Headgasket fun

4bangr

4bangr

New member
the old girl started pumping out the white fog one day, i pressurized the radiator and here's what i got in the plug hole.

4bangr-albums-head+gasket-picture45269-file-mar-26-3-34-58-pm.jpeg


took the SC and intake off..

4bangr-albums-head+gasket-picture45273-file-mar-26-3-32-06-pm.jpeg


you can see the "steamed" valves and piston

4bangr-albums-head+gasket-picture45272-file-mar-26-3-32-49-pm.jpeg


4bangr-albums-head+gasket-picture45271-file-mar-26-3-33-26-pm.jpeg



here's what i found on the head gasket

4bangr-albums-head+gasket-picture45270-file-mar-26-3-34-09-pm.jpeg
 
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Sorry to hear about your head gasket ..

Just curious but are those metal chunks on the last pic meant to be there? just kinda blurry and it looks like metal parts may have flung off.
 
Totally sucks for sure. Post up what you did, parts, cost, etc. to fix it. It will help others who might run into this. It is an extremely low chance of occurring but just in case. I read some place where the odds are worse than winning the Lottery.
 
Moonbandit said:
Sorry to hear about your head gasket ..

Just curious but are those metal chunks on the last pic meant to be there? just kinda blurry and it looks like metal parts may have flung off.
Click to expand...

i think that's just oily crap on the gasket - the metal ring on the gasket that goes around the cylinder had a squished divot on it, which i think led to the failure. i suppose it has been on there since it was new.
 
3bears said:
are you going to do both, or just the one that failed ?
how many miles on it ?
Click to expand...

212k miles
yea, just doing the one side; it goes against my nature though. I had so much trouble getting the exhaust off the passenger side, that i just can't see doing the other side that has less room to work. so basically, i'm lazy.
seriously, if i'm going to go that far, then i'll have fresh heads on a bottom end with 200k+ miles. if this patch keeps it running for another 3 years, i'll find a used motor, rebuild it and have it ready to go.
 
just got a call from the machine shop, the head is cracked and no good. that sure explains a lot.

any ideas on where to get another head?
 
Bummer dude.. Were there any symptoms leading up to the day you noticed the white smoke? 212k is high mileage but certainly not anything absurd when it comes to these motors.

At this point it might be better just to find a junk yard 3.4 and swap it in, unless you find someone selling just a bottom end.
 
4bangr said:
212k miles
yea, just doing the one side; it goes against my nature though. I had so much trouble getting the exhaust off the passenger side, that i just can't see doing the other side that has less room to work. so basically, i'm lazy.
seriously, if i'm going to go that far, then i'll have fresh heads on a bottom end with 200k+ miles. if this patch keeps it running for another 3 years, i'll find a used motor, rebuild it and have it ready to go.
Click to expand...

when I pulled the heads off mine to do the head gaskets I just left the exhaust manifolds on and removed em as one piece.
after getting them off and taking a look....I took the junk yard engine route. runs great, a little ticky sounding but great!
 
4bangr said:
212k miles
yea, just doing the one side; it goes against my nature though. I had so much trouble getting the exhaust off the passenger side, that i just can't see doing the other side that has less room to work. so basically, i'm lazy.
seriously, if i'm going to go that far, then i'll have fresh heads on a bottom end with 200k+ miles. if this patch keeps it running for another 3 years, i'll find a used motor, rebuild it and have it ready to go.
Click to expand...


Its all about dollars and time extension. I put all new lifters in another vehicle of mine for $1300. Still going strong 20K later....show me a full size 4x4 rig you can buy and drive 20k/1yr for about $100 a month!!!

When mine pukes and it will puke while I own it...I have already done the math based on multiple peoples experience here. (Thanks to all who have posted up their experiences) I will buy a junk with low miles if I can find it close, and if not a rebuild with a warranty. I don't get all wrapped up in it has to be OEM, and if it's not OEM it will explode in a week. If I can get 5yrs-60K for $3500 and a super easy install/swap...thats simple math for a simple guy like me.
 
well, i'm going the junk yard head route.
I expect heads are interchangeable between 97 & 02?

i can get one for $150 shipped...
 
damn I just tossed a couple clean ones in the dumpster, had em listed on craigslist for free (with the rest of the engine) and still no takers!
 
i went by and picked up the head from the machine shop and the crack is between the intake and exhaust valve, in that smallest area. it makes me think that i had two issues, unless someone tells me there is water in that part of the head.

i ordered a head today from a junk yard, $125 shipped.
 
My buddy that works in a Toyota specialty shop down in California was not at all surprised when I told him about my cracked head. In fact, he recommended that I replace both heads even though the other had no issues. He said he is seeing this more and more to the point that it's his first suspect when someone comes in complaining about loss of coolant, misfires, etc.

He also steered me away from an engine swap. In his words, I know how my engine has been treated. Regardless of mileage, I don't know how the replacement was or wasn't maintained.

Total pain in the ass replacing both of the heads, but it ran like a top after that, and was good peace of mind.
 
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