corvey

Hi,

New user to this forum, and I've been reading it a lot and learned a lot from it too! I bought a 1990 3vze v6 auto 4runner in pretty good condition two weeks ago, the body has a couple of rust holes on each rear quarter (typical), but the rest of it none. The frame looks mint (except typical rust LOL), no signs of damage. The interior was dirty, but not too bad (smelled like dog LOL), and the color is not what I wanted, but who cares. The truck seemed to run good, it felt solid, and drives straight and the 4x4 works. I bought the 4runner with a head gasket problem and it has 198k on it for $550. My wife thinks I'm crazy for wasting time and money on it when we really can't afford it.. lol.. I already bought a rebuild kit to redo the head gaskets, timing belt, idler, valve seals, gaskets, etc.. My only fear is I hope the pistons and bearing are still in good shape after all those miles, though it sounded like it ran good, except with white smoke, I just can't afford to do everything!

This is my first attempt to work on this kind of head gasket job on any truck or car, though I have some knowlege in working on my own car and know how to do shims in the valve clearances because I adjusted them on my 16v motorcycle. So I am a little mechanicly inclined. Though this engine has a LOT of hoses and , I am little frighten by all of it! I am video recording bits and piece of it as I go to help me get it back together!



So what do you guys think, is it a keeper?

4JOGGER

Make sure you get the cylinder heads resurfaced.

I had the head gaskets and cylinder head resurfaced done at the same time.

She runs good now.

Make sure you change fuel filter too

Say, could you please tell me how to post a subject on YotaTech?

Thanks

stormin94

Click "NEW POSTS" then on the far right, you will see different categorys. Click the one that your new post applies to, then at the top of the screen is the "NEW THREAD" or NEW POST button. Click that and your golden. If there's an easier way to do this, I'm unaware of it. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

corvey

Yes, I plan on doing both heads, and have them resurfaced. hopefully it's not off too bad, and won't need to be shaved/milled.

The main question is I'm having problem with deciding, standard graphite or MLS gaskets. I can not have the block resurfaced because I have no way to pull the motor and I heard for MLS would solve the problem, but the block would be need to be resurfaced too?

I bought both gasket sets so I have a 4 days to decided on the right choice.

4JOGGER

THE BLOCK IS A BIG CHUNK OF STEEL. WARPAGE TO THE BLOCK IS UNLIKELY. SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE BLOCK.

IF IT SMOKES AT START UP BUT GOES AWAY ONCE IT'S WARMED UP THEN IT'S UNLIKELY THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BLOCK OR PISTONS.

WHAT THE MILAGE ON THE YOTA?

OH, MAKE SURE YOU GET NEW CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS. THEY ARE MADE TO STRETCH SO THE OLD ONES SHOULD BE DISCARDED

4JOGGER

Get A Mechanic To Check Pressure Test Each Piston Chamber And Ask For His/her Opoinion In Regards To The Blocks Health.

I Only Had To Resurface My Cyl Heads. You Might Want To Get Those Valve Springs Replaced.

Lysmachia

Thanks for the schooling foraour new poster Stormin... AND WELCOME! What a great crew. A great bunch of info here. Feel free to PM me if you have extra questions about forum ways ok?

-Mols