Hello, I'm new so forgive me if this is a strange question. I think my husband killed my beautiful GS430 2006. He is maintaining that the mechanic says it looks like a bearing issue because it lost compression on one cylinder and exhausted into engine. But I am pretty sure he didn't tell the mechanic that we were coming back from our weekend in Palm Springs, 111 degrees, 108 or so over the grapevine, and that he had been accelerating and braking, driving the car hard to get through traffic for at least an hour through Pasadena. To the point of me holding on and sucking in my breath frequently. If you aren't from CA, there are signs everywhere on the grapevine to turn off ac because it's pretty hilly with steep inclines and cars frequently overheat. With 110k on my car I check temperature gauges frequently. Husband was driving and never checked. And continued driving the car this way when other cars were in his way. About 10 minutes off grapevine the VSC light turns on and he pulls off and we hear clicking noises as he tried to accelerate. Car engine dead. ruined. He thinks he's not responsible because warning lights didn't turn on so car couldn't have been overheating. He thinks likely the bearing issue.
I called my mechanic in the bay area and he says my car is too young and probably not a bearing issue.
I haven't yet got a hold of my Dublin Lexus mechanic who specializes in Lexus and Acura. Got a hold of him; he says it's not a bearing issue if compression was lost, it's definitely overheat. And that there is no warning light, we are supposed to check the temp gauge; no system that is supposed to save us, we just need to be diligent gauge checkers.
So I just want to know am I being too hard on my husband, blaming him for something that isn't his fault? I would like some opinions if you have them. I don't want to stay mad at him, I just want to know should I push that we need to learn a valuable lesson about pushing engines in that kind of heat over the grapevine, or is he just innocent? Although he should know better about checking gauges, I would think...

Thank you

 

Did the car actually overheat, meaning, did you see steam coming from the engine compartment? Did it leak antifreeze onto the ground? If it did overheat, it could have warped one of the aluminum heads which will cause head gasket failure. When that happens, coolant can leak into the crankcase and contaminate the oil. Have you checked the oil? If it looks like chocolate milk you have a problem.

 

No, oil looked fine. No steam until we opened up the hood, and then not much at all. White stuff from a melted hose right in front right part sprayed on engine and down side of car.

 

Going to put in 2009 engine with 40k miles on it with 1 year warranty. 4200 dollars with labor.

 

2008 saw the release of the GS460. Last year for the GS430 was 2007. if that engine is indeed from a 2009 GS, its a 4.6 not a 4.3. You need an engine out of an 06-07 GS430, not a 460 so keep that in mind