Blown Head Gasket repair w/pics

IHateHacks · 03-08-2007, 07:26 PM

88Tsupra- The head bolts are underneath the cam covers. If they are factory head bolts, you will need a 10mm allen head socket. It will have to be 3/8" drive to clear the cams and lifter bores. If they are ARP bolts, you will need a 1/2"(size, not drive) 12 point socket. Again, it will need to be 3/8" drive to clear the lifter bores. Then use a 3/8" extension and a 3/8" to 1/2" drive adaptor to use a 1/2" torque wrench.

And as a side note, the cams will need to be set at TDC in order to fit any kind of socket down past them to the head bolts. This is because of the castings of the cams have special ridges casted into them that have flat spots right in the spot where the head bolts are. You will see what I mean if you ever torque the head bolts yourself. In my opinion I think Toyota did that as a fool proof way of making you set the engine to TDC before you take the head off.

88Tsupra · 03-09-2007, 01:14 AM

thanx hate i appriciate this alot man..this is my first car and its become a gold digger...now if i can just get it torque right maybe then i can stop worrying about it..besides worrying why so much oil is draining out my car so damn fast and ending up on the side of the cam covers and side of the oil cap..depressing but entertaining..also is it ok if my exhaust tip has water all around it when i warm up the car

IHateHacks · 03-09-2007, 02:16 AM

As far as your oil leak around the cam covers you might wanna take a look at the sticky "Got oil on top of your spark plugs?". If that does not apply to you, then you just need new cam cover seals. Not a dealer only part. You can buy them at any parts store for around $30.

As far as the water around your exhaust tip, if you still have the cat on it, thats perfectly normal. You see, a catalytic converter oxidizes, reduces and converts exhaust gases which are HC (hydrocarbons), CO (carbon monoxide) and NOx (oxide of nitrogen) into CO2 (carbon dioxide), N2 (nitrogen) and H2O which is water (duh).

Edit: oops I just saw that you posted in that thread. My advise to you is to replace all the hoses that attach to the cam covers. That would be the 2 PCV hoses (the 2" ones right in the middle of the covers) and the big hose that is to the right of the oil cap. I can guarantee you if you take that big hose off when you take the covers off, it will crack. It's a dealer only part and its $25.95.

88Tsupra · 03-09-2007, 06:30 AM

thanx man your a big as help..as for the leak i plan on buying a gasket seal next wednesday then gettin new hoses to...oh i read the Sticky about the oil and if its that i guess ill just have to replace it like u said..thanx a million

IHateHacks · 03-12-2007, 06:03 PM

Ok back on topic now, It's been very warm here today and I got some more things done. But I have questions that maybe someone, that has replaced their headgasket themselves, could answer.

TSRM does not list a torque spec for the EGR valve nuts (where it bolts to the head, actually the lower intake) EGR bolts (where it bolts to the upper intake) or the water outlet housing bolt and nuts.

So I used an inch pound torque wrench because aluminum is nothing to f-around with as it will strip out even with a ft lb torque wrench.

I torqued the EGR nuts to 144 inch pounds (12 ft/lbs). I torqued the water outlet housing bolt and 2 nuts to 132 inch pounds (11 ft/lbs), now they are the same size nuts/studs, 12mm size nut and 8mm size stud, but we all know studs are much stronger than bolts so that is why I did that. Now all of these bolts/studs/nuts are the same size as the intake manifold bolts/studs/nuts and the TSRM says 13 ft/lbs for them yet it says 9 ft/lbs for 8mm diameter bolts in the back of the TSRM where it gives general torque specs for specific bolt sizes and strengths.

These parts are very important to have torqued correctly seeing as pressurized coolant and exhaust gas pass through them, I don't know why Toyota just forgot to list the torque spec.

My question is what did you (anybody that has done it before) torque these bolts/studs to?

IHateHacks · 03-14-2007, 01:05 AM

So I guess nobody has ever taken the water outlet housing or the EGR valve off their car before?

It's not really a big deal, just thought I'd ask and see how on point this site is.

If anybody would know, it would probably be Bill UK, or suprra_girl.

Bill UK · 03-14-2007, 06:36 PM

Apologies for not responding sooner, I'm in the process of changing over to broadband from Internet dial-up, had a few problems. I only used the torque wrench for head bolts and internal parts of the engine. I would often just go by experience and common sense, taking in account the material and size of thread. It sounds if you have a good mechanical mind, I can only suggest go by what you feel is right.

03-08-2007, 07:26 PM	#1
IHateHacks 20psi boost Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Haven/Hamden Posts: 793	88Tsupra- The head bolts are underneath the cam covers. If they are factory head bolts, you will need a 10mm allen head socket. It will have to be 3/8" drive to clear the cams and lifter bores. If they are ARP bolts, you will need a 1/2"(size, not drive) 12 point socket. Again, it will need to be 3/8" drive to clear the lifter bores. Then use a 3/8" extension and a 3/8" to 1/2" drive adaptor to use a 1/2" torque wrench. And as a side note, the cams will need to be set at TDC in order to fit any kind of socket down past them to the head bolts. This is because of the castings of the cams have special ridges casted into them that have flat spots right in the spot where the head bolts are. You will see what I mean if you ever torque the head bolts yourself. In my opinion I think Toyota did that as a fool proof way of making you set the engine to TDC before you take the head off. Last edited by IHateHacks; 03-08-2007 at 07:36 PM.

