80 series head gasket as preventative maint?

[peepers]

Having had my landcruisers "breakdown" 3 times, all while packed to the gills heading on vacation, I am thinking of doing my headgasget as preventative maintenance.

Does this really help in the longevity of it (Rick?)? In other words, would I be relatively safe for another 100k miles or so?

There is just thread after thread after thread of these things blowing and the last place I want it to happen is on vacation with a truck full of family and camping gear.

Thanks.

PS - I am tired of living in fear of the cruiser!

 

[Sporin]

I'm thinking the same thing Pete.

 

[KLF]

I think given the history, it's a really good idea. I did the same thing on my pickup 3 years ago just before it rolled over 200K. I was really glad I did it, I also did a bunch of other things like new SS valves and converted the head bolts to studs.

I would plan some time in the Spring to do it if'n I were you.

 

[Hypoid]

We could come up with a "tips & tricks" note for doing the headgasket replacement. It would have stuff in it like the new chain slipper part #, how to fish a new wiring harness through the intake, Rick's rope trick for holding the crank for torquing the bolt, etc.

And by "we" I mean not me, I've only helped out with two, and both of those involved three other people.

Hey Nat, do you have all the part numbers for the stuff you bought?

 

[landtank]

We were forced to do Nat's truck a few week's ago but it was in th eworks long before that. To be honest, it's more than just the HG if you want to basically bullet proof the engine from failure again soon

We replaced

HG
Main engine harness
Chain slipper (93 and 94 only)
oil pump seal
all vacuum hoses
egr modulator
egr VSV

we also

tanked the intake manifold and plenum
re sealed the oil pans

This is a tremendous amount of work and quite expensive but turning the hands of time backwards 15 years takes some doing.

But if you look at what usually side lines an 80 it's covered here with the exception of the air intake tube that was replaced for a crack earlier this year. I'm confident that Nat's truck will run for another 100,000 + miles with not much trouble, as far as the engine goes.

 

[peepers]

at this point i can only afford the HG but if i am going to keep the truck, which i am unless someone offers my ridiculous asking price, i want to get this step done and out of the way. the oil pump seal and valves sound like a good idea too...

i am going to call CDan and get a quote on the parts.

 

[landtank]

save your money and just do it right.

Making a 12 YO vehicle rock solid reliable takes time, money and expertise. Lacking in any one of those areas and the outcome will fall short of the goal.

 

[nat88toy]

to do all the stuff i did your going to be looking at at least $2,000 and thats just in parts and fluids. After doing all this to the truck i feels like a weight has been lifted off my chest and i can start enjoying this truck more.

Pete keep the damn 80 your never going to find another vehicle as solid as these 80's, as rick said it takes time to get a vehicle of this age back into shape

 

[HJ-45CrewCab]

I am trying to understand. Are you guys saying that a head gasket changeout is preventive maintenance for every high mileage 80 or just for those who drive them on its rev limiter to climb an obstacle? The 3VZ-FE is infamous for HG failures, but that is the only normal I was aware of.

 

[nat88toy]

I am trying to understand. Are you guys saying that a head gasket changeout is preventive maintenance for every high mileage 80 or just for those who drive them on its rev limiter to climb an obstacle? The 3VZ-FE is infamous for HG failures, but that is the only normal I was aware of.

this applies to all, the original head-gasket was flawed in design toyota know this and made a change to the gasket for the better

 

[landtank]

in the early 90s the use of asbestos in HGs was outlawed. So all the manufacturers had issues at some degree with failures. Because of our long I6 design the 80 was no exception. Nat actually got a good run out of his as some trucks failed as early as 70k. To my knowledge no redesigned HG has failed except on those occasions where the install was done in correctly.

 

[Hypoid]

Remembered

Injectors were sent out to be cleaned
Oil cooler was opened, but wasn't clogged so it just went back together
While the head was out, had a machinist do the valves

Good time to hit the PHH if it hasn't been fixed

 

[peepers]

save your money and just do it right.

Making a 12 YO vehicle rock solid reliable takes time, money and expertise. Lacking in any one of those areas and the outcome will fall short of the goal.

This is exactly why I think I might lean towards selling it now. Depending on what the tax return is I may or may not have the cash to buy the parts. You know as well as I do that I do not have the expertise, the driveway or the tools to do this.

I can ask the people here to see if they can donate the space and maybe make a small $$$ to their cruiser fund for helping my out but it might be stretching it.

to do all the stuff i did your going to be looking at at least $2,000 and thats just in parts and fluids. After doing all this to the truck i feels like a weight has been lifted off my chest and i can start enjoying this truck more.

Pete keep the damn 80 your never going to find another vehicle as solid as these 80's, as rick said it takes time to get a vehicle of this age back into shape

I kind of hear you. Based on the track record though, all I can think of is, once I do this, what's next?

Remembered

Injectors were sent out to be cleaned
Oil cooler was opened, but wasn't clogged so it just went back together
While the head was out, had a machinist do the valves

Good time to hit the PHH if it hasn't been fixed

I wish I were still up there to help & learn then rinse, lather & repeat.

 

[Hypoid]

I wish I were still up there to help & learn then rinse, lather & repeat.

Yeah, man. If you were here, I'd work on your truck all day. It's not like I have a job.

You are where BBQ is unlike anywhere else, and you have Taco Cabana.

 

[zebrabeefj40]

I kind of hear you. Based on the track record though, all I can think of is, once I do this, what's next?

I hate to say it but ANY vehicle will ALWAYS have a "whats next". That's the nature of mechanical stuff no matter how much money you throw at it. The only thing that changes is how you plan for it and your attitude when "whats next" happens.

Me? I'd put whatever cash you can afford in some sort of savings account so that if and when the head gasket or whatever fails you can pay for it on an as needed basis. Call it a car payment only some months you need the cash and some months you don't. Nothing I'm sure you haven't heard before.

Head gasket fails on a trip? Rent a car to get the family and gear home while you figure out the best way to repair your Cruiser. Maybe you get it fixed where it broke or maybe you get it towed to your local shop that you trust to do the work for a fair price.

Nick

 

[Sporin]

I think there is a chance mine has been done, I need to find my camera and take a few shots for you guys to look at. Bear in mind I have 240k on the clock... if it hasn't been done I am on seriously borrowed time.

 

[landtank]

Dave, just look at the cam plugs on the front cover. If the FPIG is gray in color the HG has not been done.

 

[Sporin]

I assume that is the 2 half circles, right? There is gray, but there is also black there, as well as black along the horizontal above that, and in a bit messier-then-factory sort of way.

Wishful thinking probably.

 

[KLF]

Dave, just look at the cam plugs on the front cover. If the FPIG is gray in color the HG has not been done.

Not trying to be a wise guy, serious question...

What if they used gray FIPG (RTV) when they re-did it? It's easy to buy, I have several tubes.

 

[nat88toy]

Not trying to be a wise guy, serious question...

What if they used gray FIPG (RTV) when they re-did it? It's easy to buy, I have several tubes.

if they used that crap you may want to redo it anyways, fipg is far superior to a rtv product
fipg and rtv is not the same