How to Check for a Bad Head Gasket on Toyota and Lexus Engines

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.
Link to Borescope used in this video:
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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

[@nickkiriakos2186]

Seriously though, in terms of quality content and being a normal, decent human being, no one else on KZbin comes close. This channel is great, need to get him a mil subs.

[@patricksanders2498]

I enjoy his content but I think the Car Wizard, Chrisfix and Rainman Ray's are good, normal content creators also.

[@clairegazzillo6775]

@@patricksanders2498 dont forget about peter from toyota maintenance you tube channel also very good

[@davidgoliath982]

@@patricksanders2498 car wizard is a crook. charges out at what in reality is ~ $300 an hr. eric at south main auto and ivan at pine hollow diag. are way more fair.

[@davidgoliath982]

@@patricksanders2498 he is called the car wizard because he is great at making your $ disappear1 lol

[@patricksanders2498]

@@davidgoliath982 I've never dealt with him directly, just watch his channel is all. I never really see any pricing from him unless he's quoting to Hoovie.

[@MPGunther1]

Being a mechanic in todays world certainly is a lot different then 30 to 40 years ago and you are truly a master at your craft

[@cobradwight1]

Im also a mechanic and Personally I would throw a used low mileage engine in it and call it a day . Yes other stuff can fail but I’ve seen Toyotas with 5,6,7 and 800k on the original engines and transmissions .from what I’ve seen that sequoia is mint and you can tell the owner took pride and care of their vehicle . I just bought a 2003 sequoia with 260k on it with blown head gaskets cheap for 1000 bucks . Gonna fix it myself and run it as long as she will go . Car care nut I do enjoy watching you and your honesty. Keep up the good work .

[@rjcontruction1406]

had an f150 5.4l construction truck with 205,000 when the head gasket blew so badly that it would barely idle and blow white smoke like crazy. last stitch effort i used head gasket sealer( iron tight i think), it was headed to junkyard so what the heck. after 20 min white smoke disappeared and the leak was fixed. drove it hard for another 10k and then gave it to my father in-law. that truck is still on the road and just recently turned 300,000 miles. I know that's not what this channel is about but what the heck may be worth a shot.

[@automotivetv9861]

This trick would cut the income of this mechanic by a good 40%, this is why he did not mention it!!

[@mojo4376]

@@automotivetv9861 : You won’t find a more honest mechanic than this guy. FYI.

[@WOMPCRASH]

@@automotivetv9861I wouldn’t call it a trick it’s more of a bandaid that may or may not work and you have no clue of knowing

[@smaqdaddy]

I had a Subaru that blew one on one side, ran the sealer, drove it another 2 years. Blew the other side, added again and drove it another 2!

[@michaeltaylor719]

I work as a mechanic. And I so enjoy listening to his videos. He is an excellent teacher

[@theodoredeleon6660]

This dude is so much better than scotty.

[@BlackopsSOG1]

scottys advice feels regurgitated and super annoying

[@nathanricks5127]

After years of looking at many many mechanic videos, this is the absolute best video I have ever seen for explaining and reasoning on engine repair or replacement of a high mileage engine. Thank you for your professional courtesy!

[@tomr9661]

Best automotive repair channel on KZbin. Straightforward, honest, easy to understand and no BS.

[@robertrusso1688]

Great to have a professional Toyota Mechanic like this giving advice. Hope and wish more are out there like him. Toyota's have been very good to me and I want to drive them 20 plus years, but yes sometimes just give it up and replace it. Anything after 250k is more then a domestic manufacturer can offer.

[@cbspock1701]

I wish I found this channel earlier. It would have come in handy before I had some work done on my 2008 RAV 4 v6

[@drwisdom1]

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.

[@timothyconnecticut1910]

So spot on about the resurfacing of the heads or the block deck. These overhead cam engines need to have proper distance between cam and crank in order for timing to be correct. That was the beauty of old school push rod engines. You could resurface heads and not have this problem. But you could still run into increasing compression ratio. If I remember correctly, you could buy thicker head gaskets to prevent this. Great channel!

