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Thread: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    Okay, I must have misunderstood. Thought you went with the cheaper independent shop. That really does seem to be a lot for a brake job. I'm so glad I don't have to rely on shops to do my work. As for the master cylinder, I guess I'm not familiar with the newer Previas. My newest one was a 93. They must have changed the master cylinder reservoir in 94. Still, a whole inch over min seems odd to be triggering a low level light. Does MR Pascal really drop the level 1" while braking? If putting more fluid in solves the problem then that's awesome. Too bad the shop you paid for this couldn't properly top off the reservoir.

    Speaking of trusting others to do your work, when I started making enough $$$ to pay somebody else I decided to take my van to Toyota. It had started running bad & getting poor gas mileage. After 2 days they called and told me both the engine and transmission were bad (worn out) and needed to be rebuilt..........told me I could trade it in on one of their "quality used cars" for a lot less than the cost of repair. I said no thank you, picked it up, paid my bill, then went home and fixed it myself. A new TPS & a new o2 sensor + about 2 hrs labor solved my problem. Cost of me repairing was less than them telling me I needed another car. 15 years & another 100k miles later I'm still driving that same van. I did finally overhaul the engine (a couple months ago), but that same "worn out" transmission is still taking me down the road. The only thing I've done to it was change the ATF & strainer every 50k miles.

    At this point in my life I really don't have the time or inclination to do my own vehicle work anymore, but what choice do I have? I took a chance & trusted 2 different places over the past 15 years (both were big disappointments). Hell, last year I took my Previa in for new tires, and the tire shop told me I needed new tie rods (was a lie). I bet they would have found a lot more too if I had believed them and let them do the work. At least I can still do my own work, so that's a good thing. It sucks being at the mercy of rip-offs & incompetence. Tim
    I hear you loud and clear. I can't do my own work or believe me I would! Turns out the brake fluid just needed to be topped off, they checked everything, nothing wrong, and the light went out after they topped the fluid off.
    Ihear you about the dealer too. They quoted me $3,000 for a head gasket job, can you imagine? I try really hard never to offend people/be rude, but I just couldn't help myself telling the service writer what a rip off I thought that was. The independent shop charged me $2K for the head gasket. The brake work was done by anothe small independent shop, and they really overcharged me. I guess it's just the cost of swimming with sharks.

    Anyway, it's all good now.................car seems to be "missing" a little now though. I'm wondering if it's because the mechanic "looped" the hose from one outlet vent on the distributor to the other? This can really drive people crazy I'm sure. I'm just going to ignore it though, since it feels very slight, until the next oil change then bring it up, or it becomes really obvious. I missed my vacation, but am afraid to drive it any distance even for a weekend getaway, until all these bugs are resolved. Maybe it will adjust itself out. LOL

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    Okay, I must have misunderstood. Thought you went with the cheaper independent shop. That really does seem to be a lot for a brake job. I'm so glad I don't have to rely on shops to do my work. As for the master cylinder, I guess I'm not familiar with the newer Previas. My newest one was a 93. They must have changed the master cylinder reservoir in 94. Still, a whole inch over min seems odd to be triggering a low level light. Does MR Pascal really drop the level 1" while braking? If putting more fluid in solves the problem then that's awesome. Too bad the shop you paid for this couldn't properly top off the reservoir.

    Speaking of trusting others to do your work, when I started making enough $$$ to pay somebody else I decided to take my van to Toyota. It had started running bad & getting poor gas mileage. After 2 days they called and told me both the engine and transmission were bad (worn out) and needed to be rebuilt..........told me I could trade it in on one of their "quality used cars" for a lot less than the cost of repair. I said no thank you, picked it up, paid my bill, then went home and fixed it myself. A new TPS & a new o2 sensor + about 2 hrs labor solved my problem. Cost of me repairing was less than them telling me I needed another car. 15 years & another 100k miles later I'm still driving that same van. I did finally overhaul the engine (a couple months ago), but that same "worn out" transmission is still taking me down the road. The only thing I've done to it was change the ATF & strainer every 50k miles.

