I need some serious help on this one....I noticed my engine had been running alittle hotter than usuall lately so I checked into it and found my radiator cap needed to be replaced....Coolant was spewing from the top of it and causing it to run hot (as far as I could gather)...I replaced it today...but what happened after was not what I expected. I replaced the cap and refilled with coolant and drove it to where I was going. Was there for a couple of hours, came out of the store, hopped in my truck started it and white smoke came billowing out from underneath the hood along with a hint of coolant smell!!! I was like...Run that by me again? O.k...Now with my exhaust...Where the exhaust flange meets the manifold flange ( do you know what I mean? I hope I said it right) there are 3 bolts that join them. I've lost all 3 and have been able to replace 2 of them....Now I've noticed before that when I start my truck I can see condensation gather right there at the joint. Today, however, I ran my finger over what was coming out and to my suprise, oil was on my finger....Not water....and the smoke gets worse when I rev the engine.....I know that I need to replace the exhaust and that's soon but why would I be getting oil in my manifold? Or if that's even where it's coming from....Now I'm no ASE certified mechanic or anything but I do know somethings and I'm a pretty smart hick...lol ....I need help and I figured what better place to start then right here then a bunch of fellow Toyota enthusiasts that usually have all the answers.....I'm not going anywhere so please anyone chime in as soon as possible....PLEASE!!!!!

 

First thing I'd do is drain your oil. If it's milky white or the like, you have a blown head gasket. If that's not it, your valve cover gasket might be blown. Is there any oil on the outside of the engine? Just sounds to me a lot like a blown head gasket because the symptoms are all there... white smoke, oil coming out of your exhaust, running hot... etc.

The studs have nothing to do with the head gasket being blown. You just discovered another thing that needed to be fixed while you were investigating, is all. I'm surprised you didn't hear the exhaust leak earlier, or maybe it isn't that recent.

So check your oil out and let us know what happens.

 

Are you getting any exhaust out the tail pipe? If not you cat converter my be plugged. A way to test is unbolt the exhaust pipe in front of the cat. (hot wrench/cutting torch is what worked here) It loud but if you get flow with a straight pipe you may be replacing the exhaust sooner than you thought.
As for the oil at this union, I can't think of any where it could be spraying from externally, to far form valve cover to spray. So the next bet is internal. Oil might be blowing by your exhaust valves. How long did you run with it hotter that usual? might have blown the head gasket.
Regarding the three bolts at the manifold/pipe union, I ran with two for a bit and on cold mornings I got steam blowing out of the 'leak'. Tried replacing with a jam nut, a single with locktite, but found that flang nuts, i.e. the stock type are the olny ones that hold for more than a few hundred miles. Got them for free at a local 'junk' yard. There the same as the exhaust manifold nuts

I'm running a '85 22R so I have a pretty good idea of what your working with.

Nathan

 

Yes...I am getting exhaust from the tail pipe...and from around the cat at both ends...lol....and at the flange....I just replaced my valve cover gasket not too long ago....There is oil leaking from the waterpump pulley so I know that the water pump gasket needs to be replaced...but the oil is deffinately coming from an internal source...So you guys think it might be the head gasket that's blown? Is there an easy way to check it to see if it is or not? If not...then tell me what to do please....

 

Like I said, drain your engine oil. If it's milky looking, your HG is blown. That is the easiest way to tell, and that's what I've always seen other people say to check for a blown HG.

 

hmmm. Sounds like head gasket to me which would cause overheating and blown rad cap. Let engine cool. top up your rad with water. Leave the rad cap off. Start the truck. Watch to see if bubbles come out of the rad filler hole. Milky oil will tell you too. Just pull the dipstick. If you have a stripe of white crud there it is.

 

You know what guys....I just remembered....when I stopped at my local NAPA to pick up my replacement rad cap.....I pulled off my old one and I noticed some gunky white stuff in the cap.....So I guess that's it then....Great..I've got a blown head gasket....

So I guess next question would be...Now what? How easy it to replace? Does anyone know how much it is to do this job? Can you do it yourself? Sorry guys..I don't mean to ask so many questions but only by asking questions will we learn....

 

Are you mechanically inclined? If you dont have pretty good confidence in your wrenching skills i would let a shop tackle it. Its the ˟˟˟˟s doing it twice or 3 times. If you do decide to do it yourself you should get the head checked for warpage and burnt valves. Valve guides. Its up to you how far you want to dig in.

While the heads off might as well hone the cylinders yourself. Its easy and ups your power a bit.

 

Your right....I should let a shop handle this one....I appreciate the help guys.....I'll let you know what I find out tommorrow.....Again..Thanks alot...

 

You could probably pull the head yourself and send it to a shop for a good once over. While you're at it, may as well replace the timing chain, possibly the water pump and throw a mild performance camshaft in there since you have to do the headgasket to put in a cam anyways!

If you're interested in learning a bit about motors, I hear the 22r/e is one of the best and easiest to work on.