[@moose354]

Ahmed, only a true public servant would lay it all on the line with the customer and share the BIG picture with them. The bad news is always tough to deliver but you know how to spare the customer from turning their vehicle into a white elephant. Thanks for what you do for the Toyota community.

[@brucewayne2773]

Replaced both heads on my 02 V6 4Runner with 235k miles . Block test was good, no coolant in engine oil. No missfires, no coolant leaks anywhere. It overheated after 5 minutes of just running, clearly had bubbling in the entire radiator, low coolant gotta go somewhere , right? . It had coolant inside of cylinder #3, top of piston looked really clean compared to the other 5 , that was it.

[@georgetirebiter6437]

As a toolmaker you can save this and hand scrape the block and head to within 50 millionths if you go completely old school and use a surface plate and Prussian blue. It’s what they had to do before gaskets. If you’re successful, the engine block will float on a cushion of air on the surface plate as will the head. This is not likeclamping them in a Bridgeport and sending a flycutter across taking too much off and not getting true flatness. But take note: this is an art and it is a dying one. You either diy and learn something or find a toolmaker that will take your challenge.

[@johnstuchlik5828]

Took a aluminum head to a field machinist who resurface by hand.came back less than.001 warp and minimal removal of deck.where to find one now would be difficult

[@jotu173]

Another excellent video from AMD! Especially loved the "spend 90% of your time diagnosing" part. In other words, "measure twice & cut once"... Kudos to you AMD!

[@kitchit123]

I've been working on my cars for many years now and I've never come across a better explanation on blown head gaskets. Thanks Car Care Nut! You should do a separate video on the Prius head gaskets.

[@mitomr.twiceasnice4358]

I know head gasket issues were common back. In the day but now it seems to take over 300k miles. I guess the improvements have been good at TEQ.

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

True, but this is an old design. Newer engines seem to keep getting better, some old timers may disagree. A new car now probably will get junked before the head gasket goes.

[@justhecuke]

@@user-tb7rn1il3q Because everything else breaks much sooner ;)

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

@@justhecuke Everything else breaks later, but still before the engine. Alternators, mufflers, shocks used to go out every 50k miles. Now they last 300k miles.

[@justhecuke]

@@user-tb7rn1il3q I was being tongue-in-cheek, but if we want to take this seriously then we can say that the various electronics have a much shorter life than the mechanical bits. And since a lot of electrical parts are required for the well-running of an engine, they can bring down the machine much faster than expected. When everything is working correctly, then the machine will wear out much slower than something constructed decades ago due to manufacturing improvements. But we've taken that an designed such complex machines with so many single-points-of-failure that it's hard to make a modern car last very long without lots of replacement maintenance.

[@brandobee2264]

298k on my 98 GS300 and I think it’s going bad

[@Zephyrdaze1819]

AMD will be inspecting the head gasket on my LS430 soon. This video answered all of my knucklehead questions on how he diagnoses the issue. What a wealth of info here. Thank you!

[@doddgarger6806]

Older uz series don't do it near as often as the ur and gr engines they were absolutely bulletproof

[@JuanMorales-xl9xy]

Very helpful video and thanks to this gentleman for his time and honesty

[@uwaisahamedimad556]

Man, you are unfolding mysteries..look I've been looking for an explanation on how to diagnose a bad head gasket and this explanation is extraordinary. thanks a lot..

