Billinsd
04-25-2007, 11:02 PM
I just bought a used 2002 Tacoma, 4x4, 4 door and as soon as I drove it home I noticed it had overheating issues.
Anyway it seemed to overheat driving up hills when the engine had a load on it.
I did not drive it in the red, but I had to stop off the highway and let it cool down. I was able to continue along with the heater on and drove back home about 50 miles.
I had all the fluids changed, oil, coolant, etc. before I had these problems.
The seller lied to me about it over heating, etc.
I took the truck to my mechanic I have used for many years with good results. I am not a mechanic and not terribly mechanically inclined, but know somewhat about cars and have changed alternators, starters and brakes and simple stuff like that.
The mechanic said the head gasket was blown. I had no signs of a blown gasket. No white smoke, no loss of power nothing visable to me.
The mechanic said he put a load on the truck and after a while he got a pressure loss or leak that indicated the head gasket had a leak. I did not witness the tests, but took his word for it.
I got the gasket and he showed me that it had separated. I mean you know how the gasket is in three layers. The top and bottom with a piece sandwiched in the middle. It was like these layers had delaminated on a section of the gasket. The mechanic said also that the studs that held the head on where the gasket had separated were a bit loose. He thinks the engine got overheated and expanded the bolts out a bit and separated the gasket and that exhaust went into the coolant when the engine was under a load, but not when the truck was driven normally.
Anyway, my brother used to be a mechanic and he agrees with the above. I know a guy who is a mechanic and he says the from what I have explained the gasket could not have been blown. He said gaskets can separate and come apart just from taking the heads off. Is this happend to you guys?
This guy thinks that my shop is replacing my head gaskets and doing other stuff that is not necessary. Basically taking me to the cleaners.
How can you tell if you are getting hosed by a mechanic?
When I drove the truck, other than the overheating on hills, there were ZERO problems with the truck, it drove well, excellent, not smoking etc.
When I had the fluids changed the oil and coolant LOOKED OK. There was no obvious signs of the fluids mixing.
Thanks
Bill
Anyway it seemed to overheat driving up hills when the engine had a load on it.
I did not drive it in the red, but I had to stop off the highway and let it cool down. I was able to continue along with the heater on and drove back home about 50 miles.
I had all the fluids changed, oil, coolant, etc. before I had these problems.
The seller lied to me about it over heating, etc.
I took the truck to my mechanic I have used for many years with good results. I am not a mechanic and not terribly mechanically inclined, but know somewhat about cars and have changed alternators, starters and brakes and simple stuff like that.
The mechanic said the head gasket was blown. I had no signs of a blown gasket. No white smoke, no loss of power nothing visable to me.
The mechanic said he put a load on the truck and after a while he got a pressure loss or leak that indicated the head gasket had a leak. I did not witness the tests, but took his word for it.
I got the gasket and he showed me that it had separated. I mean you know how the gasket is in three layers. The top and bottom with a piece sandwiched in the middle. It was like these layers had delaminated on a section of the gasket. The mechanic said also that the studs that held the head on where the gasket had separated were a bit loose. He thinks the engine got overheated and expanded the bolts out a bit and separated the gasket and that exhaust went into the coolant when the engine was under a load, but not when the truck was driven normally.
Anyway, my brother used to be a mechanic and he agrees with the above. I know a guy who is a mechanic and he says the from what I have explained the gasket could not have been blown. He said gaskets can separate and come apart just from taking the heads off. Is this happend to you guys?
This guy thinks that my shop is replacing my head gaskets and doing other stuff that is not necessary. Basically taking me to the cleaners.
How can you tell if you are getting hosed by a mechanic?
When I drove the truck, other than the overheating on hills, there were ZERO problems with the truck, it drove well, excellent, not smoking etc.
When I had the fluids changed the oil and coolant LOOKED OK. There was no obvious signs of the fluids mixing.
Thanks
Bill