Head gasket trouble- time for a top-end rebuild

[mastacox]

EDIT:
The problem seems to have been nailed down to my headgasket going bad (150,000 miles isn't bad), so I'm changing this thread to a documentation thread of me replacing my headgasket and getting some rebuild work done on my heads while they're off.

Well, my 4Runner has been acting a little pissed off lately. :tapedshut: I'm glad I got an FSM because I'm fearing a top-end rebuild (or possibly full-engine rebuild) may be in my not-too-distant future :shake: Overall the engine's felt a bit sluggish lately, and I'm pretty sure I've noticed some power loss over the past 2 months or so. I'm about to turn over 150,000 miles, and over 100,000 of those have been supercharged so it might be due.

So not too long after I changed to Denso Copper spark plugs (I don't think the plugs are the cause) my 4Runner has been having some trouble with starting. After starting, for the first minute or two it idles VERY roughly, and it feels like one of the cylinders may be having problems with ignition. I can get rid of the problem if I rev the engine up to about 1500rpm for about 20-30 seconds, after which the idle smooths out like all of the cylinders are firing OK but the idle isn't exactly silky-smooth. The plugs are essentially brand-new (I need to pull them to help diagnose the problem) and the plug wires are a little more than a year old with something like 20,000 miles on them.

Additionally, I think I may be burning a slight bit of oil at startup, especailly on the cold mornings that are below 40 degrees or so. It's hard to tell exactly because when you start up the engine on a cold morning you get a lot of cloudy condensation out of the exhaust, but I'm pretty sure I see a little bit of white bluish tinted smoke when I start driving that hangs in the air longer than the white condensation. The smoke and condensation goes away after 1-2 minutes of easy driving once the engine is warmed up. When I got back from Breckenridge last weekend I checked my oil to find it was about 3/4 of a quart low, which goes along with a burning oil theory. On a semi-related note, my coolant is also very slowly going somewhere, I had to put in almost a gallon when I checked the oil but I hadn't checked my coolant in a while.

I have no mixing of fluids between my engine oil, coolant, or transmission fluid as far as I can tell, but I'm planning on flushing my radiator and changing my engine oil and tranny fluid for a more thourough inspection. I'm also going to buy myself a compression tester, if anyone has any suggestions on ones that work well.

[YotaFun]

I am having the same issue fluid wise on my NA engine.
Be interested to see what u find.

I think my oil proplsem is due to a bad PCV.
When udothe flush, use toyota red fluid, I think I mayhave ruinned my system due to using the green stuff.

Other than that I think youhave all ur bases covered

[mastacox]

I think my oil proplsem is due to a bad PCV.


Interesting, I might have to look into that. I'm thinking my burning oil in the morning is oil leaking past the rings overnight and burning off when I start the engine. When the engine is warm or hasn't been off very long, there is no smoke or burning oil smell from the exhaust (although the idle misfire symptom comes back if the engine's been off for an hour or two).



When udothe flush, use toyota red fluid, I think I mayhave ruinned my system due to using the green stuff.


I've been using Prestone Dex-Cool Extended Life (http://shop.oreillyauto.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=PST&MfrPartNumber=AF888&CategoryCode=3219) with good results, think I'll stick with it.

[YotaFun]

At first I thought it might be blow by as well, but I just felt I should have lost a little more power and blow more smoke then I was.

[MTL_4runner]

Interesting, I might have to look into that. I'm thinking my burning oil in the morning is oil leaking past the rings overnight and burning off when I start the engine. When the engine is warm or hasn't been off very long, there is no smoke or burning oil smell from the exhaust (although the idle misfire symptom comes back if the engine's been off for an hour or two).

I've been using Prestone Dex-Cool Extended Life (http://shop.oreillyauto.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=PST&MfrPartNumber=AF888&CategoryCode=3219) with good results, think I'll stick with it.



I've just got two comments which might help you Brian.

First, I doubt it would be your rings leaking if you get oil burnoff after sitting for a bit. In that case it could be your valve seals but it's hard to say. It also makes me a bit suspicious of your head gasket since you're losing coolant at the same time. So if the gasket is only sealing when the engine is hot (since parts expand when heated) and leaks a bit when cold (oil pressure jumps almost imediately while parts may take some time to heat up and seal) it may mean you have a boarderline HG issue. At the very least get a compression tester (they're sold all over, Sears, Napa, etc) and see if you can find a cylinder(s) which is/are lower than the others. Also key is to post pics of the plugs (keep them in order of where they came from). If you need to go beyond that, then you may need to have a leakdown test, cooling system test and borescope to find the real issue.

Second, don't use the Dexcool stuff in your truck. It is an organic acid (OAT) formula for long life but it doesn't have the phosphates (as Toyota red does) needed for Toyota cooling systems. Get the Toyota pink (premixed from the dealer). It has the best of both worlds, phosphates and OAT technology for long life.

[mastacox]

Well, the more I study the symptoms the more I think MTL_4Runner may have hit the nail on the head. Even in the relatively warm weather (55 degrees in the afternoon) my 4Runner is putting out quite a bit of condensation for about a minute after start up. I'm talking a James Bond smoke cloud almost (smells somewhat sweet, probably burning coolant).

It would also make sense that if the head gasket were leaking coolant into one or two of the cylinders at startup, it might be preventing proper ignition and therefore giving me my unbalanced roughness at startup. As the cylinders heat up, things expand and seal up better and the cylinders begin firing more normally (although I'm burning coolant for about a minute until the engine starts getting closer to operating temperature.

So I'm going to pull my plugs to help diagnose the problem (and possibly buy a compression gauge off of Summit Racing), but it sounds like I'll be doing a headgasket/timing belt/water pump marathon as soon as I can get the money and parts together (I may bypass the stock tranny cooler while I'm at it). Thank god I bought that FSM, I'd be screwed without it. It will be interesteing to take the top-end of the engine off to inspect things, especially to look for any possible damage to the pistons or valves from being supercharged without a URD kit for around 40,000 miles. It will also be a nice time to adjust the valves (if needed) and possibly get some head work done.

Wish me luck! Any suggestions of things I might look for or replace while I'm in there are greatly appreciated!

[MTL_4runner]

Wish me luck! Any suggestions of things I might look for or replace while I'm in there are greatly appreciated!



No luck needed, been there done that already.......just follow my thread with pics.
http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=2241.0

One thing I would have done differently is to resurface the heads so keep that in mind (well worth pressure testing the head, redoing your valve seals and a valve job while the head is apart). Careful taking out the cams, remember the service bolt!!! I also went through factory vs aftermarket parts so read up an save some money in the process too. Just reuse the headbolts if you didn't overheat the truck like I did. Don't use anything but a factory head gasket though, I can't stress this enough. It's a few days work for most people plus machining time so plan ahead, stay organized, don't cut corners and the job won't be as hard as you think.