[@biz4twobiz463]

fantastic diagnostic video. really appreciate the time to "show" the head gasket leaking. LOVE these modern tools!! Merci

[@rangerrick8220]

Just an interesting FYI... in Canada we have some cars which run off of gas AND propane. Mostly fleet vehicles but I did alot of commuting so I had one. The propane is converted from a liquid to a burnable gas using a heat exchanger unit that uses the rad fluid heat to turn it into a gas. Sometimes that unit fails and leaks propane into the rad fluid... which will cause bubbling out of the rad overflow tank, have high hydrocarbon readings come out of the rad neck, and mimick a head gasket leak. The combustible gas detector unit there will show a head gasket leak but in reality, its propane. Had two mechanics misdiagnose this error on my car and state to me that I needed a new engine... but alittle digging and not so! Caught it myself. I am sure in the US you won't see a propane powered car too often but in Canada and (moreso) Europe, its more common. Just an FYI for others that might watch your channel who live here in Canada or Europe. And may the Lord bless and keep you as well!

[@michaellompart3617]

Thank you for another very informative video, we all learn so much from you. It is very much appreciated that you help us keep our Toyota vehicles in good repair.

[@DD93525]

Once again another great video packed with tons of info to help us DIYers.

[@Switchh8]

What an amazing video! So simple yet so captivating, I wish this video was longer it felt so short with all the knowledge that was given. Especially love the ending where you preach EVERYONE to do their homework and due diligence. Appreciate the channel and your time! Honestly you should have your own show!

[@gerardlaperriere2121]

I appreciate his way to demonstrate all different ways to do work on a car, he is very easy to follow!!!!

[@markalexander1719]

I find your videos so informative and thank you for sharing your wealth of Toyota knowledge with us DIY enthusiasts.

[@vanthanhle8211]

I just found your channel today and loving it, can’t stop watching. Thank you so much for your priceless sharing.

[@return.of.the.nac18]

You are a huge blessing to the automotive industry. May God bless you and Mrs. Car Care Nut!

[@JoshuaJDarcy]

That was a very detailed and comprehensive video on very important subject matter. I have watched you from the beginning and I've seen how perfectly fluent in the rhythm of the videos and how much improvement you have made. You're a brilliant man and thank you for doing what you do.

[@Never2Loud]

I happened to come across your channel by accident. Watched this video and enjoyed it so much I'm sticking around. Subscribed! Very informative, well spoken, and a person of integrity. Blessings to you as well.

[@abdul-kabiralegbe5660]

My regard for your experience and expertise just rose to new highs with this video. The content is impressive AND INDEPTH just the way I like it. Thanks!

[@user-ez7oe6gl9b]

One of the best mechanics on KZbin!

[@Anonymous-hy8oz]

Another great video, you see his experience evident through out the video, not everything can be learned from a repair manual.

[@olivergarcia1062]

thank you for sharing all your knowledge with us that we maintain our own vehicles you are the best Hard to find mechanics like you god bless you 👍

[@stevenlefebvre2991]

This is what sets you apart from everyone else truly awesome video thank you very much. I always learn something from watching your videos no matter what it is about.

[@canyoncelosia718]

Love your content, thank you so much for making these! Would love to see content on Late 1980's and early 1990's toyota pickup's and 4 runners, Specifically 3vze and 22re engines. I know lots of us are trying to keep those trucks alive and could use your expertise!

[@COMMANDERFOX31]

For 300K miles (482K KMs), I'd say this truck served its purpose quite well. Still, I hope these issues are fixed, and hopefully it goes for another ~100K miles and continues its legend. Great video man!

[@mikeschlup5279]

That is a million mile engine with good maintenance.

[@RD-xh9ss]

It served it purpose and it was in good condition too. Maybe possible motor swap?

[@onenikkione]

@@RD-xh9ss He lives and works in the "Rust Belt" with that many miles I doubt it was just driven in the summer so prolly rotted out with rust underneath

[@JakinThebox12]

​@@mikeschlup5279it won't last that long. It's a Toyota junk.

[@mrpat2563]

As always a fantastic diagnosis and advice for the customer. God bless you.

[@boatman222345]

Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Great tips on how to diagnose a bad head gasket and great advice on when to know to fold your cards and move on!

