Who has more than 250k miles on original head gasket? (1 Viewer)

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My ’97 is only up to 289K on the original HG. I’m no expert but I think the trick is to replace the radiator before it starts to clog up?



devo

I'm fastidious about keeping my cooling system clean and working properly. Have also owned my Cruiser for 22 of it's 25 years. I picked it up right after it had been turned in from a Corporate Lease, it had full service records. My head gasket showed signs of deterioration at cylinders #1 and #6 at the time of failure.

It also happened to let go during an engine flush rather than when driving but it was on its way out....without question.

I agree that overheating is likely the number one cause of head gasket failures....but submit that even well cared for engines will eventually experience the failure (OEM original head gasket). The newer HG is improved material and has some other modifications.

During the time period our vehicles were made......manufacturers were having to move away from using asbestos in head gaskets and use other materials. Toyota did what they thought best....but it was a learning experience for the automotive industry in general.

Aluminum heads on cast iron blocks are yet another challenge....the two having quite different expansion/contraction rates.
 
My 93 gave up at about 263K
 
So to this point I see 17 high mileage 80s still rocking the original HG and 7 with failures (maybe one or two were done as preventative maintenance?). Not exactly conclusive, but does seem to refute the concern that all HGs will blow by 300k. I will watch mine carefully, but think I will wheel it for a while before I dump $4k into something that might not be needed.
 
So to this point I see 17 high mileage 80s still rocking the original HG and 7 with failures (maybe one or two were done as preventative maintenance?). Not exactly conclusive, but does seem to refute the concern that all HGs will blow by 300k. I will watch mine carefully, but think I will wheel it for a while before I dump $4k into something that might not be needed.
This is one way to interpret the output of the statistics based on the question asked.

You may want to consider searching this issue on this site instead.
 
This is one way to interpret the output of the statistics based on the question asked.

You may want to consider searching this issue on this site instead.
Here's some data.

 
350K Miles...on my Ford Fusion and was still going strong when it was traded in...

Oh, are we talking about Toyotas? ;) My 1996 blew at 90K miles within a year after I bought it.

OP, look up Survivorship Bias. Only the good survive, the bad get sent to the great junkyard, forever silenced.
 
Here's some data.

Yeah, I know.


That's why I said that.
 
Mine went semi-catastrophically at 286,750 miles, almost exactly 20 years after manufacture. Typical cylinder #6 failure, bunch of coolant went down the exhaust and damaged my cats at the same time. I think the thermal shock fractured the ceramic parts inside, sounded like I had a can full of gravel under my truck after the HG repair.
 
97 LX450 just turned over 300K: original HG.
 
Mine gave up around 315k.
 
One of my 80's had the HG blow (under 100k) before I picked it up; the HG was replaced with the new design OEM HG. It's now at 375,000 miles with no signs of HG failure but it is time for valve stem seals.

Now if someone could come up with a new improved super Viton/silicone/carbon-nanotube/ceramic infused better-than-OEM lifetime valve stem seal, that would be another topic worth discussing.
 
As much as we would like otherwise, everything has a life expectancy. Even valve stem seals! Haha...it is amazing how long everything does last though on these.
 
It’s gonna be awhile before I can chime in and seeing gas is at $4.50+ it may be another 10 years
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