tell me its a bhg
 

... because I have no idea what else it could be. No milky oil, no white smoke, no power loss... but it does spit coolant out of the reservoir. Given that mine is a N/A, I first thought it was trapped air that pressurized as the temperature increased. So I burped it- several times. I had no idea where air could leak in through other than a bhg, so I stopped driving it.

I'm just about ready to start tearing the head apart, I just need to finish reading the various bhg posts. I just hope the surface isn't warped. I'm thinking stock gasket with ARP bolts. I don't want to have a shop do it because they'll set it to factory specs. Any input is appreciated.

That is a very common sign of a BHG. Get a leakage tester and pressurize each cylinder on tdc compression with the radiator cap off, if the coolant level changes at all or bubbles when you pressurize any cylinder, you can be sure it is a bhg or cracked head/block, but more likely head gasket. After a drive, is the upper radiator hose full of air as well? Good sign of a bhg.

ARP studs..., not bolts and forget about the oem hg and get the head decked and put an MHG on it.

Bolts give, where studs do not.

Whatever you do for an hg is going to be problematic if you don't at minimum lap the block and deck the head.

could be intake manifold gasket, i just had both mine replaced but it was pretty obvious that was the problem cos i could hear a vacuum leak.

having the head milled, the block checked and cleaned well, you can use a stock head gasket with your old oem bolts, or new ones, or arp bolts or studs, it really doesn't matter very much. Just inspect your old bolts for stretching or pitting before you re-use them. If you are keeping your supra to stock power levels, i don't see why you would have to go all out if you are on a budget. And make sure you do not try to go metal head gasket unless you completely do the job 100% right, its not something you can half ass.

Order the ARP product manuals and research them.
Even they say the studs have better grip because the studs don't turn..., only the nut where as the entire bolt turns.

studs are more work


it's hard enough to lower the head onto the 2 register pins w/o scratching it a little

F that your supra is an N/A and you won't be boosting it .you got it right go for it and torque it right

you're going to have the head checked for flat ? or you going to check that yourself ?

Studs are just so damn pretty.

Grip was my word. I was trying to say what ben said.
Without actually saying it. Or thinking it rather.

ARP also states the 70lbs is the torque spec.

I'm contemplating taking it to a mechanic friend (he lives kinda far though), because at least he'll torque it to 75 ftlbs or 101 nm (why doesn't anyone get the units right?), and hes changed countless headgaskets, so he'll do the proper machining. I, on the other hand have never done more than tune ups so I don't know if I'll end up doing it myself.

Do I really need a metal gasket? My car's an N/A. I was under the impression that an oem with ARP studs was the way to go. But it seems that even the oem bolts (new of course) will work well with an N/A if torqued properly.

You dont even need new oem bolts if yours are fine. They are not considered a replacement part, in this engine at least.