Blown Head Gasket?

[magnato1]

Just went to look at a 1994 FZJ80. Good amount of oil on the motor, I’m guessing that both valve cover gasket and head gasket need replacing. I looked at the coolant and it was a little cloudy, but not clear if there was oil in it. How much would this cost to have sorted by a legitimate shop? I’d probably go to Valley Hybrids, as I think that’s the nearest shop to me.

He said that it had a leaking power steering hose which was recently replaced, so could be some overspray from that, but there is clearly oil leaking and you can smell it after driving.

I also think the birfield joints need to be rebuilt.

Take a look at attached photos and let me know what you think.

Overall, it drove nicely. I’ve never driven an 80, but acceleration was smooth, it easily held 70 on the freeway. Seems like it’s just older and needs some love.

 

[Fj80oregon]

Smart move would be take it valley hybrids @orangefj45 and have a pre purchase inspection done then you will know exactly what you are dealing with instead of the guessing game. Well worth the cost potentially saving you from a bad purchase. A general consensus from the group is $4-6k for a head gasket $1200-2500 for a knuckle job and who knows with the oil leaks and hoses. You May not need a head gasket that’s why I am recommending a pre purchase inspection from a reputable Land Cruiser shop.

 

[magnato1]

Smart move would be take it valley hybrids @orangefj45 and have a pre purchase inspection done then you will know exactly what you are dealing with instead of the guessing game. Well worth the cost potentially saving you from a bad purchase. A general consensus from the group is $4-6k for a head gasket $1200-2500 for a knuckle job and who knows with the oil leaks and hoses. You May not need a head gasket that’s why I am recommending a pre purchase inspection from a reputable Land Cruiser shop.

I’d love to do that, but the truck is in Reno. I posted last week asking if there are any good shops in Reno and the consensus was no.

 

[bubfuji]

What is the mileage?
Was the high pressure power steering replaced or the return hose? The return hose would not spray everywhere.
The fan belts are pretty bad.
Distributor connector is cracked.
If the price is right, oil leaks and hoses can be fixed/replaced.
Engine compression test would set the repair direction.
A plugged/bad PCV will cause valve cover oil leaks etc.
Based on the engine appearance, what does the radiator look like? Overflow tank full of gunk?
There is a test for engine gases in the radiator fluid (ie head gasket leak).
EGR system
Smog check in California, If the engine blows oil or radiator fluid your cats could be toast
Transmission?
Brakes?
Tires?

For the engine
Hoses, gaskets, front seal/rear seal, and Knuckle rebuild, and labor etc. based on your pictures
$5k add the head gasket another $3K

 

[magnato1]

What is the mileage?
Was the high pressure power steering replaced or the return hose? The return hose would not spray everywhere.
The fan belts are pretty bad.
Distributor connector is cracked.
If the price is right, oil leaks and hoses can be fixed/replaced.
Engine compression test would set the repair direction.
A plugged/bad PCV will cause valve cover oil leaks etc.
Based on the engine appearance, what does the radiator look like? Overflow tank full of gunk?
There is a test for engine gases in the radiator fluid (ie head gasket leak).
EGR system
Smog check in California, If the engine blows oil or radiator fluid your cats could be toast
Transmission?
Brakes?
Tires?

For the engine
Hoses, gaskets, front seal/rear seal, and Knuckle rebuild, and labor etc. based on your pictures
$5k add the head gasket another $3K

205,000 miles.
He said the hoses were replaced, so I assume both, but he really doesn’t seem to know much about cars. I doubt they’ve done much preventative maintenance.

They were asking $11k, just lowered it to $9.5k. I’m thinking, given the state of it, $6k is about the right price, but I doubt he’s going to want to come down that much. A shop told him he can get $11k.

The overflow tank didn’t seem to have gunk, but the antifreeze did seem cloudy. I guess the question is whether it’s worth $6k and then take it to Valley Hybrids to have em go through it. Or, do I just keep looking? Thoughts?

1994 Toyota Landcruiser · Sport Utility 4D

Toyota Landcruiser Great vehicle Owned since 1996 Good interior Exterior has peeling clear coat Sunroof 4x4 Tow hitch 3rd row seating Great first car

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[reklund5]

If it runs fine and doesn't overheat the HG is likely ok for now. External leaks are usually valve cover/oil pump o-ring/crank seal.

If the coolant isn't full of oil and the oil isn't full of coolant it's likely ok.
You may choose to do a preemptive HG job due to time and mileage but based on your description it isn't something you'd need immediately.

Knuckles and birfs are a matter of maintenance and it's probably due but not urgent.

My$.02

 

[magnato1]

If it runs fine and doesn't overheat the HG is likely ok for now. External leaks are usually valve cover/oil pump o-ring/crank seal.

If the coolant isn't full of oil and the oil isn't full of coolant it's likely ok.
You may choose to do a preemptive HG job due to time and mileage but based on your description it isn't something you'd need immediately.

Knuckles and birfs are a matter of maintenance and it's probably due but not urgent.

My$.02

Appreciate the reply. I was thinking the same, since the head gaskets on my Subaru were leaking for a long time before I had to replace them. Car ran fine, but over time there was more and more oil in the coolant and I got it done. That said, I wasn’t sure if the same applies to the 1-FZ.

