Head gasket replacement
 

I am a novice mechanic. Im thinking of changing my thermostat my self on my 1990 mk3. Is it possible to do it without taking apart all the cam assemblies and leaving everything intact and just change the head gasket. Does anyone have a step by step diagram on how to do it. Thanks, Ed

Waite. you want to change your thermostat.. 1990, eh are they in a different spot?
am I missing something? has me really confused. what does a thermostat have to do with headgasket or cams.? im sure hes talking about something different.

try this on for size see if it helps.
http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Librar...Section=CO&P=8

and this link has some pictures and descriptions of what is on the thermostat housing
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70459

be sure to drain the coolant first. at least almost empty if you don't mind having some antifreeze spill out the ground.

did this help at all ? or whats up eddy

Well this has me beat, changing the stat on a 7m couldnt be easier. If you dont mind losing the coolant and topping up with new you can just undo the 2 bolts and pull the housing back then do the swap. Theres no gasket just a rubber seal.

Tbh i think its a typo and youre asking if cams etc need to come out for a hg change. They dont have to, but it's advisable to remove everything from the head in case any machine work needs doing and also to lap in and gap the valves since you may as well do this while its apart rather than finding issues here after fitting the new hg.
To be honest theres little point trying to take shortcuts with this engine and rushing an hg can come back to bite your wallet HARD!
The tsrm is great for stripdown/test/repair procedures and always the first place i look now, just bear in mind its torque figures for the head are WRONG! Its 78 not 58 and to be honest tighter seems to be better (i went to 93)...

i am trying to replace the head gasket on my 89 7mge does anyone have a step by step on how to do it?

You can read this...

http://www.supras.com/06/techcenter/display.php?QID=8

and I wouldnt do it if I was a "novice" unless you have the tools and time. Even then I wouldn't do it because its something you dont want to get wrong.

Haha this is how I buy most of my supras, a novice mechanic tries to do his own head gasket and I buy it for $500 in good shape just have to put the engine back together.

my last supra with a bhg was free :bigthumb::bigthumb:

but af for changing the themostat, be very carefull waking those 2 10mm bolts out, if they look rusted use penatrating oil and remove slowly, if they break, its a headache

Thats how I got my 90.. lol

whats the best head gasket out there for 7m i got 87 supra with a 91 jdm 7mge swap old engine was from a junk with unknown miles anyway before replacing engines i did the following

new
water pump
timing belt and tensioner
full gasket kit
hks 1.2 bead hg
thermostat
all the hoses coolant and vacuum
plugs
wires
cap and rotors
arp head studs
you know the basics of buying a used car
any ways 700 miles later she overheated heated and heard a knock i the lower half of the engine so i started to take it apart again took the head off to see the valve to see if i bent one and went to take the hg off and it fell apart in 3 pieces so now im going to do a full rebuild pistons valves bearings and a port and polish the block and head only have about 30k on if that

so basically whats the best head gasket out there need something thats going to take a hell of a beating

thanks guys


next summer 1uz tt build

OEM is perfectly fine provided your not going above 12 psi and you have installed it correctly (ensuring the head and block surfaces are prepped properly).

Past that, I believe it all depends on what you did/do. If you have to shave the head, you will need to go with a thicker headgasket and at that point I think you want to go metal. Also, would recommend the ARP head bolts just to keep you on top. If everything is prepped properly you should have no issue.. but its not a cookie cutter answer, because each HG is built for a different purpose. (my thoughts)

oh.. and start your own thread rather than tagging onto one. Makes it more likely to get the desired response.

dunno why you all say a novice mechanic should not do a hg.
there is only one way to learn.
i started all my learning on my 85 celica supra and my 86 suzuki samurai.
of course i had done 2 engine swaps and alot of other repairs before going near a hg

hg is not that big a deal, you just need a manual, and the tools, and when dealing with a 7m a friend to help you get it over the hood, because that thing is heavy...

just did my 5m hg not long ago, and wow... im not a weak person, and it took me and a friend to get the old head out without touching my body panels.

same with the auto trans, took that dam thing out of a 7m on my own, without pulling the engine... i had it jacked really high up and took it out from the bottom... not reccomended...

I think because the 7M is prone to losing the head gasket if not done correctly, people "warn" against it. There is a right way and a wrong way, and its not something you can simply pull apart and slap together. The head has to be looked at closely (with the knowledge of what your looking for) to ensure its prepped correctly prior to reassembly. As well, the block can also need to be lapped depending on a whole lot of different things. So... if you want to do it as a novice.. no problem. Just make sure you find out exactly what your looking for before you start, or.. prepare to do it more than once.

I am 100% for novice mechanics (I have a friend that is a 25 year Master Mechanic (GM) and when I watch him work.. I know I am simply a novice.. lol)

Doing it is easy.. doing it right takes preparation..

oh and just a note.. you need MORE than the manual. The manual does not cover what people have found and a "tried and true" method has been developed. You can follow the manual, but there are little things people have found will make the headgasket last far longer and increase your chance at success. It just involves a little research.