Poll on Head gasket problems (1 Viewer)

[e9999]

You're going to fix what isn't broken?

120k on mine (79k on the wife's) No HG issues on either one. Add 1 more to the no HG problems count if it makes you feel any better.

I would create a UserID for the wife and post info for her rig, but that would be opening myself up for the eventuallity of my worlds colliding...

what? you still haven't figured out how to do the multiple votes? You were right the first time, but I've changed my polls since, because of that... Thanks.

Just in case, here goes: click the first button, then click the second button, then push "vote". OK?

 

[NorCalDoug]

what? you still haven't figured out how to do the multiple votes? You were right the first time, but I've changed my polls since, because of that... Thanks.

Just in case, here goes: click the first button, then click the second button, then push "vote". OK?

No...the problem isn't with me. It's with your poll. How would I click the same "no problem with HG" button twice

 

[e9999]

No...the problem isn't with me. It's with your poll. How would I click the same "no problem with HG" button twice

holy crap! Right again he is!

Listen, I can only do so much with existing software. You of all people should realize that!
How is it possible that every time I do a poll I forget to plan for something?
This has gotta be the most devious nitpicking complicated hardheaded pollees I've ever seen... Or are we too smart for our own good!

can't you just blow a gasket to make it easier on me?

 

[NorCalDoug]

holy crap! Right again he is!

Listen, I can only do so much with existing software. You of all people should realize that!
How is it possible that every time I do a poll I forget to plan for something?
This has gotta be the most devious nitpicking complicated hardheaded pollees I've ever seen... Or are we too smart for our own good!

can't you just blow a gasket to make it easier on me?

Tell you what -- I'll help you out. You blow the gasket on your 80 and I'll take your "No HG issues" vote for the 2nd rig.

Deal?

FWIW, I was able to vote multiple times on your mileage poll.

 

[spartan]

e9999 - actually I think it may have been a transitional model assembled in a Botswanian career training seminar and then imported to the US via Honduras...

Oh yeah - and I replaced a dead starter at about 98,000 miles. Bosch from O'Reilly - nice piece.

 

[e9999]

current tally:

10/71 = 14% (way too much for comfort)

100-150K seems to be the highest incidence so far but keep in mind that's also the mileage that we have the most of (see other poll). Does this mean that the HG blowup is not directly correlated to age but is a random process (e.g. due to bad maintenance...)?

actually, seems like the HG blowups are more skewed to the 50K-100K range than the 150K-200K when compared to the mileage poll. So this would suggest a trend opposite to age-related, no? This could be good news in a devious way if it means that a problem with the HG will show up earlier rather than later. I.e. if you maintain well (or are lucky) you'll be fine for a while - or forever. If not, you'll know right away...

Still too early, but getting interesting...

 

[tarbe]

139K and no problems so far. Vehicle has been in FL, NC and TX. I flushed the cooling system shortly after I got it home as the PO said it was due. No sludge, no grime, looked fine to me.

 

[BNC]

My '93 blew the HG at 120k.

 

[hobbes]

My headgasket seems happy here at 107k miles. Knock on wood. And again, just to be sure. I flushed the cooling system when I bought it 18 months ago. It had Toyota red in it then and now. Can't tell for sure how hot it runs. I'm going to get one of the diagnostic programs to run on my laptop to check the temp on occasion since the temp guage is about as useful as the old idiot lights.

 

[nakman]

Sorry, E, little late to the party here. HG blew at 108K, and I definitely had coolant issues.. thermostat went into the red once because I was like 3 quarts low on coolant. I also had a phenomenon called "hydrolocking," which is about the worst sound you can ever hear when starting your truck. (coolant in the cylinder, piston can't compress). IMO, I had head gasket failure, enough to pull coolant into the cylinders.. then I burned enough coolant to run low enough to over heat.

I'm a little wiser now, hopefully. HG #2 still holding steady at 131K.

 

[MH_Stevens]

Unless the "Had no problems so far" responce is split into the same milage catagories as the failures this poll has little meaning. I think this is worth you (e9999) asking via a second poll all those who responded as "no problem" to catagorise themselve by the milage strata. Then we could say things like "you have an x% of HG failure before y miles."

 

[landtank]

E, Junk hasn't voted yet and I know he had at least 1 Blown HG.