[@LifeAfter53]

Great advice on giving up the car and move on! It makes more sense in the long run. I am a car lover and rather fixing it but you are so correct!

[@timferguson1526]

This was a great video. I know the basics of mechanics and physics. I never looked at it this way however, the economics of whether it makes sense to fix something, considering all the factors. Also, the more advanced cars get, the more I appreciate the old technologies, like a fuel system that consists of a $20 mechanical pump and rubber lines that lasts 25 years and can be rebuilt cheaply and quickly beside the road without even jacking up the car! Progress? Yes, until it breaks! Thanks for the great insights and God Bless You too!

[@61espo]

Thanks AMD! Always great and informative videos! The best on the tube!

[@woodly1069]

Once again, my hat is off to you man! One of the most easy to understand and see a real time head gasket problem. You must be one of the best mechanics I've ever seen! KUDOS!

[@raycollington4310]

Loved this video, very educational. Wouldn't need much more of a leak to risk hydraulic lock if the vehicle was left unused for a while.

[@RD-xh9ss]

Man I learned a lot this video. Appreciate your detail with the scope and explanation. I don't even have a Sequoia 😄

[@curtgomes]

Great video Car Care Nut. I am a shade tree mechanic who really enjoys the information you put forth. Thanks!

[@131601]

More great info. You are doing all of us a great service. Thank you !

[@sbalicanta]

Wow! Thank you so much for the detailed information and helpful advice. Hoping to see more of these issues.

[@smokynagata88]

That’s insane mileage! Thanks for the diagnostic and repair video!

[@ajmedeiros77]

Not for a properly maintained Toyota

[@dougiee6589]

Few things I loved about this video- the block tester the borehole, the hard conversation needed between mechanic and vehicle owner about repairing the elusive problem which already been rising since it started and break fixes tried here there everywhere LOL

[@davidshettlesworth1442]

Thank you for an excellent troubleshooting video. I learned a lot. I love the Bore Scope, we didn't have those in the old days. I love the "mechanic's yoga" statement. It is so true because I am sore all over after doing a big repair on my project cars! Take care and Carry On Sir!

[@timothyconnecticut1910]

This block test must be a somewhat new type of test . I was a tech from early 80s to 2000 and have never heard of this test. I used to put an emissions sniffer in the opening of the radiator to detect exhaust gases in the coolant. Just had to take care not to get any coolant into the end of the sniffer. Love your channel and Toyota's too! You are clearly a very knowledgeable technician. Thank you for all the detailed info you provide.

[@westernapache1700]

I had the exact same block test kit and blue juice back in the 90's. It's been around.

[@chuckymurlo5654]

The cylinder cross-hatch pattern is clearly visible and looks very good with the scope with all those miles. I love your videos. I feel like you're my neighbor and you just happen to be a Toyota master tech and will help me fix anything on my car for free! My family has two ES350s a RX350 and soon a LS460. You make DIY fun and challenging

[@eleanormassaro5195]

Great choices in your cars! I have really enjoyed driving my RX 350 for the past almost 12 years! In fact, I’ve never owned a car that long!😁

[@Elaba_]

Can you give the time stamp where the pattern is visible?

[@kordapyo612]

@@Elaba_ 12:36, 16:04

[@paulodisano502]

You Sir are the best!!! Great and informative video on diagnosing automobiles. Thank you.🇨🇦🇺🇸

[@ChrisWilliams-pu8pj]

Great video! Being more "old school" I was not aware of the issues you brought up. As a Toyota owner...Thank you!

[@megahurts2]

Now that is a handy kit! Something I found pretty cool, and maybe you don't work on trucks where you have to crawl in there often, but my dad has this latter thing on wheels that's basically a creeper in the air. As it overhangs the engine (as you can adjust the height) you can just lay on top of it and working away is pretty easy for situations like that Sequoia. It does take up room however so....that would be the downside.

