Metal Man

Are Felpro gaskets and head bolts a suitable replacement for the head gaskets on my 3.0 V6 in my 95 Toyota pickup?


I just bought a 95 4wd toyota 2 weeks ago. I put about 40 miles on it then the head gasket blew

Its obvious someone has had the same problem with this truck before i bought it. The heads and exhaust gaskets still look new.

I had no idea this was a common problem until i started doing a little searching on the net after mine let go. I've seen a bunch of folk suggest using Toyota gaskets. After a trip to my local dealer i was shocked at the price the dealer asked my for the parts. They wanted $492 for the head gaskets and bolts. Thats not even including the rest of the top half gaskets.

So i checked with Auto Zone. They have a Felpro head gasket kit with every thing i need including head bolts for $260.

Can i trust the Felpro gaskets for the 3.0Lv6?

skoti89

on a budget they will be fine.
do some searching I cant remember if i heard if people like them or dont like them

john4wd

Just be safe, get OEM head gaskets.

YOTAZOMBIE

I dont know if theyre good or not but theyre cheaper on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Fel-Pro-HS9728...8730281&sr=8-1

JamesD

Yes!! I never had a problem with Fel Pro gaskets or parts. I used them on my last 3.0 head gasket job.

James

rworegon

From Toyota of Dallas for $300 + shipping

http://www.toyotapartsales.com/partl...layCatalogid=0

Metal Man

Thanks

MudHippy

The Fel-Pro head gaskets for the 3VZ-E are upside-down. Which was proven true in my upside-down 3VZ-E head gasket thread. However, as I also stated, I haven't heard any complaints about them(that I've been able to find...so far). Unlike the other cheaply made upside-down no-name head gaskets, which are proven to fail prematurely on these engines(as well as the 22R-E). Don't buy those on amazon, or ebay, or ANYWHERE!!!

In my opinion, the following brands are good head gaskets for this engine:

Rock Gasket(Using at the moment, no failures)
Corteco(Used previously, no failures)
Ishino(OEM)
Fel-Pro(tentative)

JamesD

When I did my head gasket on my 89, I used the FelPro headset and the gaskets fit fine. I did not have to turn any gasket upside down. I read your thread on this but I did not see this problem in my set.

James

Inferno451

Different engine, but used fel-pro gasket and bolts on my 4 cylinder. Seemed to be very good quality and no problems with it. Apparently fel-pro has stepped up in the quality department over the last few years, so take people's old experiences with a grain of salt.

Metal Man

I'm gonna pick the Fel-pro up today. I'll post a pic. Maybe we can figure out if there backward before i open the pack. If they are I'll take them back.

drmix

I havent had any experience with Fel-Pro but I went OEM.
I would much rather spend the extra money on something I knew was good than take a chance on having to do it again. Head gaskets are one of those things where doing it once is plenty for me.

Metal Man

Here are the Fel-Pro gaskets. Do they look right?




Flipped over.

MudHippy

There's no way to install them facing the wrong way, they won't fit. Those look to be original Fel-Pro head gaskets. They don't, as such, look like other OEM-type head gaskets though. In many respects, including having the Slipperplate™ on the block facing side of the gaskets. So they LOOK UPSIDE-DOWN COMPARED TO OEM, BUT THEY AREN'T ACTUALLY UPSIDE-DOWN. This is all layed out in my thread.

Please read this.

None of the "upside-down" head gaskets are, really. The design is the same, just reversed from top to bottom. NOT from side to side. So they fit where they're supposed to. The difference isn't just cosmetic though. I believe that there is good theory behind the OEM design. And since there ARE some cheap no-name gaskets that are made "upside-down" in the same manner which are proven to be unreliable, all "upside-down" head gaskets are suspect IMO.

Meaning, I don't know why the Fel-Pro head gaskets for the 3VZ-E work. But APPARENTLY they do!

Metal Man

Well crap......

Metal Man

I sent Fel-Pro message on there "contact us" site. Asking why they are different from the OEM gaskets. I don't expect much of an answer but we will see.

MudHippy

It's not that bad a thing truthfully. The Fel-Pro head gaskets MAY work every bit as well as any OEM-type. They're just different than the OEM-type is all I'm trying to say. I have NO PROOF that says because they look and are constructed different, that they perform different. I didn't invent the things, and I'm not totally sure that I fully undertand how they're supposed to work. I've simply used logic and reason to attempt to explain why they are the way they are. And not the other way around(or "upside-down" if you will).

Again, there doesn't appear to be any cause for concern with Fel-Pro head gaskets for the 3VZ-E. You show me where/why there is.

Whether I'd use them is a personal choice. I probably would, if I couldn't get the OEM-type. I use OEM-type because I know they work, from experience. I have no experience using any "upside-down" head gaskets. There's pics of premature head gasket failures on this engine, and the 22R-E, from the use of the cheapo no-name "upside-down" head gaskets found on this site. Is it because they're "upside-down"? Or because they're cheap/cheaply made?

Metal Man

Yeah i fully understand what your saying Mudhippy. Like you,i am curious why they are made different then OEM gaskets.

Over the past few days I've done a little searching and have not seen much proof the fel-pros will not work. Most of what i have found points too using new TTY head bolts and correct installation being the most important steps in success over failure.

xxxtreme22r

MudHippy are you referring to the Engnbldr HG's for the 22r/re?

MudHippy

God I hope not!

This is what I was refering to.
He sells Rock Gasket head gaskets right? Which there's also a thread about IIRC...

I can't find the thread with the 3VZ-E pics at the moment. But from what I can remember, premature failure, "upside-down" HG's(that I happened to notice, and brought to attention of OP), OP goes to stealership for OEM, winds up showing pics of another pair of cheapo "upside-down" gaskets. So, you'd be wise to verify that you're even getting OEM gaskets from the dealership. Sometimes YOU ARE NOT! Hence the term...