    At this point in my life I really don't have the time or inclination to do my own vehicle work anymore, but what choice do I have? I took a chance & trusted 2 different places over the past 15 years (both were big disappointments). Hell, last year I took my Previa in for new tires, and the tire shop told me I needed new tie rods (was a lie). I bet they would have found a lot more too if I had believed them and let them do the work. At least I can still do my own work, so that's a good thing. It sucks being at the mercy of rip-offs & incompetence. Tim
    Can I ask one more question? My prior mechanic had to replace the distributor, so he used an aftermarket Ridgeporter. The replacement didn't have the same hoses/outlets as the stock distributor. I don't quite understand what this recent mechanic meant when he said it bugged him that the two outlets had no connectors, so he just told me that when he did the head gasket, he "looped" them (whatever that means) and that on the OE distributors those outlets/hoses/? went into the air cleaner. At freeway speed, I don't know if I'm imagining it, but it feels like it's running *a little* rough, like there's a vacuum leak. I looked inside the hood tonight, to check and make sure the oil wasn't being pumped out of the reservoir, like it did when the float got stuck, because he told me to keep an eye on it, and there are threaded holes in the bottom of the hood compartment, where clearly something was unscrewed out of those holes and is missing. Does that have something to do with the mechanic "looping" the distributor hoses? What part went there, and should I make him put it back? I don't know why the h--- he did that, the car ran fine the way it was,not knowing what he did is bugging me, so he fixed it when it wasn't broken, and now there's an empty place there with threaded holes and I can see the ground, instead of what used to be there, and I don't even know what that part was, but there is definitely something missing. This flat empty metal strip with empty threaded holes is about six to eight inches wide and is below and just to the left of the oil reservoir. What part went there?-- the battery is on the right.

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by previagal View Post
    Can I ask one more question? My prior mechanic had to replace the distributor, so he used an aftermarket Ridgeporter. The replacement didn't have the same hoses/outlets as the stock distributor. I don't quite understand what this recent mechanic meant when he said it bugged him that the two outlets had no connectors, so he just told me that when he did the head gasket, he "looped" them (whatever that means) and that on the OE distributors those outlets/hoses/? went into the air cleaner. At freeway speed, I don't know if I'm imagining it, but it feels like it's running *a little* rough, like there's a vacuum leak. I looked inside the hood tonight, to check and make sure the oil wasn't being pumped out of the reservoir, like it did when the float got stuck, because he told me to keep an eye on it, and there are threaded holes in the bottom of the hood compartment, where clearly something was unscrewed out of those holes and is missing. Does that have something to do with the mechanic "looping" the distributor hoses? What part went there, and should I make him put it back? I don't know why the h--- he did that, the car ran fine the way it was,not knowing what he did is bugging me, so he fixed it when it wasn't broken, and now there's an empty place there with threaded holes and I can see the ground, instead of what used to be there, and I don't even know what that part was, but there is definitely something missing. This flat empty metal strip with empty threaded holes is about six to eight inches wide and is below and just to the left of the oil reservoir. What part went there?-- the battery is on the right.
    I'm not sure on a 94, but this is where the anti-lock brake actuator is on my Previa. Can you post a picture of the area in question? Your question on the distributor doesn't ring any bells either. I've only had experience with Toyota distributors on Previas. Perhaps "the man" will have an idea what's going on. Tim

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    I'm not sure on a 94, but this is where the anti-lock brake actuator is on my Previa. Can you post a picture of the area in question? Your question on the distributor doesn't ring any bells either. I've only had experience with Toyota distributors on Previas. Perhaps "the man" will have an idea what's going on. Tim
    Thanks, I will take a picture tomorrow. One thing that occurs to me, the more I drive it, is there is a lot more vibration in the front end/steering wheel, than before the head gasket job. At a constant speed of 50-55 mph, it feels like there is a vacuum leak, or it's "missing" a little. There is also the vibration. I can't tell if the "missing feeling" is due to the reason for the vibration, or there are two separate issues. One thing occurred to me after driving it more, is when I first purchased the car, it had the infamous SAD locomotive sound. I took it to a driveline shop who replaced the bushings. That was at 139,617. The van now has 167,007 miles. I've read in a few places, if the SAD is disconnected (like I'm assuming they did when they dropped the engine and trans as a unit to do the headgasket job) that when it is reconnected, it has to be bolted back in at the same "clock position" or it will be out of balance. I'm wondering if it wasn't bolted back in properly and that is why there is so much vibration in the steering wheel? In one of your earlier replies, you mentioned the SAD needed "special handling" or it could be damaged, when they did the head gasket job. What kind of special handling were you talking about, and what kind of damage could occur if they didn't do it correctly? This stuff is starting to drive me crazy.
    The other feeling is the "missing" feeling, which I can feel in the seat. Do you think both could be attributed to the SAD not being bolted back in at the original position?
    I sure appreciate your replies, you just have no idea. Today I got on fleaBay, the 1994 factory service manual and the supplement for fifty bucks. At least I can see what the heck is going on with all these parts, even if I can't do any work myself, I won't be completely ignorant.
    Also, I asked him about the "looping" thing, and I guess he looped the two fittings with one hose where (he said) the OE distributor would have been connected to the air filter with those two fittings. The Ridgeporter replacement did not have the fittings to connect to the air filter, so there were just two hoses on the air cleaner hanging there, which I guess that's what he meant when he said he looped them and said "this is better" than having two hoses hanging there, which "bugged" him.