[@megahurts2]

Dang, that was very helpful. I very much appreciate the train of thought you shared as that educates other DIY mechanics or actual professionals either way. Also a great example of work smarter, not harder, as those tools proved to be quite handy.

[@bobsides59]

Another fantastic video AMD. Thank you for the education and the reminder to do as much investigation as possible before ripping into it Lie you I have "discovered things" that did not appear when we first looked into it. Good point about the transmission going out after the engine. Is it likely? Who knows yet at 300,000 they have gotten their money's worth out of that product.

[@TheCarCareNut]

If this was a one owner car that we know what the maintenance history on the trans then it’s a different story but it’s not

[@jhionyds4645]

Great program as always. I have learnt a lot. Thank you for your efforts to make a beneficial video.

[@joeharvie8362]

Great analysis! Great advice! Glad i found you on KZbin! Thank you!

[@davep2945]

Thank you for being so direct and honest about a brand you make your living with. Toyota makes a great car but ALL cars have issues. Toyota's do not magically run forever. And they do not run as long as they often do by accident. Like every other brand they require proper maintenance and sometimes you have to replace a part or two. Or three! Where people get themselves in trouble is assuming because a certain brand has a good reputation that they don't need to do their due diligence inspecting a used car or they can be slack with maintenance on a new or used model from that brand. Sure, folks who trade their cars in every 60,000 to 120,000 miles will tell you they never had a problem. But for those of us who like to get all we can from our cars we know that 100,000 miles is usually attainable without much if any trouble. It's the 150,000 to 200,000 mile range where things start popping up on properly maintained cars. And we have to stop pretending when talking about good high mileage used cars that just because the engine or transmission didn't blow that we haven't had to do anything or spend any money to keep our cars running. Also, as you so accurately and honestly pointed out, sometimes we reach a point where the repair cost combined with the age of additional associated components (the rest of the car) outweighs the benefit of the repair. Sometimes you just gotta' get a new ride. At least one new to you!

[@calmoceans6668]

I’m in the market for a used Toyota. I am blessed to have found this channel. A true class act. Thorough, respectful, and the flow of these videos is phenomenal. Much much better than Cliffs Notes…….Thank you Sir.

[@americanrealitytoday]

Bad time to look for a decent car, market is full of garbage.

[@vn912]

This is the best channel I have ever watched, excellent explaination.

[@bryan6036]

Good information! This man is an outstanding mechanic!

[@chuckhursch5374]

A blown head gasket at 249,000 is how we lost our very reliable 2013 Prius last July. It started juddering and rattling on acceleration while doing a Lyft ride in SF. I had it towed back to Elk Grove Toyota (in the Sac area) where we had had it maintained for the five years that we have lived here. They scoped the engine and found coolant in cylinder #2, and the exhaust smelled of coolant. One thing I don’t understand is why it took so long for the check engine light to come on - it didn’t come on till it was at the dealer’s. When I checked things with OBDII/TorquePro in SF, nothing appeared abnormal (engine temp was normal for instance). So it’s mysterious to me as to what caused it (age/miles, electric water pump intermittent failure, etc?). The dealer wanted $4500 to replace the head gasket. I didn’t want to invest anything like that in a gas engine. I sold the car for $3000 - sad to see the car go 😢. But we now have a 2018 Prius Prime with about 29K miles, and I do consider it a better car (for many of the reasons you have cited in your other videos). The only negative is the less storage and seating, but I am living with that. I hope it is as reliable as our 2013…

[@EfficientRVer]

