HELP!!! Big trouble... blown head G or cracked block?

[F-junker]

I found chocolate milk on the dipstick two months ago. I let it sit until time was available. Empied the oil pan today and found large amounts of antifreeze and chocolate milkshake oil. Oh poo. I thought the head gasket was blown (maybe that's all). I torn the head off and found no visiable trouble the gasket was not showning any tell tale signs of seeping. No I did not do a compression test. opps... My valve cover is coated in a waxy-honey like goo. It looks pretty bad really, I'm hoping the block is not cracked.

Questions: the gasket was covering two h2o jackets between #2 and 3 and #4 and 5 cylinder. Is that the proper fitting gasket? I have toyota part # 11115-61010 gasket is this the right one?

The engine had heating issues since it was dropped in (used 2F from a 1979, desmogged) and I've replaced most all typicals, radiator, thermostat, sending unit etc etc. This helped but it never seemed to drop below 190-210. I figured I was dealing with a cracked head, bad gasket etc and planned on a change of head. I've got a freshly done 2F head, 3angle v.j. etc ready to go but, IS ALL THAT WATER OUT OF THE NORM???

I drained the oil and ran some cheapo 10-30w through and then drained it before all of this and found a small amount of h20 but nothing like before.

Question: What is the best way to remove that old gasket material without getting it into the block or rings? I sprayed on some gasket remover and scraped for a while with little success. That stuff is the worst I've ever encountered in my life. Wire wheel and plug the holes up with something?? Any ideas here you've used with success?? I'm afraid to get anymore $hit in the block!!

That head was so hard to get off I used a cheater bar and the highlift jack to break it loose from the deck! I'm worried as I need to get this on the road and done due to the weather window closing me out. I'm out of garage space and suck in the driveway. You advice is really appreciated. Thanks Ken

 

[k91]

I bought some spray can gasket remover at Schucks. Spray it on and let it sit for about 10 minutes and then scrape off with a razor blade. Seemed to work pretty well. I also used a wire wheel, but found that it would send little shards of wire wheel everywhere. Just be sure to plug the holes with something and clean out the cylinders really well afterwards. Good luck, Matt

 

[bsmith123]

head gasket

well a head gasket is a lot more common than a cracked block so that is in your favor

since you have the head off most of the troubleshooting I know is out

how did the pistons and spark plugs look--any cylinders look especially clean?

with the head on you can look for bubbles in the coolant

and compression checks or leak down tests

I think your best bet now is to just go ahead with the gasket and hope for the best

best of luck with it

 

[cruiserbrett]

how about a pic of the headgasket and block, particularly with regards to which ports were blocked.

does the 79 2F have an oil cooler? pressure checked it lately?

 

[F-junker]

Yes it has an oil cooler and this had been another concern of mine. Is there an easy way of checking this? How many psi should I put on it?

Come to think of it I might have had a a cylinder with less carbon, this might be my leaker. NO SIGNS of any seepage in the gasket found all jackets where in tack.

 

[MtnTrucker]

I would also think if it isn't a head gasket, a cracked head would be more likely than a cracked block. Since your head is off you should be able to take it to a machine shop and they can magna flux it and check for cracks.

 

[F-junker]

I believe I've found an area that may have been leaking underneath the gasket. #2 and 3 cylinders are a bit shiney compared to the remaining pistons. Thats the good news I hope. My lifter cover (side cover) is caked in tanish milky goo. I'd like to clean it out but no gasket is on hand. I think I can do this later but the lifters and pushrods would be in the way. I'm very concerned about all that milky-goo inside the block.
Anyone solved this problem of flushing out that stuff, maybe after swamping a truck? I thought about running some diesel through it 50/50 with oil for an little while... thoughts???
Interesting thing the oil filter had no traces of milk chocolate. I guess the bypass kicked on.

 

[Mr. Toad]

I saw your other thread about head gaskets, but is it possible this one was installed upside down blocking the coolant journals?

 

[F-junker]

Don't think so as the area for the oil to reach the rocker assembly would have been blocked. I believe there is only one way to get it. Unless you block off the oil passage...

I'm done hatin on this SOB for the day, I'm going to scrape off the rest of the gasket and finish off my 15year single malt. I need to pickup and stud remover and a sode cover gasket. Thats more days sitting idle. I beginning to really want to sell this POS. 1000's of dollars later and I still don't get to really enjoy it. I picked the wrong 40 for sure. Oh man I'm hatin on it again!! damn POS...

 

[joeyg1973]

Take the head to the machine shop and have the check it for cracks. Believe it or not they can stitch cracks back together today and the stitch is stronger than the original metal. I highly doubt you cracked the block.

Drop the oil pan and take off the side cover and use some brakeclean to get the gunk out. Spray the brake clean through the the oil channels. You will also have to take off the oil cooler and spray some in there and in the oil filter bracket. Get some brass wire brush pipe cleaners as these will help a great deal in cleaning out the oil passages. Oh and replace the oil filter.

Don't get frustrated. Be patient and take your time. If you do the repair right the first time you won't run into this problem again. Oh and take it easy and have a few beers while you are out there. Part of the fun of owning a FJ is learning and fixing it. Believe me you will be very happy and satisfied when you figure out what is wrong and have fixed it yourself.

 

[k91]

I beginning to really want to sell this POS. 1000's of dollars later and I still don't get to really enjoy it. I picked the wrong 40 for sure. Oh man I'm hatin on it again!! damn POS...

I am on my third 40 and have said that very same thing about everyone of them.....It's all part of the mind game these play on you. You will regret selling it if you decide too, Matt

 

[F-junker]

Yes I'm all too familiar with the cruiser craps. I did manage to snap some pics of the head and the goo inside the block. I'm going to pull the side cover and clean out what I can with brake cleaner and then think about dropping the oil pan (I really hate doing this I it's been done when I dropped in the engine two or three years ago. Hell I've only put on 2700 miles since then (uncorrected speedo though).

I noticed that more than half of the valve seals were failing and falling apart, I found oil on one valve shaft inside the exhaust chamber, oddly this is the same cylinder that had the shiney piston. I'm wondering if the oil had loosened the head gasket a bit and coolant worked it's way through.

I found that the best method of removing the gasket was my old scraper run over the benchgrinder to sharpen it up and use alot of downward force on the block deck while standing over the engine inside the compartment. My back is a bit sore now and in need of alcohol and aleive pills.

The oil cooler is of some concern now. I agree it should be pulled and cleaned out but what about pressure testing that sucker? Are there any gaskets, I can't remember how it was mounted when I put it back on.

Check out the cruiser chocolate inside the block!!! Yummy!!!

 

[Mr. Toad]

Creamy delicious.

 

[F-junker]

One thing I noticed. the head bolts that came out closest to the carb are right next to the exhaust ports and were covered in soot and black junk verses the others on that side being bone dry. keep in mind these are the bolts on the drivers side and NOT under the valve cover, so oil and exhaust shouldn't be in those hole. I didn't think there was any connectivity with these bolt holes. Another crack issue?

Keep in mind I'm not redoing the head that came off. I've got a completely redone unit to replace it.

 

[F-junker]

I saw your other thread about head gaskets, but is it possible this one was installed upside down blocking the coolant journals?

You should have seen the valve cover, it was coated. It looked like some kind of ice cream topping flung all over the place. I'm sorry I didn't shoot a pic before it got washed out at the wishy wash.