it may only be a gasket still after all.

[Curly]

Get the truck tested for exhaust gasses in the coolant first, then get the head pulled and pressure tested, it may only be a gasket still after all.

Firstly, thankyou all so much for all your answers, they have each helped me weigh up my options, and put my mind at rest somewhat!

TonyN, When I asked the guy at the garage to test the coolant for exhaust gases, he pretty much laughed at me and said it was obviously the gasket/head at fault, which is what i thought deep down really, but could the bubbles be anything other than exhaust gasses?

I just called the guy again, and asked him to make sure he could get the parts, (including a new head just incase), and he has already found everything both genuine toyota, and pattern that he would need for either scenario, and even said to me that he would change the thermostat, and the rad cap at no additional cost!

he will take it apart monday, and let me know, and i will post up the results then.

Fingers crossed!

Cheers,

Curly

[Balllsy]

Good luck and fingers crossed for you !

[Overland Tonka]

Good to see you took the wise option.

[TonyN]

TonyN, When I asked the guy at the garage to test the coolant for exhaust gases, he pretty much laughed at me and said it was obviously the gasket/head at fault, which is what i thought deep down really, but could the bubbles be anything other than exhaust gasses?

Not really, especially if its not overheating. As long as you're sure its not a weak rad cap then it can't be anything else.

I usually do it just to double check before embarking on an expensive job for customer. But if he's sure the symptoms are what they are then its probably overkill.

[Curly]

Well my worst fears have been confirmed. The head is cracked internally. It must be a tiny weeny crack, as it only bubbles very slightly though. The guy at the garage has replaced the stat, cap and has put it all back together with a new head gasket, but this still leaves me with the problem of getting home. I have a 3 year old with us, so there's no way im going to limp it home incase it dies completely in the middle of nowhere. So we are flying home and will have to leave the Surf here until I can arrange for it to be collected. Does anyone know of a good cheap recovery company???

Thankyou again for all your help. I guess some things can't be helped though!

Cheers,

Curly

[slobodan]

So you know it's the head.

You know a mechanic.

Why don't you post him a head? (for the Surf)

Then drive it home finished.

[Hazzo]

Mine was losing water six months before it gave up completely, no K seal either just kept topping up and looking for leaks. I don't get why you let him waste a new HG and put it back together as its all gotta be done again, the cracks you get are barely visible but expand with heat. Remember to service that viscous coupling when its all recovered too, this is what I suspect causes these heads to go. I serviced everything else on mine for four years then it blew, on cracking that fan open there was no oil in it, meaning it doesn't work, I recommend you do the fan a favour and service that with the coolant every two years. H