4.0L V6 with bad head gasket (repair or replace?)

Probably right but I already replaced it anyway.

 

I was planning on pulling the timing cover today to go ahead and reseal it again. Before I did so, I took another look at the bottom corners and saw that the FIPG oozed out there so I am assuming it filled in the areas that I was worried about. I just left it alone and proceeded to move forward.

 

It's good, time to get it running soon!

 

This is where I ended up tonight. That tensioner, a/c compressor and alternator are a pain in the azz to install.

 

I had some family stuff this weekend so no progress on the truck. I got back to it today and found out that the dealer gave me the incorrect studs that go on the outside edges of the cylinder heads so I was unable to install the valve covers. I should have the correct studs tomorrow. In the meantime, I decided to install the intake manifold, oil filter housing and water inlet.

My goal is to be driving the truck by Christmas but there is a good chance that I could be doing a first start tomorrow evening.

 

Fingers crossed Buddy!!!

 

The saga has finally come to an end. This has been the biggest repair that I have ever took on.
I finished the truck late yesterday evening. I was really determined to get it done before the holidays.

Before I connected the battery, I pulled the relay on the fuel pump. I figured I could crank it over and hopefully get some oil through the engine before starting it. I put the fuel pump relay back in and turned the key to the on position. I assumed the the fuel pump will fill the lines up when the key is on. It started on the second attempt. I noticed the idle was a bit low while it was running. I took it for a drive and it ran great but it still idled low when stopped. I put it back in the garage and went to sleep.

I took it out this evening and it is running great. The idle issue has gone away. I guess it was behaving like any other time I had the battery disconnected. I believe the truck goes through some relearn procedure but I am sure others can clarify. I have to say that my mind started thinking about every piece that I took out and whether I had missed something during the repair or reassembly.

It feels great to have the truck back!

Thanks to everyone who helped answer my questions and give me guidance along the way. It really did make all the difference.

 

I always disable fuel and prime my big jobs, makes me feel better haha.

Good job dude. You should be proud of your work.

 

WOW. Love a good success story. I can appreciate the determination despite the odds/lack of experience. It is enlightening.

 

Congrats, love posts like this. Wish I had the skills.

 

I really put the truck to the test today. Did a 160 mile round trip today in some pretty harsh conditions. It's snowing here and the current temperature is 6 degrees. I'm happy to report that she is running great and idling silky smooth. I couldn't be more impressed with this almost 300k mile truck.

 

This is one of many examples of why folks really love these trucks and plan to keep them for a long time.

 

Excellent write up and excellent result! Nice job, Man.
If you're like me, you'll be a little anxious for a while but time will heal that wound.
Keep us posted! I love threads like this, full of win.

 

Thank you. I think you are right about time passing. Yesterday's drive was a big confidence booster for sure. With that said, every time I open the hood, my eyes gaze down at the bottom of the timing cover looking for a leak, lol.

 

Very nice work. Good persistence. And you saved a pile 'o bucks too!

Thanks for keeping us updated till the end. So many drop in, ask questions and vanish.

It's nice to see a finished result and know that the forum was helpful!

 

I was thinking about putting together a short writeup to finish up this thread. It wouldn't be a step by step but an attempt to list the resources I used like YouTube videos, forum posts, etc. I would also add any tools or steps that I used during this job which were helpful. I'm not sure how much of the information would be new per say, but at the very least it would be consolidated here for others who may want to take this on. Let me know if you think that would be helpful.

 

Yes, very helpful and a welcome change from the typical day-to-day threads that get posted.

 

I tried to summarize all of the information I used to complete my head gasket repair on my 08 4.0L V6. Hopefully others find this useful. As of today, I have about 350 miles on the truck since I completed the repair. All is well so far...


