Poll on Head gasket problems (1 Viewer)

Poll about mileage and overheating

  • HG blew between at over 250K

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    484

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Nay said:
People who have had problems are more likely to respond. The statistics have no validity.

This is a poll, not a statistical sample.

Nay

Yep, this is a poll of people who came into ih8mud's 80's forum and searched on the words "head gasket"

I'd expect a real sampling would show a lower HG failure rate.

I also wonder if the failures can be linked to any mods, i.e. turbos, SC's, 35" tires, etc.

Tom
 
tech_dog said:
I also wonder if the failures can be linked to any mods, i.e. turbos, SC's, 35" tires, etc.

The only thing that can be linked to the HG failures is overheating and that is not a direct link. There are many that have failed without a prior overheat problem and average or above-average maintenance of the cooling system. There is also a link between condition of the cooling system and overheating but that's just common sense.

As of now, the only thing one can do (besides replacing the HG as PM) is to keep the cooling system in top condition. Annual flushes, premium coolant, distilled water, and keep all of the components in good working condition; radiator & cap, thermostat, all hoses (esp the PHH), belts, fan clutch, water pump. I would also recommend Raven's temp gauge modification or an accurate after-market temp gauge that will tell you exactly what is happening with your coolant temps. The factory gauge is, at best, a rough approximation with a huge dead-spot right where you want to get notified if something is amiss. For those that need evidence you can view this animated GIF that Darwood is hosting: http://web.mac.com/darwood/Pictures/Temp/aptemp2O.gif It takes a little while to load at broadband speeds so let it load up, then watch the image as you can see the factory gauge and a digital thermometer at the same time. Interesting stuff.

-B-
 
Last edited:
1994 FZJ80 - 205,000 miles, no probs that I know about. Although the PO did have the radiator replaced, makes me think there were other/previous problems he didn't know about.

-Andrew
 
I just scanned the thread, is this to include 91-92 FJ80's as well?

They might be voting and raising the "Not Blown" percentage, especially since it doesn't specify 94-97.

Sorry if someone already posed this question.

-Andrew
 
geez, it's not so complicated. :rolleyes:

The ratio of blown HG to non-blown has seen in the poll is not very meaningful, both because the response may be biased by folks being freaked out that their gaskets blew vs folks not giving a hoot; but then also because there may be some folks who voted earlier that all was fine and then later got burned. Doesn't matter. The usefulness lies in the absolute number of blown HG, way too many for such a small group of folks, and mostly to suggest that the mileage is not the critical factor here.
 
I laugh in the face of a 15% failure rate. My personal failure rate has been 200%!!! :doh: . 200 miles and the third gasket is still going strong. Knock on wood.
 
Pete483 said:
I laugh in the face of a 15% failure rate. My personal failure rate has been 200%!!! :doh: . 200 miles and the third gasket is still going strong. Knock on wood.


did you ever tell us the story of the second one, I don't remember reading that. Was it the new type?
 
Yeah, I finally updated that thread as I just got the truck back last week. It was a bit of an ordeal, but mostly just because the dealership's maintenance management was lacking. It now has the new type in there. I forgot to pay attention to what type the old one was, but it was only an external blow--just the very outside cracked.
 
Beowulf said:
The only thing that can be linked to the HG failures is overheating and that is not a direct link.
-B-

I'm not sure that's correct, although I don't claim to be an expert on this.

It seems to me that an engine that's been burdened with an extra 1000 lbs of mods, turning 35" tires instead of 31" tires, is working cosiderably harder than the expectations when the engine was designed.

You could say the same thing about SC's and TC's. The engine is dealing with conditions that are more difficult than an off the shelf stock.

Maybe part of the difference between a 90K mile hg blow and a 300K mile hg blow is the difference between a 6500lb supercharged rock crawler vs. a 5300 lb stock driven with a light foot.

I'm working of intuition and a basic undestanding of physics and materials science here, not LC expertise, but I have trouble not seeing this as part of the equation.

Tom
 
Ok, what are the symptoms ?

My first 80 had 175k-no problems. I did replace the radiator because there was a hole in it and the PO stuck gum or something in the hole to cover it up.

My current 80 has 94k. No problems, and bought it with 89k. The PO seemed
to have it together with any maintenance issues, and there was no recorded problems. But I'm gonna call the previous service mechanic/dealer now and check on this.
2 votes............
 
I think I'm just gonna leave mine running 24/7 so I minimize the heat cycles :grinpimp:
 
Mine just blew at exactly 225,000 miles. Never ran hot. I live in North Texas and drive the pee-wa-diddle out of this thing. Last fall averaged 3.5 hours one way going the 75 mile trip from Baton Rouge to New Orleans in 100 degree heat, never overheated. Went on many lake runs with the boat last spring and summer, never got hot. Even driving the 5 miles home from the office with a blown HG, never got hot.
 
206,570 Miles and still chugging along, she uses a pint every 3 thousand miles but I love her!

Knock on wood, no HG prbs ever!

:bounce:
 
good that I put in the "no problem" option in the poll...
anybody who checks that one is no longer allowed to have their HG blow since that would mess up the results big time! :)
 
I'd like to remove my vote from this poll.
I'm pretty tired of all the HG worrying that's going on here. Yeah, some have had problems. Some will. But percentage-wise, based on ALL the 80s sold, is this really a problem?



Yeah...I'm sure karma will hit me with a HG blowing on I-80 coming to or from CM06...whatever...

Sheesh...all this HG worrying just seems so alarmist to me.
Can't it just be that sh:censor:t just happens sometimes?
 
bump
 
+115,000 miles and original HG, running strong!!!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom