Head gasket Job questions.

[fzj80joe]

So I bought this LC last month with 110,000 miles and decided I was going to change the radiator and do a head gasket for good measure.

This truck ran great, i drove it from Albuquerque to phoenix and got between 13-15 mpg.

I ordered the head gasket dvd but it never showed up.

The head is now at the machine shop. I am having them replace the valve guide seals and resurface the mating surface.

I'm changing the fuel filter, the alternator brushes, all the heater hoses and vacuum lines. the radiator and hoses.

is there anything else i should change while I'm in here?

The number 6 cylinder on the old gasket was kinda deformed but i didn't have any symptoms of a blown gasket.

the intake was really fouled up but the spark plugs looked good and so did the valves. so its burning good.

I was told it could be a pcv valve.

the cylinder walls still have a cross hatch pattern.


Is there a easier way to get the lower intake off instead of disconnecting all those wire connectors near the fire wall? I had to disconnect the oxygen sensor and un route it from behind the bell housing.

 

[ralphy1997]

Unhook the wire loom from the ecm in the glove box and feed it through that way. One big wire to deal with instead of many small ones.

 

[robertaleon]

May want to

• clean the internals of the oil cooler on the exhaust side
• new water pump and keep existing one as spare
• replace oil pump cover gasket
• wrap the main wire harness with cool tape while you have the EGR apart
• Clean throttle body
• PHH or PHH bypass if that was not already included in your plans.

 

[fzj80joe]

after I disconnected all those connectors I saw where the wire harness goes through the fire wall on the passenger side. good to know for re assembly!


And I have a new PHH from the toyota dealership to put in.

I thought about doing a water pump but I'm on a budget and this is already going over so I'm going to skip it for now, water pumps aren't very difficult to change when they do fail. or maybe next time I'm fixing things that aren't broke yet i will change it.

but i like the idea of cleaning the oil cooler

when i clean the intake i will also clean the throttle body

And the harness had some protection on it near the erg valve but i will look for something a little more robust to wrap around that.

and now would be a good easy time to change the oil pump cover seal! lots of access with the radiator out.


Thanks for the tips and ideas

 

[BILT4ME]

Since you have the cooling system open, do your rear heater lines as well. I wish I would have realized where they were when I had mine apart. I just discovered I have a drip at one of the lines and they are rock-hard. Now I will have to drain the entire system, replace and refill. The Toyota Red is $28/ gallon, so that gets expensive doing it multiple times.

 

[2fpower]

If you look at the new head gasket it has a very similar deformed circle, so your really does look fine to me.

I would toss the PHH from the dealer into the trash and put in a section of silicone hose and some good quality tension clamps. Make it a forever change.

Agree with other poster on doing the oil pump gasket and also do the front seal too.

 

[fzj80joe]

I was just out in the garage cleaning the engine and I kept looking down at that water pump... then thinking about how dumb my comment about how easy it is to change a water pump and that i will be driving across the country. kinda hard to change a water pump in the middle of bum-f_@#k no where



to clean the engine i first used a gasket scraper with a single edge razor rotating the pistons to the top and cleaning off around them.

then I used some brake cleaner and a brass wire brush and hand cleaned them

and then i sprayed the engine and and used a stainless brush and scrubbed the engine.

I think I'm going to put a soft brush in the dremel and try to get it a little cleaner.

 

[Rwhat]

Nice job. Started mine last night. Had to run to harbor freight to get some E sockets to remove the studs.

Got the upper intake all unbolted with the EGR nut off. However my azzz is out of shape and feeling it today.

I planned on getting Doug's DVD but couldn't wait so I just tackled it.

Any tips you learned taking stuff apart? Been following Jose's write up and it's pretty good.

 

[2fpower]

I like to get a flat board and put some 150ish grit paper on it and clean the deck off nice. You won't get 100%, but it will look better.

If your power steering hose is leaking, great time to replace it. Gates hose works great.

 

[fzj80joe]

that erg valve line was rusted on there pretty darn tight!

hmm tips... use about 2 cans of PB blaster. definitely don't reach down there and undo the connectors under the lower intake like i did. unconnect it in the glove box.

i just took the sensors off the throttle body and cleaned it out and cleaned out the inside of the upper intake.

at walmart you can get a big brush in the plumbing section that worked fantastic

i start out using break cleaner because its cheap and then i final spray it all with throttle body cleaner.

i pulled my water pump and it looks perfect. no play in the shaft or anything....


before and after shots

 

[blkprj80]

If you haven't done it yet, be sure to run a long 1/8" drill bit down through those holes that pass between the cylinders at an angle.
Looking great so far!

 

[fzj80joe]

Good idea! i was just cleaning it up with a little dremel and wire wheel and was thinking about buying some type of pipe cleaner but i can do the drill bit right now!

I just cleaned up the valve cover with simple green, its not all that pretty so I'm going to spray it flat black.

 

[BILT4ME]

Don't spray your sensors with brake cleaner or you will have issues. (MAF, AFM)

 

[fzj80joe]

I took all the sensors off of the throttle body when i cleaned it. but i left everything connected on the intake when i cleaned out the inside. it didn't look like there was anything to be damaged on there.

 

[FeHorse]

Nice job. Started mine last night. Had to run to harbor freight to get some E sockets to remove the studs.

Got the upper intake all unbolted with the EGR nut off. However my azzz is out of shape and feeling it today.

I planned on getting Doug's DVD but couldn't wait so I just tackled it.

Any tips you learned taking stuff apart? Been following Jose's write up and it's pretty good.

I never heard of this DVD, does it go through the replacement process? Is so, where can I get one?

 

[steffan]

Only 110k?

 

[robertaleon]

I bought Doug's DVD back in 2011 when I did my HG (see sig). There are so many threads that quote or reference Doug's DVD as well as improved methods that I think the DVD is a "nice to have" not s "have to have."

 

[fzj80joe]

Its sold by idahodoug but honestly with the downloadable FSM and if you have some mechanical experience it shouldn't be needed.

I have been slacking hard core so I'm not done yet but i did pull the oil cooler today.

it looked clean at first but then i found little gelled up oil inside it.

bought 3 more cans of brake cleaner...

 

[fzj80joe]

yes this truck only has 110k it ran really good before i started this i just wanted to do it for preventative maintenance.

 

[Mighty690]

I sent out my injectors to be cleaned and checked (my #6 was running a little lean, and now corrected) for $100. Glad I did that - I'm getting great mileage, well.. for an 80 Series. CDan can sell you factory vacuum hose. I'd suggest replacing all, including that which will be hidden under that intake. I had the DVD: follow the FSM carefully upon reassembly. Torquing those head bolts was a little hairy for me, so check 'em per FSM specs and be brave! New OEM exhaust manifold studs and nuts would have been nice too, as I reflect. And, if your fan clutch is original I'd replace that too. I didn't at the time of my HG job and wish I had done it then. Just the plain fan clutch, Aisin: OEM or RockAuto.