Bobful

Hi guys,

I need some advice on how to remove the head from the block. All of the head bolts are off (except the one I snapped, and yes I followed the bolt pattern very carefully) and it is free fom the block, but all I can do is wiggle it. I also cannot remove the air intake manifold. All the bolts are also taken out? Any Ideas before I give up, swallow my pride and take it to a shop?

Thanks,
Robert

MTL_4runner

What motor is this you are working on?

There is usually a hidden headbolt so don't force anything!

85runner

If it is a 22r, there is a bolt holding the head to the timing chain cover underneatht eh cam gear. It is usually in a puddle of oil so people normally miss it. Here's a writeup I did on pirate:

22re head gasket replacement.
I have looked and looked and looked and found nothing. So I had to do it without a guide. It's pretty easy. I suggest cleaning injectors at the same time. If you want cam, do that also. It helps to keep bolts and nuts in a labeled baggie for different parts of the motor.

Here's a general guide of what to do (this is more specific to an 85 22rec but is very simmilar on all 22re's):

1. Remove crossover tube. and drain coolant.
2. Remove the distributor and wires. Be careful not to scratch the shaft. haha scratch the shaft....
3. Remove power steering - take of the front 14mm bolt by the adjuster and the three 14mm bolts on the driver's side of the head. Revove the vacuum lines and label them. Keep the pump hooked up and attached to the bracket, just move the pump to the side of the engine compartment.
4. Remove upper radiator hose. Leave the TB on the plenum but detach it from the runners. Remove throttle cable. There are 2 12mm nuts and 4 12mm bolts. Also unbolt the EGR from the plenum - two 12mm bolts.
5. Label the vacuum lines you need to disconnect. There are 7 hoses you will need to remove from the TB though. Remove the connector that is hooked to the TPS. It will make removine the hoses easier. You will find that you can leave the majority of the vacuum lines hooked to the plenum. Just don't forget to take off all the things bolted to the valve cover that the vacuum lines are hooked to. You will need to remove the fuel line from the cold-start injector and remove the wire connector that is attached to it. Be careful, those connectors break easily. They are color coded for ease of reassembly but feel free to label them. I just write on them with a perm. marker. You will also need to take off the wire connectors that are attached to the stuff that used to be bolted to the valve cover.
6. After you pull the plenum, remove the connectors that are hooked to the injectors. Be careful, they break easily - label them too. Remove the fuel rail and get those injectors cleaned. Don't forget new grommets and o-rings. I have part numbers if you need them. Remember - the pulse thingy that attaches the fuel line to the rail has REVERSE threads.
7. Disconnect the rest of the wiring and move the harness so it is out of the way. One connector is hard to remove under the runners. To make removeing it easier, you can unbolt the 2 10mm bolts to get better access to the thing (don't know what its called) the connector is attached to.
8. You can leave the runners attached to the head if you want. If you remove them, don't forget the water connection on the underside of the runners in the center.
9. Unbolt the runners fron the head, and mark the remaining vacuum lines. Remove the metal vacuum line aparatus, then remove the runners. If you remove the runners, you will also have to remove the EGR.
10. Unbolt the manifolt heat shield and exhaust manifold. It helps to spray penetrating oil on the studs. If they break don't worry. They are easy to remove with an easy-out. Use a tie-down strap to hold the exhaust out of the way after you remove it.
11. Now unbolt the four bolts holding the valve cover on and remove the valve cover. You may need to remove the heater hoses for clearance.
12. Remove the metal water line that is attached to the back of the water pump on the driver's side. You can leave this water line attached to the head.
13. Loosen the cam gear bolt but leave it attached.
14. Using a 17mm socket, rotate the move via the crankshaft to TDC. Note where the dot in the cam gear is. If it is not at 12 o-clock. Rotate the motor 180 degrees. If there isn't a bright link over the dot on the cam gear, paint the link or mark it some how.
15. Remove the cam bolt and set the gear (with the chain still attached) in the chain guides. If the chain guides are broken, you will need to replace the chain guides and chain. There are plenty of write-ups on it so I won't go over that here.
16. There is a 12mm bolt burried in oil underneath where the cam bolt used to be that attaches the head to the timing chain cover. Remove it.
17. Now, in the correct pattern. Remove the head bolts in stages. See your manual. (The head bolts also hold the rocker arms in the head).
18. You can now remove the head. DO NOT PRY WHERE THE HEAD MEETS THE BLOCK!!! They show a good place to pry in my haynes manual but I can't describe it so you are on your own.

I will assume you know what to do from here. Make sure you torque everything correctly and make sure that your cam gear stays at the same place in the chain. Also, the injectors should rotate easily in the fuel rail. If they don't they will leak. Fires are cool, except when they are in your engine compartment.
You can buy a pretty comprehensive head gasket kit from engnbldr.com He ships fast, is well-priced, and easy to deal with.
This seems like a daunting task but it is actually easy. You can count on getting it done in two long nights in the garage, unless you really take your time.

Mr.Spock

It's probably the bolt that 85runner talk about,just under the cam gear.I had search a while for finding this little bastard in the oil.

Bobful

Thanks everyone! I am working on a 22RE in a 93 4WD Pickup. I did remove the little bolt under the cam sprocket buried in the oil. The head wobbles around and can be lifted about a centimeter in the front, but is still stuck near the rear exhaust side. I spoke with my brother in law and he thinks that the remainder of the broken hed bolt is holding everything up, but offered no advice except that everything mechanical can eventually be fixed.

Any ideas why the intake manifold won't come off? I have checked and checked for stray bolt, but there are none left. Not even a little "gentle persuasion" with a hammer will move it.

I have to assume something is really wrong under the head if a head bolt will actually break off. Things are not looking good.

I will try to keep everyone posted.

Thanks again.
-Robert

DreamToy

I just got done doing the same job on my truck. What a pain in the ass! Theres a hex bolt under the intake next to the t-stat housing, I believe that bolt needs to come off. I think a 6mm Allen will take it out. Theres also a hidden bolt under the intake runners on the very back of the head........did ya get that one? Did you disconnect the waterpipe (heater core pipe, see below) under the intake next to the block about midways on the intake?

The back of the head....theres 2 pipes that are for the EGR and heatercore that bolt to a plate on the very back of the head. A 12mm on the right bolt should loosen things up. The bolt is on the left as your looking at the engine on the bottom corner. Nothing much else back there cept a ground wire.

Good Luck

John

Highland Runner

I had the 22re in my sister in laws truck apart recently to replace a bent valve from the timing chain breaking. One thing that made it easier for me was not removing ANY of the intake manifold etc. from the head. It gives you something to hold onto to flip it up and out of the way. Plus you won't have to replace a bunch of gaskets. I know the manual says to take it all apart but I saw no reason. Saves a lot of time also.