got some reman heads, head bolts and a head gasket set. i've never replaced heads or the gaskets before.. i've done the timing belt but i was just looking for some tips and or tricks on ways to save time and things to look for while i'm in there. i'm gonna pull the A/C while i'm doing it and try to make some room for a dual battery set-up. does anyone have some pics of their dual battery under hood set-up with a 3.0?
3vz-e reman heads and head gasket replacement tips or tricks?
- Thread starter eetdirt47
- Start date
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I'm sure a google search will return quite a few results. That is a common problem on the 3.0 engines. From my personal experience; Make sure you mark the vacuum lines for easy re-installation, and some head bolts normally break, replace them by drilling them out to release the tension from the head and then when the head is off you can take them out by hand. Also, make sure you have the updated head gaskets because they have changed the design numerous times.
Keep your bolts labeled and together. I used a ton of ziploc bags and a sharpie to help keep up with what goes where.
Take lots of pictures if you have a digi camera. They will be great for remembering what line went where when you start putting things back together.
Try and keep things as clean as you can, particularly when you get ready to pull the heads. A shop vac with a small nozzle attachment works great for getting the loose stuff out of the way.
Be careful when you start taking the fuel injectors out. The little plastic tabs break REALLY easy. I have taken 2 motors apart and broke 8 out of 12 of the little clips. I used some zip ties to make sure they went back and stayed together.
Have some extra vacuum line around, you may need it to replace in case you break or tear a few.
If you can get a set of bolt chases, nut taps, chases. As you take things apart it helps to chase the nut and bolts so things go back together nicely.
Look the old gaskets and the cylinders over good. Check the cylinders for scoring or gouging. Feel inside the cylinders and make sure they are smooth.
I'm sure I can think of a few more, but that is all I got for now.
Good luck,
Tucker
Take lots of pictures if you have a digi camera. They will be great for remembering what line went where when you start putting things back together.
Try and keep things as clean as you can, particularly when you get ready to pull the heads. A shop vac with a small nozzle attachment works great for getting the loose stuff out of the way.
Be careful when you start taking the fuel injectors out. The little plastic tabs break REALLY easy. I have taken 2 motors apart and broke 8 out of 12 of the little clips. I used some zip ties to make sure they went back and stayed together.
Have some extra vacuum line around, you may need it to replace in case you break or tear a few.
If you can get a set of bolt chases, nut taps, chases. As you take things apart it helps to chase the nut and bolts so things go back together nicely.
Look the old gaskets and the cylinders over good. Check the cylinders for scoring or gouging. Feel inside the cylinders and make sure they are smooth.
I'm sure I can think of a few more, but that is all I got for now.
Good luck,
Tucker
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #4
yeah i like to take good pics of stuff before i take it apart when there's that many vacuum lines and other lines/wires all running through each other. i'm going to pull my hood and super clean.. used to be castrol super clean (purple bottle) and pressure wash everything and having a shop vac with some small attachments is a good idea. maybe i'll custom up some small ones for my buddies shop vac. i have a haynes but does anyone have FSM torque readings for the head bolts? or somewhere to look em up...i'm in bush Alaska and i'm hoping to get some room in my friend airplane hanger in the next day or so to start tearing into it, it's heated!
I'm not at the shop today but if you send me a message later to remind me I can look them up for you tomorrow.
- Thread starter
- #6
right on man thanks.. so the hanger is full and i leave to anchorage on the 9th to go snowboarding and work on my subaru (99 legacy GT) my girlfriend drives it while she's going to college. i think i'm gonna do it in my friends shop. it's small and unheated. will the cold here affect torque readings or gaskets at all? it's in the 30's right now but it get's down like 10 below without the windchill...
I am not an engineer but I think the torque difference in winter temps is negligible for what we are doing. I did 3vze HG's in a parking lot the first week of winter in 07, besides cold hands I had no problems then or now.
