Should I buy this? (2 Viewers)

[nhall80]

Am I crazy to buy an '02 Tacoma (4x4, manual tranny, diff lock, extended cab, TRD, with 200k miles) that has a blown head gasket? Guy wants $4,000. It runs and drives but is blowing white smoke out the tail pipe. I'm not afraid of the work. My daily driver is an 80 Series LC, and I've been all over it with a wrench. I've never messed with the 3.4 engine and don't want any surprises. I know I'd go ahead and change the timing belt and water pump, but assuming the rest of the engine isn't damaged, I figure it'd be a pretty straight forward job.

Thoughts? Advice? Warnings? Should I pass?

 

[Brake Weight]

Am I crazy to buy an '02 Tacoma (4x4, manual tranny, diff lock, extended cab, TRD, with 200k miles) that has a blown head gasket? Guy wants $4,000. It runs and drives but is blowing white smoke out the tail pipe. I'm not afraid of the work. My daily driver is an 80 Series LC, and I've been all over it with a wrench. I've never messed with the 3.4 engine and don't want any surprises. I know I'd go ahead and change the timing belt and water pump, but assuming the rest of the engine isn't damaged, I figure it'd be a pretty straight forward job.

Thoughts? Advice? Warnings? Should I pass?

Would you be allowed to do a compression and leak off test? Is it bubbling in the coolant? How long has it been this way...potential for cracked head or block?

If your convinced it's just a head gasket it shouldn't be too hard to do. $4000 seems awful steep to me for the miles and age.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Too much ask IMO. How does the frame look?

 

[BlueCruiser84]

Seems expensive. But check the frame - put a camera inside it around the rear spring hangers.

check the oil. If it’s got coolant in it I would pass. You don’t know how long coolant has been sitting in the oil corroding the bottom end.

it would have to be REALLY clean, otherwise,for me to drop $4k on it.

 

[nhall80]

2002 Toyota Tacoma - Cooper's Wholesale Cars LLC

Here is the link. Seller is a Toyota guy and usually has fair prices from what I can tell. Truck is very clean. A little rust but nothing worrisome. If it wasn't a manual tranny, I might not even entertain it. I appreciate the input. I think I'm going to pass. Don't want to take the risk, but I feel like it could be a good buy for somebody.

 

[gnob]

This person thinks you could throw 2k at it and turn it for 10k.
Pass.

 

[LXJake93]

A couple years ago I had an 02 Subaru Outback which began blowing grey smoke. Checked oil, antifreeze, etc. and couldn't see any abnormalities. A few shops looked at it and all came back with blown head gaskets. Then had a family friend check it out (who's a NASA engineer) and he determined it was the cats... replaced them both for $100 at a local muffler shop and fixed the problem. It took a rocket scientist!!

Not saying this is the problem with this Tacoma, just trying to be optimistic. Love these trucks!