X-Posted: Advice Needed on Dealer Service Gone Wrong

90% of the ones with external coolant leaks around that area are that pipe that come in my shop. I have a suspicion they saw that and misquoted a head

 

Good call. I "know" him from the long travel threads. Thanks for tagging him and thanks in advance for any help, snowsk8air2

 

A few were on the side of the block, right under the exhaust manifold. Some were near the back like Empty lord mentioned. But even then, the pink crust was obviously coming from the HG, nothing dripping down from above. At least on the ones I've seen. And I don't mean a lot, maybe like 6-8 trucks over 20 years

 

What a crappy situation. While it may have needed a new head gasket, that likely wouldn't lead to an immediate catastrophic failure once replaced. I certainly wouldn't be paying them any more money and would expect my truck to be returned in working order.

 

Did the dealer take any pics? I thought a lot of places were using tablets and such to record video and take pics.

 

Good call. I'll ask/suggest he get pics. Thanks

 

I know we’re doing that. Pretty sure we’re usually the slowest adopters of shit too

 

first mistake was going to the dealer for an oil change, those kids at the dealer fucked up the truck. 3-5k to fix it probbly now

 

If someone ever tells me that I have a “small head gasket leak.“ I will just assume they are a godlike mechanic or fucking lying.

and, please, don’t get a lawyer involved. A lawyer will just take your money, write the dealership a letter, which they will ignore, and then a much more expensive lawyer will tell your lawyer to get stuffed.

 

Your friend is getting ripped off.

 

I am far less versed on the older stuff than newer unfortunately. But as a former tech at a smaller high performance bike shop, if they were working on engine internals, and didn’t cut open the oil filter to check for metal particulate, there’s a lot of liability on the shop. But yeah, if the oil was filled with coolant and looked like a milkshake then that’s a lot harder to tell.

Regardless, if there wasn’t any notable issues with the truck before they got their hands on it it isn’t good. Never been a fan of the dealer here. I’d ask for lots of pictures and documentation and still make the dealer pay for the replacement motor

 

Was going to be my suggestion to OPs friend, get whatever is available asap

 

My movie mind is wondering if someone at the dealership wanted that truck and made a big “to-do” out of nothing in the hopes it would ultimately get traded in or something like that.

For sure a pain to have to navigate in the meantime.

 

Regardless of what excuse the dealer gives, your buddy drove the truck there for an oil change. Keep in mind, it was not towed to the shop. If they claimed existing condition caused the blown motor, they have the burden to prove it was the cause and not negligence on their end.

 

As a small block Chevy guy trying to learn his way around toyotas, a few questions come to mind.

The O.P. mentions replacing a head gasket. Wouldn't it make since to replace both headgaskets while the motor is apart?

Following the timeline of the repair (working around Thanksgiving), I see no mention of sending the head out to a machine shop. Wouldn't that be standard practice to make sure the heads are not warped?

 

All Toyota Dealers are independent some are much worsethen others

If you had coolant in the oil the lower end would have been wiped long before making it to Flagstaff.

He was up sold is my guess no real way to prove.

The engine failure should be on them!

No wonder I have done all my work for almost 50 years.

 

Ask them if the oil was contaminated with coolant when they started disassembly.

If it was, they stepped on their own dick by not mentioning it because that would make the case for prior bearing damage.

If there wasn't any contamination then they look to be more at fault

 

Running vehicle driven to dealership. Only request was a oil change. Dealership discovers a head gasket leak they were not asked to diagnose. Recommended removal and replacement of a head gasket that was not solicited by customer. After receiving approval from owner of truck, Recommended repairs made. While on test drive catastrophic engine failure occurs.

That is a insurance claim for the dealership. There is no way anyone can remove a head, replace a gasket, replace the head, and experience engine failure on test drive, and say they did a good job.

Service department owes a engine and a drug test for the mechanic.

Or and this is a big or, they think yout buddy is a sucker, and they think they can get him to give them the truck for not paying the cost of destroying the engine.

 

Right? I’ve never heard of a head gasket getting replaced without pulling the head and getting it decked at least.

 

Probably too late by now, but I wouldn't give them any ideas. I'd just ask why they thought the head gasket needed to be replaced, and ask for any pics/evidence supporting that diagnosis. That oil is long gone, so unless they got pics you'd just have to take their word. Likely it is more what Empty Lord or others have mentioned, just some external visible clues.

According to the Car Care Nut, newer engines, especially OHV with VVT, should not have the heads machined as it changes some other overall measurements that are important. Not sure about the 3.4 as it's not really that new any longer.