Finally got around to putting a rebuilt and upgraded head on my FJ60 2F (1 Viewer)

[norsk]

Sometime ago, I got a 2nd 2F head for my 1986 FJ60 with 217k miles on it. I followed JimC's counsel and upgraded to stainless steel Chevy valves. My machinist did a great job on it and last weekend (Apr 1-3, 2011) I pulled it and swapped in it. My monday it was running but with difficultly. Found a manifold leak and wednesday last, install two manifold gaskets and tightened it down - no more leak.

It was ran VERY smooth. Examining the old head, it looks like some of the exhaust values were pulled up into the head. This explains the extremely tight valve lash from last year when I first set the lash. I could not understand why it was TIGHTER instead of LOOSER. Now I do.

I used a Toyota head gasket and the machinist did all the rest on the head. Well, thursday morning headed to work with a STRONG engine (more than I had felt in a FJ-60 w/headers and trollhole's carb) and POP.

Find out that the head's rear freeze plug blew out.

The machinist accepts responsibility for this and will help pay for part or all of the parts cost, effectively losing the entire job costs for him. But I will return in the future for other work.

Now for the reason for this post.

Got a hold of CruiserDan to order just a head gasket this time instead of the valve-job kit from him.

He doesn't have any in stock but can order then. BUT, he cautions, the single item gasket has a 50 percent chance of arriving intact to his place in New Mexico. And it will take a week or more to get it.

BUT he does have a valve-job kit in stock and can ship it out to me. I take it.

Now the kicker: There are just 5 single item head gaskets in the continental US. Just 5. I didn't ask how many valve-job kits there are.

With Japan's crisis, we might be in the last days of Toyota's head gaskets. That is a scary thought.

My V8 plans just took a boost of a serious investigation. That plan is a complete build of GMPP parts, etc.

Thought you might like to know

doug t

 

[norsk]

Hey, why can't I edit my posts like I used to?

Anyway, I not only gained power but got 2 more MPG, 11 to 13.

I should have it back together by this saturday.

 

[norsk]

some of the pistons

 

[norsk]

other pistons

Now I had done line the other posts had indicated in this replacement, so it is nothing really new.

But the status of head gasket inventory is not good

 

[norsk]

here are some pre swap out pics

1) passenger side
2) manifold side
3) pic of the dirty rockerarms

I have a set of rockerarms that have been overhauled by Rockerarm specialists to put back in

 

[stocksail]

pics of the new head? (!)

 

[norsk]

pics of the new head? (!)

short answer: yes, I will begin the put back operation tonight. Didn't get the new freeze/core plugs until tuesday and then wednesday (yesterday) the machinist put it in the head and fixed one bolt hole that was went bad during my install.

Will probable finish up on saturday. That will make it 2 weeks 1 day for the project (unless something else goes wrong).


The summary of this is: OEM Head gaskets maybe very few in number out there.

doug t

 

[slcfj62]

You did fix the galley plug while you had it out right? And what machinist did you go with--sounds like a fair guy.

 

[Spike Strip]

Yeah, and where's the pix of the SS head ?

 

[norsk]

Charley's machine shop, in south Provo, Utah. Scott is the guy who did it. Really nice guy. Shoots cannons for fun and sport.

Okay got it all back together yesterday, saturday, took me 8 some hours. I don't work fast, but I work thorough. I don't want to repeat the failed issue again.

pic of the reconditioned head with SS valves. Now it had about 2 hours of use before pulling it off, but still looks nice

 

[norsk]

pic 1 is the rear cyl plug. This is the SOR 50mm one I got. Scott, the machinist, indicated this was much harder to install than the one he had chosen. He said he thought about spending the $10 more to get the OEM one, but used one he had laying around. It too was 50mm, but seems the SOR 50mm was more 50mm than the one he put in.