03-09-2007, 01:14 AM	#2
88Tsupra 12psi boost Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: long beach, CA Posts: 252	thanx hate i appriciate this alot man..this is my first car and its become a gold digger...now if i can just get it torque right maybe then i can stop worrying about it..besides worrying why so much oil is draining out my car so damn fast and ending up on the side of the cam covers and side of the oil cap..depressing but entertaining..also is it ok if my exhaust tip has water all around it when i warm up the car __________________ 88turbo targa-white original Pin Stripe custom intake-Tenzo filter.....Momo racing seats and steering wheel... apexi exhaust tip-custom 3" piping. Replaced with RSR GT II NGK plug and wires HID conversion head lights HKS Turbo Timer Type-1 (in black) Tial BOV BIC DDP

03-09-2007, 02:16 AM	#3
IHateHacks 20psi boost Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Haven/Hamden Posts: 793	As far as your oil leak around the cam covers you might wanna take a look at the sticky "Got oil on top of your spark plugs?". If that does not apply to you, then you just need new cam cover seals. Not a dealer only part. You can buy them at any parts store for around $30. As far as the water around your exhaust tip, if you still have the cat on it, thats perfectly normal. You see, a catalytic converter oxidizes, reduces and converts exhaust gases which are HC (hydrocarbons), CO (carbon monoxide) and NOx (oxide of nitrogen) into CO2 (carbon dioxide), N2 (nitrogen) and H2O which is water (duh). Edit: oops I just saw that you posted in that thread. My advise to you is to replace all the hoses that attach to the cam covers. That would be the 2 PCV hoses (the 2" ones right in the middle of the covers) and the big hose that is to the right of the oil cap. I can guarantee you if you take that big hose off when you take the covers off, it will crack. It's a dealer only part and its $25.95. Last edited by IHateHacks; 03-09-2007 at 02:35 AM.

03-09-2007, 06:30 AM	#4
88Tsupra 12psi boost Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: long beach, CA Posts: 252	thanx man your a big as help..as for the leak i plan on buying a gasket seal next wednesday then gettin new hoses to...oh i read the Sticky about the oil and if its that i guess ill just have to replace it like u said..thanx a million __________________ 88turbo targa-white original Pin Stripe custom intake-Tenzo filter.....Momo racing seats and steering wheel... apexi exhaust tip-custom 3" piping. Replaced with RSR GT II NGK plug and wires HID conversion head lights HKS Turbo Timer Type-1 (in black) Tial BOV BIC DDP

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03-12-2007, 06:03 PM	#5
IHateHacks 20psi boost Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Haven/Hamden Posts: 793	Ok back on topic now, It's been very warm here today and I got some more things done. But I have questions that maybe someone, that has replaced their headgasket themselves, could answer. TSRM does not list a torque spec for the EGR valve nuts (where it bolts to the head, actually the lower intake) EGR bolts (where it bolts to the upper intake) or the water outlet housing bolt and nuts. So I used an inch pound torque wrench because aluminum is nothing to f-around with as it will strip out even with a ft lb torque wrench. I torqued the EGR nuts to 144 inch pounds (12 ft/lbs). I torqued the water outlet housing bolt and 2 nuts to 132 inch pounds (11 ft/lbs), now they are the same size nuts/studs, 12mm size nut and 8mm size stud, but we all know studs are much stronger than bolts so that is why I did that. Now all of these bolts/studs/nuts are the same size as the intake manifold bolts/studs/nuts and the TSRM says 13 ft/lbs for them yet it says 9 ft/lbs for 8mm diameter bolts in the back of the TSRM where it gives general torque specs for specific bolt sizes and strengths. These parts are very important to have torqued correctly seeing as pressurized coolant and exhaust gas pass through them, I don't know why Toyota just forgot to list the torque spec. My question is what did you (anybody that has done it before) torque these bolts/studs to?

03-14-2007, 01:05 AM	#6
IHateHacks 20psi boost Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Haven/Hamden Posts: 793	So I guess nobody has ever taken the water outlet housing or the EGR valve off their car before? It's not really a big deal, just thought I'd ask and see how on point this site is. If anybody would know, it would probably be Bill UK, or suprra_girl.

03-14-2007, 06:36 PM	#7
Bill UK AEM EMS Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: UK Posts: 891	Apologies for not responding sooner, I'm in the process of changing over to broadband from Internet dial-up, had a few problems. I only used the torque wrench for head bolts and internal parts of the engine. I would often just go by experience and common sense, taking in account the material and size of thread. It sounds if you have a good mechanical mind, I can only suggest go by what you feel is right.