arch007bak
New member
I have to start by saying I know enough about vehicles to know that I don't know squat about vehicles other than driving them. I'm a little alarmed about the number of threads I've read on here about 4Runner cylinder 6 problems.
10 days or so ago on a Saturday eve, my '05 4Runner (V6, 167,000 mi) started rough like it was missing. Took it to O'Reilly to have it scanned and they said it was a misfire on cylinder 6...probably an ignition coil. Couldn't get it in to the shop until Thursday but the O'Reilly guy said it wouldn't hurt to drive for a few days. Thursday, dealer near my office (30 miles from home) said the same thing...ignition coil but they had to order it and made appointment for the next Monday. Friday before that, drove 30 miles to a meeting and it started to overheat. Took it in Monday (overheating at the end of that 30 miles) and told them about the overheating. Left it there with them and the next thing I know I'm being told it's a blown head gasket and I need a new engine ($7,000 for a used one and around $10,000 for a new one). Said they knew it by blowing air into the cylinder and it bubbled up in the radiator and also said they had to add 1 gal. of coolant. They didn't take it apart to check if the cylinder was bent/warped/whatever or even to see if the gasket was ruined.
Brought it back to the dealer where I bought it. They tell me they see no evidence of a blown head gasket, the ignition coil isn't bad and that all I needed was new spark plugs because I have the platinum kind that hadn't been changed...ever. Also told me you can't test my engine by blowing air into it to see if it bubbles in the radiator.
PLEASE tell me, is the first dealer lying to me to get to buy a new vehicle or is the second one not checking far enough? I'd think if the second one was trying to get me to buy a new one, they would've told me the same thing...
10 days or so ago on a Saturday eve, my '05 4Runner (V6, 167,000 mi) started rough like it was missing. Took it to O'Reilly to have it scanned and they said it was a misfire on cylinder 6...probably an ignition coil. Couldn't get it in to the shop until Thursday but the O'Reilly guy said it wouldn't hurt to drive for a few days. Thursday, dealer near my office (30 miles from home) said the same thing...ignition coil but they had to order it and made appointment for the next Monday. Friday before that, drove 30 miles to a meeting and it started to overheat. Took it in Monday (overheating at the end of that 30 miles) and told them about the overheating. Left it there with them and the next thing I know I'm being told it's a blown head gasket and I need a new engine ($7,000 for a used one and around $10,000 for a new one). Said they knew it by blowing air into the cylinder and it bubbled up in the radiator and also said they had to add 1 gal. of coolant. They didn't take it apart to check if the cylinder was bent/warped/whatever or even to see if the gasket was ruined.
Brought it back to the dealer where I bought it. They tell me they see no evidence of a blown head gasket, the ignition coil isn't bad and that all I needed was new spark plugs because I have the platinum kind that hadn't been changed...ever. Also told me you can't test my engine by blowing air into it to see if it bubbles in the radiator.
PLEASE tell me, is the first dealer lying to me to get to buy a new vehicle or is the second one not checking far enough? I'd think if the second one was trying to get me to buy a new one, they would've told me the same thing...