[mastacox]

Your thread is going to be my bible for this job MTL, thanks for going into such excruciating detail on it. I hope to do the same kind of thing while I do mine. :thumbup:

[mastacox]

So I'm trying to decide if I want to get my heads redone completely, or if I just want to get them machined for flatness and call it a day. I don't even know if there is any place in NM that I would trust to get my heads redone, but if there's anyplace it's probably in Albuquerque.

How likely is it that I'll have to replace the valves? How much does a typical head job cost? Is it really worth getting my heads completely re-done, only to leave the bottom-end alone and possibly have it start going out in another 50,000 miles? I really need to keep this whole deal around $700 or so, which will be tight when I'm replacing the head gasket, head studs, timing belt, water pump, etc.

[MTL_4runner]

So I'm trying to decide if I want to get my heads redone completely, or if I just want to get them machined for flatness and call it a day. I don't even know if there is any place in NM that I would trust to get my heads redone, but if there's anyplace it's probably in Albuquerque.

How likely is it that I'll have to replace the valves? How much does a typical head job cost? Is it really worth getting my heads completely re-done, only to leave the bottom-end alone and possibly have it start going out in another 50,000 miles? I really need to keep this whole deal around $700 or so, which will be tight when I'm replacing the head gasket, head studs, timing belt, water pump, etc.


The entire head job cost me around $350. That included diassembly, hot tanking, grinding valves and seats, replacing oil seals (they come in the Toyota HG kit) and setting valve lash. I didn't have to buy any valves or valve shims at all and I had him reset everything to factory clearances. You will get better gas mileage by redoing the heads and you'll have to strip them down anyway to be resurfaced.....IMHO it is worth redoing them completely. To find a place for machine work, call your local Toyota dealer and ask who they use for their machine work.

Your bottom end is likely fine, but it's impossible to know before you tear it down. Yes, $700 will be a tight budget for that, more like $1000 but remember if you do it right the truck will be treat you well in the long term.

[mastacox]

And Jamie, what's your opinion of a thick copper headgasket set? How do we think they seal when compared to a set of factory head gaskets? I noticed this post in your top-end rebuild thread:


I also mentioned having them resurfaced and the guy told me the toyota spec says you can only take off 0.0039" from the head gasket's sealing surface before you need to shim the head (to put it into perspective, the typical piece of white xerox paper is about 0.004" thick so we're talking about the thickness of a sheet of paper being removed before you have problems). If you exceed the 0.0039" of material removed from the head, you'll need to start running custom copper head gaskets to correct the head height (I've found aftermarket copper head gaskets up to about 2mm or 0.08" thick, which would be a good choice for supercharged motors in an effort to reduce the compression to prevent knocking). So by comparison, the stock head gasket compressed is about 1.25mm or about 0.050" thick.

I remember reading about a guy with a supercharged Hilux that was using extra thick copper headgaskets (around 3mm or .112" IIRC) in an effort to reduce compression because he was having ping issues. Since I'm supercharged anyway, I might be interested in going a similar route and make up for the reduced compression with increased boost...

[MTL_4runner]

And Jamie, what's your opinion of a thick copper headgasket set? How do we think they seal when compared to a set of factory head gaskets? I noticed this post in your top-end rebuild thread:


I also mentioned having them resurfaced and the guy told me the toyota spec says you can only take off 0.0039" from the head gasket's sealing surface before you need to shim the head (to put it into perspective, the typical piece of white xerox paper is about 0.004" thick so we're talking about the thickness of a sheet of paper being removed before you have problems). If you exceed the 0.0039" of material removed from the head, you'll need to start running custom copper head gaskets to correct the head height (I've found aftermarket copper head gaskets up to about 2mm or 0.08" thick, which would be a good choice for supercharged motors in an effort to reduce the compression to prevent knocking). So by comparison, the stock head gasket compressed is about 1.25mm or about 0.050" thick.

I remember reading about a guy with a supercharged Hilux that was using extra thick copper headgaskets (around 3mm or .112" IIRC) in an effort to reduce compression because he was having ping issues. Since I'm supercharged anyway, I might be interested in going a similar route and make up for the reduced compression with increased boost...


It won't change compression much either way, but the copper gaskets do tend to seal well (copper is very soft) and would not be a bad choice for your SC'd motor to loose a tiny bit of compression. Trouble is finding a set of copper HGs for the 3.4L a reasonable price.

[mt_goat]

Sorry to see the troubles Brian. Good luck with it all. Jamie's thread should be a great help.

[mastacox]

Alrighty, so I need to pull the trigger on buying the stuff I'll need for my rebuild. Because I don't live particularly close to a large Toyota Dealer, I need to make an effort to buy everything I need for this job. Each missing part or problem I run into will mean extra days down, which I need to avoid.

Here's a list of what I'm thinking I'm going to need for this project, based on MTL's adventures and the FSM:

Timing Belt Parts:

Timing Belt (OEM)
Water Pump (OEM?, ouch)
Timing Belt Tensioner (PCI P/N 60193)
Timing belt tension idler bearings #1 (OEM Toyota P/N 13505-62070) and #2 (OEM Toyota P/N 13503-62040)
"Custom" SST for crank pulley bolt. Will I need the SST/puller to get the crank pulley off?
SST for the RH/LH camshaft timing belt pulleys? Craftsman maybe?
The last step in the FSM is removing the crankshaft timing pulley with a SST, but I don't think I need to remove this pulley since I'm not doing anything in the bottom end.


Head parts:

Copper head gaskets, as long as I can find a set. Backup plan will be an OEM gasket set as long as we don't need to take more than .0039" off the heads.
Knock sensor wire (OEM Toyota P/N 82219-34010)
(16) Head bolts (OEM Toyota P/N 90910-02077)
(6) Exhaust heat shield nuts (OEM Toyota P/N 90179-06293)
RH/LH Cylinder Head Cover Gaskets?
(6) Spark Plug Tube Gaskets?
Exhaust Crossover/Collector Gaskets?
Heads/Exhaust Manifold gaskets?
Intake Manifold Assembly Gaskets?
PCV valve and gasket (OEM Toyota P/N 12204-62010 and 90480-18001)


Random Other Stuff:

Blue Loc-Tite
Red Loc-Tite
Bolt Anti-Seize
Engine Assembly Oil
Black RTV (just in case)
Broken Bolt Extractor Kit (just in-case)
Cam service bolts (M6x1.0, 16-20mm length)
Gasket Scraper (to clean engine block from old head gaskets)
Torque Wrench that covers below 25 ft-lb range (I already have a 25-250 ft-lb craftsman digi-torque)
Toyota Red Antifreeze
Possibly a metric tap/die set for chasing bolts and nuts, if I can find one on a tight budget



So, I would REALLY appreciate it if people with experience in timing belt replacement and/or head work would take a look at the list and tell me what I'm missing (or what I probably won't need). Like I said, the more I'm prepared for, the faster this will go when I dive in. Thanks! :thumbup:

And for MTL- where did you get the top-end gasket kit you refer to in your thread (I see ITM but no link)? I assume you got your heads rebuilt by www.cylinderheads.com (http://www.cylinderheads.com), so I'm planning on using them too. Looks like you had a good experience with them.