Original problem / Issue Observed
- During the summer, I started noticing coolant loss over the past 5k miles or so. Maybe a cup or two over this period. There were no visible leaks anywhere on the engine. I used a block tester several times to test for a leak and it was negative. I decided to use an inspection camera with a side view to inspect the cylinders. I pressurized the cooling system to about 13 psi and inspected #6 first and found it leaking. I was able to see some coolant on top of the piston. With some patience, I was able to observe a single drop of coolant dripping from the head gasket, down the cylinder wall and onto the piston top. I checked cylinder #4 and found it leaking too.
- Video of leak using inspection camera. https://i.imgur.com/7tDjQIU.mp4


Parts Needed

• Engine Valve Grind Gasket Set
• Water Pump Assembly
• Toyota Thermostat Housing
• Oil Pan Sealer - FIPG - 103 (00295-00103)
• Fel Pro Cylinder Head Bolt Set (included washers - qty 16)
• Bolt, Stud (exhaust manifold - qty 12)
• Nut, FLANGE (exhaust manifold - qty 12)
• Spark Plugs (qty 6)
• Locktite 242 (equivalent to Three Bond 1344)
• Toyota Oil Filter w/ gasket
• Mobil 1 - 5W-30 ~ 6 qts
• Toyota Coolant or equivalent ~ 2 gallons

* Water pump and thermostat are optional but recommended. My water pump was leaking so it was a must for me.
* My exhaust manifold fasteners were rusty so I chose to replace them.
* I used FIPG - 103 for the water pump part (ports) on the timing cover instead of Toyota Seal Packing (08826-00100).
* I chose not to replace any timing components so do your own due diligence when deciding.
* Parts Total: ~ $600.00


Specialty Tools / Suggested Tools
NOTE: This is not meant to be an all inclusive list. Some of these are optional and "nice to have" but not needed. You should already have some basic mechanics tools. E.g., 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 metric sockets with extensions. I have added hyperlinks to some of the tools I used.

• A copy, or access to a digital copy, of the FSM.
• Impact wrench
  • Especially helpful for removal of any rusty hardware on the exhaust system.
• Impact ratchet / Low torque impact wrench
  • Help with the removal and installation of bolts and nuts. There are a lot of them.
• Propane torch
  • Used to heat exhaust manifold nuts if rusted.
• 1/2 breaker bar
  • For removing the harmonic balancer bolt and head bolts. Minimum of 18" but a 24" is preferred. You could get by with a 18" plus a piece of pipe or an aluminum jack handle to increase your leverage.
• Torque wrenches
  • Ranging from inch-lbs up to 184 ft-lbs for the crank pulley.
• 10mm bi-hex tool for the head bolts.
  • This is NOT the same as a triple square. I used the CTA 9292 tool. This tool gets a lot of hate but it worked great. You just need to make sure it is seated all the way in the bolt head before using it. It worked for both the factory head bolts and Fel-Pro ones as well. Btw, there are other options like Snap-On for a lot more money but I would recommend just using the CTA one instead for half the price.
• 8mm and 10mm hex bit sockets.
  • The 8mm is for removing the intake air surge tank and the 10mm is for removing the timing chain idle gear shaft.
• 12mm deep socket
  • For removing the water union from the RH cylinder head.
• E-torx socket set.
  • This is needed to remove studs from the cylinder head.
• Oil can
  • This is very helpful when applying oil to the camshaft, lobes and lifters.
• Feeler gauge
  • Used for checking valve clearances. I used a straight one but a tapered offset one would probably work easier.
• Assembly lube
  • You could use this when installing the cams back on the cylinder head. To be honest, I preferred using motor oil with the oil can from above instead. Using this is completely optional in my own opinion.
• Plastic razor blades and scraper.
  • Plastic is soft and will not scratch aluminum so I found it very useful in removing old FIPG and cleaning the mating surfaces on the heads and cylinder block. This is a slow going process since plastic is soft.
• Brass wire brush
  • Used for cleaning the cylinder block and head mating surfaces. Brass will not scratch aluminum.
• Parts cleaner / Brake cleaner
  • And plenty of it. I also used carb cleaner as well.
• Carbide scraper
  • CAUTION, be careful when using this on aluminum. This removes material quickly but will scratch aluminum. Do not even think of using this on the mating surfaces of the heads and cylinder block. I suggest you try this on the timing cover mating surface first since this surface is sealed with FIPG.
• Radiator hose clamp pliers.
  • This is not needed but it is very handy when removing hose clamps in hard to reach spots like in the back the cylinder head on the rear water by-pass joint.
• Micrometer
  • Needed if valve clearances are out of spec. Used to determine size of new valve lifter.
• Harmonic balancer holder
  • I used this to hold the balancer during installation so I could torque the crankshaft bolt to 184 ft-lbs.
• 12" crescent wrench
  • For holding and rotating the cams.

