Hey guys, long time lurker, first time poster.

I've been searching every Toyota related forum and page for something similiar to what I am experiencing with my 82 22r 5sp 4x4 pickup but have so far come up with nothing. I purchased the truck a few weeks ago, did an oil change and coolant flush. A few days later I checked my oil and found the dipstick dry, threw in a litre of 10w30 and went on my way. A day or two later I realized the dipstick was dry again... No leaks on my driveway or where I park at work, I am burning a little bit blue out of my exhaust but only a high rpm's and I try to keep it below 3000 anyway.

Now the weird part, I took a look under my rad cap the other day and found the murky, brown sludge you would expect to be on the oil filler cap from a failed headgasket and oil floating in my radiator. Popped the valve cover off and not a trace of the sludge or any signs of water/coolant anywhere inside.

I've performed a compression test (160-170 across all cylinders), the truck runs fine (for a 30 year old 4 cylinder), no excessive smoke from the tailpipe, and no weird noises knocks or pings from the engine. I also took a look down the chain guides and though I couldnt see the edge of the casing were the typical timing chain grooves occur, the guides looked relatively new and completely intact. The only thing I've found wrong on the engine is a loose water pump/fan pulley which I will be replacing this weekend.

So, WTF!#@#!$##$

From what I've concluded it could be:
-Headgasket (though there is no sludge/milkshake inside the valve cover and no white smoke from the exhaust)
-cracked head (I thought the compression test cancelled this out though)
-cracked block (hope not...)
-I've heard of intake manifold gaskets failing and producing similiar symptoms - also my coolant does smell like exhaust)
-Or some small plugs that may exist beneath the valve assembly and seal off the water jacket... may not be on this engine though.

Anyway, if anyone has ANY clue where I should go from here or has experienced something even remotely similiar please shoot me some ideas. These engine issues are delaying my lift and tires!!!!! THANKS!!

 

head gasket for sure ... there is more PSI on the oiling system then the cooling system , so depending on exact position of the leak , it will only go 1 way .. head gasket

as well have a look here , these guys are talking the same thing
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f115...diator-268061/
.

 

lol if you see oil in the radiator your head gasket is done for. also to make sure start up your rig with the radiator cap off. and if you see water come out.. you have way to much pressure

 

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I'll be doing the head gasket this weekend, and hoping its not a cracked head once I get in there. Either way head gasket should be fun!

Thanks again!!

 

I just changed out my head gasket, as it had blown out between cylinders 3 and 4. It wasn't that bad of a job. I even left the intake manifold attached to the head. I forgot to mark the distributor position before I removed it so it took two tries before I got it in right and could re-set the timing.

 

yup yup i was reading it and was like for sure the head gasket blew. glad you could fix it buddy. great news!

 

@enigmaT120 Did you have the head machined? Any tips for me before I start tearing it down? TIA

 

It's not that bad. What I do is get 3 small ish boxes and draw the item I am removing marking all bolts I will remove. The timing cover is what really sold me on this. As I pulled a bolt I took my box knife and cut a hole and put the bolt in the spot on the box that corresponds with the cover. Really easy to figure out what bolt goes where. If mine was fairly simple with fuel injection then I imagine the carbed version is easier to get all the ˟˟˟˟˟ out of the way. Good luck, take pictures for us and your reference pics on how stuff goes together. It's not as hard as it seems get a copy of the FSM and a Haynes then talk nice to her as you take her apart. All there is to it .

 

I didn't have the head machined. I couldn't see anything wrong with it, nor with the valves or pistons. There was just a section of gasket missing in between cylinders 3 and 4, giving them both zero compression. I cleaned up some carbon in the combustion chambers and scrubbed the head gasket surfaces really well by hand. I'm annoyed that I don't know why the gasket blew there.

I followed the instructions in the '83 22R factory service manual download that you can find on this site. I just printed out the pages I needed. I was happy to learn that you don't have to remove the timing chain. The cam sprocket comes off and can just sit in the chain guides while you raise the head around it. I never even moved the chain from the sprocket, though I did mark the chain just in case.

It took me about two days. I'm a slow worker and I try to take a break before I get frustrated with something and break it.

 

There can be something wrong that you can't see and won't notice. It's usually a good idea to take heads to a shop to be planed if the head is warped even just the slightest bit. I mean the head was off. Its just a nice reassurance to have it done.

 

I agree with you, and intend to at least get a machinist's straight edge for stuff like that, but I didn't feel like strapping the head onto my bicycle or motorcycle and taking it 30 miles to the machine shop I like. If it blows again I will certainly work out a way.

 

Well finally got the headgasket replaced. Did it over two and a half days (working slowly and marking/labeling everything). Got the head machine and pressure tested, all good. Put in a new water pump too as the original was shot. Also cleaned the plugs and replaced any gasket/seal along the way.

All in all it wasn't bad and feel I could do it in a day now that I know what to do. Put over 500km on it since I fixed it and it feels like a whole new engine, no oil in rad no coolant in oil. Lots of pull through all the gears. The only thing left to do is my valve spacing as I didn't have the right box wrench when I was in there and I have a bit of click from the valves.

Timing chain was good and I was happy to see the PO used the metal guides when they did the chain last.

I'll post up some pics when I get some time here. Anyone else thinking of doing this its not as bad as you'd think if you take your time and take lots of pics (especially vacuum /gas lines) for reassembly. Anyone has any questions I'd be happy to help.

Thanks for the answers everyone!!

 

Glad you got it.

The valves are supposed to be set with the motor hot. I hate that.