[mt_goat]

Will I need the SST/puller to get the crank pulley off


No, you can get by without it coming off, but you'll need it for going back on so might as well make it first. Coming off you can use the bump starter method.

[mastacox]

Will I need the SST/puller to get the crank pulley off


No, you can get by without it coming off, but you'll need it for going back on so might as well make it first. Coming off you can use the bump starter method.


The FSM has two SST's associated with removal of the crank pulley. One is breaker-bar looking thing that fits in the pulley and prevents it from moving when you loosen the bolt. In the next step after the bolt is removed, there is an optional "if necessary" step using a puller looking SST and service bolt to yank the pulley from the crank. I'm wondering if the pulley will be seized on the crank necessitating a puller, or should I be able to just yank/bang it off?

Pictures of the two SST's in step 14:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement4.jpg

[mt_goat]

Oh sorry, I was just talking about the holder SST to loosen the crank bolt, yeah you'll probably need the puller SST to get it off. I just borrowed a puller from Autozone to pull the balancer off the crank on my Taurus.

[MTL_4runner]

I doubt you'll need a puller to get the balancer off if you live in a dry, rust-free climate like NM but it might be a good idea to have one handy. If you wanted to buy one, I use the Snap-on one attached and they should be not too expensive on ebay.

If you need a balancer holding tool, just look in my head gasket thread and you'll see how to make one from a 2x4 which will be dirt cheap.

[mastacox]

Alrighty, its time to wake up this thread because I'm getting ready to get dirty :hillbill: :wrenchin:

I saved up my money and am going all-OEM on the rebuild. It's going to be quite a bit more expensive than a "budget" rebuild, but once everything is done I'll have a brand-new engine, which is going to be sooo nice since my supercharger is recently rebuilt too. This thing is going to be smooth and fast!

So, I pulled the trigger at www.toyotapartsales.com (Toyota of Dallas) and a head remanufacturer and bought the following:


Timing Belt
Water Pump
Timing Belt Tensioner
Upper Timing Idler
Lower Timing Idler
Engine Overhaul Gasket Set
PCV Valve
Head Bolts
Exhaust Studs and Nuts
Knock Sensor Wire
Remanufactured heads from www.cylinder-heads.com


So altogether parts will be around $1500, which sounds about right for the work being done (a FULL top-end rebuild). In addition I'll be buying a few odd-n-ends like some air tools, a smaller torque wrench, and some stuff to make custom SST's. Along with my trusty FSM, I'm planning on doing the entire job over an extended next weekend. Getting the remanufactured heads will be nice because I'll have them ready to put in when I start taking the engine apart. Paired with a nice air compressor, a full complement of air tools, and a firend for a slave, I think we'll be able to get it done.

:wrenchin: :wrenchin: :wrenchin: :wrenchin:

[DHC6twinotter]

When I did my timing belt, I build my own SST to keep the crank from turning while I loosened the crank bolt. It was easy, and cost me less than $9.00. I used a pulley puller to pull the crank pulley off once I had the bolt out. I got it from the auto parts store loan-a-tool program. :thumbup:

[MTL_4runner]

Brian, just reuse the head bolts and save some cash there. I changed mine out since my engine had overheated and I was worried the extreme heat might have changed the material properties in the stock ones. Yours should be fine to reuse on your rebuild.

The price tag sounds right about dead on for what I paid as well.

Also only use the premixed Toyota pink coolant when you refill the system.

[mastacox]

Brian, just reuse the head bolts and save some cash there. I changed mine out since my engine had overheated and I was worried the extreme heat might have changed the material properties in the stock ones. Yours should be fine to reuse on your rebuild.

Spending this much, I'm OK with a little more for some peace of mind... They aren't really that expensive.



The price tag sounds right about dead on for what I paid as well.

That's good to hear, I was happy with the individual prices on the parts, but there was a >tiny< bit of sticker shock when I added it all up. Still, definitely worth it.

[mastacox]

Just to document it, you DO NOT require a casting number to order heads for the 5VZ-FE. There is only one head configuration, so it's irrelevant (unlike heads on many domestic engines, especailly V-8's).

I got the pair of remanufactured heads for $620 shipped to me, and I have 30 days to ship my heads back to them as the core. Not a bad deal, considering the fact that they are DOHC which means the valve lash, cam adjustments, and everything are handled by the shop that rebuilds them (my friend with a domestic 383 stroker was very jealous, because I guess adjusting valves while the engine is in the engine bay is a PITA for him).

Thread: http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=8056.new

[mastacox]

I got some tools from Harbor Freight to help me out with the job. I'm planning on using air-tools as much as possible, to keep fatigue down and speed up!

46-Piece Pulley Puller Set
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/37800-37899/37824.gif

3/8" Air Ratchet, 45 ft-lbs (I've already got a 400 ft-lb Craftsman Impact Gun)
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/47700-47799/47706.gif

3/8" Click-Stop Torque Wrench (5-80 ft-lb), to compliment my 1/2" 25-250 ft-lb Craftsman Digi-Torque
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/00800-00899/00807.gif

13 Piece 1/2" Drive Deep Impact Socket Set, SAE
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/01600-01699/01676.gif

13 Piece 1/2" Drive Deep Impact Socket Set, Metric
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/34600-34699/34683.gif

7 Piece 1/2" Drive Swivel Impact Socket Set, Metric
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/94500-94599/94516.gif

4 Piece 1/2" Drive Impact Extension Set
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/02600-02699/02689.gif

[mastacox]

For my own reference, I scanned in all of the pages for a timing belt replacement in the FSM. Next step will be the head removal pages.

Here they are:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement1.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement2.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement3.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement4.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement5.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement6.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement7.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement8.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement9.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement10.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement11.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement12.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/98%204Runner%20FSM/TimingBeltReplacement13.jpg

[mastacox]

Does anyone know what the length and screw pitch is for the head bolts? I bought them from Toyota, but I can't help but think you could get identical (or at least interchangeable) bolts from McMaster-Carr for significantly less...

[MTL_4runner]

Does anyone know what the length and screw pitch is for the head bolts? I bought them from Toyota, but I can't help but think you could get identical (or at least interchangeable) bolts from McMaster-Carr for significantly less...