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    The SADS is balanced as an assembly, so anytime it's taken apart it should be marked and reassembled the same as before. Another thing that's important is not allowing the rubber insulators to rotate during reassembly (while tightening the bolts). These things are mentioned in the service bulletin I'm attaching to this post. Another thing that can mess one up is allowing it to hang unsupported (particularly the engine side). When an end is disconnected the shaft needs to be supported. This can be accomplished by using a wire coat hanger or something similar to keep it straight. Whatever the method, the object is to prevent side stress on the flex couplers.

    When the Previa was still in production & for about 5 - 10 years after, most mechanics at most Toyota dealerships were trained on this and knew how to handle SADS. Now that the Previas are aging very few make it back to the dealer for service. As a result very few techs have experience with them (and that's the dealer). When it comes to independent shops, it's not very likely that many of these techs EVER learned about proper handling (much less likely now that it's been 17 years since the last Previa rolled off the line).

    I'm probably going to catch some crap for saying this, but after years of experience in this field these are my thoughts. There are some techs who are very conscientious and very well trained. Unfortunately this is not the norm. When you consider the pay grade & working conditions for auto mechanics, it makes you wonder why any intelligent person with an aptitude for this sort of thing would choose wrenching as a profession. The sad fact is most "quality" people choose something else. This leaves drop-outs, druggies, and other "less than optimal" choices for shops to hire. I'm not saying these guys are all this way, I'm just saying it's a challenge for shops to fill their tech positions with quality employees. Some of these "techs" don't care, some do the best with the skills they possess, and some are just damn crooks. The best techs tend to gravitate to the jobs that pay the most (i.e. shops that charge the most). The not so good end up working for the independents & cut rate shops. This is the reason most people buy new or newer cars after a major component fails. Most of these shops can "fumble" their way through repairs on standard vehicles, but when you throw them a "curve ball" (something unique or unusual) they usually don't do so well. Tim
    Attached Files Attached Files

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    The SADS is balanced as an assembly, so anytime it's taken apart it should be marked and reassembled the same as before. Another thing that's important is not allowing the rubber insulators to rotate during reassembly (while tightening the bolts). These things are mentioned in the service bulletin I'm attaching to this post. Another thing that can mess one up is allowing it to hang unsupported (particularly the engine side). When an end is disconnected the shaft needs to be supported. This can be accomplished by using a wire coat hanger or something similar to keep it straight. Whatever the method, the object is to prevent side stress on the flex couplers.

    When the Previa was still in production & for about 5 - 10 years after, most mechanics at most Toyota dealerships were trained on this and knew how to handle SADS. Now that the Previas are aging very few make it back to the dealer for service. As a result very few techs have experience with them (and that's the dealer). When it comes to independent shops, it's not very likely that many of these techs EVER learned about proper handling (much less likely now that it's been 17 years since the last Previa rolled off the line).

