Help 80 using antifreeze

[dronning]

New to Cruisers

I'm looking at an 1996 80 that is using antifreeze - it's going through the motor.

I haven't seen it yet but what should I expect cracked head, head gasket or worse a block.

I will be looking for af in the oil and for oil in the af.

How hard is a head replacement on this motor?

Should I completely stay away from this rig?

Any suggestions

Dave

 

[corsair23]

Dave,

99% probability it is the head gasket. The concern is the HG just starting to go or has it gone? And if it is "gone", did the owner shut the engine down before it overheated? If not you could be looking at head damage. In any event you wouldn't want to run the engine long, if at all, until the issue is addressed.

Replacing the HG is not what I would consider a "fun" job and it is very involved. Heck, IdahoDoug even created a DVD you can buy for you or your mechanic to help you through the job. A top notch mechanic can probably replace a HG over a couple long days but there is other stuff you'll want to do at the same time that will add time/days (i.e. checking/machining the head).

As to whether you should avoid the rig?? Depends on how good of shape it is in otherwise - miles, does it have lockers, interior/exterior shape, maintenance history, etc. And it would depend a LOT on the price knowing full well that at a minimum you are looking at a HG job.

If you can do the HG yourself but get the price down based on what it would cost to have a dealership do the work then it would make it more attractive

If you type in "Head Gasket" in the search on the 80s section you'll get a LOT of information. IIRC a HG job will run $2500+ to have a reputable shop do the work. Maybe less, maybe more, depending on where you are located etc. But you'd want to add to that estimate other stuff you'll want to do while your in there such as the injectors etc.

Good luck!!

 

[dronning]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Unfortunately I think he has been driving it this way for a while just adding af as he went.

Body looks good but it's had a cheap repaint/color change and they didn't do the door jams. No lockers - I just found this out.

The interior looks good leather, sunroof, power seats... it has 170,000 on it, a 2 1/2" lift with 35s.

I have a line on a replacement head if needed but I am more worried about other possible internal damage.

If I buy it I will do the work myself thanks for the tip on the dvd.

In the shape it's in it's basically a project and he is asking $5K for it which I think is too much based on what I can buy a near same mileage one with no problems.

Dave

 

[bugsnbikes]

Run..............fast.....................far...........

Plenty o low mileage grocery getters to choose from out there. 6-7k should get you a locked cruiser- sub 140k miles- with a handful of dealer records from some nice couple who parked it in a garage and took it out to take the kids to Disneyland-Tahoe-cuz the bimmer wouldnt fit the kids toys and skis.

It could also be something simple like the PHH thats got a leak but again------probably not the right cruiser to start with.

 

[powderpig]

Coolant if ran through the engine long enough can mess with the cylinder walls(no more cross hatches) and rings creating a sealing problem. Not repairng the head gasket can groove the block and head. No way to know unless you pull the head off. If the block is grooved(from heat of combustion), then block will have to be repaired before the head goes on. Anyhow good luck on this.

 

[Romer]

Run Forrest Run

If coolant has already been running through the engine, no idea how much damahe there is.

I would only pursue it if they want $1000 and you had plenty of time to tear down the engine and rebuild.

 

[94landcruiser]

I paid 5k for mine with 153k on the clock and drove it for almost two years before I did the hg. He is smoking crack.

Run away.

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Originally posted by Romer
Run Forrest Run

Ha ha ha ha LMAO.

 

[IdahoDoug]

I'll chime in that Bugs in Post #4 is dead on. Don't waste your money on a beater thats been crashed badly enough to have a repaint. Then a crappy repaint means the work was done on the cheap or by someone's cousin in a garage with a dirt floor and beer cans laying about. Gas guzzling SUVs resale is dropping like a stone and that thing is worth half or less what he's asking. Look around and don't be in a rush, or accept that if you're going to be in a rush you're going to buy a crap vehicle and pay too much.

DougM

 

[goneballistic]

I'm in the middle of a HG repair myself and thanks to IdahoDoug, it's not that hard, just VERY time consuming. If it was an otherwise good rig and hadn't been wrecked or repainted, I'd use the HG issue to negotiate a good price and then fix the HG but talking about the issues you mentioned, I'd run like a jackrabbit on crack.

for that price you can get a mid 100K locked rig right now if you look around. Gas prices are making these things less and less desirable every day so just keep looking and get the one you want without a bunch of stuff from it being a beater.