Tools Specific to Removing and Cleaning Valves
NOTE: Only consider these tools or similar ones if removing the valves for cleaning or replacing valve stem seals.

• Valve spring compressor
  • The type I used looked almost like a big C clamp. Although this type did work, it was very cumbersome and slow to use. There might be a better alternative.
• Valve lapper
• Valve lapping compound
  • To get a finer grit, just add a tiny bit of water to the compound. Pro Tip: Use the plastic cap from your parts cleaner as a small cup to mix up some finer compound when doing your final valve lapping.
• Valve stem seal pliers
  • This tool is optional and was used for removing the valve stem seals. I was able to remove the seals on one of the heads with a pair of needle nose pliers. It is definitely easier with the tool especially on the exhaust side which were tougher to remove.
• 10mm deep socket
  • For installing the new valve stem seals. I'm sure they make a tool for the installation but the socket worked fine for me. Use plenty of oil and make sure you have the seal parallel to the stem before pushing it on.
• WD-40, steel wire brush, steel wool and green scotch-brite pads.
  • I used a combination of these items for cleaning the valves.
• Drill / cordless drill
  • I used a cordless drill to spin the valves to help speed up cleaning them. Slide a short piece of a rubber hose, about 1", to protect the valve stem when inserting it into the drill chuck.
• Magnetic Pickup Tool
  • Used to remove valve keepers after compressing the springs. You can buy a valve keeper remover and installer tool which is supposed to make removing them easy but I have never used one.

Disassembly / Assembly
I used the following videos and forums posts throughout this repair. Some of the threads referenced here are from other sites so hopefully that is okay.

• 2006 Toyota Tundra 1GR-FE 4.0 COMPLETE HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT STEP BY STEP 209-305-1672.
  • I followed the steps in this video for both disassembly and reassembly. I referenced the FSM for any steps that were not clear or missed.
• -Episode 5- Replacing a stretched timing chain on a Toyota 4.0L V6 - P0016
  • This video is not really needed but does provide background information on the timing components used on the 4.0L V6.
• Toyota 4 Runner Headgasket Time Lapse. The TimeLapse Tech!
  • A time lapse video showing the repair.
• (Part 1)1GR V6 4.0L Engine Rebuild Of Toyota Land Cruiser 2008
  • Mayo Cars DR has many detailed videos on rebuilding the 1GR-FE.
• Toyota Tech Tip (T-TT-0060-10)
  • Cross reference chart for sealants.

Resurfacing / Milling the Cylinder Heads
Some notes regarding the cylinder heads.

• I had my cylinder heads resurfaced. According to the machine shop they were out by .003". If you plan on cleaning the valves or replacing the valve seals yourself, do the resurfacing after so you don't risk damaging the freshly machined surface. The downside to this approach is that you will need to bring the heads to the machine shop twice. First for the inspection and second for the resurfacing.
• They removed .0035" from the RH and .0034" from the LH.
• Several mechanics and dealers told me that the heads can not be machined and must "thrown away" if any signs of warpage are found. So keep that in mind. I think it comes down to how much material is removed.
• Here is link to a post on this site regarding head thickness. I don't know how accurate it is. TW Milling-1gr-fe heads
• Machine shop costs: ~$350.00

Additional Comments and Suggestions

• Take your time. This job is very involved and tedious especially if doing it for the first time.
• Order the parts you know you will need ahead of time, especially if you want OEM parts at a discounted price. I used toyotaparts.bochtoyotasouth.com for my online orders. Took me about 1.5 weeks to get parts. I also found good prices and online support at McGeorge but did not order there.
  
