Intake Manifold Gasket Leak (1 Viewer)

[FJ60-Hokie]

Hello

This is my first thread and I am sorry for the length. I have owned an 85 FJ60 for a little over a year. The rig has been garaged for the last 8 years and barely driven by its PO. The time out of the sun and off the road makes it a beautiful truck cosmetically. However, I have seen some of the repercussions of this time off mechanically.

I just completed a cooling system rebuild, which showed that I have some mechanical skill. However, I paid to have my hard starting problem diagnosed and the Toyota dealer told me that I have a leak around my intake manifold (halting a 4th of July weekend excursion to Baja).

I have purchased most of the necessary parts to complete the job. I have read many of the postings that have detailed this job and plan on using them to guide this job. I appreciate all the quality suggestions that I have found within them.

Here is my current plan that has been devised by the many posting on this subject.

1. Mark all vacuum hoses and their attachments.
2. Work around the air pipe.
3. Pull Carburetor.
4. Pull manifolds (following installation pattern).
5. Check both manifolds for cracks.
6. ????Pull Head.
7. ????Re-build carburetor.
8. ????Re-machine head
9. Re-machine manifolds (Clean anything and everything while waiting).
10. Replace all aged lugs and bolts.
11. Replace all gaskets (using a Fel-Pro manifold gasket).
12. ????Attach SOR Manifold Insulator (??????GOOD??????).
13. Re-attach manifolds (following installation pattern).
14. Re-attach carburetor.
15. Re-attach vacuum hoses.
16. Drive away into the sunset.

This is the current plan. By that I mean that as of now I am planning on just bolting parts back on and then maybe taking it to a specialists to make sure I did a good job. Am I missing something? (remember: there is no such thing as a stupid question)

I am also contemplating having the head re-machined and the carburetor rebuilt. I have seen some of the recommendations for completing this project and I feel that it is worth it to do it now instead of later. I will just have to blow the money I was saving for putting towards new suspension.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

[Tinker]

1) Have JimC on this board rebuild the carb
2) Change all the vac hoses to silicone
3) Use the SOR Kevlar intake/exhaust gasket

Don't pull the head unless a leak-down indicates bad valves. If that's the case, you might as rebuild the entire engine as the rings & bearings won't stand up to the increased pressure of newly-lapped valves.

 

[FJ60-Hokie]

Tinker

Thanks for the advice.

Can you elaborate on the silicone vac hoses?

Do you know how much a JimC carb rebuild would run me? And would it be bolt and go?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Where can one buy silicon hoses?

Why use the SOR kevlar gasket? I've heard that the FelPro gasket is better.

What is the real advantage of the SOR Manifold Insulator?

 

[FJ60-Hokie]

I have read a lot about the FelPro gasket as well. I would have to take the one I bought back to order the SOR kevlar gasket. Sell me on it too!!

I started another thread asking about the insulator. I think it might be for desmogging. Therefore it might be going back to SOR.

 

[2mbb]

I get my silicone tubing at www.mcmaster.com (search for silicone tubing). Use the 3mm ID for the smaller vacuum hose. I've used the "soft" style, but others on this list recommend "hard". You'll probably need about thrity feet if you're going to change all the small vacuum tubing.

 

[FJ60-Hokie]

What is the big advantage to the silicone tubing?

 

[lovetoski]

Everybody's situation is different - time, money, etc. When I got my 60, I had an intake leak, and an exhaust leak. I removed as little as possible until I was able to get to the carb base, and tighten up the nuts. Also managed to tighten the manifold nuts. 2 of the carb nuts were loose, 4 of the manifold nuts were loose. A couple hours of cursing, no money, and the truck ran a whole lot better.

 

[FJ60-Hokie]

Thanks! That is a pretty good idea. I wish I had know that before I had to keep my rig garaged for my trip to Baja. It just wasn't the same without it and my girl's car got worked.

Sometimes the simple approach is the best.

I love this forum. I have gotton soo many great ideas in the short time I have used it.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Matador98]

FJ60, see this thread for the vacuum hose part numbers from McMaster Carr:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=46823

 

[Pluton]

What is the big advantage to the silicone tubing?

Silicone tubing lasts a long, long time without getting hard, brittle from the heat. Ditto for the OEM tubing. Domestic/European tubing can last an amazingly short time[2-3 years]before stiffening up.