My original payment for the head was $360 for the work he did - including the oil galley plug. My second set of parts was $290 (head valve kit, set of plugs and 2 day shipping), He paid me back $300. I decline any of my labor,, which offered to pay for. Really great guy

Pic of the top of the head

Pic of the reconditioned rocker arm, which I got back from RockerArm Specialists. It was so lubricated and smooth, it was difficult to reinstall because the arms just keep moving. They did a great job. Cost $266. My old arm worked, but was very tight and crud'ed up with old oil residue. I am glad I did the arm as well.

 

[klinetime574]

Good to hear the OEM freeze plug is a better fit.

I had a freeze plug blow out while I was going down the highway, water hit the header and steamed up realllllll big. Pulled over and turned it off, no damage.

I'll keep that in mind if I ever have another go out.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[norsk]

pic 1 is the cleaned deck of the block

pic 2 is the head on, torqured down, and the rocker arm set, ready to lash

 

[norsk]

oops, the above pic is not the cleaned head, but after I had removed the head for the second time. That is the remnants of a new head gaskets after 2 hours of run time. I cleaned that all off. Those Soft-Bright scouring pads work, just like I found talked about here on MUD

Okay, this pic is the engine running after I had set the lash for the 2nd time. I started the engine with the cover off because I had buttoned it up and started the motor. After a minute of running I started getting a HUGE clacking sound and my wife said: That doesn't sound good. I turned it off and took off the cover.

pushrod 3 had NOT been ightened down right and it had spun the screw almost off - OUCH.

TIghtened that down with proper lash and started it again.

Oh boy, was it smooth now. In the pic the engine is running - I even took a movie of it with my phone camera, I don't think I can up load here with that.

It has been an interesting 2 weeks with the rig down and out until I could get time and parts setup. I had been planning and preparing for this for 2 years now (replace the head, etc), and even with that much planning, a bad decision on the machinist's part cause me another 1.5 weeks of car down time. (Thanks be to my wife who walked to her appointments here in our small town, while she let me borrow her car for my 31 mile one way trip to work - bless her heart)

It has been great to learn in this process. This vehicle is certainly my hobby now as well as my DD and I seek to understand it, repair it myself as much as possible. Being 200 miles in the depths of Canyonlands is not the place to breakdown and have to walk out. I want a good reliable rig as well as the ability to fix many things that might break out there.

My biggest concern from this is the small number of OEM head gaskets in the USA. Just 5 gaskets (not the kits) are currently in inventory in the USA. With Japan having problems, Toyo might not be making these old gaskets.

doug

 

[norsk]

A question on re-torquing the heads.

Should I leave it as they are (97) or re-torque in a week or so? I have read both on MUD, don't know the pros or cons for either.

 

[OGBeno]

My biggest concern from this is the small number of OEM head gaskets in the USA. Just 5 gaskets (not the kits) are currently in inventory in the USA. With Japan having problems, Toyo might not be making these old gaskets.

doug

These parts are not discontinued. While there may be only 5 in the US, once that supply is gone, more will come. The 2F HG is not an "F" coded part yet (discontinued).

They might take a bit longer to get here due to possible supply disruptions from Nippon, but I doubt it. We are getting most parts at a pretty good clip these days, all things considered.

 

[norsk]

These parts are not discontinued. While there may be only 5 in the US, once that supply is gone, more will come. The 2F HG is not an "F" coded part yet (discontinued).

They might take a bit longer to get here due to possible supply disruptions from Nippon, but I doubt it. We are getting most parts at a pretty good clip these days, all things considered.

sorry I didn't mean to say discontinued, but boy slow might be an understatement. Hope that is true. and thx

 

[klinetime574]

I re-torqued after 500 miles.

It barely moved, and then I re-adjusted the valves.

I like valve adjustments, the more I do the better I get at it. And the better my 2F runs

 

[cruiserpants]

Very cool that the machinist took responsibility.
BTW, really like that Chevy orange - looks good!

 

[Spike Strip]

You paint it orange, it turns into a chebby.

OEM head gasket: Cylinder Head Gasket parts for 1985 Toyota - All-foreign Car Parts

But don't buy the Gasket SET - it's not the same Head Gasket as the single unit.