I have a 3Y engine that is a bit crook. Was told that the water from radiator was coming out the tailpipe so obviously so issues with the head area.
I decided to have a look at it myself the other day to assess the damage. Radiator was low so filled that up. Then I was going to watch for bubbles in there to confirm if the gasket etc was causing the trouble. There was more than bubbles, from sitting in the driver's seat turning the key I got a face full of water!* So there is lots of pressure getting out!
Any recommendations on what you might think is up? I'm figuring its much more than just a gasket with that much pressure and maybe even more than a cracked head? I've had very little experience with heads and such issues.
*Its a hiace, not a hilux
Sold my 1985, BJ74 MWB Landcruiser, rear locker, 33" MTs, snorkel, PTO winch, solid bars all round, spotties, AM CB etc.
Now just a 1994, 1kz Surf, pretty standard.
could just be a head gasket, or it could be the dreaded cracked head, pull the plugs out and disconect the coil, (you might find all plugs are sitting in water) and crank it over you should see water coming out of at least one cylinder ,if your not pulling the head off for a while it pays to dry out all the water with an air gun and even get a little oil down there to save it rusting like the plug you just pulled out. but realisticly you'll need to pul the head off before you can pin point it to the head or the gasket,
I can only assume that its not running? and that its not being driven, running it (or trying to) can do damage some say you can bend rods from water in there but my dumb logic reckons that if the water can get in there then with the pressure it would take to bend a rod the water would just get forced out maybe even blow the radiator cap i think they are only good for about .7 bar???
Never argue with an idiot, they drag you down to their level then beat you with experiance!
I had the gasket fail and pump cylinder #4 full of water, when I pulled it down (300000km engine so did rings checked bearings ets too) we found the head was not exactly flat so had to give it a skim bolt it all back together and away we go!
I thought it had siezed or a valve had stuck and the piston met it but when I pulled all the plugs I saw water so wound it over (Almost wearing it) screwed plug's back in and away we went. I spent almost a month looking for a small hole in the radiator pipes and heater hoses thinking they were leaking
I found out I should have skimmed more off and gone higher compression for more power and better economy
Well maybe next time or it will be the Holden V6 conversion....
It's not a runner at present, wont fire up. I'll try the plugs that way it will narrow it down to one cylinder. There seems like no risk of hydrolicing as its pushing it out the rad ok. If its just the head gasket I might as well do that and get it running. If its the head I might be just as well off to grab a second hand head - any one got one?
If its any more major I won't bother as I'm selling it any way and I was just thinking it will be easier to sell running as this is all I think it needs to be a road legal runner, except there may be a bit of a carby issue.
Sold my 1985, BJ74 MWB Landcruiser, rear locker, 33" MTs, snorkel, PTO winch, solid bars all round, spotties, AM CB etc.
Now just a 1994, 1kz Surf, pretty standard.
What sort of cost in crack testing? What sort of cost are gaskets for these things?
Ask me about BMC A series engines and heads and gaskets and all related stuff and I would be within my range.
Sold my 1985, BJ74 MWB Landcruiser, rear locker, 33" MTs, snorkel, PTO winch, solid bars all round, spotties, AM CB etc.
Now just a 1994, 1kz Surf, pretty standard.
Pulled the head off last night (why do they make things difficult?) I had to take the manifold off with it rather than lay it aside as the mount bolts are hidden in a shroud. So out in the paddock with a trouble lamp with a long extension running back to the shed and the cat waving its tail in my face I finally managed to get the thing off. (I think I'll stick with the morris minor heads in the future!) but I'm ahead of my self...
Before taking head off I checked the cylinders to see what one leaked. As mentioned the rad was blowing the pressure out and the water had been coming out the exhaust.
Took all plugs out and it blew no water out the holes and the rad no longer had pressure, put one plug in at a time and for both 2 & 3 had rad bubbles again. Worked out that it must have gone between the two cylinders and the water jacket.
