Well I hope some one can find my old posts on this matter. I really have not done a head gasket in several months now. It seemed like almost one a month for the previous years working at Slee.
I believe that toyota's engeenners did the best they could in the beginning with the 1FZ. But once they went into production thing happen. With the 93-94 and OBDI stuff the engine runs richer than the 95-97. This may contribute to the HG problem we see in later years (with the alu rad also contributing). I do believe also that Maintance of the cooling system was not maintained as well as it should be by most previous owners (since most of us have not owned our cruisers since new). I do beleive their is a problem that has been mostly fixed by the replacement gasket that toyota sells. More metal, different size and shape of some coolant passages. Smaller holes at the back to slow down the flow to caputure and pull the heat away from this cylinder.
MH stevens, I know you are new to this list, you travel to way out of the way places, you would be some one that would be stranded big time with out help being close(one big tow bill). You (in my mind) would be a good canditate to have a HG done just so it would be no worry. I have had lots of these 1FZ apart. The head gasket on these engines have a problem, if it is a daily driver, no worries, short tow. The 93-94 is less of a problem, not usually blowing out like the 95-97 ones I have seen. When it does go, not much in the way of coolant gets in the oil(which is good).
I can do a compression test and see if a problem is brewing, I have done standard cylinder leak tests,, that have no yeild any thing. Not every one has the experence I have with the 1FZ.
You can retorque the head bolts and it will prolong the problem or make it worse it not done right.
The worse one I have done and made it run again(by owner choice) is this one 95 that the guy drove to the shop from about 20 miles away. He would run till the needle was almost to the red(so he said) then stop to cool down, try to add water then run on until it got red again. well he over heated it real bad and warped the head so bad it could not be used(we sold him a used head). The little heater hose blew, and the head had no coolant. but it ran when it was cool. He had no coolant in the oil and the cylinder walls were blue and brown (not too pretty). He still runs it around and uses some oil (burns some). But he could not afford a engine rebuild at the time.
So my bottom line on head gaskets, do it as a Maintaince item and get it over with if you go on long trips with good loads. I have seen the problems in the HG materials and seen the changes for the better toyota has made. Some simple signs, green grey material in the overflow bottom, this same material in the top of the radiator. If your cooling system is totally up to par and you have a over heating problem (even slight) you more than likely have compression leaks into the coolant. The over heating typically show up going up big long hills at a good clip. On OBDII stuff, you can hook a computer up to the diagiostic connector and watch the temps on the comuter witht he right software. Outward signs of HG problem, Old water tracks down the side of the block, crusties if dark and wet looking (at head to block gap) are bad, fresh coolant down the side of the block.
Any how I need to get to do some work and can post more later. If you think there is not a problem live in the land of denial.
Later powderpig, formally Robbie.
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