I think you did the right thing. I have a 2005 Prius with 230K that's still fine, I got it 8 years ago with 151K. I also bought a 2017 Prius Prime new 4-1/2 years ago. With 101K on it now, it's had no problems other than the high beam dimmer button getting stuck on automatic. Seems to be a totally bulletproof car. I love it, and prefer putting oversized tires on it for additional ground clearance. I do advise spending a couple of hours removing the wipers and plastic under them, to mouse proof the air inlet and another opening,, on the passenger side leading to the cabin air filter. And another couple hours bending up the side trim panels under the liftback to mouse proof the cabin/battery air outlets behind them. I used stainless fish-grilling mesh, hand shaped into odd 5-sided boxes attached with duct tape, but will redo the attachment with JB Weld or epoxy dough. I plan to add "mouse cams" to see if they're still making the attempt. They never made it past my cabin air filter. They made it briefly into the liftback area of a daughter's 2021 Prime, but have not made it back in since our mouse proofing. I should make dies to stamp out the right shapes and sell mouseproofing kits, or generate a 3D printer design for dies/forms, but I'm not making any promises.

[@vw5056]

$4500 for a head gasket job? That's robbery. Did you consider looking for an independent shop?

[@wilmarbarrick3194]

12:30 nice shot. 📷 Rarely get a good look like that without disassembly.

[@bohisaac9419]

Best teacher so far in mechanical engineering. I salute you

[@natividadangulo]

👍 Used this video to confirm my Prius had blown the head gasket. Thanks!

[@jimthumerzs6981]

That I'm sure there will be a lot of viewers of this video (myself included) being disappointed that engine "only" got to 300K, is a testament to the quality of Toyota engines. Another great diagnostic video from the Car Care Nut!

[@rightlanehog3151]

Agreed.

[@coloradoboo1071]

So true!! My first new sports car was a 1989 Z-24 (V-6) and even though I took care of her, she threw a rod at just 102,000 miles. My last GM car!!

[@rightlanehog3151]

@@coloradoboo1071 I gave up on GM when they told Toyota to stop building 'Pontiac' Vibes for them. 😉

[@2148aa]

@@coloradoboo1071 That was about average. Short blocking was more doable in those days.

[@donc6781]

@@coloradoboo1071 A Z24 wasn’t a sports car 😂

[@hatsunemikufan4]

After having this vehicle diagnosed by a tech like yourself I would take your advice and cut my loss. I would however try one last ditch effort and that would be to try blue devil head gasket sealant (follow directions to a tee). If I can get more time driving it while I shop around I can't see the harm in it.

[@victorgonzalez-ow2ro]

I am about to try this on a crv with 308000 miles

[@peterkwok9608]

Good advice AMD. Another awesome video. God bless you and your family 🙌🙌

[@I-sed-no]

The quality of this channel is hard to beat. Thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@jimharris9877]

Excellent video! To the point, accurate, and informative - keep them coming!

[@aaronmorgan2476]

I have heat..... no overheating..... engine running strong.... towing every other day. 330k miles 06 sequoia

[@omarhammoud7223]

thanks again brother, i love listening to your content.

[@TheBlooRayChannel]

Nice! A valve cover gasket tutorial needed from the master himself!

[@joelmora2826]

I bought a Tacoma with a bad engine at 344k . I took the gamble and replaced the engine and some suspension stuff. I also replaced every fluid ... I spent 3.5k on it in total . In todays market seems ok lol. I'm 2k miles in wish me luck 😂😂😂

[@oceanzhu1002]

You'll be fine haha! At least another 100k miles!

[@vinces8974]

Great advice, from a great guy, I always appreciate your honesty AMD

[@TheRevering]

Maranatha brother!!! Love the vid and the message at the end!

[@ciarancoyne9104]

Your the man when it comes to Toyota and their cars 🙏🏻

[@JaySingh-ys9ej]

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.

[@TheCarCareNut]

Hi! On the Camry engines no they don’t have known chronic head gasket issues. Is it burning oil though?