    I'm probably going to catch some crap for saying this, but after years of experience in this field these are my thoughts. There are some techs who are very conscientious and very well trained. Unfortunately this is not the norm. When you consider the pay grade & working conditions for auto mechanics, it makes you wonder why any intelligent person with an aptitude for this sort of thing would choose wrenching as a profession. The sad fact is most "quality" people choose something else. This leaves drop-outs, druggies, and other "less than optimal" choices for shops to hire. I'm not saying these guys are all this way, I'm just saying it's a challenge for shops to fill their tech positions with quality employees. Some of these "techs" don't care, some do the best with the skills they possess, and some are just damn crooks. The best techs tend to gravitate to the jobs that pay the most (i.e. shops that charge the most). The not so good end up working for the independents & cut rate shops. This is the reason most people buy new or newer cars after a major component fails. Most of these shops can "fumble" their way through repairs on standard vehicles, but when you throw them a "curve ball" (something unique or unusual) they usually don't do so well. Tim
    In my years of having to be at the mercy of mechanics, I totally agree. I try to research this stuff, so I can discuss intelligently, but if I approach something like this with "did you do it this way?" they get mad and tell me to go somewhere else. Anyway if the mechanic did mess up the SAD, this is really depressing, because I spent a lot of money less than 30K miles ago having it rebuilt by a driveline shop. :o( Once it's messed up, then do they have to replace those couplers again? This vibration driving locally isn't so bad, but on the freeway after even a half hour, it's very wearing. Anyway, here are the photos of the place where it *seems* like they forgot to put something back. This is some days after getting the car back, so some dirt is in those threads now, but when I first got it back, they were clean as a whistle. You can see how the lower portion of the threads shows dirt/rust, the upper portion looks clean, like something was newly removed.
    Attached Images Attached Images

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    That is the location where the ABS actuator is mounted. Does (or should I say "did") your van have anti-lock brakes? Seems unlikely this would have been removed as it would be like opening a can of worms. There would need to be rerouting of brake lines, and other major issues. Labor to convert an ABS system to a non-ABS system would be high and not worth the trouble........even if he had a donor vehicle to swap parts with and a buyer for the parts taken. Perhaps he spilled something here and cleaning it up made it look as though there was something previously installed???

    Not sure what to tell you regarding your other issues. Vibrations can be tough to chase down. Process of elimination is usually how it's done (checking the balance of one item at a time). Since yours is a RWD, this narrows it down quite a bit. The poor man's way of checking balance of a shaft is to hold the RPM at a point when the vibrations are the worst, then use a piece of chalk to carefully touch the spinning shaft. Safety is a major concern when performing such an operation, so do so at your own risk. Access is also an issue & it would need to be done from under the vehicle.

    Once the chalk has been applied, the vehicle is stopped and the chalk mark is checked. If the chalk is heavier on one side than the other, or if there's only a mark on one side of the shaft, then the shaft is likely out of balance. The shaft can be balanced by installing one or more stainless hose clamps on the shaft and putting the screw side (heavy side) on the side of the shaft where the chalk was light or not present. Check for vibrations again and repeat the chalk application/balancing procedure until the vibration is gone.

    I'm sure it goes without saying that this is a crude way to balance a shaft, but I've used it before and it does work. Tim

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    That is the location where the ABS actuator is mounted. Does (or should I say "did") your van have anti-lock brakes? Seems unlikely this would have been removed as it would be like opening a can of worms. There would need to be rerouting of brake lines, and other major issues. Labor to convert an ABS system to a non-ABS system would be high and not worth the trouble........even if he had a donor vehicle to swap parts with and a buyer for the parts taken. Perhaps he spilled something here and cleaning it up made it look as though there was something previously installed???

    Not sure what to tell you regarding your other issues. Vibrations can be tough to chase down. Process of elimination is usually how it's done (checking the balance of one item at a time). Since yours is a RWD, this narrows it down quite a bit. The poor man's way of checking balance of a shaft is to hold the RPM at a point when the vibrations are the worst, then use a piece of chalk to carefully touch the spinning shaft. Safety is a major concern when performing such an operation, so do so at your own risk. Access is also an issue & it would need to be done from under the vehicle.

    Once the chalk has been applied, the vehicle is stopped and the chalk mark is checked. If the chalk is heavier on one side than the other, or if there's only a mark on one side of the shaft, then the shaft is likely out of balance. The shaft can be balanced by installing one or more stainless hose clamps on the shaft and putting the screw side (heavy side) on the side of the shaft where the chalk was light or not present. Check for vibrations again and repeat the chalk application/balancing procedure until the vibration is gone.

