*** V6 Head Gasket Action Request ***

When you guys replace the head gasket on your own. Does the old head gasket come off clean from the block or it leaves some residue and you have to scrape it?

If I had to clean it, it was so minor that I don't even remember doing it.
 
Sounds good. I am going to attempt doing this with the service manual. I'm going to resurface my head with the head gasket overhaul kit with new Toyota timing chain.

Another question, if my head has a crack shouldn't there be oil mix with coolant.
Mine just having that mysterious coolant loss. No check engine light.
 
Sounds good. I am going to attempt doing this with the service manual. I'm going to resurface my head with the head gasket overhaul kit with new Toyota timing chain.

Another question, if my head has a crack shouldn't there be oil mix with coolant.
Mine just having that mysterious coolant loss. No check engine light.
Its not hard. I'm gonna tackle this in the next few weeks. I wanted to sell my 3rd gen to buy everything needed. Since it didn't sell, I'm just gonna do the headgaskets and reuse the timing components unless I see something bad.
 
The new head gaskets rolled out in trucks built December of 2005. Any truck built 12/05 or later should be safe. I've only read about 1 other 4Runner that was built after that which had a head gasket failure.

Makes me wonder if yours ever overheated or had low coolant.

Where did you find out that info? Mine has a 10/05 build date on the sticker in the doorjam, getting worried now. Thanks in advance.
 
Where did you find out that info? Mine has a 10/05 build date on the sticker in the doorjam, getting worried now. Thanks in advance.

I figured it out through research with my local Toyota parts guy. It's also somewhere in this very long thread.
 
Stipped the Head of the head bolt any ideas?

THe 12 point rounded out the head of the bolt. Any ideas how to get this bolt out?

Should I be doing anything to these bolts to prevent this? They are crazy tight. I have gotten 2 out so far.
 
THe 12 point rounded out the head of the bolt. Any ideas how to get this bolt out?

Should I be doing anything to these bolts to prevent this? They are crazy tight. I have gotten 2 out so far.
Where did you get the socket? I would get a good quality one for something like this. To get the rounded one maybe try an extractor.
 
Where did you get the socket? I would get a good quality one for something like this. To get the rounded one maybe try an extractor.

This requires a specific tool and is not something you want to "extract".

I bought mine at autopart.com

Part Number: 9295
2 Pc. Toyota / Lexus Head Bolt Wrench Set - 8mm and 10 mm double-hex wrenches fit Toyota engine head bolts. Wrenches are 1/2" square drive and 4 -1/4" (108mm) long .

It cost $16.02 plus $5.95 tax. (2015)

Where are you in Illinois?
 
This requires a specific tool and is not something you want to "extract".

I bought mine at autopart.com

Part Number: 9295
2 Pc. Toyota / Lexus Head Bolt Wrench Set - 8mm and 10 mm double-hex wrenches fit Toyota engine head bolts. Wrenches are 1/2" square drive and 4 -1/4" (108mm) long .

It cost $16.02 plus $5.95 tax. (2015)

Where are you in Illinois?
I know it requires a tool. I meant if theres no other way to use the tool. I haven't started on mine to know if theres room for what I'm talking about. but this is the extractor I was talking about https://m.lowes.com/pd/IRWIN-BOLT-G...MIhfTO747B1wIVAodpCh2XNg5VEAQYASABEgLlmvD_BwE
 
Last edited:
Bi hexagon or double hexagon is what the head is called. I bought the SnapOn socket when I did mine. Not cheap, but it never felt iffy. One thing to make sure of is that the bolt head is clear of oil. If it's not, you won't be able to get the socket seated all the way down in there, increasing your chances of stripping the head. You want as much contact area as possible between the socket and the bolt head.

I feel for the guy above who stripped out the bolt head. Not a good scenario. I'd probably be inclined to grind the head off that bolt, remove the others, then deal with the bolt once you pull the head off. It would have no tension on it at that point, so is should come right out with some pliers or vise grips.
 
I know it requires a tool. I meant if theres no other way to use the tool. I haven't started on mine to know if theres room for what I'm talking about. but this is the extractor I was talking about https://m.lowes.com/pd/IRWIN-BOLT-G...MIhfTO747B1wIVAodpCh2XNg5VEAQYASABEgLlmvD_BwE

If you get the one I, or cpayne5 mentioned you shouldn't have any problems. I've got a thread with a list of everything I bought with prices and part list.

Also, If you have access to a press and have any bad pulley bearings, see here.

Check your valve shims before you pull the cams if you want to "adjust" them.

Where are you in Illinois?
 
If you get the one I, or cpayne5 mentioned you shouldn't have any problems. I've got a thread with a list of everything I bought with prices and part list.

Also, If you have access to a press and have any bad pulley bearings, see here.

Check your valve shims before you pull the cams if you want to "adjust" them.

Where are you in Illinois?
NE IL I'm waiting on the snap on guy now. I'm getting the snap on socket. I think I'm going to start mine next week.
 
Last edited:
I'm in central IL. I was going to say if you were close enough you could borrow mine. Good luck.
Thanks for the offer. It would be pretty far to drive. Maybe a 3 hour roundtrip. It was only 30 bucks from snap on. Its cool. I've been having to buy specialty tools for certain jobs and I might need them again. I just did a timing set on a ford and had to buy the tools to set the timing.
 
DIY Head gasket repair, follow up

Where did you get the socket? I would get a good quality one for something like this. To get the rounded one maybe try an extractor.

I got the stripped bolt out by shoving a 10mm standard hex into the 12 point head, then giving it some taps and a breaker bar on that. Whew!

THe rest of the bolts were very tight, and I had to really baby the torque needed to break them loose.

An impact wrench would have made things easier, I am told.
After checking the block and heads with a straightedge. THey were within the .003 tolerance, so no machining needed. No cracks that I could discern.
My head gasket next to the faulty #6 cylinder has the usual missing black section on the gasket between 4 and 6. Pretty sure that is where the leak came from, same as others reported.

Just an FYI for those doing the repair themselves.

Waiting on parts to reassemble now.
 
I got the stripped bolt out by shoving a 10mm standard hex into the 12 point head, then giving it some taps and a breaker bar on that. Whew!

THe rest of the bolts were very tight, and I had to really baby the torque needed to break them loose.

An impact wrench would have made things easier, I am told.
After checking the block and heads with a straightedge. THey were within the .003 tolerance, so no machining needed. No cracks that I could discern.
My head gasket next to the faulty #6 cylinder has the usual missing black section on the gasket between 4 and 6. Pretty sure that is where the leak came from, same as others reported.

Just an FYI for those doing the repair themselves.

Waiting on parts to reassemble now.
Got a pics of head gasket . Did your come off clean from block. I'm doing mine after Thanksgiving.

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
278,310
Messages
3,554,079
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Trending content

Back
Top