I can tell you the length and screw pitch but the head bolts are not your average bolt by any means. They are torque-to-yield bolts which means they are meant to stretch a bit to provide the proper clamping pressure on the head. Either use your old ones or get new ones......not an area to be experimenting with.

On another note, I can tell you those tools you got will help you alot during the process.

[YotaFun]

Jamie, correct me if I am wrong, but I thought that torque-to-yield was a one time use bolt?
Due to the fact as you mention, that they stretch.

At least that's was something I read up online and later found out in one of my classes...

[mastacox]

I can tell you the length and screw pitch but the head bolts are not your average bolt by any means. They are torque-to-yield bolts which means they are meant to stretch a bit to provide the proper clamping pressure on the head. Either use your old ones or get new ones......not an area to be experimenting with.

On another note, I can tell you those tools you got will help you alot during the process.


Well, I'm still interested in knowing the thread pitch and length (I already bought Toyota factory bolts). Torque-to-yield is not a specialty kind of bolt, it's just a method of tightening the bolt. So if by looking at the head of the bolt you can tell what class it is (say for example a class 10.9) then any other class 10.9 bolt with the same length will have the same yielding characteristics when being torqued.



Jamie, correct me if I am wrong, but I thought that torque-to-yield was a one time use bolt?
Due to the fact as you mention, that they stretch.

At least that's was something I read up online and later found out in one of my classes...


It's common practice to re-use TTY head bolts, lots of people do it. The reason they're specced as being single use is because it's difficult to know what the exact preload is on the bolt when you retorque it after being yielded. I went ahead and bought new bolts, just to have the extra peace of mind that I did everything according to Toyota specifications.

[MTL_4runner]

Jamie, correct me if I am wrong, but I thought that torque-to-yield was a one time use bolt?
Due to the fact as you mention, that they stretch.

At least that's was something I read up online and later found out in one of my classes...


The answer is technically yes, they should be one time only use. The reality is that there is usually enough safety factor in the yielding (stretching) on the bolts to use them twice. I wouldn't go more than that though. After 2 uses I'd use brand new bolts and especially in my case where the bolts may have been overheated (thus potentially changing the material properties) or in Brian's case since I forgot he will be using a supercharger on his setup (which will up the cylinder pressures and thus the load on the head bolts considerably).

[MTL_4runner]

Well, I'm still interested in knowing the thread pitch and length (I already bought Toyota factory bolts). Torque-to-yield is not a specialty kind of bolt, it's just a method of tightening the bolt. So if by looking at the head of the bolt you can tell what class it is (say for example a class 10.9) then any other class 10.9 bolt with the same length will have the same yielding characteristics when being torqued.


With all due respect Brian, that is simply not correct.

This article describes it better than I could:


Torque-To-Yield (TTY) is a term that you should be familiar with because it describes a type of head bolt that is used on many late model engines. Unlike ordinary head bolts, TTY head bolts are designed to deform - but do it in a controlled way. Like a standard head bolt, a TTY bolt will stretch and spring back up to its yield point. But once the yield point is passed, the bolt becomes permanently stretched and does not return to its original length. Because of this, TTY bolts should not be reused.

Why intentionally stretch the head bolts? Engineers discovered they can get much more even clamping on the head gasket if all the bolts are evenly loaded. Since variations in friction between bolts always causes some uneven loading, stretching the bolts guarantees all the bolts will exert the same clamping force regardless of the torque reading on the wrench. The result is improved cylinder sealing, longer head gasket durability and less cylinder bore distortion (for reduced blowby and more power).

TTY head bolts are typically used on engines with aluminum cylinder heads (where there is a lot of thermal expansion) and with multi-layer steel (MLS) head gaskets. MLS head gaskets are very stiff gaskets with much less compressibility than standard soft-faced composition head gaskets. On the other hand, MLS head gaskets are almost bullet-proof and produce much less bore distortion than other types of head gaskets because they require less clamping force. But to seal properly, MLS head gaskets require very smooth (almost polished), flat surfaces on the head and block. This, in turn, requires very precise and even clamping loads by the head bolts. That's why TTY head bolts are used in these engines.

How can you tell TTY head bolts from ordinary head bolts? TTY head bolts are typically longer and narrower than standard head bolts. Factory service manuals will tell you which applications use TTY bolts, and you can often tell from the head bolt tightening procedure if the bolts are TTY or standard. TTY bolts typically have an angle tightening specification rather than a specific torque value (which requires using an angle gauge when tightening the bolts).

The torque procedure for tightening a TTY head bolt involves tightening it until a certain torque reading is reached. Then the bolt is given an additional turn to a specified angle (say an additional 45 to 90 degrees) to load the bolt beyond its yield point for maximum clamping pressure.

You can see the necked portion (making it a TTY design) on the bolts in the attached pic below. Sounds like it's a moot point anyway since you already did the smart thing and bought new OEM TTY head bolts. :thumbup:

[Whitey]

Wish me luck! Any suggestions of things I might look for or replace while I'm in there are greatly appreciated!



No luck needed, been there done that already.......just follow my thread with pics.
http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=2241.0

One thing I would have done differently is to resurface the heads so keep that in mind (well worth pressure testing the head, redoing your valve seals and a valve job while the head is apart). Careful taking out the cams, remember the service bolt!!! I also went through factory vs aftermarket parts so read up an save some money in the process too. Just reuse the headbolts if you didn't overheat the truck like I did. Don't use anything but a factory head gasket though, I can't stress this enough. It's a few days work for most people plus machining time so plan ahead, stay organized, don't cut corners and the job won't be as hard as you think.

Jamie,
The pics dont work anymore. Any chance you could get them back up?

[MTL_4runner]

Jamie,
The pics dont work anymore. Any chance you could get them back up?


Done!

[Whitey]

You are a gentleman and a scholar.

[mastacox]

Thanks for the heads up on thopse bolts Jamie, didn't realize they had a necked down portion. :wrenchin:

So, I got the majority of the Toyota parts in today. It's quite a pile of expensive-looking boxes! The heads should be coming in tomorrow or Thursday, and then it's on! :wrenchin:

The all-important gasket set:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/GasketSet1of1.jpg

Idler #1:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/Idler11of2.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/Idler12of2.jpg

Idler #2:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/Idler21of2.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/Idler22of2.jpg

Tensioner:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/TimingTensioner1of3.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/TimingTensioner2of3.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/TimingTensioner3of3.jpg

Water Pump, we can see the all-important markings that confirm it's a Toyota OEM pump:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/WaterPump1of3.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/WaterPump2of3.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/WaterPump3of3.jpg

Knock Sensor Wire, I hear these get very beat up with engine heat:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/KnockSensorWire1of1.jpg

PCV Valve, just because:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/PCVValve1of1.jpg

Timing Belt:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/TimingBelt1of1.jpg

Exhaust Collector Studs & Nuts, in case I decide I need them:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/ExhaustStuds1of2.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Toyota%20Parts/ExhaustStuds2of2.jpg

[DHC6twinotter]

I love new and shiny parts. That tensioner looks similar to the later 3.0 ones.