Dan, how you can jeopardize your yearly vacation to lake powell for the sake of a simple HG replacement is beyond me. Seems that would be the most likey time it would fail if it was to do so during a season.


Oh, no HG blown so far at 177k, I got rid of the bitch 50k ago!

 

[Grouseman]

E,

Great poll.

GM

 

[e9999]

Unless the "Had no problems so far" responce is split into the same milage catagories as the failures this poll has little meaning. I think this is worth you (e9999) asking via a second poll all those who responded as "no problem" to catagorise themselve by the milage strata. Then we could say things like "you have an x% of HG failure before y miles."

not true, that's why I did the mileage poll. You can draw a correlation.
Anyway, I may have to do another poll on the overheating history of the blown rigs since it looks like most of our blown colleagues can't figure out the second part of the poll....

current tally:

13/89 = 15% this is getting steady.

Way too much if you ask me. I never thought the odds would be so high, considering that most people here take good care of their rigs. So, either completely random process or the PO's poor maintenance has an effect later on.

You guys who lost an HG, was this even after you had flushed the cooling system?

 

[reffug]

current tally:

13/89 = 15% this is getting steady.

Calm down e when you think of how many 80 owners there are on the board we don't nearly have a majority in form of a voting number. Probably are not even at 50% yet. Most of the respondents at this point are the regulars and tech junkies who as we all know hang out here way to much.

 

[e9999]

Calm down e when you think of how many 80 owners there are on the board we don't nearly have a majority in form of a voting number. Probably are not even at 50% yet. Most of the respondents at this point are the regulars and tech junkies who as we all know hang out here way to much.

true, but not sure how that would likely change the % dramatically...

 

[MH_Stevens]

Here's another question to throw in for fum. Who and how many have done PM on the HG and found No problem? And consider this - If the chance of a HG blowing is 15% before 150K miles for a vehicle with no previous overheat condition, and if PM costs $1000 and to repair a blown head costs $3000 plus $500 recovery costs, it is statistically cheaper to NOT do PM by a little over 2:1. If you are well maintained the odds look even better. If you have experienced a overheat condition then PM looks more attractive.

 

[jpwelling]

Purchased 97 with 53K on it with mud and clear water in overflow (Toyota certified this way...cool huh ?). After several flush & fills, its looked good ever since...no bubbles, etc. Lost a PHH about 9 months ago. Lucky I was driving (its Mama's car) and I noticed it and got off the freeway before the temp got into the red. Its occasionally been losing coolant (no visible leaks and none in the oil) over the last couple of years (I suspected the HG but was hoping it wasn't). The AC shuts off in stop and go traffic at 100 degrees but the temp gauge stays in the middle. I never worried about this because most of the other vehicles I have had have done this. About 5 months ago, it ejected #3 spark plug while I was out of town (probably not related to HG but an interesting phenomenon). Then this weekend I noticed a slight miss on the way back from the airport (no telling how long it had been happening), checked the plugs, #5 and #6 were heavily carboned (#3 looked fine) and upon doing a compression check found #5 and #6 at < 70 psi with the others > 170 psi. Time to call Dan.

 

[jpwelling]

D'oh.....with all that, I forgot to say the most important thing....its got 105K on it now and I consider the coolant loss as a long time cooling issue (even though it wasn't running hot)

 

[e9999]

Purchased 97 with 53K on it with mud and clear water in overflow (Toyota certified this way...cool huh ?). After several flush & fills, its looked good ever since...no bubbles, etc. Lost a PHH about 9 months ago. Lucky I was driving (its Mama's car) and I noticed it and got off the freeway before the temp got into the red. Its occasionally been losing coolant (no visible leaks and none in the oil) over the last couple of years (I suspected the HG but was hoping it wasn't). The AC shuts off in stop and go traffic at 100 degrees but the temp gauge stays in the middle. I never worried about this because most of the other vehicles I have had have done this. About 5 months ago, it ejected #3 spark plug while I was out of town (probably not related to HG but an interesting phenomenon). Then this weekend I noticed a slight miss on the way back from the airport (no telling how long it had been happening), checked the plugs, #5 and #6 were heavily carboned (#3 looked fine) and upon doing a compression check found #5 and #6 at < 70 psi with the others > 170 psi. Time to call Dan.

70 psi, eh? I take it you are saying your HG is toast?