Any thoughts on pricing? I know that many of these rigs need base lining, but it seems like this is likely going to need that and potentially HG. I think $9.5 is too high, but would appreciate any input.

 

[Kernal]

Repeating what's already been said above, find a mechanic to do an inspection and check for a headgasket leak, oil in the coolant, coolant in the oil, pull spark plugs, etc,etc. Better if it's a mechanic who knows this model well but any good mechanic should be able to diagnose a leaking head gasket and other major issues.

It appears to have all the usual oil leaks: Distributor O-ring, Valve cover gasket, front oil pump cover gasket/O-ring, etc.

IME if you pay a good shop to replace the head gasket (if it needs it) and rebuild the head, along with the 27 other things that should be replaced at the same time, it's gonna cost way more than a few thousand. For that work it really helps to find a Land Cruiser shop who's done it before on this model.

Can you suck out a few ounces of the coolant into a glass jar, let it sit undisturbed for awhile to see if anything separates or layers out ie: oil-water
or if there's anything else like Head Gasket sealer in the system??

Post up a photo of the cloudy coolant.

 

[bubfuji]

Given the cruiser market. $9.5k is an ok price. Offer $6k settle on $7-8k

What is your tolerance level. What do you want . The 80 series is a good platform.

With the 80 series, high mileage is just a bunch of numbers.

Common leaks with high mileage rigs:
Oil pump cover O ring
Distributior O Ring
Front main seal
2 inch coolant heater hose under the intake (PHH).
Valve cover (Usually a plugged PCV)

 

[LongDuck]

What these guys said; the CA pricing model may be favoring a little high right now, but $8k seems like the selling price based on your description. All of the other things can be stretched out over a bit of time if you're budgeting; the Birfs don't look horrible, and Moly grease tubes are cheap insurance to buy time, the oil leaks don't seem horrendous, and you could tackle those while you baseline the rig, and if the interior and exterior body are clean and rust-free, you'd be $$$ ahead in the long run if you want a LandCruiser you can trust and want to keep.

These have long been in the enthusiast category, because what you'll spend on it to make it good for your uses will far surpass going out and buying something newer. That's just the nature of the beast.

Also, what's this? We don't have those here. Some kind of CA smog thing?

 

[Fj80oregon]

What these guys said; the CA pricing model may be favoring a little high right now, but $8k seems like the selling price based on your description. All of the other things can be stretched out over a bit of time if you're budgeting; the Birfs don't look horrible, and Moly grease tubes are cheap insurance to buy time, the oil leaks don't seem horrendous, and you could tackle those while you baseline the rig, and if the interior and exterior body are clean and rust-free, you'd be $$$ ahead in the long run if you want a LandCruiser you can trust and want to keep.

These have long been in the enthusiast category, because what you'll spend on it to make it good for your uses will far surpass going out and buying something newer. That's just the nature of the beast.

Also, what's this? We don't have those here. Some kind of CA smog thing?
View attachment 4150013

That’s a pair valve for emissions all us spec 93/94 have them here.

 

[Fj80oregon]

Paying more upfront for a clan maintained rig will get you way further ahead especially if you don’t work on your own rig. These trucks will kill you with maintenance cost if you don’t know how to work on them. I would look for one local that you know passes smog and has been taken care off.

 

[magnato1]

Thanks to all who have weighed in, you’ve given me a lot to think about.

In a perfect world, I’d shop closer and I’d have a a good local shop. But, I live in a very remote part of California, the closest Target/Costco/Walmart is in Carson City/Reno area which is 3 hours from me and it’s very rare that an LC comes up for sale. Last time I saw one, it was an FJ62 with a massive dent in the driver’s door. That truck sold in 2 days, before I even had time to call the owner and check it out myself.

I will end up doing a lot of work myself, but my intention is to take the truck to a knowledgeable shop like Valley Hybrids/Mudrak/Top Shop, etc. and find out what it needs and gauge what I can do and what I should have them do.

The truck seems to run and drive nicely given its age. My gut tells me it’s solid and will just need baselining and likely a head gasket. I don’t mind tackling the baselining.

Thanks again for your input. I will think about what to do.

 

[petegangies]

It's relatively inexpensive to buy a compression tester and a CO₂ combustion leak tester and perform these tests yourself, especially the latter. They're useful tools to keep in your kit for future use.

Unfortunately, some people will blow a head gasket, add a sealant, and then sell the vehicle. That can make problems difficult to detect during a quick pre-purchase inspection.

Judging by your photos, you've already identified a few issues that will need attention, so you're clearly mechanically minded. A CO₂ test only takes about 10 minutes if the seller is happy for you to perform it. You'll need a large syringe to remove a small amount of coolant from the radiator so the tester doesn't draw coolant into the test chamber. With the radiator cap removed, bring the engine up to operating temperature so the thermostat opens (this can take a little longer with the cooling system unsealed). Then perform the test.

While a CO₂ test can't guarantee the head gasket is 100% healthy, it's a quick, inexpensive, and effective way to check for combustion gases in the cooling system.