Looks good so far! :thumbup:

[mastacox]

Got the new heads in! They're so shiny and purty, I'm going to have to clean out the rest of my engine bay...

The new heads.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Rebuilt%20Heads/IMG_6818.jpg

Makes me wish I had aftermarket cams to put in since I'm in here...
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Rebuilt%20Heads/IMG_6811.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Rebuilt%20Heads/IMG_6812.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Rebuilt%20Heads/IMG_6813.jpg

A nice smooth sealing surface
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Rebuilt%20Heads/IMG_6815.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Rebuilt%20Heads/IMG_6814.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Rebuilt%20Heads/IMG_6819.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Rebuilt%20Heads/IMG_6825.jpg

[mastacox]

I started the job today after work :wrenchin: Got home, ate some dinner, and then took things apart for about 3 hours. I made good time I think.

What I have done so far:

Drained fluids
Removed intake
Removed Supercharger
Removed Fan, Fan Pulley
Removed top timing cover
Unbolted power steering pump


It's always good to take pictures before you take everything apart, to remind yourself where things go (I also organize bolts in labeled zip-locks).
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%201/IMG_6828.jpg

Starting to get somewhere:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%201/IMG_6835.jpg

Timing belt is in good shape with about 75k miles on it, it will be replaced along with everything else timing belt related
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%201/IMG_6836.jpg

Where I stopped for the night:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%201/IMG_6841.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%201/IMG_6844.jpg

Engine parts piled on the bench:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%201/IMG_6843.jpg

[YotaFun]

Looking good so far!

Hoping you covered the intake opening with tape though...
I mean I know your pulling the heads and all, but getting unwanted dirt into the system is never fun...

And as for cleaning the engine bay, I now feel that is a lost cause, I have tried but it gets dirty quicker then I can say the word clean... lol!

[MTL_4runner]

There's nothing like getting a bunch of shiny new parts to install on your motor rebuild.
Keep those great progress pics coming. :thumbup:

[mastacox]

Hoping you covered the intake opening with tape though...
I mean I know your pulling the heads and all, but getting unwanted dirt into the system is never fun...


Nah I didn't bother, since I'm taking the whole engine apart anyway and will be cleaning everything out before I put it back together.

More progress tonight!

[YotaFun]

yeah, I figured, I guess I am just more of a worry wart.

Looking good, maybe this will be the motivation I need to tackle my engine a little more...

[mastacox]

So Jamie, how the hell did you get the exhaust manifolds unboled from the crossover pipe (or just the exhaust out period)? The nuts are almost impossible to get to from any direction... I have the nuts off of the manifold itself (but a few studs in the head are still there), but I can't get the crossover unbolted and it's basically the only thing preventing me from taking the heads off.

:ban: :ban: :ban:

[mastacox]

Well I still don't have the crank pulley off yet, it's really on there and here's what happened when I made the famous 2x4 SST:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%202/IMG_6856.jpg

So I'm making a new one out of 2"x2" Aluminum angle, hopefully that will fix the problem...
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%202/IMG_6857.jpg

[mastacox]

Here's what I got accomplished last night (which wasn't as much as I had hoped unfortunately...

I finally got the lower intake off:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%202/IMG_6850.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%202/IMG_6852.jpg

...and I decided to take the radiator out, it's given me a lot more room up front to work on the engine, and to get an impact wrench on the crank pulley (which didn't work sadly...) I think it's because the pulley can move right now.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%202/IMG_6851.jpg

This manifold is relatively accessible for removal, but the collector is very difficult to get to (I went and bought some ratcheting wrenches, which helped some).
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%202/IMG_6853.jpg

I don't know HOW I'm going to get this one out! I'm hoping I'll be able to get the head out by just unbolting the exhaust manifold rather than completely removing it from the crossover.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%202/IMG_6854.jpg

[MTL_4runner]

Brian, it looks like you're just taking those bolts off dry. I would highly recommend using liberal amounts of WD-40, PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench applied to every bolt you want to get off and to let it all soak for at least overnight. On really stubborn ones, you may need to soak it two or three times.

The exhaust manifold bolts on the head can all be reached with a long metric socket and a 1-2" extension. The ones on the collector are much harder to get at. A combination of flex head ratchet, long socket and extensions (for the lower ones which are better reached from under the vehicle) should get you where you need to go. Definately let them soak in penetrant before you try them.

On the crank pulley bolt, I don't know if you used loctite on the bolt but if you did you may need to heat the bolt up with a propane torch to get it off (high heat breaks down the loctite). I only maybe heated it for about 2 minutes and then used the impact gun to finish the job. Again a good item to hit with penetrant and let soak as well.

[MTL_4runner]

Well I still don't have the crank pulley off yet, it's really on there and here's what happened when I made the famous 2x4 SST:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%202/IMG_6856.jpg


The reason it split is likely because....
a) you should allow at least 6" of wood to extend past the last bolt hole
b) you put both bolt holes in line with each other (ie both in the same wood grain, thus it splits much easier)

Look again at the way I built mine in my post here:
http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=2241.msg28952#msg28952

The one time I did split it was when I tried to loosen the crank pulley bolt with loctite red (ie permanent loctite) on it. Also make sure to cut the bolts off so that they are long enough to go into the balancer but that they are also the right length so the 2X4 sits right against the face of the balancer.

[mastacox]

You're probably right about that Jamie, but I just can't see how a 2x4 will be strong enough for me here, I put a LOT of force on that thing and the bolt hasn't budged one millimeter... Hopefully the Aluminum angle, sadwiched together three times, will do the trick.

So on the exhaust manifold front, I'm soaking all the bolts in WD-40. Hope that helps, even so I'm going to need to take the crossover pipe out when the heads are off because its threads are in bad shape after a few botched attempts at putting new studs and nuts on it a while back. I may end up just drilling the holes bigger and putting bigger bolts in there instead of the studs.

[MTL_4runner]

So Jamie, how the hell did you get the exhaust manifolds unboled from the crossover pipe (or just the exhaust out period)? The nuts are almost impossible to get to from any direction... I have the nuts off of the manifold itself (but a few studs in the head are still there), but I can't get the crossover unbolted and it's basically the only thing preventing me from taking the heads off.


It's a bugger to get at all the bolts but you really need to get them all out including the ones on the crossover pipe to allow you to get the heads off and then to line everything back up during reassembly. Try going at the bolts from both the top and from underneath the vehicle. Just don't round any nuts or you'll need a torch to get them off.

