JACKIE24

Any advice on doing a head gasket on a 95 toyota pu?
22re 4 cyl efi? Never done one before but done paying people to screw up my truck. thanks.

Badger62811

Follow the FSM and take pictures. LOTS of pictures. Throughout the whole process. I did mine almost a year ago.. relatively "simple." Just a few little things to look out for.

And did I mention, take pictures?

abecedarian

Make sure the valves and seats are good before you install the head.

Make sure you don't install the gasket "upside down". It can be installed that way, if you didn't know. Doing so will block oil passages.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Don't forget the 'hidden' bolt up front that's bathing in oil, before you try to pull the head

Do it in sequence, AS PER FSM, when removing and installing

Don't forget the TINY smear of RTV on the corners when installing the head onto the Timing cover/block, where the 3 meet.

Don't forget the rear of the head-block-plate to chassis ground wire before trying to remove the head.(just unbolt it from the chassis and lift it with the head.

Chase all the head bolt holes, WELL!/Use new bolts, if you can afford it.(pretty reasonable from engnbldr)

Torque head bolts to 62-64#, not 58# as per the FSM instructions/haynes instructions.(Toyota updated that, since it was written to higher torque levels.) Oh yeah, did I mention, IN SEQUENCE! lol. If you re-use, replace them in the same holes they were. (mark the bolts by number in separate bags or inserted into a box cardboard.)

When pulling the rocker assembly, be kind to it... Don't throw it down, etc. The rocker pads don't like nicks and scratches(neither do the valve adjusting screws for that matter, lol).

Replace the exhaust studs or at least the lock nuts when re-installing exhaust mani/header.

Don't forget the RTV on the half moons(underside and on each corner) when installing the valve cover at the end.

Take a GOOD LOOK inside the block/take pics, when you're head is off. You want to look for "washed" piston tops, bad scoring, etc. Then return it to TDC-Compression before installing the head again.

CLEAN THE BLOCK AND HEAD, VERY WELL! Remove all the water and oil that you can from the head bolt holes.(stuff the cyl's with clean cloth to prevent the crap that you blow/force out of those holes from getting into them.).

Clean the EGR while you're going this far..... Much easier while the heads off, ya know?

Replace the Fuel filter while it's off(if it's been EVEN A WHILE)

Send the injectors in for servicing(for the price, it's a great idea if it's been a long time/since new). And BE CAREFUL with the injector connectors.... they're brittle, TRUST ME!

Install the Steering pump mounting bracket, SOLO, ONTO THE HEAD, FIRST, before re-installing the pump and rest of the pump assembly.(the weight can cause them to go in funky and strip the head-threads if you don't get it just right).

Best wishes, man!