[@anthonymaster6160]

Thank you very much for another very informative video. You are the BEST mechanic with highest work ethics. I really appreciate your honest advices. I have a 2004 Lexus LS 430. I always keep up to date all scheduled maintenances. It currently has about 225,000 miles. The car still looks like new (both interior and exterior in excellent condition,) Mechanically, the engine runs super smooth and extremely quiet. Had changed timing twice, and also changed with new starter, alternator, spark plugs, all belts and hoses, and other moving components like pulleys and few others. Recently I replaced it with new radiator, new AC condenser, along with new valve cover gaskets, spark plug gaskets and new washers for (valve cover) bolts. I also just put in a new transmission. All scheduled maintenance and work were done by my local Lexus dealership. Only OEM parts were used. After watching this video, I would like to ask you, given the current mileage on my car, when should I have the head gasket be replaced as a preventive maintenance item? I love this car, the way it drives and its superb comfort. I use this car for many long distance road trips. By the way, I also recently replaced the engine mounts too (as the old one cracked). I change oil every 5K miles, and all other fluids (brake, power steering, coolants, transmission) timely when they are due, along with engine & cabin filters. Your advices are always greatly appreciated. Thank you again.

[@repairvehicle]

Head gasket don't get replaced as preventive maintenance. Replace water pump and thermostat as preventive maintenance to prevent engine from overheating and causing head gasket to fail

[@anthonymaster6160]

@@repairvehicle Thank you very much for the great information. I really appreciated. I forgot to mention in my original question above. Yes, I also changed the water pump and thermostat at each of the two times I had timing belt changed. Thank you again. Now knowing this, it gives me a peace of mind.

[@christophervanzetta]

Very well maintained yet needed a new transmission 🤔

[@repairvehicle]

@@christophervanzetta new transmission because it was not maintained.

[@TheCarCareNut]

Hi! I wouldn’t replace the head gasket as a preventative measure honestly. You’ve done a great job preserving this car I don’t think you’ll have any issues with the head gasket any time soon

[@peteaiello1784]

Amazing and very informative info! Thanks for your professionalism

[@dadbod4life]

That test fluid is game changing!!

[@jamram9924]

The 4.7 liter Toyota engine has reached 1,000,000 miles to where Toyota has purchased back these Tundras back from their owners. This Sequoia appears to be in great shape. Perhaps a remanufactured engine or if available a crate engine from Toyota (not Jasper) would give this owner that additional time with this vehicle.

[@drwisdom1]

Mr. Car Care Nut didn't mention it, but it was understood by all of us. You really don't want to risk repairing this Sequoia because even if nothing else ever breaks, it will still cost over $25k to drive 100,000 miles at today's gas prices, which aren't going to be declining. If the owner did go from 300k to 1 million miles that would cost over $175k in gas. Like our 94 Land Cruiser, Sequioas and Tundras are great vehicles to buy used because they are so dependable and capable. But they are supplemental vehicles that you use when you need them or for recreation. You just can't drive them around anymore using them like they were fuel efficient vehicles racking up a lot of miles.

[@repairvehicle]

@drwisdom1 , or it will cost $500k buying something else every 100k miles due fuel efficiency

[@ChrisB-cx6td]

😂 already needs an engine

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

@@drwisdom1 If you have a good income the gas prices are no problem.

[@abbasa7860]

What about head gasket sealer? Isn't that worth a shot at this point? I think if a good quality product is used and the vehicle isn't driven aggressively I think this could work. Some people swear by some of the sealers out there, its worth a shot.

[@2enthusiast4]

It worked on my 2012 ct200h @ 125k miles. Cleaned the entire egr cooler, valve, and intake ports which actually increased drivability and mpgs but did not stop the misfire. Found out Cyl#2 would be wet after checking under the borescope. I used half the bottle of Bar’s leaks head gasket fix into the expansion tank. Worked the first time with 15-20 mins of following the directions. Just did a Partial Coolant flush at 168k miles and still zero misfires in morning. I’ve heard the stuff could gunk up the water pump but so far so good. This car sees 4-6 hrs of freeway driving regularly to LA-LV-SLC and has been a champ.

