What can I do? Potential advice/ideas please

Hi,

Effectively the supra overheated before Christmas and it was looking like thermostat but I had no money until this week, got the thermostat done and it's got all the signs of head gasket failure and the rad needs replacing (planned on doing this anyway)

I'm at a bit of an impasse on what to do, me and my mum share the car (was hers since I was 7) and we both agree we want to keep the matching numbers engine.

Now the dilemma is from what I can tell the head gasket is going to be an expensive job to get done and I'm expected to be paying at least half (she seems to think it's my fault that the thermostat radiator and head issues)

Now long term I plan to go TT and see this as a more viable option instead of sinking money into the NA lump. Except my mum can't decide if she likes the idea or not.

Is there any options Iv missed or any potential problems or things I'm not considering (I'm sure there is) so appreciate any advice

Thanks

Buy AA cover and include garage and parts cover. Wait a couple of weeks, drive it somewhere, tell them it overheated and they will come and do a test confirming headgasket failure. You choose a vat registered garage and the AA will pay the first 500 quid. They paid for my gearbox too.

Buy AA cover and include garage and parts cover. Wait a couple of weeks, drive it somewhere, tell them it overheated and they will come and do a test confirming headgasket failure. You choose a vat registered garage and the AA will pay the first 500 quid. They paid for my gearbox too.

Excellent idea. Commit fraud. Even better, recommend it in an open forum.

How is it fraud when he's gonna be paying for the service anyway? I've been with the AA for five years and it's been a dream when something went wrong. The only requirement is to wait 14 days before you can claim after starting the policy.

How is it fraud when he's gonna be paying for the service anyway? I've been with the AA for five years and it's been a dream when something went wrong. The only requirement is to wait 14 days before you can claim after starting the policy.

It's fraud because he isn't covered. Things like this push all of our premiums up.

Yeah it's fraudulent so I'll pass but thank you anyways

So my understanding is:

You suspect the headgasket has gone but are not 100%

Are you losing coolant?

Any milky residue on oil cap or oily film inside expansion tank?

Are you getting heat through the heaters? Particularly when the car starts to over heat?

How old is the rad cap? This is the cheapest and easiest thing to replace first.

Have you had a sniff test done?

Are there any cold points in the radiator when the engine is upto temp?

Have you tried testing the thermostat by placing it in boiling water to see if it opens?

For the simple reason that these types of covers are taken out with the customer confirming 'as best to their knowledge there are no preexisting faults you should make us aware of' in this case anything other than yes, would be customer committing fraud.

So my understanding is:

 

You suspect the headgasket has gone but are not 100%

 

Are you losing coolant?

 

Any milky residue on oil cap or oily film inside expansion tank?

 

Are you getting heat through the heaters? Particularly when the car starts to over heat?

 

How old is the rad cap? This is the cheapest and easiest thing to replace first.

 

Have you had a sniff test done?

 

Are there any cold points in the radiator when the engine is upto temp?

 

Have you tried testing the thermostat by placing it in boiling water to see if it opens?

 

 

 

 

/QUOTE]

 

Also to add to Harley's post, only buy genuine thermostats. My Eurocarparts one made my car run at temps of 108 and the car's dial didn't even show it. I decided to buy a digital aftermarket gauge after my headgasket went and saw it happening. With the Toyota one it never goes over 97 and averages 92.

What makes you think the head gasket has gone ?

If the head gasket has gone because the engine has overheated then the cylinder head could be scrap and changing the

head gasket could be a waste of time and money

Might be cheaper to drop another NA engine in if there's any available, Keron might have some

I'm currently at work so get a full low down soon on my break. I suspected thermostat so got that changed today, the mechanic is the one who rang me and said the radiator is scrap, not flowing correctly, full of rusty water and he started to explain why it was headgasket but had to go back to work and yeah he mentioned the head could be scrap as a result!

Out of interest what's the going rate for a TT lump? As that's my long term goal but can't see me convincing the mother yet

£3000 + id have thought depending on condition mileage and what comes with it

V8 swap is pretty straightforward into an NA auto

If it were a manual i'd be recommending swapping the engine out for a VVTi 2JZ-GE, and fitiing throttle bodies and a nice tubular manifold and free flowing exhaust

Also remember that you will need to uprate the clutch if converting to a GTE.

Hopefully it is an easy fix for you - I'd replace the radiator cap and flush the coolant through the system at the very least. Change the radiator if necessary. Also check that it isn't the heater matrix that has failed - I had that issue with my first Supra.

can you describe the overheating? how you noticed, what you did as soon as you did notice etc.

You unfortunately just missed an NA head on ebay for £50 + postage

Steam came out the bonnet and the gauge came off the chart, assumed thermostat, got that fixed today and turns out the radiator was full of shit, he done some test thing and came back exhaust gas was in the coolant. Following that managed to get it home, pulled onto the drive and 2 seconds later the bonnet erupted in steam from the engine although the water temp was reading normal

Well potentially the damage is done if you trust the guy who did the sniffer test.

I'm no expert but if it were me and the oil is not contaminated and the exhaust is not pouring out white smoke, I'd run it from fully cold (making sure the rad is full to the brim) with the bonnet up and try and trace the source of the steam, if your coolant expansion tank (follow the pipe/tube from by the rad cap to the plastic container in front of the rad - just behind the front bumper) starts getting full and bubbling up then I think it's certain. The head 'could' be scrap but that depends on the level of overheating (hence my question and trying to see how badly/long it was overheated).

Yeah it was bubbling and boiling the water earlier, the steam when I got home seemed to be coming from the bottom of the engine but couldn't locate it

And yes unfortunately I'm pretty certain he knows what he's doing

I have a spare NA head that I'll do for £75 plus post or collection if you want to replace that.

I have a spare NA head that I'll do for £75 plus post or collection if you want to replace that.

Cheers thank you, if we go down that route I'll remember that

I have a spare NA head that I'll do for £75 plus post or collection if you want to replace that.

Cheap, I sold my last one that needed a skim and no internals for £100.

Cheap, I sold my last one that needed a skim and no internals for £100.

I bought the engine cheap to make a coffee table.

It's surplus to requirements really

Careful this is on a budget, the budget police will be here soon.

Il be suprised if its ate the HG, is the mechanic someone youve used before? Do you trust his opinion? Maybe get a 2nd opinion onit if you're unsure on the 2nd question, replace the rad with a new or good used one and try again, the radiator cap tends to cause alot of mischief if its not in good nick try that too think theyre aboyt 8£ from toyota