Blown Head Gasket Club

[candluiser]

I'm pretty sure I've just Joined the dreaded blown Head Gasket club. I'm getting steam from exhaust(clears after about 10 mins) and bubbles in radiator and No 1 Spark plug has a white coating. I'm having it pressure tested tomorrow. I 'm praying it's just the gasket and not a cracked head. Having read the FAQ it seems that it's a weak point and that the fault may be simply the gasket and not any other reason. It's not overheating and it is losing very little water. I've had a blown gasket before with a Mitsubishi Shogun(I think Montero in US) so I know what that steam looks like(and smells).
I've read via posts that the new gasket is much improved and my question is where should I buy my gasket from? The Stealerships here(Scotland) want £110 ($220)+ Tax. I've seen gaskets for sale on ebay(US) much cheaper, but are they as good as the new improved Toyota one.

Also should I buy the Gasket Repair DVD for my mechanic?

any help appreciated

Marko

 

[cruiserdan]

The DVD would be a valuable tool for your mechanic if he has not done this repair before and if he would accept it in the spirit of gaining knowledge. If he "knows all" to begin with the gesture may backfire.

 

[Ruadhrigh]

Also should I buy the Gasket Repair DVD for my mechanic?

Don't buy the DVD for your mechanic.

















Buy it for yourself!

If Fawk-Head (Beno) and I can do it, anyone can.

Also I don't have a garage, or a bunch of tools.

 

[candluiser]

The DVD would be a valuable tool for your mechanic if he has not done this repair before and if he would accept it in the spirit of gaining knowledge. If he "knows all" to begin with the gesture may backfire.

Geez! 12,000 posts. You must be God . And the man for parts as far as I can see.
So how much will a Gasket cost me and shipping to UK.

Don't buy the DVD for your mechanic.



Buy it for yourself!

If Fawk-Head (Beno) and I can do it, anyone can.

Also I don't have a garage, or a bunch of tools.

Damn, my excuse was I didn't have a garage. It rains here though. Okay it hasn't really rained for 6 weeks, but it surely will if I attempt to do it myself. How long did it take and what New Tools will I have to Buy?
Go on then convince me I can do it.
Was watching the DVD the clincher for your decision or was it the cost of someone else doing it.

What if the head is cracked?

Someone convince me not to do it please.


Marko

 

[Ruadhrigh]

Here is my garage:

The only "special tool" I needed was the Torx sockets. Sears has them, but so does Beno

The DVD is not required. But I watched it before, during and during. It is a good place to familiarize yourself. The FSM drawings are so, cold. The DVD has great pointers and it is nice to see what is ahead of you. Not to say that help is not appreciated, but a lot of the work is easy enough for one person.


Read up on the HG threads, lots of good info here on Mud.

 

[LX_TREME]

Nice Ruadhrigh, we should race hey but include rebuild top and bottom not just the headgasket alone

It may not easy since you had lift eh? I see brick down there

Good luck my friend

 

[medtro]

Damn, my excuse was I didn't have a garage. It rains here though. Okay it hasn't really rained for 6 weeks, but it surely will if I attempt to do it myself. How long did it take and what New Tools will I have to Buy?
Go on then convince me I can do it.
Was watching the DVD the clincher for your decision or was it the cost of someone else doing it.

What if the head is cracked?

Someone convince me not to do it please.


Marko

May be you can fly Beno over to help you, just don't let him touch your distributor or hide your pry bar

 

[Ruadhrigh]

Nice Ruadhrigh, we should race hey but include rebuild top and bottom not just the headgasket alone

It may not easy since you had lift eh? I see brick down there

Good luck my friend

Not sure I can keep up with you. My truck has been down since March I had the piston rings in mind... maybe I will do some work on the bottom. Are you getting your injectors serviced? If so, where?

And yes the cinder blocks are key.
Ali was nice enough to let me in on another secret to working on a lifted truck... air down the tires, and take everything you can out of the engine bay. The air cleaner takes up valuable sitting area. He was also the one that suggested hanging the spot lights from the rafters. What a great guy
Beno on the other hand...

May be you can fly Beno over to help you, just don't let him touch your distributor or hide your pry bar

All I'm gonna say is...