[@joeyelda5775]

I have always enjoyed your videos I have been a refer/appliance repair man for over 40 years. (Sub Zero, Wolf, Speed Queen, and Whirlpool) I really appreciated your thought that there is a time to let go. Same with appliances; don't do major repairs after 10 years. Usually it is not cost effective and customers usually with appreciate your insight. By the way my service trucks for over 40 years have been Toyota from Wills Toyota in Twin Falls, Idaho; a great dealer and exceptional service.

[@HueMongussD]

Thank you! One of the most informative videos I've seen in a long time.

[@williamfenwick3867]

A clean used sequoia with 150k miles in my city will still sell for 15 to 20 grand. If I could get a used engine installed for 5 or 6 thousand I would do it.

[@doddgarger6806]

Cheaper around here 3 to 4k with warranty

[@steves7973]

When diagnosing a fault, never assume anything. It's a bit like being a detective, Columbo would have made a great mechanic ! Great video, first time I've seen a leaking head gasket from inside the cylinder.

[@abdul-kabiralegbe5660]

Indeed, diagnosing is detective work.

[@ajsti2484]

Glad i watched this video, as a fellow mechanic, thanks AMD for the tip on the part “do your diagnosis 90% of the time”

[@emmanuelmeyermeyer1083]

You are the master! Great job. Very detailed in which we appreciate.

[@colchronic]

A lot of times head gaskets can be purchased with different thickness amounts so that way you don't throw off the timing or your compression ratio

[@dscinaz]

I understand how the compression ratio can be changed by fooling with the heads or block, but I don't see how the timing is affected.

[@colchronic]

@@dscinaz the shorter the head the more slack in the chain

[@DeCSSData]

@@colchronic That should be covered by the tensioner or suouldn't it?

[@colchronic]

@@DeCSSData not if the head is physically shorter than spec. The amount of chainlings between the crank and the camshaft is shortened Humble mechanic has a video explaining it with a special chain on his r32 turbo engine

[@DeCSSData]

@@colchronic That seems not plausible to me at all. A chain is just like a rod with a lot of linkages or a curved rod... If the chain is under correct tension - which it would be even with 2mm machined out of head and block - it is just all about the correct initial setup. After that a moved link on the crankshaft will cause the same forseen amount of movement on the camshaft. A difference will only be possible if the chain has too much slack so that an impulse from the crankside will be diffused and or delayed on its way up to the camside. With a correct manual tension or with an auto-tensioner this can not happen. Of course you will get timing-problems because of the clear loss of displacement.

[@wilmarbarrick3194]

292K in 9 years?!?! DANG...that owner must live in that thing. Circumference of the Earth is only ~24K at the equator.

[@MrSamolet76]

Yeah why not 30k a year. Im driving about 28k a year on my Tundra

[@anguspatterson9449]

Really enjoy how you explain everything so clearly , brilliant 😊

[@petersonbalavoirjeanbaptis7649]

You got a good experience about it. Knowing it for now im your student watched and followed you from Haiti. Because you impressed me by the way you learned and proved me your talent.👍👊

[@juhdah2146]

Agreed! At 300K miles, the vehicle served its purpose. Use the cost of fixing this vehicle for a new down payment.

[@boogitybear2283]

I say replace the entire engine. It’s still cheaper than getting a new truck plus it’s still a nice truck!

[@mailmanjoe]

Totally awesome information about machining the heads causing the timing to be off! I wish I would have known that 5 years ago! I had a 02 Nissan Altima 4 cylinder that had a head gasket failure. I had them do a machine on the heads and put everything back together. Next thing you know I had my timing chain jump timing! Ended up getting rid of the car because it became a money pit! Wonderful as usual AMD. You're a fantastic guy!

[@kaafromoz]

Fantastic video as always AMD, simple clear and precise information again mate TY. keep Safe Keep Strong my Dear Friend