how many head gaskets should you replace in a year ? (1 Viewer)

[D'Animal]

don't tell any one but i did the get it tight as i can on the middle one with the re-torque....

You can flatten the gasket by doing that. It can create a weak spot and blow out.

 

[augirthedude]

go to a paint store and buy a stiff putty knife, then with a file shape the edge like a wood chisel. then with a sharpening stone hone edge to a razor finish. this has always worked for me to remove stubborn gasket remnants from used parts that need cleaning before re-instalation.

 

[JohnnyC]

Man, I've rebuilt over 120 of these engines and never once replaced the head bolts... these are not stretch type bolts.... your reoccurring problem is else where....

upon talking to a few buddies...this statement is ....True...they have never seen bad head bolts.

I spent too many years working on english cars ...its the 1st thing you go out and buy before the head gasket

I should know better ....Toyota quality is far superior! I appoligize for my miss information !

Keep the dough and get a toyota gasket...as they are far superior in quality...as many have posted.

 

[Matt60]

i used the spare money at the machine shop 42.00 and radiator flush 67.00 so that worked out. next will be a mechanical gage and some luck..

 

[Matt60]

well now i need the luck... also picked up the mech gage... whats the best mount inside for it, left or right of the wheel? just looking for opinions.

 

[D'Animal]

Left of the wheel you may hit it with your knee entering or exiting the vehicle.

I bought the "A" pillar gauge pod and will be installing mine in it.

 

[zuluzeugma]

Maybe someone already said this, but it all of the sudden hit me exaclty what is wrong with your head dude. If you had your head machined down quite a bit, you might be bottoming out your head bolts and need to get some of the Toyota head bolt washers. If you're bottoming out the bolts, you're not getting your head to torqued to spec and the extra pressure of the hills of AR is blowing them. something to think about dude.

 

[grant5127]

Bottoming-out

Nah... the problem would have been more wide spread, plus the alignment dowels would first......but surely if there was issues the machine shop would have gumption to make mention of sorts, but then again maybe not....

 

[Matt60]

i did use the same machine shop again. the last time i don't think they took much off this time they took more. the small indention in the middle of the block that is the wear indicator correct ? well any way i went through all of the threads on the block with laquer thinner and a q tip to make sure i didn't get any old gasket in them. all went smooth so far need to do a valve adj now. all bolts torqued and didn't feel to bottom out.

 

[zuluzeugma]

So weird...

I really don't get this at all...

 

[TrickyT]

Bump.

Matt60, is your HG still hanging together this time around? Did you discover any reason for the previous gasket failures?

Soap Box [on]: I just don't get the concept of saving a few bucks to buy anything less than the absolute best parts you can get, which to me means Toyota OEM. Like what's your time worth? Or the hassle of an premature/unexpected breakdown? I do all the work on my vehicles because that way I can be absolutely certain it's done by the FSM and without any shortcuts. Reliability, to me, is a very high priority. "Do the job right the first time" as my dad always said. That way I get to spend more time driving/playing-on-rocks and less time wrenching in the garage. Soap Box [off].

 

[MutleyFJ62]

But to answer your original question, its normal-ish to do a head gasket on a Cruiser maybe once over 15 to 20 years baring any major overheating issues. So two in one year....not good

 

[abdulr76]

Matt60,

How is your 2F now, did you change the head gasket this year. I am suffering from same problem right now and looking for help.

 

[Matt60]

haven't had to change any headgaskets on my truck for a while now the smartest thing i did was use the toyota HG. if i remember correctly it cost $200 but well worth it, and unless my mechanical temp gauge is wrong it never gets over 180F. good luck!

 

[Spike Strip]

Just an FYI --

This is an OEM (same as Toyota) HG -- Cylinder Head Gasket parts for 1986 Toyota - Allcarparts

I put one side-by-side to a dealer HG and there was no difference.

 

[lehiguy]

Maybe someone already said this, but it all of the sudden hit me exaclty what is wrong with your head dude. If you had your head machined down quite a bit, you might be bottoming out your head bolts and need to get some of the Toyota head bolt washers. If you're bottoming out the bolts, you're not getting your head to torqued to spec and the extra pressure of the hills of AR is blowing them. something to think about dude.

I took .070" off my 2F's head and still had room to spare on the head bolts. That's not likely his problem.

 

[JLH911]

Just an FYI --

This is an OEM (same as Toyota) HG -- Cylinder Head Gasket parts for 1986 Toyota - Allcarparts

I put one side-by-side to a dealer HG and there was no difference.

When compared to the Toyota one, I'm not seeing the steel re-inforcement around the cylinder openings. Are they maybe on the other side?

 

[FJ40Jim]

Yes, the metal fire ring is there, as well as the leaf spring between cylinders.

 

[Spike Strip]

JH - Yes, the same.

Jim, I was recently told by the local parts house that distributes the NHK gasket, part # 11115-61030 (11/84-8/92) has superseded 11115-61010 (1/75-10/84), so the 61010 will no longer be available.

Q: Will the 61010 gasket work on the later 2F/3F head ? I don't see any difference between the two gaskets (lower is a 61010) ... ?

 

[FJ40Jim]

The difference that I remember (and is not visible on the 61010 above) is the 61010 had different waterholes at the rear of the head to feed the flow director that pointed at #6 exhaust.

Other than that, all 2F/3F HG look pretty much the same.