[mastacox]

On the crank pulley bolt, I don't know if you used loctite on the bolt but if you did you may need to heat the bolt up with a propane torch to get it off (high heat breaks down the loctite). I only maybe heated it for about 2 minutes and then used the impact gun to finish the job. Again a good item to hit with penetrant and let soak as well.


I may have to try heating it up some with a little butane torch I have, but I think the aluminum bar I'm fabbing will probably do the trick. I've never taken it off before so I have no idea if loctite was used. The last Timing belt job was done by a good Toyota dealership in NC, if that matters.

[MTL_4runner]

You're probably right about that Jamie, but I just can't see how a 2x4 will be strong enough for me here, I put a LOT of force on that thing and the bolt hasn't budged one millimeter... Hopefully the Aluminum angle, sadwiched together three times, will do the trick.


It does take alot of force to move it. I use a craftsman 1/2" ratchet with the handle from my floor jack slid over it for leverage. I would rest the 2X4 against my chest and then pull the jack handle towards myself (be careful though because you don't want to lose a tooth when it does let go). It's about 40" of leverage and I'm sure I put 500-600 hundred ft-lbs (maybe more) on the bolt the first time I broke it loose. The bolts on the 2X4 SST were bending a bit but they still held it in place enough for me to loosen the crank pulley bolt.

I don't think the Toyota dealer would have used loctite but they may have put on more than the recommended ft-lbs though.

[mastacox]

It does take alot of force to move it. I use a craftsman 1/2" ratchet with the handle from my floor jack slid over it for leverage. I would rest the 2X4 against my chest and then pull the jack handle towards myself (be careful though because you don't want to lose a tooth when it does let go). It's about 40" of leverage and I'm sure I put 500-600 hundred ft-lbs on the bolt the first time I broke it loose. The bolts on the 2X4 SST were bending a bit but they still held it in place enough for me to loosen the crank pulley bolt.


I believe it, I'm using an 18" long 1/2" drive bar with a 36" pipe over it's handle and snapped the 2x4 no problem.

[DHC6twinotter]

When I build my SST, I used a piece of steel about 4' long and 4" wide. I drilled the holes in it and bolted it to the front of the crank pulley. I rested the SST on the bottom of the frame rail or ground (can't remember which), and used my rachet with a pipe on the end to brake the bolt loose. It worked good, but I had to use just about all my body weight to break the bolt loose. I also broke a rachet and 2 sockets in the process. :hillbill:

[Seanz0rz]

we had the same problem

offset the holes on your 2x4, thats what worked for us on our 90 (i say us, i was probably 9 or 10, dad did all the heavy lifting)

put the holes like this
| O|
| O |
|O |

[mastacox]

Alright I'm off to try and get those damn exhaust manifolds off. We'll see how things go...

[mastacox]

Finally! Actual progress!!! :wrenchin:

I got the nuts off of the exhaust manifolds on both sides, but some studs stayed in on the heads and the collector, so they were impossible to get off because I don't have the necessary star tool to remove them. SO I decided the whole exhaust system was loose enough to try taking off the passenger side head without the manifold being completely out first (although it was unbolted and somewhat loose).

[Note: Sorry for the somewhat lower picture quality, I left my camera at a friends house by mistake and had to substitute with our video camera for tonight. Better detail pictures of the hone and condition of the cams will come tomorrow.]

Passenger side head cover off, and exhaust cam out, not too dirty, but I was due for an oil change and it shows in the stuff in there:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%203/IMG_0146.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%203/IMG_0147.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%203/IMG_0148.jpg

Both cams out, time to take off the head bolts. They were surprisingly well torqued, I had to use a heck of a cheater bar to twist them out an they creaked a LOT for the first quarter turn or so.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%203/IMG_0149.jpg

The moment of truth had come, and I was able to get the head out!!! This is the first time I've ever seen the pistons of this engine (and the first time they've seen light since the factory).
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%203/IMG_0150.jpg

Just like MTL's engine, even after 150,000 miles (and a hard last 100,000 or so with the supercharger) the factory hone cross-hatch is still visible. Simply amazing!
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%203/IMG_0153.jpg

The head finally sitting somewhere other than on my engine:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%203/IMG_0151.jpg

SO, since I had made good time taking the passenger side head off, I decided to do the driver side as well:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%203/IMG_0157.jpg

Hmm, I think I may see a steam-cleaned piston from burning coolant:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%203/IMG_0158.jpg

That looks like the culprit cylinder to me, I haven't examined the HG closely yet though...
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%203/IMG_0159.jpg


The fruit of some pretty intense labor: two heads, ready to be cleaned and sent back for the cores. Tomorrow is part cleaning and the start of the re-assembly; I'll need a king-size can of degreaser and some elbow grease....
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%203/IMG_0164.jpg

[MTL_4runner]

Looking good Brian, some real progress there!

Looks like the steam cleaned cylinder definately was the source of your leak. Can you take a close up of the head gasket from that cylinder bank (both sides of the gasket) as well as the underside of the cylinder head? Just out of curiosity I'd like to see where exactly the leak was and if it was in a similar place to what happened on mine.

Make sure you use a solvent-type gasket remover to dissolve the old material on the block. Scraping can damage the surface and make the gasket less prone to sealing later.

Another hint.....vice grips work great on the inverted torx used to install/remove the exhaust manifold studs.

[paddlenbike]

Thanks for sharing pics! Toyota sure makes some nicely engineered parts, those new cylinder heads are beautiful! Keep up the good work.

[mastacox]

So I'm wondering...

I'm getting ready to install the new water pump, but there is a bit of a discrepancy. The water pump came with a very fancy nice gasket that should seal it nicely, but the FSM makes no reference to a gasket and says to use RTV. So, which should I use?? I'm thinking gasket because I'm lazy.

[rworegon]

Mastacox, IIRC the old model of the pump had a groove on the back for the FIPG/RTV as mentioned in the FSM. The new style does not have the groove and uses the gasket instead. Me...I'd just go with the gasket too.

[mastacox]

SO I was finally able to zap my crank pulley off with the help of my king-size SST. The pulley required a little tug to come off the crankshaft, but nothing too bad.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6933.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6932.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6931.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6929.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6934.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6935.jpg

[mastacox]

Progress update...

