Estimate of head gasket Replacement

Brown milky oil in 2.7 manual 4x4.
Anyone have head gasket replaced recently? Did you do head too?
What would be rough number?
Located in ohio

 

That price can vary widely depending on shop and region. How many miles on the motor? Has the motor overheated with the head gasket blown? How many miles with the headgasket blown? Might just be worth a lower mile motor swap. Coolant contamination is devastating to bearing surfaces on a long enough timeline. And with a motor swap, you can install a new clutch while you're in there.

 

180k ish. No overheating.
What kinda range on swapping engine?
Body is beat up bad, only good is frame is only few years. Might sell/ trade just to get out.
Thanks

 

Could it be something else that allows coolant into oil? Freeze plugs or ?

 

Is the coolant level going down?

 

Is the oil milky, or is the oil filler cap milky??
Sometimes people see the cap milky and assume the oil is as well

 

3,000 is in the ball park at a stealer. You may do better at a private garage, but have they done one before. Remember it is no longer a Sunday afternoon 3 beer job.

 

Just out of curiosity, why would/ does the oil filter cap get milky?

 

Condensation

 

The cap on my v6 collects condensation. It is at the end of an extension tube, away from the heat of the motor. If yours is similar, that could be all it is. Could be...

 

Condensation. A lot of short trips. Cold outdoor temperatures. etc

 

it is Friday

 

2.7 liter, 2TR-FE oil filler cap is direct into the valve cover. There is no extended neck.

 

This is an important question.
No need to jump straight to a head gasket if you are not loosing coolant.

Another question is, where did you observe this brown milky oil?
This would help a lot in the direction of - if there is, and what is the problem.

 

$2500,if you even have a headgasket problem.

 

Drained oil 2x in past week, both times brown milky. Oil cap has always had a little milky brown on it but oil when changed or even on dipstick was good.
Truck sat for about 6 months with no action, had cat back done and clutch solenoid replaced. Now the brown milky oil.
I ran it with rad cap off, no bubbles. Doesn't appear coolant is dropping, although I haven't run it much due to fear of more damage

 

I’m not familiar with this particular engine, but on other engines there are places other than the head gasket that can let coolant into the oil. Intake gaskets (on V engines mostly), oil coolers...

ETA: I’ve seen a few 22R engines where the timing chain would rub through the timing cover and into a coolant passage.

 

I marked areas where coolant could get into what I believe are oil return passages. It’s possible for that to happen but these MLS head gaskets are pretty bullet proof, IME.

That’s the intake gasket, no coolant passages there.

 

Here’s a front and rear view of the timing cover. There is a possible source of coolant to oil.

 

You’d think there would be coolant loss if it were entering the engine.
You might do a coolant system pressure test and see if it holds pressure?