MonsterMaxx

If you have the mechanical skills & tools doing the HG's isn't hard.
Time consuming, PIA, yes. Difficult, no.


With the Moe-rons we have around here with wrenches I'd just as soon do it myself as take it back 6 times.

CJM

Good to know, I want sure 100% if I was right..

Ghostpilot

My HG blew two weeks ago, coolant in oil, coolant out the tail, which makes awesome white smoke! Sounds like yours could be valve seals. Not to worry they come in the kit with the HG. Get a manual before you start even if it's a chilton. Plan on a few days. Air tools help! Go for it and don't mix up the lifters unless you have a good micrometer.

Red3.slow

I haven't tackled one my self but one of my friends with the right tools and a place to do it had one torn apart and put back together in a weekend and it runs like a champ

AH64ID

What type of smoke? white, blue, black? Are you loosing oil or coolant?

Do a compression check. My HG is blown on my 22RE, only indication is no psi in 3 or 4, no smoke, no mixing of fluids.

Boiling fluid?? Intersting, does the temp gauge show you overheating?

Kyle95sr5

Got my 4runner back from the shop today and i cant say that it even seems like something is wrong with it. Im not loosing coolant or oil. Smoke is white with maybe a slight bluish but not much. Temp guage doesnt show anything at all as it has been broken since before i can remeber. Boiling fluid is the only idication that somethin is wrong other the smoke and im thinking new radiator cap or new t-stat. Compression test is planned but its hard getting it from place to place with my overdrive not working. In a weird twisted way, could the thermostat not working be causing the boiling coolant as well as the overdrive not engaging. The t-stat seems to be a factor in dealing with both problems, maybe they are related.

As posted in my other thread about transmission work, its hard committing myself to having the head gasket done or doing it myself because my 4runner runs great. Only indication of anything is the smoking when startup and the overdrive not working. Other then that the 4runner idles fine, runs fine. I just dont know whats up

all_terrain17

Heck, drive it till it blows then. You probably are on borrowed time though...

In actuality, I would probably only drive it if it meant better circumstances for doing the HG...like shop space somewhere, better finances, blah, blah...If the time, money, and space are available though I'd get it done and out of mind asap.

thook

I'm in the middle of a top end rebuild right now....in fact this moment. This is the very first time I've ever done anything like this. I'd have to say it's so much more doable than I'd thought. IF I had anything to do over again since I've had this motor, I would do all the work myself instead the freakin' buttheads that wasted my time and money doing work I've needed done. I would, of course, go to a good machine shop for the things I can't do. Fortunately, I found a REAL good one.
One more thing, use good sockets made of hard steel on those head bolts. I've already stripped one tonight and broke another yesterday. Also, the cam bolts aren't that hard to get off. Well, mine weren't, anyway.

Kyle95sr5

Considering my lack of garage and daylight savings time..i think im just gonna get someone else to do my headgasket for me. I know a number of shops around here could do such work but shops are slow and take way to damn long not to mention prices can get way up there. Is there anyone around eastern NC that would wanna do the headgasket for me. Ill include whatever extra labor i can help with myself. Money will be reasonable and ill provide all the parts needed to do it. Figure i would throw this out there for someone around here to make some money before i get screwed over at the shop. Anyone around me interested?

Kyle95sr5

decided to just pay up and have my 4runner done at the shop. Im gonna be delivering my mechanic and big ole package of parts to replace on my 4runner while its in the shop. Basically Im supplying all the parts needed. So far Ive planned on getting.
-Headgasket kit from engnblrd
-headbolt kit from engnblrd
-timing belt
-all the drive belts
-spark plugs
-tstat
-coolant temp sensor

Is there anything that i should add to this list? Should water pump be up there aswell?

Veladarius

Waterpump would be good to do while everything is off, as well as the T Belt tensioner and possibly the Idler pulley that has the water connection running through it. I would also replace the Dist Cap, Rotor, Plug wires, PCV Valve and any hard to get to hoses, that way everything maintence wise is done as well.

oly884

knock sensor wire! DEFINITELY replace it! It's the biggest PITA to get to if it goes bad after everything is on, TRUST ME.

Kyle95sr5

What water pump do i need for my 4runner. The guy at advance said i needed to know whether mine has "a bypass hose connection" on it or not. I have a 95 3.0 AT, which one do i need to buy. Also, are there any recommendations on timing belts. Is one timing belt the same as the others or is there a specific brand i should be lookin out for?

CyMoN

honestly it dose not sound like the head to me i had a mazda pick up that did the same thing after the motor got warm it would stop smoking
at the time i was told that i was a valve seal with a very small leak an when the truck set at night a small amount of oil would leak in the cylinder.

Kyle95sr5

so guys, bypass or no bypass. What kinda waterpump did yall get when you had urs done? I kinda need to know this soon and am completely stumped. Also, does the manufacturer of the timing belt matter. It seems like the prices very greatly. Would i be safe going with one of the cheaper belts?

ChickenLover

I would go with OEM parts.

Morphine

Wish I would've caught this thread sooner. My rebuild thread was quoted on here and I highly advise if you have the slightest mechanical ability to do it yourself. I did mine and prior to that I had only done a few oil changes and brakes once or twice. It sounds like your mechanic is letting you assist which is pretty good and cool.

I will say that the first time I cranked her over after completing the work....the feeling was awesome. To this day I now have people asking for help and strangers coming up to my house to offer and by my yota. Heck, the smog shop guy was joking with me that "whoever rebuilt the engine did and awesome job...Can you sit yet 'cause work like this isn't cheap!!!" Now that is a compliment.

Well good luck with the rebuild and I'll see if I can add anything for parts or things I wish I would've done while it was apart.

-=Morphine=-

Kyle95sr5

Thanks man. Ive read both your thread and Bumpin's all the way through more then once. I think that i could of tackeld it myself, the only reason i didnt try is because of the lack of a shelter and daylight savings time. By the time i get home from school it is around low 40 degrees and dark. Just not kinda weather that i wanna work in. The parts im having replaced so far are
-tstat
-timing belt
-plugs (cap, wires, rotors have already been replaced recently)
-coolant temperature sensor (im having it done because i think that is whats wrong with my tranny not shifting into overdrive
-waterpump
-belts

I think thats everything i have on my list. Do ya think there is anything i should add whil im add it minus performance parts. I dont have the extra money to replace the knock sensor so im just hopin for the best. Any input is helpful.

Morphine

Do what you can and replace the knock sensor during this whole ordeal. It's a PITA later on if it needs to be done. Scrounge the extra cash up or contact some folks on here about the part. Someone on here works for a Toyota Dealership in Texas and can order parts at a discounted price if memory serves me correctly. You'll be better off this way, even if it delays the rebuild a week.

Otherwise it looks like you covered your bases with the parts list. A few things I did extra, not performance wise was:

New battery cables - since you'll have the room to work in their, inexpensive and preventive maintenance.
Check the starter while doing this. Since the truck will be in the shop and the engine being tore down just pull her and check the contacts, and possibly order some from replacement contacts from 4crawler www.4crawler.com/. He's a member here and has been very helpful to myself and many, many others alike.

Also check all of your hoses. If they are cracked or hardening, get them replaced now while it's easier to do so.

All of these items wont break the bank but they will help keep her going on the road with all of the major work being done. If you need anything else just let me know. I'm not a mechanic but I sure learned a lot by doing this myself.

-=Morphine=-