The engine about as naked as its going to get:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6939.jpg

Parts cleaning time before everything starts going back together:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6914.jpg

The crossover needed some serious TLC, all three studs were galled in something bad:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6916.jpg

I decided to paint the exhaust manifolds with ultra-high temperature paint (good to 2000 F). The black is much better than muddy rust:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6918.jpg

New exhaust gaskets all around, thank god I'll be rid of my "clicking" exhaust leak at the collector:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6922.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6924.jpg

Helpers:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6936.jpg

Old water pump off, it was in ok shape:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6938.jpg

New water pump on:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6942.jpg

Driver's side head gasket:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6945.jpg

Diver's side head cranked down and ready to rock!
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6946.jpg

Passenger head going on:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6948.jpg

Passeneger head done!
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6949.jpg

Done for the night...
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6950.jpg

[mastacox]

Some detail shots of the old head gaskets in the vicinity of the steamed cylinder for Jamie:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6910.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%204/IMG_6913.jpg

[MTL_4runner]

Thanks Brian.....looks like it blew exactly where I'd expect it to (see pic below).
9 times out of 10 it will let go on the top side of the gasket on the #3 or #4 cylinders.

Really good progress you're making here and it will feel great the first time it fires up from the rebuild.

[MTL_4runner]

Mastacox, IIRC the old model of the pump had a groove on the back for the FIPG/RTV as mentioned in the FSM. The new style does not have the groove and uses the gasket instead. Me...I'd just go with the gasket too.


X2 Use the gasket that came with it.

[Whitey]

Would it make sense/be a little easier to put the plugs in before you put the heads on?

[mastacox]

Would it make sense/be a little easier to put the plugs in before you put the heads on?


Putting in the plugs is pretty easy either way, I figured I'd put them in when I had the lower intake back on and the plug wires ready.

[MTL_4runner]

Would it make sense/be a little easier to put the plugs in before you put the heads on?


Good thought but not really a good idea since it's pretty easy to damage one if the head slips during install. Putting them in after the job is done helps ensure you don't add any potential for additional troubleshooting.

[Whitey]

True. I a just a little plug paranoid after having my head threads strip.

[mastacox]

Update from yesterday- didn't get much done...

Got all of the timing components bolted up:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%205/IMG_6953.jpg

Lined up the timing belt. Believe me when I tell you I triple and quadruple checked it, I only want to do this once for this go round... and I can definitely see how the easiest part to mess up is accidentally being off by one tooth on the crank.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%205/IMG_6966.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%205/IMG_6967.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%205/IMG_6968.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%205/IMG_6970.jpg

Done!
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%205/IMG_6973.jpg

[mastacox]

This is it, the DONE post :lol: Damn that was a lot of work to just replace a stupid set of gaskets... :loser: The engine fired immmediately when I cranked it over, and it idles sooooo smoothly now. Good power and no weird noises... I put in a fresh change of Amsoil 0W-30 and cleaned air filter, and I'm good for hopefully a good while to come. Now I have to mail the old heads back to the company.

Putting the lower intake on:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_6979.jpg

Fuel injectors ready to go in, with oiled gaskets.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_6980.jpg

Fuel system bolted in, new PCV valve too:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_6987.jpg

The plastic engine wiring harness protector was in pretty sad shape, and cracked very easily when I took the engine apart. Rather than leave it in its damaged state, I wrapped some heavy-duty heat resistant aluminum tape around it to put it back together. It's a little shoddy, but the fix is now under the supercharger so it would be a PITA to get to later if I melted the wires in there...
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_6983.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_6985.jpg

Timing cover back on. The part is basically useless, but it somehow makes thge engine "look like it's supposed to."
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_6991.jpg

Put the radiator and fan back in:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_6993.jpg

Time to put in the spark plugs, Iridium IK-22's from URD:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_6998.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_7000.jpg

Gapped to .032", just the way we like it:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_6994.jpg

Ignition system back on:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_7001.jpg

The supercharger, finally back on its throne of glory:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_7003.jpg

The important Throttle body gasket that has an "o" shaped hole for max boost:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_7004.jpg

TB back on:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_7005.jpg

Intake back in:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_7006.jpg

And just like that, 6 days later, it's back together:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%206/IMG_7009.jpg

[mastacox]

This was kind of a funny incident- when I was torquing my crank pulley back on, I didn't think too hard about it and used a 1/2" drive to 3/8" drive adapter with a 3/8" drive 19mm socket and my 40" cheater bar. Needless to say, it didn't end well for the adapter...

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%205/IMG_6975.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Engine%20Rebuild/Day%205/IMG_6976.jpg

Sheared the porr bastard clean off, it didn't stand a chance (felt like it went at about 200 ft-lbs, I thought I had broken the bolt :confused:). Thankfully its a craftsman, so I can probably go get a new one for free... :love:

[Whitey]

Well done man.

[Good Times]

awesome job!

[Scuba]

Awesome job man :thumbup:

[MTL_4runner]

This was kind of a funny incident- when I was torquing my crank pulley back on, I didn't think too hard about it and used a 1/2" drive to 3/8" drive adapter with a 3/8" drive 19mm socket and my 40" cheater bar. Needless to say, it didn't end well for the adapter...

Sheared the porr bastard clean off, it didn't stand a chance (felt like it went at about 200 ft-lbs, I thought I had broken the bolt :confused:). Thankfully its a craftsman, so I can probably go get a new one for free... :love:


I'm not surprised at all you sheared that adapter off but Sears will give you a new one for sure.

Great job on the engine, you must have had a big ole grin after that motor fired up.

[mastacox]

Small update-

Drove the 4Runner all weekend and eveything ran great! I have run into a few small issues I'm not too sure about though:


The URD kit needs a tune now that the engine is running well again
I'm getting some rare misfires at high boost- I suspect I didn't crank one of the screw-on tops on the spark plugs enough, and it is loose now. That or I might need new plug wires, but the wires aren't very old... This will be fairly easy to diagnose with a spray bottle.
I have had a small ticking sound since the engine went back together. Gets faster and slower with engine rpms, is slightly louder when the engine is cold, and hasn't gotten better in the past 700 miles or so that I drove last weekend.


The ticking sounds troubles me, but its pretty difficult to diagnose... I'm worried one of the heads may have something that is out of spec, but what a PITA to take a head cover off and check. Still, I may have to check it in the next couple thousand miles or so; the company I bought the heads from gives a 2 year unlimited mile warrantee on their remanufactured heads (with mechanic cost reimbursement for head replacement), so it will be a PITA but I can have the heads replaced for "free" if they are the problem.

I'm pretty sure the problem isn't an enhaust leak from it's sound and it's too "low" on the engine to be a loud fuel injector (it seems to be coming from the general area of the drivers side head, any ideas on what it might be?) I'll try and capture the sound with the video camera when I get a chance, but it's not very loud so it might not turn out.

[MTL_4runner]

Drove the 4Runner all weekend and eveything ran great! I have run into a few small issues I'm not too sure about though:


The URD kit needs a tune now that the engine is running well again
I'm getting some rare misfires at high boost- I suspect I didn't crank one of the screw-on tops on the spark plugs enough, and it is loose now. That or I might need new plug wires, but the wires aren't very old... This will be fairly easy to diagnose with a spray bottle.
I have had a small ticking sound since the engine went back together. Gets faster and slower with engine rpms, is slightly louder when the engine is cold, and hasn't gotten better in the past 700 miles or so that I drove last weekend.