• Find a reputable machine shop. In my own opinion you should have them inspected for cracks, leaks and trueness.
• Take pictures during disassembly as this will help during installation especially when connecting and routing wiring harnesses.
  
• Bag and label all bolts. I used zip lock bags and a marker to write where the bolts are used. This made assembly super easy.
  
• I didn't remove the radiator but I would suggest doing so. This will give you some extra room to work and avoid any potential damage when working in the engine bay.
  
• Spray penetrating oil on the bolts that hold the exhaust manifold to the exhaust pipe assembly (front section). There are three fasteners (1 bolt and 2 nuts) on each side.
• Plan to remove the exhaust manifolds with heads during disassembly. This will allow you to remove the manifolds from the heads while working on a bench especially if you live in the rust belt.
• Soak the nuts on the exhaust manifolds with penetrating oil. I also used a propane torch to heat the fasteners before using an impact wrench to remove them.
• Remember to loosen the crankshaft bolt from the harmonic balancer sooner rather than later. My mid-torque impact wrench could not remove it so I used a breaker bar wedged under the frame and bumped the starter to remove it. I was very hesitant to do this but it worked very well after the fact. This method is shown in the gasket makers video. You can use a harmonic balancer / pulley holder but I did not have one in time for disassembly.
• The harmonic balancer is not pressed on so a puller is not needed for removal. I rented a puller but was unable to use it. I could not thread the supplied bolts onto the harmonic balancer so I resorted to using a rubber mallet and gentle prying. Eventually, I was able to pull it off. Once I had the harmonic balancer off, I could see that the bolt holes were filled with crud and rust. I used a M8 x 1.25 tap to restore the threads so I could use a tool to hold the harmonic balancer later during installation.
• Spray some penetrating oil or WD-40 into the opening (where the o-ring is) located on the water inlet in the front and also to the rear water bypass joint. Removing those joints dry will ruin your day.
• Be careful with the knock sensors wiring harness that runs under the coolant pipe. Once you remove the two bolts holding the coolant pipe to the engine block, the coolant pipe is free to move around which will put stress on the harness as it is attached to the coolant pipe and the knock sensors themselves. If you have any concerns with the harness or a knock sensor, you can check the harness for continuity and test each of the sensors for the proper resistance. The FSM provides the correct resistance range.
• You do not need to remove the timing gears from the cams unless you are replacing them. The cams can be safely removed and installed when the motor is at TDC. Once the main chain is removed, you will need to rotate the bank 1 cams 90 degrees counterclockwise before removing them. Bank 2 cams do not need to be rotated prior to removal. Upon installation of the main timing chain, you will need to rotate the bank 1 cams 90 degrees in order align the timing marks on the timing gears, bearing caps, and main chain. This information is mentioned in the FSM as well.
• Paper clips can be used to lock the 3 tensioners during assembly of the timing components.
• Remember to blow out any debris or coolant in the head bolt holes in the engine block before installing the heads.
• I left the exhaust manifolds off when installing heads to avoid any complications with alignment with exhaust components below. Before installing the exhaust manifolds on the newly installed heads, loosen the top bolt and remove the bottom bolt that hold the manifold stay to the bell housing. This will give you ample room to install the manifolds without the stays getting in the way. It will make sense once you get there. Leaving the stays in place will make the installation nearly impossible. At least they did for me.
• You can apply a little amount of engine oil on the tip of the pipe when connecting the fuel lines. I didn't do it and it was tough to install the two fuel lines dry.
• Leave the crankshaft seal off of the timing cover during installation. This will make installation a bit easier and all you have to contend with is making sure the oil pump gear is lined up.
• Pre-fill the oil cooler before installing the oil filter. This may not be necessary especially if you plan on priming the motor before attempting to start it.
• Prior to starting the motor or turning the ignition to the "On" position for the first time, pull the fuel pump relay out. This will allow you to prime the motor with oil before starting it. The engine will not fire as there is no fuel in the lines yet. When you are ready to start the motor, put the fuel pump relay back in.

