Avensis 2002 2.0i vvti - Head Gasket Failure

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Thu 14 Apr 2011 11:41
Avensis 2002 2.0i vvti - Head Gasket Failure - Surrey_Scientist

Hi

I just bought an Avensis 2002 2.0vvti car and the head gasket appears to have failed.

Its the old shape car (facelift version) 2002 and 125,000 miles so prob one of the last built of that shape.

Used lots of water (but not oil it seems)

The dealer (small indepedndent) is getting it sorted out and is OK about it.....

BUT - is this likely to happen to the car again if the job is done properly ?? ie. is it a design fault

The car has an excellent service history - I have all the invoices/stamps old MOTs etc in the book and the car is in otherwise immaculate and excellent condition given the mileage - I don't believe its been clocked.

I have not heard of this problem with these cars - does anyone else know if this is a "one-off" unlucky event or is this another "lemon" issue like the 1.8s vvti- drinking oil..

Is the car lilely to be OK to keep long-term (my intention) or should I be moving it on in a years or so time....

I had been lead to believe by the buyers guides on the web and my mechanic that these vehicles were bombproof (why so many minicabbers use them)

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Thu 14 Apr 2011 15:19
Avensis 2002 2.0i vvti - Head Gasket Failure - unthrottled

A side effect of of building engines out of aluminium are the dreadful properties of aluminium under elevated temperatures. Aluminium expands a lot when heated and this puts stress on the head gasket. H/G failures are almost certain on any engine that has over heated.

Providing the head hasn't warped or cracked somewhere, the repair is fairly dependable. The key is to find out WHY the H/G failed and cure the underlying problem (heat)-otherwise the problem will reoccur. Solve theoverheating problem and you should get many more miles out of the engine.

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Thu 14 Apr 2011 19:37
Avensis 2002 2.0i vvti - Head Gasket Failure - Surrey_Scientist

the car hasn't overheated - it was just using loads of coolant

The dealer has reported back from the mechanic who said there were no signs of any overheating

BUT that someof the bolts holding the head on were loose and so seems to have been leeking where they were loose.

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Thu 14 Apr 2011 19:51
Avensis 2002 2.0i vvti - Head Gasket Failure - unthrottled

Yes, if the head bolts weren't tightened to the correct specification that would lead to uneven clamping pressure and rupture. Did he say why they were loose? Has the h/g been replaced before?

Has the mechanic certified that the cylinder head face is square and not warped?

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Fri 15 Apr 2011 01:12
Avensis 2002 2.0i vvti - Head Gasket Failure - Surrey_Scientist

they said they were having the head skimmed and were using new stretch bolts.

unsure as to whether it has been replaced b4

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Fri 15 Apr 2011 01:16
Avensis 2002 2.0i vvti - Head Gasket Failure - unthrottled
That's as it should be. The repair sounds professional, the cause of the problem identified and sorted. I changed my h/g 4 years ago, skimped and reused the head bolts. No problems yet. I wouldn't worry.
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