The misfire is likely a plug or wire issue as you mentioned.

The ticking sound made me immediately think of an exhaust leak but perhaps you've already ruled that out. the other two likely culprits are an improperly shimmed valve (could be too much or not enough shim thickness) or possibly a damaged seat or valve. I'd rum a compression test and leakdown test (on all the cylinders to give you a baseline pressure for reference) to eliminate the valve from being an issue and then focus on other possibilities.

[ubermoto]

Here's a list of what I'm thinking I'm going to need for this project, based on MTL's adventures and the FSM:

Timing Belt Parts:

Timing Belt (OEM)
Water Pump (OEM?, ouch)
Timing Belt Tensioner (PCI P/N 60193)
Timing belt tension idler bearings #1 (OEM Toyota P/N 13505-62070) and #2 (OEM Toyota P/N 13503-62040)
"Custom" SST for crank pulley bolt. Will I need the SST/puller to get the crank pulley off?
SST for the RH/LH camshaft timing belt pulleys? Craftsman maybe?
The last step in the FSM is removing the crankshaft timing pulley with a SST, but I don't think I need to remove this pulley since I'm not doing anything in the bottom end.


Head parts:

Copper head gaskets, as long as I can find a set. Backup plan will be an OEM gasket set as long as we don't need to take more than .0039" off the heads.
Knock sensor wire (OEM Toyota P/N 82219-34010)
(16) Head bolts (OEM Toyota P/N 90910-02077)
(6) Exhaust heat shield nuts (OEM Toyota P/N 90179-06293)
RH/LH Cylinder Head Cover Gaskets?
(6) Spark Plug Tube Gaskets?
Exhaust Crossover/Collector Gaskets?
Heads/Exhaust Manifold gaskets?
Intake Manifold Assembly Gaskets?
PCV valve and gasket (OEM Toyota P/N 12204-62010 and 90480-18001)


Random Other Stuff:

Blue Loc-Tite
Red Loc-Tite
Bolt Anti-Seize
Engine Assembly Oil
Black RTV (just in case)
Broken Bolt Extractor Kit (just in-case)
Cam service bolts (M6x1.0, 16-20mm length)
Gasket Scraper (to clean engine block from old head gaskets)
Torque Wrench that covers below 25 ft-lb range (I already have a 25-250 ft-lb craftsman digi-torque)
Toyota Red Antifreeze
Possibly a metric tap/die set for chasing bolts and nuts, if I can find one on a tight budget





46-Piece Pulley Puller Set
3/8" Air Ratchet, 45 ft-lbs
3/8" Click-Stop Torque Wrench (5-80 ft-lb)
13 Piece 1/2" Drive Deep Impact Socket Set, Metric
7 Piece 1/2" Drive Swivel Impact Socket Set, Metric
4 Piece 1/2" Drive Impact Extension Set



Awesome post Brian... Legendary!!! Thanks for documenting everything so well. I'm getting ready to dive into my own HG repair, but I have the benefit of the engine on a stand in the garage. My question is - was there anything you'd add to this list now that you are done? From subsequent posts, it looks like you added the tools below, but you had all the parts necessary (I hate downtime waiting for parts!).

Tools you bought/made

Homemade Crank Pulley Holder
Camshaft Holder
Tap for Exhaust Studs (thread size/pitch?)
Ratcheting Box End Wrenches (at least 12mm & 14mm)
'Star' (Inverse Torx) Socket for the exhaust studs?


Tools you already had that made it easier

400 ft-lb impact wrench
250 ft-lb torque wrench
I assume you had a full assortment of sockets/wrenches/screwdrivers, etc...


Anything else you wish you would have had that would have made the project go smoother?

Cheers! :drink: I've got a homebrew waiting for you if you ever pass through the north front range of Colorado.

Jeremy

[Obi..]

*Add a couple of snap on metric wobbles to that list, the things are worth their weight in gold and make it around some spots a standard swivel won&#39;t without binding up. Last job I did I think I ended up stacking them 2 and three deep, sooo much easier! :D

Snap-on Tools Wobble Plus Socket Ratchet Extensions (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Bcpjf6_vCk#)

[MTL_4runner]

*Add a couple of snap on metric wobbles to that list, the things are worth their weight in gold and make it around some spots a standard swivel won't without binding up. Last job I did I think I ended up stacking them 2 and three deep, sooo much easier! :D

X2

Those are some of the most used tools in my toolbox and Snap-On's are the best for sure (I have a set of thei impact swivels). Invaluable for working in the very tight spaces on modern vehicles.

[mastacox]

Awesome post Brian... Legendary!!! Thanks for documenting everything so well. I'm getting ready to dive into my own HG repair, but I have the benefit of the engine on a stand in the garage. My question is - was there anything you'd add to this list now that you are done? From subsequent posts, it looks like you added the tools below, but you had all the parts necessary (I hate downtime waiting for parts!).

Tools you bought/made

Homemade Crank Pulley Holder
Camshaft Holder
Tap for Exhaust Studs (thread size/pitch?)
Ratcheting Box End Wrenches (at least 12mm & 14mm)
'Star' (Inverse Torx) Socket for the exhaust studs?


Tools you already had that made it easier

400 ft-lb impact wrench
250 ft-lb torque wrench
I assume you had a full assortment of sockets/wrenches/screwdrivers, etc...


Anything else you wish you would have had that would have made the project go smoother?

Cheers! :drink: I've got a homebrew waiting for you if you ever pass through the north front range of Colorado.

Jeremy


That about covers it! Definitely get an impact 3/8" and 1/2" u-joint and/or set of wobbly sockets, and I also got a M10x1.25 tap for the exhaust collectors, because the studs were BAD (I showed pictures of me using it to fix them up).

Air tools were a nice thing to have, especially the 3/8" drive air ratchet. I didn't actually get very much use out of the impact wrench, but it was invaluable for the exhaust.

[DHC6twinotter]

Jeremy, you may want to add a pulley puller to help take that crank pulley off once your bolt is loose.

Great job Brian! I'm really hoping my head gaskets don't go out. :tapeshut:

[rworegon]

mastacox,
Have you had any issues with the •Remanufactured heads from www.cylinder-heads.com? (http://www.cylinder-heads.com?) My HG has a slight leak and I'm thinking of getting heads from the same place.
Thanks!

[mastacox]

I only have about 9000 miles on them, but they work great. They also come with an excellent warrantee, so I believe that they stand behind their work. Overall, I'm very happy with the quality of the heads. :thumbup:

[rworegon]

Excellent...thanks!