3.0 head gasket replacement has started!!!

DeclansDaddy

DeclansDaddy

New member
Well my buddy finally compiled all the parts to do the head gasket fix on my old '95. When I did the compression test numbers were 1-140, 2-95, 3-135, 4-140, 5-135, 6-140. So I really expected to find my problem on #2. Pulled the heads off tonight and to my suprise number 2 looked flawless. However #6 definitely has a crack in the gasket. Also #5 looks suspicious. And both bad spots are all the way to the back right next to the damned x-over pipe. I'll try to get a good pic to see what you guys think. I knew 5&6 were very prone to blowing so I'm sure that's where I was getting my problems from. Just weird #2 was down on comp. but not the cylinders that appear to be blown. Cylinder walls look great. Not a lot of carbon built up in the heads so that's good. The gaskets were Fel-pro and one of the cam pulleys was on backwards so looks like someone has been in here before. I can see x-hatching in the walls and there's no ridge at all on the top so I'm thinking maybe this motor had a total rebuild at some point. Heads are headed to the machine shop tomorrow to get checked out. If #2 check out ok I don't know what's next. I guess well just see what the head guy says.
Here's a pic before I took the heads off. Didn't have the right socket last night.
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Man this is gonna be a great one to follow..... as many pics as you can pls !! Hey remember my offer, if u need an extra hand doing something.... don't hesitate to hit me up, i'm right by 1000 trails on 198.
 
mikekfr said:
Man this is gonna be a great one to follow..... as many pics as you can pls !! Hey remember my offer, if u need an extra hand doing something.... don't hesitate to hit me up, i'm right by 1000 trails on 198.
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We really didn't take any pics and it's ready to start reassembly as soon as the heads check out. I'll let you know we get messing with it again. I'm right in Cobbs Creek so not to far from you.
 
Well I tried to snap some pics of the head gasket but to get close enough it just gets blurry. But as we cleaned the surface head there was a lot of pitting between the cylinder and water jacket where it was blown. Heads are off to get machined and tested. We also noticed that a few of the injectors had cracks in the pintle caps so looks like we'll be rebuildng them as well. He's not looking to spend another $300 on new injectors. Hopefully we'll have the heads back and all the other misc. parts by next weekend to start getting it back together.
 
Yea I'm trying to talk the guy into it but he's strapped on cash. The pigtail looks like it's been BBQed. He just wants to wrap it with tape. I dunno. Not my truck anymore. I gotta feeling he's going to give up on it once he shells out another $4-500 to do it right and just give it back to me for what he has in it (which I've been trying to get him to do for a while) then I'll 3.4 swap it or maybe even more. A buddy of mine has a nice TPI 350 in his shop that would be sweet in this truck. We'll see what happens.
 
I will be doing the same job in my car. Heads rebuild job.
I plan to take the heads of and rebuild them with TOYOTA parts (valves, gaskets, seals ect.)

broken wrench said:
Do knock and pigtail while your in there
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Could you say something more. Why do you suggest to change knock sensor ? It is a common issue ?
 
due to it's location the pigtail is saturated with heat and gets brittle. Then shorts out, your already there do it for insurance. That is a lot of work to redo to save a couple bucks.
 
Yea it's under the intake so now is the time to do it. I think we priced the knock sensor and pigtail at $150. Hopefully he'll just go for it and buy one.
 
Got a call from the machine shop today and looks like the heads will be ready tomorrow. He called me because I told him about my low compression on 2 and we may have found the culprit. The spark plug hole on 2 was not even allowing the plug to go in 1/2 way. He said the threads don't look cross threaded but just appears it's expanded and made the hole smaller. Said he's seen it a few times with aluminum heads. So I'm thinking maybe my compression tester wasn't threading up to the o-ring and that's why my reading was low??? That's the only conclusion we can come up with other than its something in the bottom end and I cleaned the piston thoroughly and see no signs of any type of crack or stress marks. Like I said the motor did not smoke a bit so I'm hoping this plug hole issue is my problem. We shall see. Now the trucks new owner just needs to scrounge up some $$$ so I can get this truck going.
 
Heads are back from the shop. Got the block and Pistons all cleaned up. Ready to start putting it back together. He picked up a new knock sensor and ordered a new pigtail and also we got some header wrap. Plan is to wrap the crossover pipe nice and tight to try to keep some heat off the head. Anyone have an opinion on if we should pull off the heat shield and wrap the pipe or wrap the whole works? I'd imagine that wrapping the shield and all would keep it coolest but maybe for some reason I could be wrong. Anyone see it different?
 
If you would take a pic after you use the tape, i'd be interested to know how well it works for you. :cheers:
 
Pictures please! :)

Heat insulator tape is a good idea. I'm preparing myself for head's rebuild. Wrap around the exhaust and take a lot of pictures, please!
 
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