My 2011 CM 4.6L has a blown head gasket...:(

Bought my truck new July of 2011 with the intention of driving this truck until the wheels proverbially fall off. So I had the truck towed to a mechanic and after days, it's finally been diagnosed with a failed/bad head gasket. My truck has about 226,000 miles and I guess something serious was bound to finally happen. Unfortunately, I also had the famous Air Injection Pump failure, but I did the block off plate bypass from Hewitt Tech. I haven't found any bypass kits for this head gasket issue tho.
I'm waiting on them to get back to me on the list of parts and labor cost. I was given the option of:

1. $$$ Have them tear apart the head and repair the damage
2. $ Have them use blue devil head gasket sealer and

I guess my main question would be, what else should I have them replace as preventative maintenance while they are working on the truck?
I already told them to replace the serpentine belt. Water pump? Upgrade to a 5.7L?

Opinions?

 

If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. The “while I’m in there” rabbit hole is a deep dark expensive cave.

 

This.

You've been lucky so far. These engines are highly susceptible to expensive damage from loss of cooling. Repair the head gasket properly now, or replace the truck with a newer version. Your cost analysis will depend on the repair estimate, and your attachment to the truck. Not even a Toyota will last forever if you buy it young enough.

 

If you use the Blue Devil, drive straight to the dealership and trade the truck. My experience with that stuff is that it works, but only for a few hundred miles.

 

...And they say the dealerships are shady.

 

I just like to return the favor.

 

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

 

Hey, for all the OP knows, the blue goo will do the job for years to come.

 

So you would be cool with someone selling you a truck with a blown head gasket that they dumped blue devil in because “hey it might Last forever.”. Keep in mind you just said “it’s only good for a few hundred miles”.

 

If I bought said vehicle from an auction (where a ~10-year-old truck with 200,000+ miles will end up) for a couple thousand dollars, sure.

 

But...you literally told him to take it to the dealership not an auction

 

How is the rest of the truck? If the head gasket were fine, i’d consider what else needs fixed? My truck is 10 years old as well, and while my mileage is lower, i had no problem spending 1000$ on front end repair parts, as that is only 2 months payments on a new one

 

And you think the dealership would sell that truck? I know the Toyota dealerships out here won't sell a truck with more than 100K on it, so they "wholesale" it, meaning it goes to auction and ends up somewhere else.

 

This exactly.. Any mods or too high mileage goes directly to auction..

 

ZappBrannigan has too many opinions!

 

I know that? Now you are.