Head Gasket Mechanic - Bay Area (1 Viewer)

[thedoughboy]

I live in Santa Cruz but am having difficulty finding a mechanic willing to tackle this job. I have been prepping for this job as I knew it was inevitable. I wanted to tackle this myself but am too busy to do it. I have a 1995 with 280,000. All the signs of a blown head gasket. I will verify it is indeed blown but need a mechanic.

Do any of you know a great mechanic in the Bay Area that you'd be willing to recommend?

Thanks!

 

[cme4lyt]

A number of years ago, circa 2010, Clark Automotive & Machine in Cupertino were who we used when a number of us participated in a ‘group HG rebuild’ with Robbie (PowderPig) who came in from Colorado.

I believe the guy’s name was Steve and he did machine work on a number of heads, I think 6, that Robbie took to him.

He passed the ‘Robbie test’ and that was good enough for us !

 

[paulzak]

I completely sympathize with your desire to have someone else do it. I just finished up the same job. I was quoted 6 hours here in Sonora. It took me way longer. Even allowing for my inexperience and additional work they would lose their shorts on this . On the plus side, I got to replace a whole bunch of things which wouldn't have been included in a straight head gasket replacement . Hoses, O2 sensors, o-rings, cleaned injectors, etc. I'm curious how many hours they quote you for the job when you know. Please posit it if you think of it. Shop rate here would have been $200/he at a shop I trust .

 

[thedoughboy]

TTT

 

[177Aidan]

Im in the eastbay I have a few contacts at the local Toyota who are always looking for sidework (still done in the toyota shop minus stealer-ship prices) or if you tackle it yourself DONS DIESEL in martinez a great machine shop will take care of you, a little pricey but very familiar with these engines and he'll walk you through the procedure.

 

[Broski]

If your interested in going south, To SLO town Shoppy here on mud did mine. He wont do it in less all the little [while your in there] thing are done at the same time. Cost me about 3k but was supper happy with the job and his attention to detail.

 

[Broski]

Shoppy is the owner of Nelsons Garage, in Cayucos Ca. He owns two 80's DD them. You can check out his build thread. Shoppy's Moonlight 80 LS1 build. Total CruiserHead & super nice Guy, You get the picture

 

[AJP]

I completely sympathize with your desire to have someone else do it. I just finished up the same job. I was quoted 6 hours here in Sonora. It took me way longer. Even allowing for my inexperience and additional work they would lose their shorts on this . On the plus side, I got to replace a whole bunch of things which wouldn't have been included in a straight head gasket replacement . Hoses, O2 sensors, o-rings, cleaned injectors, etc. I'm curious how many hours they quote you for the job when you know. Please posit it if you think of it. Shop rate here would have been $200/he at a shop I trust .

6 hours to do a HG on an 80? WOW!! Maybe for pouring a bottle of Bar’s Stop-leak. Personally I would not be very confident in work done by a mechanic trying to hit a ‘6 hour shop time’ job ...

 

[madisonr34]

Following.

 

[OGBeno]

View attachment 1874375 If your interested in going south, To SLO town Shoppy here on mud did mine. He wont do it in less all the little [while your in there] thing are done at the same time. Cost me about 3k but was supper happy with the job and his attention to detail.

His attention to detail missed the valve cover spark plug wire covers. At least the front one.

 

[Broski]

His attention to detail missed the valve cover spark plug wire covers. At least the front one.

It's been missing since I bought it, I'm sure that's what made the HG blow. If I get a replacement will it increase horsepower ?

 

[177Aidan]

It's been missing since I bought it, I'm sure that's what made the HG blow. If I get a replacement will it increase horsepower ?

I just replaced my rear toyota emblem and almost immediately felt a quicker throttle response

 

[OGBeno]

It's been missing since I bought it, I'm sure that's what made the HG blow. If I get a replacement will it increase horsepower ?

That and 11291-66010 will give 10 donkeys.

 

[thedoughboy]

For those who care, I ended up taking my rig to Gary at MUDRAK Cruisers in Sonoma. It was not cheap, but his shop knows what to fix and how to fix it. I got a full top end rebuild. Plus, a few other goodies. He and his crew are true Land Cruiser fanatics. I highly recommend them!

 

[177Aidan]

Not cheap? How much!?

 

[thedoughboy]

PM sent @177Aidan

 

[madisonr34]

How much at Mudrack??

 

[cary]

For those who care, I ended up taking my rig to Gary at MUDRAK Cruisers in Sonoma. It was not cheap, but his shop knows what to fix and how to fix it. I got a full top end rebuild. Plus, a few other goodies. He and his crew are true Land Cruiser fanatics. I highly recommend them!

I was less than happy with the work done by Mudrak on my truck.

 

[paulzak]

6 hours to do a HG on an 80? WOW!! Maybe for pouring a bottle of Bar’s Stop-leak. Personally I would not be very confident in work done by a mechanic trying to hit a ‘6 hour shop time’ job ...

We will never know. They have done other work for me with which I was pleased. We complain when they overcharge and we complain when they undercharge. No wonder they hate customers!

 

[AJP]

We will never know. They have done other work for me with which I was pleased. We complain when they overcharge and we complain when they undercharge. No wonder they hate customers!

Well we have seen supposedly ‘Dealer book’ quoted estimates of 10.5 hours; independents at 12-14 hours (both on this site) my own (‘go to’) mechanic said 2 days (16hrs) until I later showed him the FSM and he revised it to ‘about 20’ pointing out he had never done a cruiser but that just getting the main harness out ‘by the book’ would take him a ‘couple of hours’ ( ) so if you think that a mechanic on “piece work” and getting paid for 6 hrs for that job is going to be ‘mic’ing your headbolts — well I am just a little sceptical. Seems to me holding a mechanic to 6 hrs for that job is a sure way of generating hate for customers.... otoh most operations that hate their customers don’t last too long these days. Personally I would rather pay for a reasonably shop time with the expectation that the time will be used to do a professional job everyone can be happy with.

(To add - fwiw I ended up doing it myself with the help of a lot of good tips/experience of others from this site and I took my time — I am pleased I did in retrospect but would not look forward to doing it again soon!!)