I just bought my friends 95 tacoma, picked it up from a shop that had diagnosed it with a bad head gasket.
my plan is to pull the head and send it to the local machine shop and have them re deck it. anything else i should have checked? this engine has 230k

in terms of parts i am going to need, can people make some suggestions? are there brands to stay away from? is there a good kit that will include all the parts needed?

do i need new head bolts? are studs worth the cost on such a high mileage engine?

any other tips on this job would be very much appreciated!!!

 

95. Tacoma or pickup? What size engine?


Have any pictures?

 

sorry...
Tacoma
4x4
5spd
2.7?

 

My experience is w/ the 22re so I could be wrong but I've always replaced head bolts. Some say you don't have to but supposedly they're designed to stretch when torqued making them a bit of a one-user.

Other than that are you going to do timing belt/any front end engine work while you're in there?

 

Toyota brand headgasket. Use new headbolts. (just because)

Get the head checked.

Routine stuff.

Still want pictures....lol

 

That is the only picture i have right now....