Lexus LS460 head gasket what to do?
Discussion
Just came back from overseas. Wife driving the car. Car says 'engine overheat, stop immediately'.
We add water, but it quickly overheats again.
Take it to garage, they test with bulb/carbon monoxide thing and they said 'your head gasket has gone'.
So I call the dealer they said 17 hours of labour for the head gasket but they might then have to change the cylinder block or it could even need a new engine, and they can't tell until they take it apart and put a level on the block to see the distortion. So you are 17 hours of labour in before they know if it's a £2k problem or a £5k problem. They did also add that this had never done the work, although LS460s aren't that common so perhaps not that surprising.
Any thoughts on what to do? There aren't any odd noises or whatever.
Car is 2007 and probably £6k p/x with no issues, but with current state god knows.
We add water, but it quickly overheats again.
Take it to garage, they test with bulb/carbon monoxide thing and they said 'your head gasket has gone'.
So I call the dealer they said 17 hours of labour for the head gasket but they might then have to change the cylinder block or it could even need a new engine, and they can't tell until they take it apart and put a level on the block to see the distortion. So you are 17 hours of labour in before they know if it's a £2k problem or a £5k problem. They did also add that this had never done the work, although LS460s aren't that common so perhaps not that surprising.
Any thoughts on what to do? There aren't any odd noises or whatever.
Car is 2007 and probably £6k p/x with no issues, but with current state god knows.
What the garage are saying is legitimate, they don't know how bad the damage is until they have taken the head(s) off. The extent of the damage is pretty much proportional to how hot the engine got and for how long, so if you / your wife drove on with an overheating engine, coolant airlock etc etc it will have quickly escalated into new engine territory.
The best way out of this situation nowadays is to source a guaranteed used replacement engine from a reputable company and have that installed which might not take much more than 17 hours to do.
The best way out of this situation nowadays is to source a guaranteed used replacement engine from a reputable company and have that installed which might not take much more than 17 hours to do.
HustleRussell said:
What the garage are saying is legitimate, they don't know how bad the damage is until they have taken the head(s) off. The extent of the damage is pretty much proportional to how hot the engine got and for how long, so if you / your wife drove on with an overheating engine, coolant airlock etc etc it will have quickly escalated into new engine territory.
The best way out of this situation nowadays is to source a guaranteed used replacement engine from a reputable company and have that installed which might not take much more than 17 hours to do.
How about selling it as is. I'm wondering if my wife would be better off with a smaller car.The best way out of this situation nowadays is to source a guaranteed used replacement engine from a reputable company and have that installed which might not take much more than 17 hours to do.
10yo car, HG gone.
Could be anything. Perhaps a stone through the rad caused the initial overheating, and (one? both?) HG has been taken out by that.
Seems you have three choices...
1. Get the engine stripped, and swallow the end bill.
2. Flog it as a non-runner, fault declared.
3. Weigh it in.
Option 1 does not necessarily have to involved the Lexus main dealer, at Lexus main dealer labour rates...
As for 17hrs... <wince> - but not necessarily surprised. I guess it's engine-out to get the head(s) off.
<googles>
2008 pic of an LS460 engine bay with the covers off...
Yeh, probably not a great surprise that's going to be a long job, is it?
Could be anything. Perhaps a stone through the rad caused the initial overheating, and (one? both?) HG has been taken out by that.
Seems you have three choices...
1. Get the engine stripped, and swallow the end bill.
2. Flog it as a non-runner, fault declared.
3. Weigh it in.
Option 1 does not necessarily have to involved the Lexus main dealer, at Lexus main dealer labour rates...
As for 17hrs... <wince> - but not necessarily surprised. I guess it's engine-out to get the head(s) off.
<googles>
2008 pic of an LS460 engine bay with the covers off...
Yeh, probably not a great surprise that's going to be a long job, is it?
My standard advice in head gasket situations is always "fill it with K-Seal and see how it goes". My thinking is that if K-Seal doesn't fix it (the cheap option), then the garage will have to tear down the engine and repair it properly (the expensive option).
In other words, start cheap, and work up from there.
However, this is £6k's worth of 2007 Lexus barge, not the usual shed I would recommend doing this with.
I might still be tempted to give it a shot, though.
In case you're wondering what the hell I'm talking about, this is the gear:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/K-Seal-Permanent-Coolant...
