A Toyota Master Diagnostic Technician shares tips and tricks on how to check for a bad head gasket on Toyota and Lexus modern engines.
In this video we take a look at this almost 300k mile 2013 Sequoia which has a completely blown head gasket. We’ll start with a path of diagnosis that professional mechanics take to verify that we have a bad head gasket and how severe is it to be able to give the customer a full picture before digging in.
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I hope this video will especially help Prius DIY mechanics to distinguish between a cold start misfire caused by an EGR problem and one that’s caused by a Blown Head gasket on the 3rd generation Prius’s 2ZR-FXE.
This message is for all those who wrench on cars. Spend 90% of your effort on Diagnosis not on the repair. Majority of repairs are just a collection of nuts and bolts that go in a certain order. thorough diagnosis is what makes repairs successful, not the nuts and bolts part.
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#thecarcarenut #toyota #enginerepair
0:00 Intro
1:53 Basic Diagnosis Method
6:06 Deeper investigation into head gasket clues
7:43 Simple way to SEE the head gasket leak (for Prius owners)
17:08 Important Machining information on Toyota engines
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I have an 09 Lexus es350 and I'm curious about how sturdy the 2grfe is… I held it at redline for about 4 seconds a few times ((engine at operating temp)) and im wondering if I might have hurt something. It has 128k miles, oil has been and gets changed religiously, been using penz platinum full synthetic. Doesn't burn a drop between oil changes. Is it healthy enough to beat on?
Sounds like a low mileage engine trans combo out of wrecked car would be good if the rest of the vehicle is decent shape and you can get them cheap enough. used car prices are up 40% this year so replacing the car is much more difficult than it used to be. I find the the head gasket leaks the engine warms and the leak goes aways because of the expansions on the Prius anyway. another easy way to check on the prius is take the oring off the coolant overflow and the lack of pressure on the system the car will not misfire on startup after cooling. The combination of pressure in the coolant system and cooling when the engine is off really opens up that gap in the gaskets causing the misfire on start up.
I really liked the discussion about what to do about the problem and why it is too risky to fix. Mr. Car Care Nut shows that vehicle repair decisions are as much about money and risk as they are technical.
I have no head gasket issues. I plan on upgrading my radiator and head gasket in the future.
I have a 2021 Toyota Rav4 XLE Premium Hybrid AWD. Outside temperatures last night were at minus 25 degrees not including the wind chill. I started my car up this morning and I noticed that the exhaust was dark colored for about 10 seconds or so before clearing up. Vehicle has only 2800 miles on it. Is this some fluke event or is something wrong with the car?
Good video AMD, very informative. Thanks
Wouldn't it be cool if he could electrify the truck for under 10k
Retorque the heads and out some stop leak in .
Thank you for your very insightful videos! You mentioned the 10-11 Prius, but does the Camry Hybrid fall in that category since afaik it uses the same drivetrain? 2010 Camry Hybrid Ive had rough engine starts here and there in the winter for years where it does exactly as you say. Sounds very very rough but goes away and runs fine. Noticed it around 80k miles and noted it to our toyota dealership who said its due to weather. At a little over 100,000 miles over now and it very rarely does do that now but at idle engine makes a popping sound. Is that a bad head gasket (or going bad) or a bad engine manifold? It runs great and just recently put some suspension work in but I rather be proactive if this is a cause for concern.
There was a time when 300k was not much for a Toyota there were plenty that reached 500k or more if properly maintained. I agree though 300k miles is a lot especially with todays driving. Highway speeds have increased and people are generally more aggressive with their driving habits. I see it everyday on the Interstates. Down here in Texas people will be driving super fast and I am talking 85-100mph in 98-104 degree heat. My 2004 Silverado 5.3l engine is sitting at 210k miles so I am already saving up for when it does give up the ghost. In my case though it will be worth fixing because truck prices are astronomical right now and my Silverado has plenty of engine options. I am going with the GM Remanufactured engine and transmission combo when mine goes. I have maintained it well through the years so I still may hit 300k. My past Toyotas lasted and I expect my 2020 Camry to last as well. I am like you I do not skimp on oil changes. I do the Camry every 5k miles or 6 mos. Easy to remember to going by the 5k rule. My Silverado I did it every 3k the 1st 150k then switched to Synthetic Blend every 3k or 6 mos. It sits a lot since I have a company truck so many times I have to go by the months. Great video and this explains what might have been going on with my last car a 2015 Fusion 2.5l.
If that was my Toyota, I will go ahead and fixed the truck. Fixing is still better than buying a new car.
AMD, why there are not thicker head gaskets when you machine the block/head?
Seems like 2000-s Toyotas problems with head gasket all the time. Great endoscope work and analysis though
Option three: I use a blue devil, you literally have nothing to lose
What caused this?
Under normal circumstances I would agree with you about getting rid of the car. But these are not normal times. Used cars are super expensive and forget about new cars or trucks. This car is super clean. You can sell or trade it in.
How much is a new engine for this car?