Stuck doing head gasket months before doing supercharger

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NLXTACY

NLXTACY

Wits' End
Joined
Dec 7, 2007
Threads
200
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Location
Medford, OR
So I suspected a blown head gasket after loosing about a gallon of coolant in a week's time. I did the bubble test, nothing. Water pump was circulating and not leaking. No coolant on the dipstick. No water logged floor mats. No nothing. Just missing coolant. Not even sweet smelling exhaust. Actually my exhaust smelled like, well, nothing. Did a pressure test at 20# and it was holding steady.

The only evidence I have to go off of is the mocha latte I have under the oil cap and continually missing coolant. This to me means head gasket. All of the coolant is going out the exhaust side only but in small enough doses that my nose can't pick it up.

Did dye test. Confirmed. :bang::bang:

So here I am on a Friday and I need to do a head gasket. And I need to have it all done before my wife leaves for a Vegas trip she's had planned since last month. I have t-minus 7 days and counting from right now to complete the job by my lonesome.

Anyone local happen to have Doug's head gasket DVD that is local? I need to borrow it and I have no problem sending Dougie Fresh the funds anyway for it. I just need to know what I am up against and I'd like to have the DVD handy.

So now the head gasket itself should be pretty to the point. I'm not forseeing a whole lot of frustration because the process is VERY well documented as it is. My issue now is that I am installing a SuperCharger towards the end of the summer. Hopefully before my Canada trip. And I'd like to know from the experts out there:

• While I am doing the head gasket, and being as I DON'T have the S/C in front of me yet, what steps should I be taking now in preparation for it?

I am thinking ARP studs and doing the engine harness. But anything else that I am going to be pissed off at myself for NOT doing while I had the head and intake off anyway?
 
Just got off the phone with Martin Davidson here in Reseda, CA. He recommended the ARPs and also recommended getting the upgraded head gasket if TRD supplies one with the charger. I don't know off hand as I've done little research into it up to this point.

He quoted me $625 for the complete valve job, new guides, surfacing. Its a bummer I have ZERO tools or else I'd just do it myself. Sucks when you have to rely on other people when you just don't have the right tools anymore. :(

Next problem. He wants 5 days for the work. Ugh. Totally blows away my proposed time line. Sad panda.
 
NLXTACY said:
Just got off the phone with Martin Davidson here in Reseda, CA. He recommended the ARPs and also recommended getting the upgraded head gasket if TRD supplies one with the charger. I don't know off hand as I've done little research into it up to this point.

He quoted me $625 for the complete valve job, new guides, surfacing. Its a bummer I have ZERO tools or else I'd just do it myself. Sucks when you have to rely on other people when you just don't have the right tools anymore. :(

Next problem. He wants 5 days for the work. Ugh. Totally blows away my proposed time line. Sad panda.
Click to expand...

The SC does not come with an HG. The updated OEM HG is part number:

11115-66031

But you have options with HG's as you well know. OEM might not be the best for your application.
 
Well I'm not planning on hot rodding this truck and I'm not a lead footer. 6psi is all I am planning to run. Was thinking about Permaseal's 4-layer metal/graphite gasket. We'll see. Its funny how the gasket landscape has changed so much in the 20 years since I did this stuff. Of course if anything more than 0.004-0.006 needs to come off then I may need to re-evaluate again.
headgasket.jpg
 
Rent a car and get it done on your own time.
 
landtank said:
I recently sent 3 heads through my machine shop and non of them needed resurfacing. I personally think this is one of those automatic up charges that shops just do.
Click to expand...

Well I had a long talk with him about what I am looking to do. Surfacing was included only as worse case scenario. Of course also hoping the head isnt cracked either. Back in the day we use to charge $40 to surface. My how things have changed.
 
cruiserman said:
Rent a car and get it done on your own time.
Click to expand...
hahahahahahaah

That was my IM to her about 10 minutes ago:

"baby, looks like you get to rent that Focus you've always wanted to"

To which she mentioned something about never getting laid again, I dunno. I ignored it :p
 
Yeah I know the new toyota gasket is way better than the old one but one thing to consider is an aftermarket headgasket. Cometic makeS MLS gaskets and they can do custom thickness. It is an opportunity to think about adjusting your compression ratio with a thicker gasket. If you want even more sealing power they have their phuzion gasket. The nitrogen filled o-rings require no grooving of the block and or head. They hold a more constant pressure between the head and block than a traditional fire ring.

Phuzion Gaskets
 
Well I'm not sure just how nuts I should really go with it. Phuzion looks interesting but I need to do more digging.
 
medtro said:
Beno prefers custom HG or multi-layer copper gasket. I hope not to see you post something like this in the future :)

IH8MUD Forums - View Single Post - Not the typical HG failure
Click to expand...

I like the quality of the Cometic one that Robbie uses when he overbores the 4.5. They really are beautiful HG's compared to the updated OEM HG's.

That said, I should mention that the updated OEM HG's are perfectly fine for an SC'ed 1FZ--I've seen many people use these as well.

Heck, look at CDan's 1993--original HG and SC'ed.

My point was that looking back now, I would have done a bit more research and tried a different material/composition HG when I did mine in 2008.

-o-
 
FWIW, I thought about using the 2jzge/gte stud kit from ARP, when I rebuilt my engine last month. The problem with those studs is they are just a tad too short. The nut will not fully engage the stud's threads as others have commented about on here. Instead, I called ARP told them my situation, sent them a head bolt and they sent me a set of studs that were about .5" longer. Perfect! They were also free as they were sent to me by their R&D dept. Perhaps if enough of us ask, they'll make these available as a kit. The other option is to buy a set of studs for an OPEL V-6, but you'll have two left over.
 
Last edited:
gotmud said:
FWIW, I thought about using the 7M stud kit from ARP, when I rebuilt my engine last month. The problem with those studs is they are just a tad too short. The nut will not fully engage the stud's threads as others have commented about on here. Instead, I called ARP told them my situation, sent them a head bolt and they sent me a set of studs that were about .5" longer. Perfect! They were also free as they were sent to me by their R&D dept. Perhaps if enough of us ask, they'll make these available as a kit. The other option is to buy a set of studs for an OPEL V-6, but you'll have two left over.
Click to expand...

I had this same issue with the Supra set and did e-mail ARP with no answer. I'm building a turbo engine shortly and getting longer studs from ARP is on my list. Any help you can give me on who to talk with would be appreciated.
 
landtank said:
I had this same issue with the Supra set and did e-mail ARP with no answer. I'm building a turbo engine shortly and getting longer studs from ARP is on my list. Any help you can give me on who to talk with would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

x2, I will be going the ARP route as well.
 
beno said:
My point was that looking back now, I would have done a bit more research and tried a different material/composition HG when I did mine in 2008.

-o-
Click to expand...

i love learning from others mistakes. way to go onur! :idea::doh::flipoff2:
 
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