1996 unused for 4 years

Hello all, thanks for your time. This site is a tremendous resource. Thank you for all the support I've received so far.

My truck sat for four years and now I'm taking the engine apart down to the head gasket to replace it.

The vehicle sat for that long without running or rolling, outdoors. Please advise as to what I should be aware of with this generation tacoma and that kind of disservice.

I realize that letting vehicles sit for long periods is not advised. I'm also aware of common issues such as:

Flat spots on tires

Dead battery

Rust on the body and frame

Replace all fluids including gas

Everything made of rubber compromised including tires

Before we started it, I poured fresh oil through the spark plug holes and let it soak for a week. New battery, drained the old gas and changed the fuel filter. Fired right up.

The head gasket is being replaced because of a suspected faulty repair - the reason it was parked for so long (among other issues).

It is what it is, so please tell me if this was your project and you wanted it for weekend warrior to accompany your daily driver, what would you do?

Also, I'd like to post pictures of the repair, I'm a novice but armed with a decent set of tools, the toyota service manual, and a hellava video by worsethanchiggers on YouTube detailing a headgasket replacement on the 5vz-fe engine. If you want to see something specific, I'd be happy to check, if I am guided with laymans terms. I've done a couple valve adjustments on motorcycles and feel I can tackle this job. And I promise I won't spam the forum too much.

Thanks again.

 

Sounds like you already know what to look for and what can and can't be trusted after sitting. Good luck with the head gasket, I would change the water pump, timing belt and the timing belt idler pulleys while your in there. That whole thing generally comes in a kit that doesn't cost too much.

 

Myself and a friend replaced the timing belt and idle pulleys at 200k, right before it was parked in 2011. Tough call?

Mostly I'm concerned about any exhaust bolt/stud, and internal rust on engine components.

 

there might be a little rust in the cylinders, especially the one with the water leak but just a smear with grease or coating with motor oil is all they will need. anything more then light surface rust is not good so post pictures if that's the case.

once you get the head off you will know more.

as to breaking exhaust bolts, shit happens but I find they break off less on Toyota then they do on American engines. just spray everything well with rust penetrant a couple time a day for two days before you are ready to start pulling it apart.

as you take things apart wipe them with a smear of grease or motor oil to stop rust while you work and tag and bag everything in zip lock bags so to don't lose or mix up where they go. anything with different length bolts, make a carboard image of the mounting pattern then stick each bolt where it goes in the pattern so you cant mess up.

 

I have another thread about why I'm replacing this head gasket. As far as I can tell there is no coolant leak into any cylinders.

The vehicle sat after a previous head gasket was replaced. After the head gasket job it overheated (4 years ago) and never did before. So I suspect the head gaskets were put on backwards or upside down.

I've replaced the upper/lower radiator hoses, radiator, radiator cap, thermostat (twice), water pump and fan clutch. I've flushed the heater core and block in both directions. The truck still over heats.

There is no smoke from the exhaust, oil and coolant are not mixing and no bubbles in the radiator.

I have not done a cylinder leak down test, but compression is good on all 6 cylinders.

The only other thing I can think of is a weepy freeze plug behind the motor mount. I'm thinking of replacing this with an expandable plug to see if it helps, but I'm not holding my breath. I don't think it would cause it to overheat.

I've been spraying the exhaust manifold bolts and studs with pb blaster every day. I'm gathering tools and supplies and cleaning out the garage. I figure it will take me all of next sat and sun.

Thanks for the replies.

 

well if i were you i would pull the engine out, it makes it soooo much easier to do all this work and if you have 1 leaky freeze plug then that along with your other issues is reason enough to pull the engine, pull the heads, and flush the block as well as all freeze plug holes so you know everything is clear and clean, then replace all the freeze plugs and head gaskets. its a good thing a freeze plugs leaks because its something you should do anyway to sort out cooling issues when blockages are suspected but i didn't suggest it because its a lot of work to pull the engine to do them but since yours are known to be bad, its a no brainer to do it.

seriously, this work is a lot easier with the engine out of the truck and it is well worth doing.

don't try to take any short cuts with this, how would you feel after its all done then have to pull the engine later because you cant access a freeze plug that keeps leaking. and an expandable plug wont work for long so don't even bother.

all this stuff is super easy and even a novice can do it if you take your time and follow the FSM directions

 

OEM headgasket arrived today. It's got some damage upon receipt. The seal put on by the factory is missing in one spot. Take it back or hit it with some sealer?

 

My truck sat even longer before i bought it at a town auction. All the u joints and every axle/driveline seal leaked. Base gasket leaks aswell. All shocks were bad. Most bushings and body mount rubbers. I had no engine issues when it came time to start though. Truck seemed to properly stored.

 

Yeah, trade that gasket for a good one, not even worth risking it. Perhaps you can update us when you get the heads off. I'm curious what you'll find.

 

Use the updated MLS gaskets over the Graphite composite.




how the OEM Graphite composite failed after 200k

 

this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Take the heads to a shop to have it surfaced and pressure tested.

 

Nick.

Let me give you a few forum pointers that will help you get answers faster.

1. Click "quote" at the end of someones post to reply to that post. The person will receive a notification.

2. Click "multi-quote" and you can select more than one post. You can then click on "insert quotes" and reply to various posts in one sitting.

ORRRR..

3. Add @ before the person's screen name and they will be tagged, sorta like instagram and facebook. Like this: @Elow007

 

I clicked quote here and it inserts it below in the text field.

I agree with @Speedytech7

 

Clunky - I will keep this thread posted as to what I find. I'm having a hard time believing that its as easy as they say it is to swap or flip the headgaskets. If you or anyone else can think of anything I should try before the HG job, I'm all ears.

Blkvoodoo - I wanted to do a multilayered steel headgasket initially, but I have been leaning more towards the OEM. The version I received is a version three I believe. The version one has zero holes in the corner, version 2 has one hole and version 3, two holes. I would be interested in hearing the pros and cons of the two types of gasket. Do you know which version of oem graphite you had fail at 200K? Thanks for the pictures. Does Toyota sell a MLS head gasket, or is that aftermarket?

Caligula - I think you are right on the money with this but, BUT, i'm wondering if I use a starrett straight edge and feeler gauges can I asses the heads for any warpage adequately?

Toyota is getting me a new set of headgaskets.

 

Thanks for the tip.

 

yes sir.

 

I've "heard" MLS is used as replacement on recalled engines, I have no proof.

Having chased the composite gasket horse several times in the past ( repeat failures over time with specific brands ), and knowing MLS is the newer and more favored tech in many engines I went that way with my repair.

ideally I would have liked to have had the block surfaced as well as the heads ( 0.010" on the heads just to clean them up ), time and (mostly)money didn't allow for that, so far so good one year later.

A straight edge is good, but a good face on the heads will help with sealing, you're only going to get that by seeing the machinist.

BEFORE


AFTER

cleaned again after the pic
doing a dye penetrant check for cracks is suggested if you're not going to do a pressure check.

 

Any chance I can get a picture of both head gaskets intalled correctly for a reference?

 

So far so good, the exhaust hardware came off easily. I did see something strange, there is coolant pooled in one of the ports on the left head towards the front.