Good luck with it,

Warren

 

I wouldn't refer to the job a easy, but time consumming. You can do it yourself. I got a quote of $1100 form an independent shop. The amount of parts you replace at this time in more the cost. You have to pull both intake/exhaust mainfolds, valve cover, distributer. If you haven't done a timing chain your half way there. I a firm belivever in the longevity of oem gaskets there more expensive but how many milwe did you get out of the original. You should get the head and mainfolds resurfaced, have the valve train checked out while its at the machine shop.

The one thing about doing it yourself is you know what is done and the quality of the parts. Replace all the head bolts on reassembly because it sucks to snap one off getting to final torque. If you don't have one already its a great time to invest in a quality torque wrench. Also take pictures form as many angles as possilbe before you start the can be invaluable upon reassembly.

I've been through this with in the last six months and been running strong since then. I spent about $500.00 for parts. This includes a timing kit and all gaskets. This bill at the machine shop was $350 including new exhaust valves and resurfacing head and exhaust mainfold. The intake side doesn't go thru as much heating/cooling so they usually stay with in specs. Get a service manual and read before you start Let me know if you need any other tips

Good luck and happy wrenching

Nathan

 

If you do it yourself make sure you get the head cleaned and checked to see if it's cracked. A friend of mine's 85 cracked it's head.

 

Thanks again guys for all your valuable information....I'm a confident person...But not this confident...I think I'll be making some calls tomorrow to have someone perform this appearently very tedious job...I just had a buddy come over and he told me some things as to what needs to be done while the heads off, what can cause the head to warp/crack, and other basic HG things. I think that's when I made my decision to have someone do it....Not because I don't think I could...But I need to have it done as quick as possible...and knowing me..It would take me longer than I have due to my analness and making sure everything was numbered and catagorized and labeled...lol....Anyway...Thanks again...Once again..The guys at YotaTech were there to save the day....

 

Yep Head gasket is blown... BTW, when the gasket blows, it does not always mean that oil is gettin into the coolant, or voolant getting into the motor.. it can just get coolant into the combustion chamber.. it all depends on where the gasket fails..

 

:pat: Hey guys,with all this talk about replacing the timing chain during head rebuild.Could it possibly be that the timing chain guides make have broken and the chain wore a hole in timing chain cover which allows coolant into the oil.I've read where this happens alot and is misdiagnosed as a blown head gasket.You could pull off the timing chain cover an check this before you take the head gasket route.Just my .02 cents worth.Good luck!!

 

You should invest in a Coolant Pressure Tester, good for anyone to have in their tool supply. They are cheap. Apply pressure to the coolant system- and see were it is leaking. The potential that the chain has worn through the cover is possible, but it would be making a noise that will scare you at idle, HAHA! A little self diagnostics will save you a ton at any shop. If you apply pressure to the system at 15-17 psi that is normal operating pressure it will "pee" if it is external leak, and you will see it. If it looses pressure and you dont see a "pee" then you know its internal. And you could even pull the valve cover and look down the timing chain to see if it is leaking. A Coolant Pressure Tester will also test your radiator cap- this will be the first tool the shop pulls out so you might as wll start with that.

 

Oh ya- I forgot. If you apply pressure with the coolant pressure tester, you could also remove the spark plugs and listen to see if you can hear it, or even see it "peeing" into the cylinders. This tool will also help in evaluating the integrity of a water pump seal, hoses, clamps, radiator- basically the entire system.
Good luck

 

i had a blown head gasket too among other things. A year ago my truck started overheating.I changed the thermostat first just for grins.Then fan clutch.Still overheating ...Then i had the radiator cap checked and it was bad.I replaced it and it would only oveheat with the ac on..Then i had the radiator cleaned out and it was great until a month ago! I happened to check my radiator twice a week and it was losing water slowly and wasnt leaking anywhere.I didnt have white smoke and i also checked the oil when i cahnged it and it was ok.I finally did a compressiom test and there we had it! Number1 and 4 cylinders where 20lbs or more less than the other 2.So i payed a local toyota god $250 to change it and had a friend at the local yota dealership to sell me all the gaskets for $35 brand new! Now the truck runs better and doesnt lose water and all for under $300 except i forgot the valve cover gasket which was $14.00 from autozone.It was just barely burning it in the two cylinders.The mechainic reinforced my idea when he showed me the gasket that was leaking water into the number 1 and 4 cylinder.The metal was rusted on the gasket where the water was leaking.It was NOT a factory gasket.Another lesson it to use factory head gaskets,THEY ARE BETTER!

 

if you are going to pull the timing chain cover, you have to pull the head to do it right.
i have done head gaskets and in my opinion they are easy. EASY. if you get up at the crack of dawn and work all day, even withough knowing what you are doing, you should be able to have that motor running again that same night. i did a timing job (gears, chain, guides, tensioner), all top end gaskets, oil pump, and new cam in a weekend. started saturday morning, had it running sunday morning, driving by 1:00, and in the mud by 3:30. this was my second time tearing a 22r down. get a haynes manual, and use it just for the stuff you dont know, like head bolt removal order, stuff like that. those manuals are very vague, but do help. if it is just a head gasket, then you job is easy. if you want any info on this, like some tricks and pointer, let me know.

Joe Z.