After the head was off I can see that the gasket is very thin, thought it might have split in half when the head came off but no, it seems that it has slowly been taking the bits of gasket out into the cylinders.
I'm hoping the gasket has just collapsed and the head and block are all ok. Will clean them up and put a straight edge on them level to check warping. If they are flat what's the chances there are deeper issues? or since its obvious the gasket is giving trouble is it a waste of time to slap a new gasket on and give it a shot?
If its more than the gasket anyway I'm not going to spend money on the head, unless some one has a cheap one lying about.
Sold my 1985, BJ74 MWB Landcruiser, rear locker, 33" MTs, snorkel, PTO winch, solid bars all round, spotties, AM CB etc.
Now just a 1994, 1kz Surf, pretty standard.
The block will be OK, it sounds like the head gasket was the only issue but for the $60 to $100 I would send the head in to be tested (valve seats etc) Better to know than throw it together and find it smokes and you have to do it all over again.
for mine the whole lot including rings and the head skimmed gaskets and all it was about $250 including the seats were good and o-rings etc no issues. Bolted it together again and away I went but I was keeping the car.
With the radiator you may want to flush it out too it depends what you want from the car at the other end, if selling just throw a gasket at it bolt it up and flush the radiator run it up and see if you are happy.
Steve_t647 wrote:Depends what you want from the car at the other end, if selling just throw a gasket at it bolt it up and flush the radiator run it up and see if you are happy.
That last comment is basically my thoughts at present.
I'm just selling it and at the moment its a no runner with these issues. Its not worth diddlysquat anyway but I'm thinking for the cost and time of a gasket its probably worth doing that and selling it as a runner rather than an unknown. If its going to be head work etc I'm not going to spend hundreds getting that done so I figure its most likely not worth the cost to test it either. Might just take the gamble of the cost of a gasket and slap that on and if its goes ok after that I'm happy, if it blows it again well I know there are other issues I'm not prepared to put money into any way.
Just if any of you can sense any thing obvious that a gasket isn't going to fix it regardless it prob not worth doing even that.
Sold my 1985, BJ74 MWB Landcruiser, rear locker, 33" MTs, snorkel, PTO winch, solid bars all round, spotties, AM CB etc.
Now just a 1994, 1kz Surf, pretty standard.
You should flush the radiator too, the headgasket failed and the cooling system was pushing water into the cylinder this is usualy because the radiator is half full of crap, empty it into a sewer and put the hose through it and try clean it as much as possible add a radiator flush compound and run it up to temp for a while drop the water in a sewer again and you should be good.
Apparently Rad was recond just recently but I still will flush as it will have some fuel etc through it. I figured the water was getting into the engine not because of a blockage in the radiator but by the cylinder working as a suck/blow pump - suck water in - blow it out the exhaust - suck fuel and air in - push it out the water jacket etc.
Some thing had to have caused the gasket issue, unless it was just a dud gasket. Maybe the rad was redone due to an over heating issue which also did the gasket damage but its only shown up now.
Just priced gaskets:
Toyota $97.93
Repco (not in Stock) $36.00
Super Cheap $29.85
Of course there are head gaskets and head gaskets but one guess where I'm going this time.
Sold my 1985, BJ74 MWB Landcruiser, rear locker, 33" MTs, snorkel, PTO winch, solid bars all round, spotties, AM CB etc.
Now just a 1994, 1kz Surf, pretty standard.
I got the gasket, pulled the head off Thursday night and fitted it Sunday night. Got it running tonight. Seems Ok except its missing a bit. No bubbles in the radiator now. Blats down the road at decent speeds ok.
So I'm going to give it a clean up and check the plugs and try it for a WOF... - it needs a head light too...
Sold my 1985, BJ74 MWB Landcruiser, rear locker, 33" MTs, snorkel, PTO winch, solid bars all round, spotties, AM CB etc.
Now just a 1994, 1kz Surf, pretty standard.
for more power and better economy