Did I really have a leaking head gasket?
40

Asked by Bill Nov 23, 2014 at 12:19 AM about the 1991 Toyota Hilux

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I took my toyota to a dealer to replace a leaking water pump.  The repair was recommended by a higher priced Toyota dealer. After the repair, the dealer said I had a leaking head gasket when no one else did. There are no physical signs of a leaking gasket like bubbles in the oil or radiator overflow, just rusty spots in the coolant. He said milky spots were there, but it's really supposed to be in the oil for a gasket leak. Was he trying to rip me off for more expensive repairs I didn't need yet?

3 Answers
2,985

Chris answered 9 years ago

Cant hurt to go to another Toyota Dealer, for a second opinion. Also look for white smoke (steam) after engine is warm, another indicator. They probably noticed this because they were working on the cooling system.

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30,130

mikeatpriestlake answered 9 years ago

you can do a combustion leak test to determine for sure if there are combustion gasses in the coolant. some shops have an emissions sniffer that they can put in the exhaust while the car is running that will give results too. There are good vids on youtube about diagnosing a bad head gasket. check them out. scottykilmer.com or ericthecarguy.com are 2 good ones to check out.

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