    I'm sure it goes without saying that this is a crude way to balance a shaft, but I've used it before and it does work. Tim
    Wouldn't I be able to tell if the ABS actuator was gone --wouldn't the brakes malfunction?

    Also, if the shaft is out of balance, and was in balance before the head gasket, wouldn't it be out of balance due to being bolted back in not in the original clock position? So wouldn't they be able to mitigate the problem by unbolting it and finding out/trying bolting it back in where it should have gone? Also, will it damage the couplers, if I drive it out of balance? I would imagine so.
    What a retarded design this front shaft was.

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by previagal View Post
    Wouldn't I be able to tell if the ABS actuator was gone --wouldn't the brakes malfunction?
    Yes, that's why I was thinking you never had anti-lock brakes............and perhaps the tech just cleaned a spot there, making it appear there was something previously there.

    Quote Originally Posted by previagal View Post
    Also, if the shaft is out of balance, and was in balance before the head gasket, wouldn't it be out of balance due to being bolted back in not in the original clock position? So wouldn't they be able to mitigate the problem by unbolting it and finding out/trying bolting it back in where it should have gone?
    Yes, but we're not even sure this is where the vibration is coming from, although it stands to reason since it was recently messed with. They could experiment by trying different locations to mount, but the chalk thing could help determine if it's even the SADS or help verify if/when they get it back into the correct position. Was simply a suggestion. Although probably not the best course of action, it's an alternative to spending $$$ at a shop with specialized balancing equipment.

    Quote Originally Posted by previagal View Post
    Also, will it damage the couplers, if I drive it out of balance? I would imagine so.
    Yes, aside from being annoying, much more stress is put on components when they are out of balance.

    Quote Originally Posted by previagal View Post
    What a retarded design this front shaft was.
    It's actually impressive that these typically last well over 150k miles. If handled correctly they can be repaired and go another 150k + miles. Too bad they couldn't have made them idiot proof. As a former aircraft mechanic (helicopters) I can tell you there are several things like this that survive countless hrs of use with excellent service records. It's all about following procedures and knowing how to handle these things. Something a lot of automotive "techs" just can't wrap their heads around. Tim

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    Yes, that's why I was thinking you never had anti-lock brakes............and perhaps the tech just cleaned a spot there, making it appear there was something previously there.



    Yes, but we're not even sure this is where the vibration is coming from, although it stands to reason since it was recently messed with. They could experiment by trying different locations to mount, but the chalk thing could help determine if it's even the SADS or help verify if/when they get it back into the correct position. Was simply a suggestion. Although probably not the best course of action, it's an alternative to spending $$$ at a shop with specialized balancing equipment.



    Yes, aside from being annoying, much more stress is put on components when they are out of balance.



    It's actually impressive that these typically last well over 150k miles. If handled correctly they can be repaired and go another 150k + miles. Too bad they couldn't have made them idiot proof. As a former aircraft mechanic (helicopters) I can tell you there are several things like this that survive countless hrs of use with excellent service records. It's all about following procedures and knowing how to handle these things. Something a lot of automotive "techs" just can't wrap their heads around. Tim
    If they're going to design something like that, they should design it so that putting it back doesn't require an engineering degree or 40 years experience. It's not realistic to think people are going to understand things on that level, without going to Toyota school, and even then, like you said, the techs now don't even know how to work on it. That's what I meant by retarded. No one knows how to put them back, shops do not even want to do the bushing job because of that, they don't have the equipment to balance them etc, so seems like an impractical design.
    What do you think about this? I have half a mind to just buy one, and drive the car until this one fails again, and then have a driveline shop install this one:
    http://www.coloradodriveshaft.com/toyota_previa.htm

    It's just so annoying driving any distance with vibration coming up through the gas pedal and the steering wheel. The "miss" feeling I feel through the seat.

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by previagal View Post
    What do you think about this? I have half a mind to just buy one, and drive the car until this one fails again, and then have a driveline shop install this one:
    http://www.coloradodriveshaft.com/toyota_previa.htm
    It sounds good and I'm sure it would be balanced well. My question would be regarding the "OEM style" parts & how long they will last. I know there are OEM style parts out there that do not last, just don't know how these measure up regarding quality.

