I agree the piston that looks "cleaner" has had coolant passing over it for a while. Look between the valves on the under side of the heads for cracks they can be very small and hard to see unlike mine that were big enough to see from a mile away. If you are thinking about reusing the heads take them to a good reputable engine shop and have them checked for cracks with dye penetrant (can't magnaflux aluminum). Then if they aren't cracked have them surfaced. Check your cylinders for scratches 3 of mine were scratched and scored so I ended up buying a reman engine.
So my head gaskets blown
- Thread starter red-dead15
- Start date
BrianSD_42
New member
I documented my cracked head adventure here:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/88502-head-gasket-fail-199-840-now-what.html
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/88502-head-gasket-fail-199-840-now-what.html
red-dead15
New member
Sorry for the lack of updates guys, i have pictures of the blown gasket, it was number #6 cylinder. I sent my heads into the shop (special head shop) last thursday or wednesday to have them cleaned and milled, they called the next day to say exhaust valves were leaky so they are doing a valve job. Today they called to say that they found a crack in one of my heads and they have got the part or new head (didnt speak directly to them, my dad did) and it will not be here for a week or so. But my lift kit arrived today so i will have something to play with.
@maclean216: I have no idea how many miles are on the waterpump or timing belt, belt looks new. i am replacing all belts (Including TB), waterpump, and gaskets while i am at it. my 4runner has 248XXX KM on it.
@maclean216: I have no idea how many miles are on the waterpump or timing belt, belt looks new. i am replacing all belts (Including TB), waterpump, and gaskets while i am at it. my 4runner has 248XXX KM on it.
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red-dead15
New member
Another update
I am still waiting for my heads to come back from shop, in the mean time i have been trying to get the crank pulley off without buying the special service tool. But it is a real B!7<# to get off. i have broken countless pieces of wood, bent a piece of solid steel and broke/bent about 10 bolts. So i went out and bought special bolts which are much stronger, i am also getting my friend to reinforce the piece of steel i bent to give it another go (he welding some stuff onto it) and if that doesn't work i dont know what ill do, so fingers crossed.
I am still waiting for my heads to come back from shop, in the mean time i have been trying to get the crank pulley off without buying the special service tool. But it is a real B!7<# to get off. i have broken countless pieces of wood, bent a piece of solid steel and broke/bent about 10 bolts. So i went out and bought special bolts which are much stronger, i am also getting my friend to reinforce the piece of steel i bent to give it another go (he welding some stuff onto it) and if that doesn't work i dont know what ill do, so fingers crossed.
BrianSD_42
New member
red,
what did you end up purchasing to fix thd cracked head?
* rebuilt / remanu head
* Toyota head with low miles
* aftermarket head, non-Toyota
Which brand / how much ect.
tnx
what did you end up purchasing to fix thd cracked head?
* rebuilt / remanu head
* Toyota head with low miles
* aftermarket head, non-Toyota
Which brand / how much ect.
tnx
red-dead15
New member
I know it is a refurbished head, but i do not know how much it is going to, or did, cost. When i find out i will post it.
jmt2404
New member
I am doing rhe same repair on ny 97 and it was the same exact cylinder that was messed up. I didn't have anywhere near that amount of antifreeze in the cyliinder you do though. That's actually quite a bit. Is this the first big problem you have had with this engine? Is it the original engine?
red-dead15
New member
I have only had this car for 4 1/2 months, i do not know if it is the first major problem with this engine, i do believe it is the original engine though. there is signs of it being taken apart though, not all the way down to the engine block, just valve covers and intake manifold.
a couple weeks after i bought it i noticed some oil on my engine and determined that it was coming from the valve cover so i just tightened the bolts and that solved it. during the process of fixing the head gasket i noticed it wasn't just loose bolts that were causing leak, the seal was bad, but i will be fixing it.
Also while climbing around and under my vehicle i have noticed what looks like a leaky rear engine seal. According to my dad it is not that big or hard of a job, it is just very awkward and dirty. I am not going to replace it in this reapair because it is not very major (only reason i noticed was by looking at it, not because of loss of oil). I am going to clean all the oil off that has leaked and monitor it to determine the actual amount of leakage that is occurring.
those are the only two things i have notice wrong with my car, but i consider them to be minor oil leaks, nothing major.
and i also have a question for you jmt2402....How many kilometers are on your engine?
jmt2404
New member
Around 9000 miles maybe so close to 14,500 km. Its a rebuild engine I got F***** over on by enginehaus. It blew the #6 gasket at the 6 o'clock position. My piston was and bottom of the head was clean like yours is too..
