Michaelh359

I need a driver side head.

What are your thoughts on After market heads any good brands? Remanufactured heads? Purchasing OEM? Amazon, Ebay, Autozone, Rockauto? Should I do both heads while I am here? Or just adjust valves on the other side, lap them, or leave it alone (not broke don’t fix)?

Gaskets and head bolts.

Any particular brand stand out among the rest, or that I should stay away from?

Also since the engine is in this state anything I should replace while I am here, Water pump, timing belt, coils, Wires.

Thank you for your input!


Quick background: After oil change and cleaning the airfilter truck would idle rough for about 10 seconds on cold starts and finally gave a P0300 code. I assumed the MAF sensor got gunked up by K&N air filter oil. Took her to the stealership and the reported coolant in the #4 cylinder. Not too happy with the news I performed my own tests.

Did cooling system pressure test with “OTC (7991) Cooling System Pressure Tester” lost pressure slowly. Pulled all spark plugs and with a flashlight was able to investigate each cylinder while rocking the truck. Clear as day coolant was in the #4 Cylinder.

Performed a Compression test after the truck was at running temp. Did not have the throttle open not sure if that voids my results.

Cylinder:

#1 -212.5

#2-200

#3-200

#4-195

#5-210

#6-205

Performed a leak down test as well. “OTC 5609 Cylinder Leakage Tester Kit”

Cylinder:

#1-95% (Nothing)

#2-88% (Air noise from oil fill)

#3-82% (Air escaping exhaust)

#4-77% (Able to see steam/air moving out of radiator cap)

#5-91% (Air escaping exhaust)

#6-84% (Air escaping exhaust)



Have been following along with these youtube videos These videos help tremendously big thanks to the guy for uploading and sharing his knowledge.

My driver side engine head is now off the block and I believe the head is in fact cracked. So I will need a new head.

fierohink

From that picture, you definitely have a crack between 2 valves. Where the crack is though, probably isn’t causing your coolant infiltration.

As far as gaskets go, I’m a huge fan of OE Toyota gaskets. I have had a lot of luck with them when I rebuilt 22REs versus nothing but headaches using aftermarket.

I would definitely replace the timing belt, water pump, and tensioner. I would also consider replacing the injectors too while you’re in there. There was a spate of failures from this gen a couple of years back and they are relatively cheap after 200k miles of service.

Jomoka

If you're not already planning on doing it - I'd take off the other head as well. If the HG went on one side, it's probably pretty much in the same shape and condition on the other.

And I think the cracks are a bit of a fluke, unless the car was run without coolant and the heads got cooked pretty well. With the miles, I'd suggest just getting a head (or two, depending on what the other one looks like) from a junkyard. Take the valve springs off, see how the valve guides feel (on my wife's '96 with 305K miles, they were still in *great* shape), and if it really doesn't need anything, jsut put it back together with ne valve seals, new gaskets, new timing belt/WP/tensioners and drive it another 200K miles.

Michaelh359

Thank you for all the feedback. I wanted to post a follow up so that I may help someone if they are going through the same issue as everyone here has helped me.

I ended up pulling both heads, thankfully I did the other had a stress crack exact same spot as the other that would of eventually started leaking later down the road. I opted to “repair” both heads. Found a machine shop that grinded the crack out welded it and then completed a valve job and decked the head. Cost was around $700 total for machine shop. New head bolts $100, upper gasket kit $300 which also came with new stem seals all OEM. So about $1100 for the actual fix.

While I was that deep into the motor I did the Timing belt, Idler pullies, Timing belt tensioner, water pump spark plugs. All OEM $600

Took about 3 weeks to complete. It was only about 2 days taking apart a day inspecting and cleaning the block, 2 days putting it back together. Anyone with decent tools could do this job just take your time, and buy a pully holder.

Tips: I bought the Toyota Field Service Manual helped out with all the torq specs and steps.

Important part take your time cleaning the old gasket off the block. I used WD40 and razor blade at a very steep angle as to not gouge the block. Tried gasket remover that didn’t really work. And DO NOT USE Scotch Brite Pads or those roto disks you attach to a drill or air tool. The abrasive if they get into the engine and they will, are very bad on all the internals.

An air ratchet helped in getting the exhaust bolts off as they are in a tight area. I damn near snapped all of mine. None of the studs snapped coming out of the blocks thankfully. It was just on the connection from the headers to the cross over pipe and crossover pipe to the cat. I had to pay the machine shop to remove the snapped studs $175, for I think 6 that were snapped. Well worth it.

I drove for about 500 miles not going over 3000RPM to slowly break everything in, seems to run better than before. After that I drove fully loaded to Dumont dunes, and later drove to Ocotillo wells towing a 16’ Trailer loaded.

Well if I don’t post anything in the near future the above is still working and hopefully I will get another 216k out of this little motor.



Thanks,