    A few years back there was a guy on eBay selling OEM shafts complete for $68 each. I bought 11 of them & then sold for $350 - $500 each. I probably should have bought more and hung onto them. I see now these OEM ones listed on eBay for up to $1,600 each (do people seriously pay that much?). One guy has a rusty old one he's asking over $1k for. He says it's new (never installed) and it's rusty due to sitting in his shop since 1996. Man, what a racket these things are. If I need to visit this issue again I'm going to purchase new couplers from Toyota, install them on a salvage yard shaft, then have the assembled shaft balanced by a drive-line shop (I'll be standing there watching them like a hawk). Good luck with whatever you decide. Tim

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    It sounds good and I'm sure it would be balanced well. My question would be regarding the "OEM style" parts & how long they will last. I know there are OEM style parts out there that do not last, just don't know how these measure up regarding quality.

    A few years back there was a guy on eBay selling OEM shafts complete for $68 each. I bought 11 of them & then sold for $350 - $500 each. I probably should have bought more and hung onto them. I see now these OEM ones listed on eBay for up to $1,600 each (do people seriously pay that much?). One guy has a rusty old one he's asking over $1k for. He says it's new (never installed) and it's rusty due to sitting in his shop since 1996. Man, what a racket these things are. If I need to visit this issue again I'm going to purchase new couplers from Toyota, install them on a salvage yard shaft, then have the assembled shaft balanced by a drive-line shop (I'll be standing there watching them like a hawk). Good luck with whatever you decide. Tim
    Took it to the driveline shop this morning, who did the original drive shaft and the front SAD when I first bought the car. They drove it and said the problem is definitely the SAD. Took it apart and told me the couplers were cracked on both the engine side as well as the non engine side. I asked if this could have happened if the mechanic who did the head gasket overtightened it on the engine side, and let it hang on the non-engine side, and they said "it's possible." I can't imagine they cracked it on both sides, just from not realigning it properly when they reinstalled it and the mechanic told me he'd done 20 previa head gaskets, so I can't imagine he overtightened it. Even I know how to not do that. The tech bulletin you posted (THANK YOU) shows the bolts should be tightened to a specific torque, and make sure not to twist the rubber bushings when reconnecting. I just cant imagine my mechanic caused all this damage. the shop told me the "inserts are flexible" but the tech bulletin doesn't talk about inserts at all. Is the shop calling the flexible coupler the insert?
    Also, what i don't understand is, people talk about urethane couplers, and aluminum couplers. How can an aluminum coupler be "flexible"? which is how the tech bulletin describes it? Isn't this why they say flexible coupler, because it's rubber/something flexible, which aluminum is not?
    I asked the shop to save the old parts so I can better understand what happened. Hopefully, I'll never have to do this again as long as I own the car.
    Thank you again Tim for taking the time to answer all my questions.
    Last edited by previagal; 08-25-2014 at 03:12 PM. Reason: additional information

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    The body of the OEM couplers is aluminum. The points where it attaches are separate bushings attached to the aluminum housing via vulcanized rubber. The urethane ones are entirely molded urethane with the bushings cast into them. We discussed this recently in THIS THREAD. The part you want starts with post #15. pdgizwiz makes some good points regarding the differences between OEM & urethane styles. Tim

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    I should mention to use the search feature here (upper right corner) using the term SADS. There are several discussions on the subject. I know the other thread shows the urethane couplers, here's a thread that shows the factory ones and the differences between 91 - 93 vs 94 & up:

    http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/s...g-on-previa-93

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Thank you, I recall after reading it again just now that I had at some time in the past read the other thread that starts out with the questions about the seats, then talks about the SAD coupler kits and your comment about how your experience with the ebay urethane replacement wasn't good, but you are recommending this one on ebay that is Polyurethane? The shop who is doing the fix on my car said they use the aluminum ones.Also, the production date on my car is 8/93 and the dealer OE coupler kit starts at production date 1/94. So I'm not sure the one on ebay listed from 94-97 would fit my car, or be for the newer shaft