And have you got a chain wrench? If not I would recommend going to get one. You will need a 19" chain on the wrench and will cost you around 20 bucks. It is a very usefull tool to have and will save you alot of heart ache when you have to take off any pulleys. Be careful when you start taking that crank bolt out as well. Get some pb blaster and spray in there to sit and soak so it doesnt break off inside the crankshaft like mine did.
I would check your knock sensor wires while your down that far and make sure they aren't burnt through.
Make sure and change out your head bolts as well. I have the part number if you need it.
Here is my documented head gasket problem. http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/101433-calling-all-5vz-fe-mechanics-2.html ongoing problem.
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red-dead15
New member
I am changing a few of my head bolts but not all of them, any particular reason to do so(the ones i am replacing are because of minor stripage of the head, dont want them getting stuck in there)? and i think i mentioned it but i am getting a friend to weld me a tool to get the pulley off so i don't think ill need the chain wrench, and i have already pb blasted it. i have checked my knock sensor wires already, wires are fine but i am re insulating them just incase.
I just heard from the guy at the head shop again today, they got the head in last thursday but was wrong side, the right one should be in tomorrow or the next day.
I just heard from the guy at the head shop again today, they got the head in last thursday but was wrong side, the right one should be in tomorrow or the next day.
Baja Runner
Member
Rear engine seal is not a fun job. Getting it in, and out is fine.. The hard part is unbolting and dropping the transmission and xfer case! :cry2:
jmt2404
New member
The head bolts are TTY (torque to yeild) meaning after they have been torqued once they need to be replaced in order to torque back to specs.
I would also reroute the knock sensor wires up instead of down. I routed mine up infront of the intake manifold to keep it away from as much heat as possible. worked pretty good.
red-dead15
New member
the head bolts are not TTY, but in some cases they may not torque back to spec and those are the ones you need to replace. And i dont think i am going to reroute the knock sensor, i think re insulation should be fine seeing as it was fine up to this point.
red-dead15
New member
I just got the crank pulley bolt off, and here is a picture of the tool and high strength bolt afterwards (the tool is two solid pieces of steel welded together). I had to use a 3 foot pipe cheat on my wrench as well. the tool was rested up against my wheel bay in the engine bay which put a big dent in it while heaving on it. Damn that bolt was tight.
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jmt2404
New member
Really? I have had 2 different Toyota ase certified guys tell me to replace them and I have read in numerous places that you should replace them after a HG job. In fact I have read that mechanics would charge for new bolts but not replace them for more profit. And just a suggestion on the wire since that's the way they normally fail anyways.
red-dead15
New member
its recommended that the bolts be replaced but it is not necessary unless you are unable to tighten them to the spec, the toyota guys are just trying to get money out of you, the only place i know of to get them charge $10 a bolt and only sell them in sets so your out $160 even if you just need 1. and thanks for the suggestion but i am not going to bother
red-dead15
New member
update: got heads back, have all parts ready to go on, so i start assembly and and have put on idler pulley bracket and a pipe (name escaping me right now) my dad was then putting the pulley onto the bracket and over torqued it, it broke. And then when i went to attach my knock sensor wires i discovered that both the connecters are broken...
so i am now going to drill out old bolt and replace it, and get a new knock sensor wire, if you guys have the part numbers that would be a big help.
Another setback....I am starting to get frustrated now.
so i am now going to drill out old bolt and replace it, and get a new knock sensor wire, if you guys have the part numbers that would be a big help.
Another setback....I am starting to get frustrated now.
BrianSD_42
New member
so was it one of the used bolts that broke? perhaps that its why toyota says to replace them.
red-dead15
New member
the bolt that broke was not a head bolt, it was for the idler pulley (the pulley in between the two camshaft pulleys) and the reason it broke was because my dad misread the 50 ft/lbs in the manuel for 150ft/lbs (i think it is 50 ft/lbs)
so it has nothing to do with fatigue of the bolts.
so it has nothing to do with fatigue of the bolts.
