92 V6 4X4 head gasket issues

[z4lunch]

Steve here...
Wanted to share this with everyone...
Bought my 92 V6 4X4 pickup new. Ran awesome, no issues til 92000. The dealer put headgaskets in it and a water pump. Cost me about $1400us
Couple months later got a card in the mail from Toyota, extending the warranty on the truck for the head gaskets. Sent in my receipts, Toyota sent me a fat check a few months later!!. 125000... dealer said the truck needed head gaskets again. This one was no charge also. 150000... Dealer said the truck had burnt exhaust valves and need a valve job... $2000us later, truck ran a little better, but didn't have a whole lot of power. 200000... Truck ruuning like sheet...shook when idling, had a bad miss or two. Took it to a local import guy down the road from my house... One of the center cylinders had no squeeze, the other center had a little, and the other cylinders where weak to say the least.

This is what the mechanic told me, once the engine was apart. (my wife and I stood over him as he pulled off the heads) He said most of the valves where bent and never where seating because the clearance to the cams where set too tight. exhaust valves where burnt, and one cam had to be replaced because the BOTTOM of one of the cam lobes was severly warn. He then had the heads redone, with all new exhaust valves and some intake valves, and he was able to find a good used cam. Had some other things done but i think just the engine work was around $2200us. I have put 22000 miles on the truck since he did the work and the truck runs like it did when the motor was new. Gets 19mpg on non reformulated gas
Steve

[chronoti]

yes you have to be careful who you take your car too. sometimes the dealer isnt always the best place. since you found a good garage that was able to find those mistake and fix them for you i say you should keep going to them. also let us know which dealer you went to so we can stay away from them.