If you're serious about giving it a go, I'd actually recommend the "HD" version (seeing as the Lexus' engine is so big).
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/K-Seal-HD-Permanent-Cool...
PS: If it doesn't work, your mechanic will be cursing you when they take the engine to bits, as there will be K-Seal everywhere... A bit like when tyre fitters grumble about changing tyres where emergency repair foam has been used.
In other words, start cheap, and work up from there.
However, this is £6k's worth of 2007 Lexus barge, not the usual shed I would recommend doing this with.
I might still be tempted to give it a shot, though.
In case you're wondering what the hell I'm talking about, this is the gear:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/K-Seal-Permanent-Coolant...
If you're serious about giving it a go, I'd actually recommend the "HD" version (seeing as the Lexus' engine is so big).
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/K-Seal-HD-Permanent-Cool...
PS: If it doesn't work, your mechanic will be cursing you when they take the engine to bits, as there will be K-Seal everywhere... A bit like when tyre fitters grumble about changing tyres where emergency repair foam has been used.
I wouldn't be put off by a dealer who've never done the work - especially at Lexus things like this are uncommon, and a HG on a very rare car is unusual.
If you think they won't have anything but the latest manuals from Japan and all the required tools etc then you're kidding yourself.
If you think they won't have anything but the latest manuals from Japan and all the required tools etc then you're kidding yourself.
shrektus said:
From the point of view of overheating it's quite serious I think in that it overheats after about 15 minutes from cold.
Sounds like it's coming up to temperature, and overheating immediately afterwards.On the occasions it's overheated and the warning lights have come on, how quickly after seeing the warning did you/your wife turn the engine off?
Engines are usually only done for when they've been run hot for several minutes (or longer!)
If my "best option" was sell it as a non-runner, I'd K-Seal the bugger, just for fun.
shrektus said:
From the point of view of overheating it's quite serious I think in that it overheats after about 15 minutes from cold.
For future reference, if you have an overheating car again, or an oil pressure warning light, stop immediately, turn the engine off and have the car recovered. In all likelihood you already have a hefty bill, but with any further running it will increase exponentially. Tell your wife / kids / friends.
MorganP104 said:
If my "best option" was sell it as a non-runner, I'd K-Seal the bugger, just for fun.
I wouldn't...I'd flog it as is, and make sure to mention that it hadn't been K-Sealed. Increase my chances of some optimistic muppet bidding high in the vain hope that goop'll work.
MorganP104 said:
Sounds like it's coming up to temperature, and overheating immediately afterwards.
Yes I think so.MorganP104 said:
On the occasions it's overheated and the warning lights have come on, how quickly after seeing the warning did you/your wife turn the engine off?
Hmm, somewhere in the region of 5-10 minutes?MorganP104 said:
If my "best option" was sell it as a non-runner, I'd K-Seal the bugger, just for fun.
And then sell it as a much loved and cherished car in perfect condition?TooMany2cvs said:
I wouldn't...
I'd flog it as is, and make sure to mention that it hadn't been K-Sealed. Increase my chances of some optimistic muppet bidding high in the vain hope that goop'll work.
Ah yes fleabay. I'd flog it as is, and make sure to mention that it hadn't been K-Sealed. Increase my chances of some optimistic muppet bidding high in the vain hope that goop'll work.
I should mention that there is also a parking brake issue. The wife ran it with parking brake on I think, basically flat battery and the usual automatic parking brake got confused... Not sure how it easy it is to fix.
I'm not sure that a car in that condition would be all that attractive on ebay. But who knows, worth a try I suppose.
shrektus said:
TooMany2cvs said:
I wouldn't...
I'd flog it as is, and make sure to mention that it hadn't been K-Sealed. Increase my chances of some optimistic muppet bidding high in the vain hope that goop'll work.
Ah yes fleabay. I'd flog it as is, and make sure to mention that it hadn't been K-Sealed. Increase my chances of some optimistic muppet bidding high in the vain hope that goop'll work.
I should mention that there is also a parking brake issue. The wife ran it with parking brake on I think, basically flat battery and the usual automatic parking brake got confused... Not sure how it easy it is to fix.
I'm not sure that a car in that condition would be all that attractive on ebay. But who knows, worth a try I suppose.
Forums | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff