Maybe a blown head gasket

I took my 2012 Tacoma to my local shop vibration, turned out to be a bad wheel bearing. 135,000 ml.

but when they called and told me what the vibration and noise was, they also told me that the overflow tank to my coolant was empty. And under further investigation they found white/red discharge around the valve cover. Their conclusion is head gasket! pull engine to do the work or, it would be cheaper to put in another engine without this problem. I have not felt any power loss... no white foam under the oil cap. no white smoke from the tailpipe. So maybe it just started to happen or something else.

Has anyone else had this issue? I was thinking about getting some additive to put into the radiator. What are your thoughts?

D

 

Welcome to Tacoma World. I think I would do some further testing by filling up your radiator and overflow with the proper Toyota pink long-life coolant and see what happens. You could get one of those combustion leak detection kits for pretty cheap to help confirm the diagnosis too. But at least if it was my truck I'd get a 2nd opinion first just to make sure the first shop is a) correct, and b) on the up-and-up.

Whatever you do, I wouldn't put any "stop leak" or "head gasket sealer" magic fix-in-a-bottle additives into your radiator, those are like last resort band-aid trash fixes that usually don't do anything besides cause more headaches. Nothing is ever fixed that easily. Good luck.

 

No, Just no.

If you can get a picture post it up so we can see what you see.
There is no coolant going to the valve cover or under the valve cover. If there was coolant there it would have long ago turned your oil into a coolant milkshake.

Get it checked by a "competent" mechanic as the one that told you you need a rebuild or an engine is a moron.

Get a picture and post it.