Can I fix the blown valve in my '94 Tercel?

I have a '94 (3E-E) Tercel. I seem to have blown a valve in cylinder #3
(zero compression). I'm wondering how much of a bear it is to pull the
cylinder head off, get it reconditioned @ the machine shop, and then put it
back on, and how much I should expect to pay for this service at the shop.
I'm no mechanic, but I used to spend quite a bit of time playing around with
air-cooler VW engines and consider myself pretty handy.

Also, if I do decide to tackle this job, are there any other things I ought
to do while I have the head off?

Any gotchas I should be aware of, or tips to make the job easier?

Background: The car has ~140K miles on it, the shop wants ~$2000 to do the
job, which, considering how much the car is worth at this point, seems like
a losing situation, but if I could do the job myself for about half that,
plus a weekend's worth of work, it would be worth it to me.

"Anthony Aue" <anthonyaue@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:434ad288$1@news.microsoft.com...[color=blue]
> I have a '94 (3E-E) Tercel. I seem to have blown a valve in cylinder #3
> (zero compression). I'm wondering how much of a bear it is to pull the
> cylinder head off, get it reconditioned @ the machine shop, and then put[/color]
it[color=blue]
> back on, and how much I should expect to pay for this service at the shop.
> I'm no mechanic, but I used to spend quite a bit of time playing around[/color]
with[color=blue]
> air-cooler VW engines and consider myself pretty handy.
>
> Also, if I do decide to tackle this job, are there any other things I[/color]
ought[color=blue]
> to do while I have the head off?
>
> Any gotchas I should be aware of, or tips to make the job easier?
>
> Background: The car has ~140K miles on it, the shop wants ~$2000[/color]

$2,000?!? Con artists.

So, how much should I expect them to charge for the job?

"Josh" <anony@anonyanonyanony.com.blackhole> wrote in message
news:6y6dnRlC9NWpSNfeUSdV9g@ptd.net...[color=blue]
>
> "Anthony Aue" <anthonyaue@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:434ad288$1@news.microsoft.com...[color=green]
>> I have a '94 (3E-E) Tercel. I seem to have blown a valve in cylinder #3
>> (zero compression). I'm wondering how much of a bear it is to pull the
>> cylinder head off, get it reconditioned @ the machine shop, and then put[/color]
> it[color=green]
>> back on, and how much I should expect to pay for this service at the
>> shop.
>> I'm no mechanic, but I used to spend quite a bit of time playing around[/color]
> with[color=green]
>> air-cooler VW engines and consider myself pretty handy.
>>
>> Also, if I do decide to tackle this job, are there any other things I[/color]
> ought[color=green]
>> to do while I have the head off?
>>
>> Any gotchas I should be aware of, or tips to make the job easier?
>>
>> Background: The car has ~140K miles on it, the shop wants ~$2000[/color]
>
> $2,000?!? Con artists.
>
>[/color]

"Anthony Aue" <anthonyaue@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:434ad288$1@news.microsoft.com...[color=blue]
>I have a '94 (3E-E) Tercel. I seem to have blown a valve in cylinder #3
>(zero compression). I'm wondering how much of a bear it is to pull the
>cylinder head off, get it reconditioned @ the machine shop, and then put it
>back on, and how much I should expect to pay for this service at the shop.
>I'm no mechanic, but I used to spend quite a bit of time playing around
>with air-cooler VW engines and consider myself pretty handy.[/color]

Before you tackle the job, invest in either on-line access to Toyota's tech
site or a factory repair manual.

I'm not sure what you mean by "blown valve." Before you pull the head, pull
the valve cover and check valve lash. You may be able to check the valves
with a borescope and see if there are deposits on the valve face or valve
seat. If so, it may be possible to de-carbon the valves with walnut shells,
Toyota dealers may still have the kit to do this work or something like B&G
or Motor Vac may work.
[color=blue]
>
> Also, if I do decide to tackle this job, are there any other things I
> ought to do while I have the head off?
>
> Any gotchas I should be aware of, or tips to make the job easier?
>
> Background: The car has ~140K miles on it, the shop wants ~$2000 to do the
> job, which, considering how much the car is worth at this point, seems
> like a losing situation, but if I could do the job myself for about half
> that, plus a weekend's worth of work, it would be worth it to me.
>[/color]

--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

"Anthony Aue" <anthonyaue@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:434ad939$1@news.microsoft.com...[color=blue]
> So, how much should I expect them to charge for the job?[/color]

I would get a quote somewhere else. I really don't know what the charge
would be for a valve replacement, there's no way I would pay 2K though!

"Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>"Anthony Aue" <anthonyaue@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:434ad288$1@news.microsoft.com...[color=green]
>>I have a '94 (3E-E) Tercel. I seem to have blown a valve in cylinder #3
>>(zero compression). I'm wondering how much of a bear it is to pull the
>>cylinder head off, get it reconditioned @ the machine shop, and then put it
>>back on, and how much I should expect to pay for this service at the shop.
>>I'm no mechanic, but I used to spend quite a bit of time playing around
>>with air-cooler VW engines and consider myself pretty handy.[/color]
>
>Before you tackle the job, invest in either on-line access to Toyota's tech
>site or a factory repair manual.
>
>I'm not sure what you mean by "blown valve." Before you pull the head, pull
>the valve cover and check valve lash. You may be able to check the valves
>with a borescope and see if there are deposits on the valve face or valve
>seat. If so, it may be possible to de-carbon the valves with walnut shells,
>Toyota dealers may still have the kit to do this work or something like B&G
>or Motor Vac may work.
>[/color]
Of course...and you might just have a 'stuck valve' OR you might
have a bloody great big hole in the piston which might cost you
much more than the engine's worth...as Ray says, at least pull
the valve cover and at least do a boroscope...
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 13:43:52 -0700, "Anthony Aue"
<anthonyaue@hotmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>I have a '94 (3E-E) Tercel. I seem to have blown a valve in cylinder #3
>(zero compression). I'm wondering how much of a bear it is to pull the
>cylinder head off, get it reconditioned @ the machine shop, and then put it
>back on, and how much I should expect to pay for this service at the shop.
>I'm no mechanic, but I used to spend quite a bit of time playing around with
>air-cooler VW engines and consider myself pretty handy.
>
>Also, if I do decide to tackle this job, are there any other things I ought
>to do while I have the head off?
>
>Any gotchas I should be aware of, or tips to make the job easier?
>
>Background: The car has ~140K miles on it, the shop wants ~$2000 to do the
>job, which, considering how much the car is worth at this point, seems like
>a losing situation, but if I could do the job myself for about half that,
>plus a weekend's worth of work, it would be worth it to me.
>[/color]


$2000 would get you a whole new (well, rebuilt) engine here in So.
Calif. Maybe a transmission as well ;-)

Replacing the head should cost around $800 (with a usable core).
(This price may be a bit out of date though.)

....

And now on to the next question: Can anyone recommend a good machine shop
with experience doing Toyota motors in the Seattle area?


"noneyabusiness" <me@you.com> wrote in message
news:30cnk1920n0b9mha0o7n7km0mls2ebnmm5@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 13:43:52 -0700, "Anthony Aue"
> <anthonyaue@hotmail.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>I have a '94 (3E-E) Tercel. I seem to have blown a valve in cylinder #3
>>(zero compression). I'm wondering how much of a bear it is to pull the
>>cylinder head off, get it reconditioned @ the machine shop, and then put
>>it
>>back on, and how much I should expect to pay for this service at the shop.
>>I'm no mechanic, but I used to spend quite a bit of time playing around
>>with
>>air-cooler VW engines and consider myself pretty handy.
>>
>>Also, if I do decide to tackle this job, are there any other things I
>>ought
>>to do while I have the head off?
>>
>>Any gotchas I should be aware of, or tips to make the job easier?
>>
>>Background: The car has ~140K miles on it, the shop wants ~$2000 to do the
>>job, which, considering how much the car is worth at this point, seems
>>like
>>a losing situation, but if I could do the job myself for about half that,
>>plus a weekend's worth of work, it would be worth it to me.
>>[/color]
>
>
> $2000 would get you a whole new (well, rebuilt) engine here in So.
> Calif. Maybe a transmission as well ;-)
>
> Replacing the head should cost around $800 (with a usable core).
> (This price may be a bit out of date though.)
>
> ...[/color]