What is R/R?

It's mechanic short speak for "remove and replace". AKA remove your old engine and install a different engine.

With some research, eBay heads, and Ishino gasket set from Yota1 you could have it done in a weekend. I wouldn't touch the bottom end or swap motor personally. Redid the top end on mine at 185k and leakdown test was over 90% on all cyclinders if I recall correctly. Not to say something couldn't break on the bottom end, but bottom end issues are pretty rare on this motor. I reused my heads which was an adventure in itself with some machine shop issues, so that took a while, but if you go with a reputable builder it should go quickly.

I wouldn't even really plan on new heads. It probably has one of the earlier HG designs. IIRC they went through 4 iterations before ending up at a pretty bulletproof MLS design. The earlier composite/partial composite styles will eventually fail with enough heat cycles. The aluminum had and iron blocks expand at different rates as they warm up, which gently scrupbs the HG between them. Enough cycles and it will start leaking.

Since you haven't overheated it yet, just faint signs of a leak, I'd bet the heads are still good. Take both heads off (if one went, the other is likely not far behind), eyeball the cylinder bores while it's apart, put it back together with a new TB/WP kit and new belts/hoses. And while they still sell some off the earlier iterations of the headgaskets (I think) go ahead and get the last style, order one for a 2002 4Runner.

Yea I didn't mean they'd be warped but both head gaskets I've done on the 3.0 and 3.4 the heads had noticeable pitting around the water jacket. Guessing from the aluminum oxidizing and getting sucked into suspension in the water running over it before the leak works its way to the outside of the gasket over the years. It's best practice to get heads resurfaced to get a tight seal and extend the lifespan of your work, especially with the MLS gaskets which last longer with a flat surface, but aren't as forgiving. Supposedly it can also be done with a block and sandpaper if you're on a budget, or just skipped if you're less concerned with longevity than the budget. I've always brought mine to a shop but that takes time, and then you have to measure and order shims which takes more time

edit to add you may not need shims either if you don't get the valves done, but well worth doing them also while it's out in my opinion, about the best bang for the buck you can get for a power increase

I have two broken down 2000 sr5's I want to work on as project cars. Any suggestions on where I should start repairs? one leaks coolant into the passenger floor and one emits white plumes of smoke from the exhaust.

You'll get better responses starting your own thread, but the passenger leak is probably the heater core which is an easier and much cheaper fix than a head gasket, which is usually the cause of white smoke. But worth confirming with a leakdown test. You might make a build thread and ask questions as you go

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The YotaShop head replacement kit has everything required to replace a set of head. From timing belt, to VC seals, to valve stem seals, to new head bolts to exhaust gaskets and donuts. I’ve used them three times now.


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