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by previagal View Post
    Thank you, I recall after reading it again just now that I had at some time in the past read the other thread that starts out with the questions about the seats, then talks about the SAD coupler kits and your comment about how your experience with the ebay urethane replacement wasn't good, but you are recommending this one on ebay that is Polyurethane? The shop who is doing the fix on my car said they use the aluminum ones.Also, the production date on my car is 8/93 and the dealer OE coupler kit starts at production date 1/94. So I'm not sure the one on ebay listed from 94-97 would fit my car, or be for the newer shaft
    You might want to read my post again. I don't recommend the urethane ones nor have I ever. I did try them but the jury is still out on lifespan (I suspect they are failing). I did suggest the Febest OEM style ones in that 1st thread I linked you to, but also stated I know nothing about them (other than what Amazon users posted about some of their other products). Personally, after my experiences, I would only recommend OEM Toyota couplers, but encourage others to experiment in the hopes somebody will stumble upon a good substitute of comparable quality to the overpriced Toyota couplers. Tim

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Another thing that makes comparison of these parts hard to verify is installation. It's impossible to know if these are being installed correctly, so it's possible some of the AM couplers are getting a bad wrap due to improper installation. Tim

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    What it sounds like from all of your posts about the after-market couplers for 91-93 is they don't hold up well, and your suggestion to get a 94 shaft from a wrecking yard and put the OE kit on there is not realistic for me. The shops aren't going to do that, so I'm sort of stuck with their procedures. However, I am going to take a chance on the ebay coupler, I hope it's not the same one you bought, because the photo in the one on post #15, looks like a much better part than what you're describing.

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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    You might want to read my post again. I don't recommend the urethane ones nor have I ever. I did try them but the jury is still out on lifespan (I suspect they are failing). I did suggest the Febest OEM style ones in that 1st thread I linked you to, but also stated I know nothing about them (other than what Amazon users posted about some of their other products). Personally, after my experiences, I would only recommend OEM Toyota couplers, but encourage others to experiment in the hopes somebody will stumble upon a good substitute of comparable quality to the overpriced Toyota couplers. Tim
    You wrote: "The part you want starts with post #15" This sounded like a recommendation, but it's no biggie, I take full responsibility for making this decision, I didn't do it just on that comment. I'd read in several places that the aluminum ones don't hold up, and the OE part I found out, is not available for my car because the production date is 8/93 and it takes the smaller size. So this is an experiment. If they don't last, they don't last, then I'll go to a wrecking yard and get the 94 shaft, the OE couplers and go from there. I might just buy a set of the OE couplers now, because in a year or so, they might not even be available anymore. I can't quit now, I have so much invested in this car. But here are the reviews I went with, which granted since they are both from this year, the jury is still out on the longevity but it doesn't sound like they had any vibration issues, which is what the shop explained is the tradeoff with urethane. Also there are a lot more reviews on the aluminum ones, that say they only lasted one or two years, and the two years ones people thought were good. How can this be good if the originals last 150K?
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    Re: Problems after paying $2,000 for a head gasket job

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    You might want to read my post again. I don't recommend the urethane ones nor have I ever. I did try them but the jury is still out on lifespan (I suspect they are failing). I did suggest the Febest OEM style ones in that 1st thread I linked you to, but also stated I know nothing about them (other than what Amazon users posted about some of their other products). Personally, after my experiences, I would only recommend OEM Toyota couplers, but encourage others to experiment in the hopes somebody will stumble upon a good substitute of comparable quality to the overpriced Toyota couplers. Tim
    Ok, I just need to ask, it's still not too late to go with the aluminum ones. I read your posts further down about the urethane ones you got off of ebay. The first time I read it, I ASSumed there was more than one product available, and the ones you got were a different brand than the urethane ones the poster showed on #15 because you said the ones you got looked a lot worse than the ones in the picture of the PBS parts. Can you tell me if the ones you got off of Ebay are the exact same brand as the poster shows on #15? Which are the ones I ordered and which are these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toyota-Previ...-/221410982853

    It says "lifetime warranty", and is a company called PSB (Problem Solving Bushings) from Armstrong Distribution. And also, I researched the Febest part, the equivalent part number is the same part the dealer is telling me is for 94 and newer and won't fit on my driveshaft. Either way it seems like the earlier model aluminum ones don't hold up, and the urethane ones ma or may not hold up better, it's so hard to know. Like you said, a lot depends on the installation.I guess even with a lifetime warranty and they fall apart fast, who wants the replacement?
    Last edited by previagal; 08-25-2014 at 06:54 PM.

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