Hey guys, I'm new to the forum, so I hope this post is in the right place.

The head gasket on the 22RE motor in my 88 4Runner has bit the dust. The truck has over 225,000 miles on it so it was only a matter of time. I'm going to have the head resurfaced, and I was thinking about getting it ported and polished.

While I have the head off is there any work that you would recomend? Should I replace the valves, and guides? Do I need to replace the springs? How about head studs? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys!

--Eric

Here is a picture of the truck

 

welcome to yotatech and nice lookin 4runner ...... new head studs couldint hurt and maybe rebuild the head too get the stuff from www.engnbldr.com

 

Thanks for the info. I'll take a look at www.engnbldr.com. I'm hoping to have her up and running soon.

 

Be careful doing a head job on it. I had my HG blow at near the same mileage in my 22re and with brand new compression on top of that tired old bottom end, it was not pretty. It started sucking oil like mad.

If you're willing to put the cash into it the best thing would be just a regular old rebuild... whatever you decide to go Ted at engnbldr is definitely the place to go. You can get a master rebuild kit that gives you better-than-stock components for like $220.

Great looking runner, by the way. Mine is that color, and it was that shiny before I started taking it in the woods

 

Also make sure that anyone who resurfaces the head uses a mill and cutter and not the huge belt sander thing... ask up front before having the work done. only the mill gets it really flat.

I was in the same spot you're in...and when I got down to short block, I could turn the pistons with nothing but my hand on the crank shaft (without the pulley). it was a little loose and at only 200k. I decided to go ahead and go through the bottom in as well. hope to have in bolted in tonight and fired sometime this weekend.

 

Thank you for the advice and the warm welcome. I'll start looking around for parts to rebuild the motor. At this point should I rebuild it, or would it be better to swap in another motor, maybe something more powerful? Thanks again!

 

i say rebuild and it will last another 200k miles

 

If your not going to go mud bogging and try to spin 38's, keep the 4 cyl. Get a rebuild kit from Engnbldr, bore it if you want, get a new timing chain with steel guides, throw in a 261 or 270 cam, and be done with it. Won't be pushing out high HP numbers, but its gonna run for a long time if done right.

 

I am currently rebuilding a 22re because of the same thing, really. Blew a HG, after getting the head done, it now sucks a quart of oil each time I stop at the pump.

I bought a 268 cam too, I'll let you know how it works

Just keep the 22re, its an awesome motor and rebuilds are relatively cheap and straightforward.

 

Your budget might dictate which route you take. A head rework, and timing set while you're at it, will probably run you $400 max, if you provide the labor. If you have $1200, get a core shortblock ($50), build it nice and tight, get a Ted-head, new clutch, and drop it in one saturday.

 

Thanks for all the feed back. I will be sure to contact Ted and get a new head. I'll also contact him about the parts I'll need to rebuild the bottom end. Thanks again for all of the feed back. I'll keep you posted on what I do.