I have a 1988 Toyota 4runner with a blown head gasket. I have everything taken apart and ready to go back together however, I do have a few questions. Should I replace the head bolts or just reuse the old ones? I would imagine replacing them is never a bad idea but how important is it? Also, when torquing the head bolts, is the ft lb measured with dry bolts or is a lubricant needed on the threads? And is a lubricant necessary on the head gasket? Thanks

 

Have you inspected your old head bolts ??

How do they look ??

Sometimes the ones toward the back tend to get pitted .

I clean them on my wire wheel then look at them careful

I am quite lazy so don`t want to be pulling a head off to replace bolts a few weeks down the road.

If you have any doubt go new.

Thread chaser on the bolts and in the block .

a few drops of oil not soaked. torqued to 65 foot pounds

 

They look to be in good shape, not pitted or any signs of rust. Actually just looking at them they appear to be new. I would just hate to take a short cut and have trouble later on. I would think they were fine to reuse but wanted advice from you guys who have more experience than I do. Thanks wyoming9 for responding. All advice is greatly appreciated.

 

No dope on the new headgasket.

Head and block surfaces tweekishly shiny clean and then degreased with acetone before assembly.

 

Thanks millball, I appreciate the information.

 

Do not neglect chasing the threads in the block and blowing with compressed air.

Any debris, or liquid in the holes will impede proper torquing.

Even if they look clean, there can be plenty foreign matter in the root of those threads.

 

I am having head gasket replaced this week on my '91 22RE I am replacing head bolts just because. There are mixed opinions so why risk another blown gasket for the price of a few bolts. My head gasket was in rebuilt engine purchased 3 years ago from United Engine in California. I have only put 15,000 miles on engine. Should be interesting to see WTF they used for gaskets. I ordered FELPRO from Rockauto as well as new head bolts.

 

I am assuming you are talking about a 22re, I have reused the head bolts on some of my top end rebuilds. If by chance your 88 came with the 3.0 if I recall right you need to replace the head bolts on a 3.0 The 3.0 started coming out is some of the 88s.

 

I have used two motors from United Engines and know of another one in this area that has a United Engine in it and all have been great from my experience. I see several people to say to use a Toyota OEM gasket. I have only used one Toyota head gasket. All of the gaskets I use come from my local machine shop. A complete kit cost $48 or $68 ( I cant remember the exact price, but it is one of those) and I have never had one to fail.

From my experience and opinion, is it is not the head gaskets that cause a number of these to fail. I really think what causes the head gaskets to fail is the head bolts seem to back out or loosen up and that will cause the head gasket to fail. In my experience it seems to be mostly the exhaust side head bolts to loosen. I have a factory service manual and a Haynes Manual and I dont think I have ever seen it say after X amount of time or miles to go back and retorq the head bolts. Another member on here says for the 22 motor you need to go back and retorq them per the manual.

I have replaced 20 or more head gaskets on the 22 motor. I will say I have been into several motors and have found loose head bolts.Some did cause a blown head gasket and others had not blown yet. Now anytime I have the valve cover off, I automatically retorq all the head bolts. On any new to me truck that is also what I do.

The way I retorq head bolts is I set my torqure wrench to 60 foot pounds. That is less then the recommended torq but it is tight enough to tell me if I have any loose head bolts but not so tight that it could disturb the head gasket.

I would bet that if we had 10 members to go check their head bolts on a 22 motor, 3-5 members would come back and say they had a few loose head bolts.

 

The head on my 22RE showed leaking in 2 areas,, head gasket delamimating at #1 piston. As it stands the only follow up on rebuilt engine is resetting valves. If builders mentioned retorquing heads we would be skeptical of their whole engine assembly process. Im guessing my engine was assembled on a Friday afternoon after assemblers wife kicked his butt to the curb and drove off in his caddy