2009 Toyota Tacoma V6 with Coolant in Cylinder

Hello,

So I just found out today that a Tacoma I bought had coolant in the cylinder. It’s an 09 Toyota Tacoma V6 4WD with 183k miles in it.

The mechanic said that it looks like the previous owner may have put some sealant in it. Right now it doesn’t overheat but it does misfire.

One guy quoted me for a swap well over 9k.

What do you guys recommend I do? The truck frame is clean and so is the interior & exterior. Should I look for someone who can fix the head gasket or engine swap? Is it even worth it?

 

That sucks. With the evidence you have and if none of this was disclosed at time of purchase, can you contact the seller and attempt getting some money back? I’ve seen several threads on replace-gasket vs get-used-engine. Check them out as they go more into detail. Good luck moving forward.

 

I’m gonna try to see if they will give some money back.

is engine swapping the same engine into it difficult?

 

Does your state have a lemon law? How long ago did you buy it?

 

bought it in Tennessee, and I bought it like 2 weeks ago

 

Check the coolant level in the radiator -- not the overflow. If coolant is going into the cylinders you're losing coolant so will want to keep it topped off or it may very well overheat. After a 20 min or so drive I'd pop the hood and look in the overflow for bubbling.

 

Dealer or private sale?

 

Ok, what would the bubbling indicate?

 

I couldn't say. I’ve done some engine swaps but not on a Tacoma. It comes down to having the proper tools and time to do it. 4WD adds a bit more complexity to it. Also, consider getting a second opinion. And look into your regional thread to see what local TW members recommend shop-wise.

 

Private, unfortunately

 

Yeah it is. With a dealer you might have had a better shot at some recourse. Still wouldn't hurt to contact them, nothin' to lose at this point.

 

Head gasket leak. I originally noticed bubbling in my coolant overflow. Then had to consistently add coolant after driving. Misfires on cylinders 4 and 6. I put a scope in those cylinders in the morning and sure enough I could see coolant. Block test showed gases in the radiator. So for me it's a head gasket. I'm not sure how else you'd get coolant in your cylinders.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...oughts-on-these-results.856119/#post-30600468

 

Did you go through with the repair ? I’m thinking of doing the repair on mine but how do I know if there’s engine damage ?

 

Tearing it down now - goal to have the heads off Thursday so I'll get a better look at the gasket and get them to the machine shop.

 

Since it sounds like the rest of the truck is in good condition, I'd be leaning towards having the head gaskets replaced.

 

Out of interest, can the heads be machined?

 

good luck let me know how that goes

 

This is what I’m leaning towards too, my only concern is that previous user used sealant and I’m wondering if the engine has damage. I’m gonna check to oil to see if I can find metal shavings in it