head reconditioned (how to tell)

[redline]

I am looking at buying a a 2008 extra cab with 166,000kms.

My mechanic had a look at it and has noticed there is a plastic plug in the firewall end of the head that apparently they glue into the welsh plug in head when they recondition heads.Apparently the plug is glued in place with a glue that melts at a certain temperature that is reached when an engine is cooked for whatever reason.

The dealer said the head has not been touched apart from an acid wash to clean the engine, when I asked the dealer about the head I wasn't aware of the plastic plug at that time only that the mechanic said its head had been off.

Can anyone tell me if they are aware of this practice or if the plastic plug is a factory installed component?

[mattwhite]

Yeah you're mechanics on it. The reconditioners use it so if someone claims warranty on there work and that plastic disc is gone they say its been overheated. Doesn't meen don't buy it, just meens it's had work done.

[boxhead55]

There is an engine out of a 2011 as you can see no plug. I have never seen one on a head that has not been reconditioned.

[redline]

ok so let me get this straight there is no plastic plug in the welsh plugs EVER from factory?

it is a guaranteed sign of the head being out?

[boxhead55]

Yes they are never there from factory. Toyota have never put a over heat tell tail in the welsh plugs ever. Toyota use the event data or freeze frame data. To tell how hot it got!

[redline]

in a 2008 3L D4D should i be overly concerned by a head that has been recoed?