Hey dirt. Did you ever get the torque specs for the heads? Here is a link to some toyota factory service manuals, you should be able to find what you need in here. Toyota Tacoma/ 4Runner/ Tundra/ FJ Cruiser Factory Service Manual Page I just did the HG's on my 92 3.0 and I didn't get the vacuum lines hooked back up right so take pics, label them, whatever, and if you don't mind send me some of those pics so maybe I can get mine straightened out (it runs, just idles way high)/ Thanks!
- Thread starter
- #9
got the specs and thanks. when i get it back together i could take some pics and post em but i've had my plenum off so many times messing with injectors and stuff so i know where they all go now. i broke the fuel line that hooks up to the plenum with a banjo bolt! anyone got an extra? i'm in anchorage right now so maybe i'll be able to hit up some of the yota guys here.. i gota grab a front diff gear carrier too to rebuild my front end. i almost forgot some things i need to grab while i'm out of the bush...
NorCalBorn
10 Year
15 Year
^ Similarly for the injector harness plugs, some there's usually 4 blue and 2 white, they are brittle by this point and it's not much money to get them, pop out the pins and repin new connectors. I've seen repairs where a tech just epoxied them back on instead of doing things right and w/i 10,000 the customer's wondering why their engine's got a misfire situation.
Same for the u-shaped PITA-Hose at the back of the block as well as the green and blue VAC/TVV ports as well as the central valley coolant bypass line, do them now while it's opened up versus later when you either have them break, fail, or leak on you.
Same for the u-shaped PITA-Hose at the back of the block as well as the green and blue VAC/TVV ports as well as the central valley coolant bypass line, do them now while it's opened up versus later when you either have them break, fail, or leak on you.
- Thread starter
- #12
so after weeks of -30 degree weather i had to chip ice for like an hour to get my buddy's shop doors open to tow my truck across Naknek River to put it in my grams shop. finally got my heads off and found the problem with the #5 miss fire, cracked valve. the picture of my pulling more line out of my truck is while we're on Naknek River. look that up on Google Earth.
![P300112_01.52_[01].webp](https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/p300112_01-52_-01-webp.595652/ "P300112_01.52_[01].webp")
finished
I just finished my head gasket job,i too had a burnt valve on #1 cylinder it was a long process since i had to be at work for most of the time.my suggestion is spend the money and get the head gasket kit from TOYOTA it's all worth it if you ask me also a new thermostat will insure proper temp. control replaced stuff like water pump and hoses if necessary you don't want to go back and fix it later it could cost you a headgasket.good luck on putting it back my 4runner sat for a little over 2 mos.due to lack of time and money to finish it.
Just to add is that it would be best to flush the block since you got the heads out i did find some sand in the block (casting sand) after looking down in the cooling jackets.
John
I just finished my head gasket job,i too had a burnt valve on #1 cylinder it was a long process since i had to be at work for most of the time.my suggestion is spend the money and get the head gasket kit from TOYOTA it's all worth it if you ask me also a new thermostat will insure proper temp. control replaced stuff like water pump and hoses if necessary you don't want to go back and fix it later it could cost you a headgasket.good luck on putting it back my 4runner sat for a little over 2 mos.due to lack of time and money to finish it.
Just to add is that it would be best to flush the block since you got the heads out i did find some sand in the block (casting sand) after looking down in the cooling jackets.
John
- Thread starter
- #15
i'll get it put together then flush the whole coolant system really good when i can roll it out of the shop and use the hose. hears a couple pics of the progress. me drilling out a bent and stubborn drivers side exhaust manifold stud. got the pistons cleaned up and a head on
- Thread starter
- #16
got the heads on, crossover pipe, new alternator. now i'm stuck.. got the wrong knock sensor wire. i bought one for a 92-95 truck because it's a 92, but it was manufactured in 91 so it has the old style wire. aprauto on ebay said they'd exchange it so now it's the waiting game. i'd post some pics but it won't let me.. something about a security token.