so im new to this so sorry if im shy on the details i just bought a 95 4runner with the 3vze and i blew my hg i think. it was driving fine and all of a sudden on my way home from work it spiked on my temp gauge a mile from the house so i let it cool finish getting home and of course the radiator is empty so after 2 hours or so i go back to the truck turn it on and refill the radiator i start getting white smoke out the tail pipe the only thing i did to the truck was take off the after market intake and put the stock one back on cause the after market one was to loud made a wierd noise so am i correct on the hg? and do i need a hole head set or just redothe gasket and get the head pressure checked and shaved . my buddy says i need a whole head set ,water pump, timing belt ,and that my rocker something or another ...please any info will be greatly apprciated.

 

first off, welcome.

If you are going to replace the HG yourself, might as well do the timing and water pump. Id get the head gaskets from the dealer and you are going to need new head bolts, they are stretch bolts and you do not want to reuse them.

Might as well get a whole gasket set and timing set.

Search around on here, I know there are lots of threads about HGs, this motor loves to blow them.

 

thank you very much. i will check the dealer kinda on a buget so i was going with napa cause i heard the felpro gaskets where good but not sure? so is it that toyota put in crappy gaskets or is it just a bad motor design. and is there anything i can do to prevent it from happening again .the only thing i have heard so far from yota buddys is a hood scoop for better cooling? again thank you

 

Is there a specific type of HG that is the most durable or longest lasting?
Is there anything that should be done while the heads are off, grinding? or anything?
Is there a best place to buy the HG?

I bought this runner to help out a buddy and got screwed, ya hind sight is 20 20.

 

These motors blow HGs because of the crossover tube going from the passenger head to the driver then out.

If you get headers this problem goes away. You could go to napa, its what my friend did, id just go to the dealer for piece of mind.

To prevent HG blow up, keep your coolant in tip top shape and keep your temps low.

 

Do you have any links for places to get the headers?
Any thoughts on type or options that should be considered?

 

Headers are gonna run you like 500 btw. But, look on summitracing.com, i think they have some for around 500.

LCE engineering has some for 800.

Click on the search button up top. theres so much info on this site.

 

Theres alot of opinions and thoughts and theorys about the head gasket issue but for the most part alot of them blow due to that heater pipe. But alot of people would not have problems if they would just care for their cars more. Keeps up with fluids and reg maintinence. Theres a few other theorys about it. See if you have ever seen an early 3.0 from about 88-90 you see them with bookoo miles on them running original head gaskets. They say that toyota used an asbestos material for their early head gaskets but due to it not being allowed here the goverment made them change it.... alot of people believe this started the problem. The stronger asbestos headgaskets were fine until the 90s hit then they were forced to change it and it aparantly worse. Use of a metal head gasket would help. Theres alot of head gaskets for these trucks just make sure its not too crazy. The 3VZ-E Is a very reliable motor. Though the VZ series engines are not as old as the R series they are great engines. Headers indeed would help too lol. I hear they are quite a puch in the pocket for 3.0s. But if your going to do it your self you might as well do it all since it prolly has not had any of it. Do: Head Gaskets, Timing belt, water pump, oil pump, head bolts, Intake gaskets.

 

I'd say go with the dealer's head gasket. It's more money, however they have upgraded the design to help prevent it from blowing again. The head gasket is the last place you want to skimp on

 

MAKE SURE you have the block & heads decked or you WILL be doing this again in the not-to-distant future....

 

Good call.

Make sure your machine shop does a pressure test and surface on both heads too. About 65% of the 3VZ heads we check these days are cracked.

Toyota does make the preferred gaskets for these. They sell the set in a "kit" form that will have everything you need. Pricey....but well worth it.

Oh yeah, buy a thermostat from Toyota while you are there too. Aftermarket are garbage.