3FE Head Gasket (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Based on the detail oriented way your thread is organized, you already know what you're going to do - even if you haven't formally decided.

Full rebuild.
 
So you have a second shortblock now, and the original still may be okay? Just catching up here...
 
So you have a second shortblock now, and the original still may be okay? Just catching up here...
The original block, featured in this post:
Isn't in great shape, and would likely need to be bored out to be usable just based on this one cylinder's chunk missing, let alone the scoring everywhere in the other cylinders.

I'm also still not yet sure how the gallon of coolant got into the oil pan, if not through a crack in the block. So yes it could be ok, but I'm ill-inclined to explore that option since the block will require boring and therefore brand new pistons.

I found anothere 3FE, pulled from a running-before-it-was-parted-out '90 for $200, and am currently en route to pick it up. I'm not sure of it's exact condition, but for 200 it's at least likely to be a better starting point to rebuild than the one that's had thermal gremlins and allowed water into the oil.

Plus it comes with the wiring harness and all the motor's accessories still attached. :cool:
 
Based on the detail oriented way your thread is organized, you already know what you're going to do - even if you haven't formally decided.

Full rebuild.
I appreciate the vote of confidence, brother. You're probably right.
 
God, these are big motors.
20191112_202404.jpg


I did not expect to need a trailer, glad home depot had this one.
 
So.
Motor #2 finally got disassembled, plastigagued, and to the machinist.
It was fairly carboned up inside:
20191119_104543.jpg


20191119_105127.jpg


The mains came in at about .002"/.051mm:
20191122_140315.jpg


And the bearings themselves didn't look bad:
20191122_135055.jpg


The shop tells me that the crank polished to standard size, so I'll be able to use standard sized bearings.
 
The rod bearings had a few pits:
20191216_100920.jpg


20191216_100949.jpg


But besides those, they didn't exhibit much other damage; just wear.

They plastigagued at around .0015"/.038mm:
20191216_104136.jpg


The shop says they can take a bit of length from each rod cap (where the rod and cap meet) and then machine them out to concentric, to restore them to standard size.
 
Last edited:
The pistons came out by hand, and I felt zero ridge at the top of the cylinder.
They were, however, really really carboned:
20191216_105549.jpg


20191216_110013.jpg


20191216_110107.jpg
 
The lifters are less peachy.

Some look fine:
20191216_112836.jpg


And some are visibly trashed:
20191216_113306.jpg

20191216_113308.jpg


Their corresponding lobes on the cam are also pitted:
20191216_113058.jpg

20191216_113155.jpg


Manafre wants ~$650 for their cam+lifter set, is that outrageous?
What's the current best option for cam+lifters?
 
Delta regrinding my cam at stock profile seems to be the recommended option:
Since this seems to be the place we put the cam info we find...
I called Delta today about my 3FE's cam and they did _not_ recommend running the 250 or the 262/KC859 cam at my elevation here in Utah. (4500 feet+)
They cited insufficient vacuum, in particular, as a problem for EFI-ed F-series motors when running hotter cams.
A regrind of stock was what they recommended.

HTH someone else looking at this decision.

Doing the cam will be $60~80, and regrinding the lifters -even if pitted, he says they usually grind out fine- are $4 each.


Also... What's the verdict on ITM pistons/rings? (And bearings?) That's the kit the shop can find at .020(.5mm) overbore, and I don't see pistons/rings at that spec on toyotapartsdeal.

That said, the ones I do see on tpd (1mm overbore) come to about 900 bucks JUST for positions and rings, which is what the shop's asking for the block work AND the ITM/felpro kit together -including ITM bearings.

Any input here would be appreciated.
 
Last edited:
While the block was still at the machinist, I set to decarbing the intake.
I got from this
20191229_095950.jpg


to this
20191229_104504.jpg


before I realized I would never get it fully and should just let the machinist hot tank it for $20.


The entire manifold was coated in thick, sticky greasy blackness:
20191229_100005.jpg


So off it'll go for a bath.

The TB was really caked too:
20191229_095939.jpg


But I should be able to clean it up with some intake cleaner and wire brushes.

After this, I'm pretty sold on the idea of a catch can between the PCV and the intake.
 
Last edited:
Working on reassembly.

I'm seeing in the 3F FSM that it calls for "liquid sealer":
Selection_222.png


Is This means Toyota FIPG, per head gasket questions or am I just terrible at googling?
 
Last edited:
Stellar thread. Thanks for such careful documentation. Any updates?
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom