Alright so im doing the head gaskets for the first time on my rig with the 3vze (fancy that) everything has gone great......till now. i go to put the number one bearing on the passenger side head and find out that the threading in the head where the bolt goes is stripped and the driver side head with the number one bearing feels like they're going to strip, i have them tight but not torqued yet. i was planning on torquing all the bearing bolts to 16 ft/lbs. Now what should i do? re-tap the bearing one hole???

 

I had the same thing happen on mine. All 4 stripped.

What worked for me was to put studs in the holes. There's more thread at the bottom of the bearing cap bolt holes, the bolts just aren't long enough to reach them. I went and bought 4 grade 10.9 M8 x 1.25 bolts that were plenty long enough, and made studs out of them. Or, you could just use M8 x 1.25 fully threaded automotive studs, if you can find them long enough. You don't want the studs to any longer than they need to be, or they might cause fitment issues with the valve covers. Mine aren't too long, and everything fits perfectly. I thought about using flange nuts and some locktite, but instead went with regular nuts and lock washers.

I went with studs, instead of longer bolts, because the studs won't be as likely to strip the remaining threads. They don't actually get "torqued", the nuts do.

They've all stayed put for the last ~12k miles with no problems.

 

Awesome thanks. The local machine shop said for me to torque all of them down and if any more strip they would take care of it for me for 15 bucks a hole but I dont know...how long are your studs?

 

Helicoils are another option. Here is a good thread where they were used successfully.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...22/index7.html

 

I can't check to see, but i'd say they're atleast a good 20-25mm(~3/4"-1")longer than the bolts were. However long that is. Just long enough so that only a couple threads show when the nuts and lock washers are tightened down.

 

I used helicoils. Worked great

 

Thanks alot guys! i decided to take it to a machine shop and have them put Helicoils in. At 15 bucks a hole (4 needed) its worth it to me to spend the money and get it done right. Im too paranoid to do it myself haha

 

oh and i also found out that my torque wrench was off by 5 ft/lbs too much!!! thats probably why they stripped. the guy at the machine shop said to always oil the threads on the bolt to be torqued because of the steel bolt threading against the aluminum weakens it.

 

I'd have to think that oil on the threads would cause the bolt to mechanically lock up before it could bottom out... but, with studs thats not a problem

 

Aluminum weakens the steel bolt? I don't see that happening, not in any short term sense atleast.

Why you want to lubricate any fastener threads is to:

• Get a more accurate/consistent final torque, by reducing friction between the threads which would alter the actual clamping force more vs. what's predicted by the actual torque wrench reading
• Reduce stripping/galling damage to the threads, also by reducing friction
• Make removal easier by lubricating and protecting the threads from corrosion

Anything is better than nothing. Oil, grease, anti-seize compounds. All work to some degree, some better on certain things than others. But Toyota recommends using oil or EP grease on everything(one or the other of course).

 

Oh cool right on. thanks and he said it weakens the aluminum not the steel because steel is obviously stronger then aluminum. Get this, so i get the heads back and the bearing caps are all torqued to spec on the camshaft and oh guess what i forgot the head bolts are too long to fit inside the head with the camshaft in it so now i get to take it all apart again and re-torque it with a torque wrench that i dont have!

 

Sounds like its time to invest in a torque wrench...make it a Christmas present to yourself

What torque wrench were you planning to use when you torqued the heads down?

 

The steel bolt weakens the aluminum as it threads in the hole thats why oil is used i guess. I have a torque wrench thats 5 ft/lbs too heavy.

Mudhippy:
i saw on someone elses thread that you posted the firing order of the cylinders. Do you still have it???? also how do i tell if the number one cylinder is on top dead center?? How do i time it without a timing light?

 

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1. 3VZE firing order


2. Number one cylinder is at TDC when the ignition timing notch on the crankshaft pulley is at the 0 mark on the ignition timing scale.


3. There's no real accurate way to set the ignition timing with out a timing light. That doesn't mean it can't be done though.

I do it all the time on my 88 3VZE. That's because I've done it enough with a light to know where the mark on the distributor is in relation to what the igniting timing notch on the crankshaft pulley says the timing is. I happen to know that with the distributor turned all the way counter-clockwise(minimum advance) that puts the ignition timing right on 10° BTDC, which is exactly stock timing too as it turns out(pardon the pun). Turned all the way clockwise(maximum advance) puts it around ~30°-32° BTDC. The mid point line is ~20°-21° BTDC.

Those are my best guesses anyway. Meaning I don't have a digital timing light to tell me where it really is.

 

Thank you much! so, i have many adult words i would like to say and have already said. im putting on the driverside exhast manifold and the bottom right stud that threads into the head (which i never took out the stud i only took the bolt off) stripped!!!! the bolt threaded on great but before i could even torque it down the stud just fell out. what the heck do i do?? the heads are already torqued onto the block! i can only pray your going to tell me toyota was smart enough to drill the threads deeper then the actual stud length.....

 

this is normal too. i had the same problem the last time i took mine apart. i finally helicoiled every exhaust stud on mine. havent had any problems since. i used a 90 degree air drill and a custom shortened drill bit and did mine with the heads still on the motor. alot of time and patience is key!!!

 

A timing light is $16. http://www.harborfreight.com/xenon-t...ight-3343.html A torque wrench is $25. http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-hal...rench-239.html Surely your time (and your engine) is worth something.

 

thanks for the links. I also think i can get to the stud i need to by taking off the tire...hopefully....i didnt even want to bother with it tonight so i just got everything else on except the timing belt. its on but im just having trouble lining up my marks on my belt to the camshaft markings. its only one tooth off and im at TDC and the other cam sproket is good

 

So im trying to get the motor started and its cranking over but its not catching. When i let go of the key it spits and sputters but thats it......not sure if the fuel system needs to be bled because there is air in the lines or if i need to check my vaccum lines or what...please help if you can thanks.