Best headgasket set for 3.4?

I saw people post you can get oem cheap on ebay but when you look at the item description the brand is not Toyota. So what headgasket set are you guys using?

 

This is the kit I used:

https://www.yotashop.com/gasket-kit...d-gasket-replacement-kit-2000-2004-kit-1020b/

 

Is it ok to use the mls on a 99?

 

MLS will be an upgrade to the pre00 w/ graphite

 

Yeah thats what I did on my 95. Just got to be extra sure that the block is clean and flat. I spent hours prepping the surface

 

0.051" Cometic (stock is 0.040"). I'm lower compression and decked ~5-6 thousandths off the block and head combined. I was also going to run different cams, but that didn't work out.

 

I bought this kit as well a few years ago. Good kit but they sent two left sided head gaskets so just make sure you double check everything matches up before you install…. Cus I didn’t lol

 

I know the graphite ones leave a lot of material that has to be removed from the block and heads. If your replacing MLS gaskets on a 2004 with new MLS is there any material that has to be scrubbed off like the graphite ones?

 

IIRC, 95.5-00 is graphite while 01-04 is MLS. On the few tear down I did, mls will have minimum to no residual when removing. Unlike graphite gasket.

 

thanks,
Ok, good to know, my 2004 motor driver side gasket has a baby leak coming out between the head and block at the back, has antifreeze residue showing in one spot but is a super small leak, adding a half cup of antifreeze every 5000 miles. So going to replace with new OEM MLS gaskets and ARP studs soon.

 

I see valve lashing in your future.

 

Yup, after 400k miles on the 3.4 those valves are definitely out of adjustment.
Because of the miles I have I bought new heads, all new parts put together from yota1, not cheap but if I’m this far in going to do everything.
Just have to make time to install everything now with all new timing stuff. Figure I want to do everything once now

 

I had never done valve lash before I built my motor and it was outside of the engine bay. I cannot imagine my back surviving doing valve lash with the motor in the engine bay. I had to install (and remove) the cams six times on each side to get the lash perfect. Worth getting it right and I can definitely hear and feel the difference between 163K motor heads vs. rebuilt. Granted there are other things I did that make my motor feel different, but I dunno man, something about spinning the crank around and seeing those lobes make perfect contact and everything completely mechanically harmonious brings a sense of satisfaction that can't be beat.

 

It's definitely easier on this engine to lash them outside the engine bay if you're not going to use the tools to do it with the cams in.