Don't do it!!!

haha, just kidding

(but really, don't do it)

 

[LX_TREME]

Are you getting your injectors serviced? If so, where?

Some local place here in SoCal RC Engineering.I just need those to be cleaned, balanced and calibrated (blueprinted).

RC Engineering

 

[LX_TREME]

If you already know then forget it, replace the fuel pressure regulator also while you in there.

 

[AKcruiserfreak]

I know this question has been asked a million times, but who sells the DVD? How much does it cost? I'm thinkng about getting stuff ready just in case.
Thanks
TK

 

[Lockd97]

Contact IdahoDoug. He is the man in the VID!

 

[IdahoDoug]

Click on the link below. Several are going out tomorrow (fri) so you can get into that batch yet today.

Marko, if that 110 quote is to replace the HG, I'd jump all over it. Just be sure they're using a factory Toyota gasket. Toyota redesigned it and if you buy an aftermarket it may be merely a copy of the original older design as aftermarket may be unaware of the redesign.

DougM

 

[Ruadhrigh]

Wow RC engineering is no joke. They are expensive!

I wasn't able to get the injectors out without spliting the manifolds. But then again I am amazed that you got the intake manifold out as one peice.

I have a list of parts to replace, like uncle Ali says: "Do you really want to f*** with this later?" But I will be sure to include the fuel pressure regulator.

 

[candluiser]

Click on the link below. Several are going out tomorrow (fri) so you can get into that batch yet today.

Marko, if that 110 quote is to replace the HG, I'd jump all over it. Just be sure they're using a factory Toyota gasket. Toyota redesigned it and if you buy an aftermarket it may be merely a copy of the original older design as aftermarket may be unaware of the redesign.

DougM

Hi Doug,

The quote from toyota is for the Gasket Kit £110+ Tax = £139.25 = $258(us) approx. For doing the whole Job, the dealerships want from $2,000 to $3,000.

 

[candluiser]

Don't buy the DVD for your mechanic.


















Also I don't have a garage, or a bunch of tools.

Here is my garage:

That Garage looks like the Garage that you don't have. I really don't have a garage, so It's a no no for me I think.

 

[candluiser]

Update.


The guy at a local garage said he didn't think it needed done and that I should leave it to"develop" and then do it. He doesn't understand I want to do it as PM. I think it has been like this for some time I just convinced myself during the winter that it was just steam on the cold days as it does clear after it's warmed up.

Could it be just condensation in the exhaust/muffler If I switch the engine off when it is hot and not steaming from the muffler and then back on a few minutes later I get the steam again from the muffler. If it is just condensation/water in the exhaust, how soon would it clear?

Or is there a hole or crack just sealing when the engine gets hot and expands

The spark plugs are new(400 miles ago) and they have a white deposit on them, which says coolant by all accounts.

I need advice guys! This not a DD it is used for family trips and Vacations and will do a max of 3-4K year. I reckon I've done 3k since i noticed it. So should I just carry on? and wait till it's a problem. I'm getting serious grief from my wife for all the money I've spent so far.

 

[Atticus]

Update.


The guy at a local garage said he didn't think it needed done and that I should leave it to"develop" and then do it. He doesn't understand I want to do it as PM. I think it has been like this for some time I just convinced myself during the winter that it was just steam on the cold days as it does clear after it's warmed up.

Could it be just condensation in the exhaust/muffler If I switch the engine off when it is hot and not steaming from the muffler and then back on a few minutes later I get the steam again from the muffler. If it is just condensation/water in the exhaust, how soon would it clear?

Or is there a hole or crack just sealing when the engine gets hot and expands

The spark plugs are new(400 miles ago) and they have a white deposit on them, which says coolant by all accounts.

I need advice guys! This not a DD it is used for family trips and Vacations and will do a max of 3-4K year. I reckon I've done 3k since i noticed it. So should I just carry on? and wait till it's a problem. I'm getting serious grief from my wife for all the money I've spent so far.

Blown headgasket could lead to warped head.

 

[Tools R Us]

Blown headgasket could lead to warped head.

True only if you overheat it.

How much coolant is it using, is there coolant in the oil?

 

[Atticus]

True only if you overheat it.

How much coolant is it using, is there coolant in the oil?

I just want to make sure he knows that before he decides to push it with the possibly failing gasket.