Head Gasket Series: Ground Zero
H.G. Woes
No, not a lesser known Science Fiction Author, I’m taking about the fearful and infamous Head Gasket Failure that the 3VZ-E Engine is prone to. I mentioned it in a previous Post when Hellbent were doing the Engine Work as part of the Beast Restoration Series, and to my chagrin, not taking advantage of easy access to the Engine has come back to bite me.
I figured there is no point in not writing this Post, since hopefully someone can learn from my experience, and if I can impart this recently acquired knowledge in one Sentence it would be this: If you think the Head Gasket should be replaced whilst you’re in there, bloody do it.
Cloudburst
Having put on a few Hundred Miles [trips to the South Coast, the Bicester Scramble and local Runs] since collection, it was this Saturday gone on a return journey from a Country Park Dog Walk that, parked and idling at a Fish & Chip Shop, a Plume of White Smoke exited from the Tail Pipe. I saw the Plume, and then a Billowing Cloud, and I knew instantly what the problem was. I turned off the Engine and rang the AA.
To their Credit, the AA had the whole episode wrapped up inside Two Hours and the Beast was unloaded and back at Home, all with the compliments of my Annual Membership. I cannot say fairer than that.
The following morning, I went to inspect the Oil and Coolant Caps for signs to confirm my diagnosis, hoping that perhaps I was wrong. On this occasion I was sorry to see that I wasn’t.
Fears confirmed, I just needed a Plan to fix this, and if you’re a regular Reader of this Blog then you might have read before of my mate Andy in Brighton, Mechanic Owner of Jackson Garage. A few Messages & PhoneCalls later and the Work was in the Diary; with a Twist. That I would come to Brighton and help with the Work, perhaps only to make the Tea, but I really want to get involved in this Top End Rebuild.
Hot Source
What happened then..? Why did the Head Gasket “go”..? Well, I can only think that it was a Change of Environment in the Engine Bay that did it. Pre-Restoration, the 3VZ-E Exhaust Setup was stock with the EGR System Crossover Pipe sitting at the back of the Block keeping things the way they were, and that when the Manifolds were upgraded to a Twin Header Setup, the introduction of cooler air may have changed the composition of the Gasket at running temperatures.
Whether that is the case or not will remain a mystery, perhaps until the Heads are removed and the Gasket condition tells us what happened. My feeling is that Cylinder 6 is the affected unit, since that will have been the one closest to the changed environment. But as I said, we’ll just have to wait and see.
The real Kicker is that with the Digital Thermostatically Controlled Cooling Fans on the Aluminium Radiator, the Engine temperature should have been perfect, but perfect for a newly installed Head Gasket perhaps, and not a weary 160K Mile one..
January Sales
Never a nice time of Year to be hit with a Big Bill, if indeed there is a good time, the Shopping List for the Top End Rebuild is as follows.
The Heads
Intake Manifold
Rocker Cover
Fluids & Miscellany
- Engine Oil [10W-40]
- Coolant
- Oil Filter
- Timing Belt
- Thermostat
Whilst I’m In There
You might notice a few items on this List that have been replaced and fitted new already, but with the Coolant mixing with the Oil [and vice versa] everything will need to be replaced. And you never refit a used Timing Belt.
Hasta Luego
Thursday morning after the Saturday afternoon before and it’s Flat Bed Time again, off to Brighton where the 4Runner awaits its Date with the Spanners.
I’m looking forward to getting stuck into the Work. Experience is hard to come by easily in the Motor World, so I do appreciate the fortunate position of being mates with a Mechanic, and a bloody great one at that.
The Menu: 1 Day Teardown, 2 Days Rebuild with a Week in between to have the Heads skimmed. Sounds so easy..
Categories
Roon's Road Rats 