I hope this information helps others who decide to take this on. I am not an expert by any means but I am willing to help answer any questions if possible. Good luck!

Links to some of the tools used:

$15 CTA Tools 9292 Head Bolt Wrench, 10mm - Compatible with Toyota

CTA 9292

$7 Capri Tools 3-0539 8 mm Hex Bit Socket, 3/8" Drive, Metric

8mm

$17 LEXIVON E-TORX Socket Set, Chrome Vanadium Alloy Steel | 13-Piece Female Star Socket E4 - E20 Set | Enhanced Storage Case (LX-147)

E-torx

Powerbuilt Oil Lubrication Can 1 Pint Capacity, Thumb Lever Pump Handle, Flexible Hose Spout, Car, Machinery, Multi-Use 648751

Oil Can

$9 Permatex 81950 Ultra Slick Engine Assembly Lube, 4 oz. , Red

Assembly Lube

$11 FOSHIO Plastic Razor Blade Scraper Include 2PCS Scraper Tool and 100PCS Blades for Gasket Remover, Labels Decal and Adhesive Remover for Windows and Glass,Blue

Plastic Razor Blades and Scraper

$7 OEMTOOLS 25025 26 Blade Master Feeler Gauge

OEMTools Feeler Gauge

$15 Radiator Hose Clamp Pliers Automotive – Corrosion-Resistant Hose Clamp Tool with Non-Slip Polymer Coating, Tension & Ratchet Locking Mechanisms – Reliable, Easy to Use, Time-Saving for Car Repairs

Radiator Hose Clamp Pliers

$26 Anytime Tools Micrometer 0-1" /0.0001 Outside Premium Precision Machinist Tool

Micrometer

$21 E-cowlboy for Toyota/Lexus Crankshaft Damper Pulley Holding Holder Harmonic Tool with 2PCS Crank Bolts

Harmonic Balancer Holder

$30 Orion Motor Tech Valve Spring Compressor, 10pcs Valve Spring Removal Tool with Solid C Clamp, 5pcs Collet Pusher Adapters for Motorcycle, ATV, Car, Small Engine Vehicle Equipment

Valve spring Compressor

$9 Performance Tool W86552 2-Piece Valve Lapper Set for Vehicle Oil Systems Maintenance and Repair, Black

Valve lapper

$8 Permatex 80037 Valve Grinding Compound, 3 oz.

Valve Lapping Compound

$10 HW0107 Valve Stem Seal Pliers Seal Removal Tool

Valve stem seal pliers

EDITED: 12/28/22 - Moved links to tools to bottom of post to help with reading. I also added a section for resurfacing the cylinder heads.
EDITED: 3/2/23 - Added a note for checking the knock sensors and its harness.

 

I will start on my 06 next week. Thanks for this thread and all the pics and your last post/summary. I'm just as green on a big job like this but also somewhat excited to finally takle it. My truck blew the gasket near Las Vegas on my way to a family meeting near San Diego last year. I still drove it down there and all the way back home here in Canada's Yukon. Sure it got hot when slowing down etc. but it never boiled over and I kept adding water/coolant as needed... I just did not see any option to have it fixed along that trip never mind a cashflow shortage. I do have two fine first gen Tacos here at home plus a 92 W350 Dodge with that awesome cummins... but I really love this 2006 V6 and right now I have the time to try and get it going.

 

You’re welcome. I’m hoping it helps you and others out if they decide to take this job on.

Let us know when you start. We will be here if you have questions.