What are the odds...

BELMONT148 · 05-18-09, 07:45 PM

... that my brother drives his 60 with a pinhole in his radiator after I swapped his motor out for him and it blows out while traveling down 17. It quickly dropped all coolant an ran hot until it cut itself off. He refilled the fluid, gets in cranked and it is billowing white smoke and sputtering. I tell him to get it to shop for a headgasket, and the mechanic tells him it is a blown head gasket but not as a result of running hot. He said I installed a bum motor.

Jeremy

Trollhole · 05-18-09, 08:03 PM

lol. Sounds like your brother needs a dummy light to tell him he's about to destroy his motor. You can also buy a couple of cheap sensors that will cut the vehicle off if the oil pressure drops to a low point or the water temp gets to hot.

BELMONT148 · 05-18-09, 08:16 PM

Lol, I am going to tell him he needs the mechanic to install that. He is paying $2000 for a headgasket. I only got $800 for my motor, installed by me by myself.

The bad thing is he thinks I new it was going to happen, and unless he changes his tone about it, it is seriously going to affect our relationship. The motor ran fine with me, then ran fine for him for 2 weeks. Then it blows and he thinks I new it was going to happen.

He did just send me a message saying that the fluid didn't blow out the radiator, but must have blew through the gasket. I still think he ran it hot. He has a Known leak in the radiator, and m brother barel even knows how to put gas in it, let alone keep coolant in it.

Jeremy

eventhough · 05-19-09, 06:14 AM

Take this FWIW - your relationship with your brother is more important than a motor - just sayin'...

On the other hand I understand how you are

.

VTCruiser · 05-19-09, 06:51 AM

I agree, its an unfortunate situation but it shouldn't have to affect your relationship. maybe offer your time to help him do the head gasket?

BELMONT148 · 05-19-09, 08:31 AM

Thanks guys. This won't do anymore damage to our relationship. We will be fine. But I have spent my weekends for the past 2-3 months fixing his truck with no help from him at all. I kept asking him to bring some friends to help and he never would, when I finally refused to work on it anymore he shows up 2 days later with a friend that is a mechanic.

I don't have much sympathy for him right now, I am definately not wasting my time on it anymore. Anyone that knows me, knows my time is way to precious to me right now. His truck has taken enough time away from me and my 2 year old son already. I wish him the best of luck, and hopefully he will understand the situation. My relationship with my wife and son trump my brothers everyday of the week. Hopefully he wouldn't make me choose.

Jeremy

BELMONT148 · 05-21-09, 02:32 PM

The mechanic told my brother that his valves were warped and it took 4 passes to get them straight. Not sure how he could have had contact with anything or if the overheating can warp valves. Perhaps he meant the deck was warped and took 4 machine passes to get it straight. Any insight guys? Never dealt with this kind of stuff before.

Jeremy

eventhough · 05-21-09, 02:44 PM

Trollhole might be able to tell ya...

Trollhole · 05-22-09, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BELMONT148

The mechanic told my brother that his valves were warped and it took 4 passes to get them straight. Not sure how he could have had contact with anything or if the overheating can warp valves. Perhaps he meant the deck was warped and took 4 machine passes to get it straight. Any insight guys? Never dealt with this kind of stuff before.

Jeremy

Overheating can warp the head and can warp the valves. If it were me I'd be looking for a new head. Sounds like he cooked the motor pretty well. Had he actually seen the temp gauge and stopped when it started getting into the red it most likely would have not warped the valves. Driving without coolant in the head for any length of time will warp the valves.

What year was the motor?

BELMONT148 · 05-22-09, 04:33 PM

78', it is supposed to get back from the machine shop tomorrow.

Jeremy

BELMONT148 · 06-02-09, 11:39 AM

Well, my brother is picking up his 60 today. The repairs were:

New Toyota radiator installed- $400.00
New Toyota head gasket and shaved head installed- $600.00
New Toyota Heater core installed- $600.00

He is going to argue why he replaced the heater core because he did not call first and ask to replace it. He did not have any leaks and the heater worked fine this past winter. I told him to get the original core, and have it tested for leaks. If the radiator shop says it's good have him put it back in at no-charge.

I think the prices on everything else was really good though. I was expecting him to pay $1000 just for the head gasket, but he got a new radiator in that price as well.

Jeremy

eventhough · 06-02-09, 01:33 PM

If the head was rebuilt, shaved and a new head gasket installed (OEM or AISIN) then $600 isn't that bad.

I don't know about the heater core - how much were parts for the radiator? A radiator install isn't bad (especially if I can do it) but if your brother doesn't wrench then it probably isn't too bad of a price.