Head Gasket, Head Work

[brent]

Well I noticed come coolant useage from the reservoir and checked for bubbles and have a burp ever couple seconds or so.........anyway could this not be a head gasket, I have had no overheating etc. have a slight leak by the head gasket on 1st and 2nd cylinder but looks more like oil? I am in the process of getting a compression tester to test compression and leak down, question is how long do you let it leak before you read you value, I am assuming it will slowly leak down to 0....also at 130k should I have my head worked on when I do the gasket, any ideas on someone in my area..........Omaha. Any guidance would be appreciated. I did a head gasket on a '84 Toyota pickup last year at this time so I guess a couple more years and I will know what the hell I am doing at this rate. Thanks for the help.

 

[semlin]

sure sounds like the h/g. Have a look around #6 cylinder with a flashlight for "crusties" aka crystalized coolant leaking. I suppose it could be a rad blockage or t-stat issue so you could check that along with your rad hoses, especially the PHH for leaks.

for guidance on how to deal with it do a search on Landtank and Lars for "head gasket". Both provi very good information on how to DIY and details such as whether the head must be shaved.

 

[landtank]

I've seen 2 HGs and a few posted on here. I personally think that the gasket failure will happen regardless whether or not the vehicle has been over heated and that most see the overheating as the cause for the gasket failure when I think it's the other way around.

In my case the truck had never been over heated but the HG was near failure while the other one I saw was very much distorted but also out of a lower milage truck. On both engines the tear down was for other reasons than a HG issue.

 

[cruiserman]

Get a manual and go to town. Check the valve clearances and do the PHH while you're at it.

 

[Lars]

A regular (typical) compression tester will not measure leakdown. I may be reading your post wrong. Apologies in advance if I am.

As far as head work, call your local toyota shop(s) service departments and see who they send their heads to when work is needed.

 

[brent]

Thanks for the info, yeah have a couple manuals one being the FSM so think I should be able to handle it, I have a regulator on my compressor so I was thinking I should be able to use that and the connections that came with my Sears Compression Tester to check for leakdown, will give the local shop a call, good call on that Lars, wouldn't have thought of that, will also do the valves and PHH while in there, also will probably try to clean the throttle body well since I will have to seperate the intake from it correct?? I was hoping to tell from test and observation once I get in there if I need the head done, is this prudent or just cheap?? Will start making the calls today for parts, etc.

Thanks for the help.