taking engine apart ?

[fonz87]

I m planning on doing the Headgasket myself. just wondering how hard is it to take the engine apart and doing the headgasket myself and also what tools will i be needing to do all this stuff ??

Thanks.
Also,
I m smelling alot of coolant burned smell but the car doesn't smoke at all and I changed the thermostat and also got a coolant pressure test(Which passed, no problems) and the mechanic asked me if the heat works, and yes it does. He tells me i don't have a BHG, and i m saying that to cuz i had a BHG on my tercel before i sold it, and that car was smoking a lot!!.
This car ain't smoking at all. I was planning on changing the waterpump to see if that get's rid of the coolant smell, if not then, the engine is going to be taken apart and a MHG is going. Also my car almost overheated today. Either way waterpump or no waterpump change. Engine is still going to be taken apart.

Just want to know what you guys think is wrong with my engine and how hard is it to take my engine apart and what tools i would need. Thanks.

 

[fonz87]

the car has 122000 miles and yesterday when i pushed the car in 2 and 3, the heat gauge went up to the overheat line and went down to the middle.

So now i just parked the car and not sure what setup to take.

 

[PIONEER]

Just wondering if you are a first time supra owner?

Take your oil cap off, look under the cap itself and see if it looks like brown moist greese.
Brown Moist Greese = BHG symptoms, Black carbon char look = Likely normal condition.

Pull your dipstick out,
IF oil looks like chocolate milkshake = BHG symptoms.
If its black/dark oil = Not likely
if you see no oil = take your belt off and give yourself a few lasheses for not checking oil every 2nd fuel filup, and then go put some oil in the engine.

Check if oil/coolent mixing in the radiator.

You can also do the blue juice test from Napa but thats for advance users.

Coolent leaks can cause your car to overhead. Leaking hoses, bad thremostat, leaking radiator, not proper bleeding of the system. Just b/c the car overheats, the default is not a blown head gasket. And don't beat the car if its already overheating or you will cause more problems.


as far as taking engine apart.. Start here. http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TSRM/MK3/manual.aspx?S=EM&P=34

 

[Fletch124]

Your smelling coolant because your heater core is dead most likely if the above symptoms dont apply.

 

[HommerSimpson]

ever take a engine apart ?
Any idea just how much it cost to MHG one of these ?
Have a tool set ?

 

[fonz87]

/\/\ have i ever taken it apart.. nope, there is always.. do it yourself and learn.
MHG cost 110.. 1.2 mm HKS metal Headgasket
ARp bolts cost somewhere around 115.
As for tool set.. yes and no.. my dads has alot of tools.. but not sure exactly what i need so thats why i m asking what tools would i need.


Pioneer --- i flushed the coolant the other day to put a new thermostat and the coolant was all green. it wasn't brown or milky or anything... Green that went in and green that came out. Oil, looks like how it came out of the bottle. I will be changing the oil tomorrow.
Ill check the oil cap tomorrow to see if it's milky.
Ill take pics of the oil when i change it.

 

[HommerSimpson]

block and head both need to be surfaced to belive its a RA30 finish......

 

[LilMissMkIII]

^^Exactly!

Not an easy or cheap thing to do

 

[fonz87]

ok so you guys know or to help me figure this out. ill break it down simple.

I m a first time supra owner
- car has a new radiator, was said by the previous owner
- did a coolant flush and the coolant was all green. Not brownish or anythig
- Changed the thermostat two days ago
-car doesn't smoke at all.
-I smell brunt coolant. Alot.
- my radiator fan... the small electric ones turn on alot.
-ha coolant pressure done and it passed.
-heat works fine.
- Car has a exhaust leak by the turbo.
-car makes good boost
-2 weeks ago when i drove it around my neighborhood, the reservoir was overfilled with coolant and it was boiling and some of it dumped out. Car didn't do that since then and i wasn't even pushing the car when that happen, i was practicing the hills by my house which is just a little up and down.

 

[Suprarook]

Hey Fonz, i live up rt. 12 near fox lake/round lake area. If u decide to do this mhg replacement, I'd love to help out if you want. Good learning experience for the both of us. And as long as u have good set of metrics, blah blah, u should be good on that. A fairly good ratchet for getting exact torque specs on head bolts (on a roll) and if u can remember how the parts came off, then u are off to a good start.
I think it's more time than anything. Am I wrong?

Also-i have this dvd on how to rebuild the 7m motor. It is very detailed, one of the best ways to learn is to watch someone else do it while they also explain it. The dvd combines a vision video on what needs to be done when and basically everything that the repair manuals offer (tsrm/haynes). It may come in handy 4u

 

[fonz87]

my uncle has a house down there.. its about 20 mins away from me. I can remember what i took off and put back on. This is a good experience for me if i do it. Only thing im worried about is.. what tools m i going to be needing ?? I have sockets, like 10 11 12 size and other sizes and i was thinkin about going to buy a torque wrench and what else would i be needing for this ??

 

[Rennat]

you dont HAVE to... several people, including a vendor on here. he just cleaned the block, decked the head, and threw a cometic gasket on it, and its been that way for 2 years... so to say that you HAVE to resurface both is a lie. its the "right" way to do it... but if you dont plan on pushing it, just get the ARP and a good graphite head gasket.

 

[Suprarook]

wELL, best bet for this is a set of impact sockets, I use these when I work on my engines. Maybe its just me but i think they are more durable and tougher, that might just be me. Extensions to reach down in there, screwdriver for valve covers, little plastic bags for the nuts/ bolts when organizing so that all proper parts go back where they should when rebuilding, just basically the obvious tools and such. It's, like i said earlier post, just more time than anything. As far as headgasket replacement. That is definitely something you should be 100% positive that it is broken or is getting ready to go out, because changing out headgasket is not easy task, and maybe a little costly when it comes to having to take it to machine shop to get the block and cylinder head resurfaced to have a nice and even conjoining of the two once you place the new gasket there. I do believe it has to be more perfect if you are using a metal headgasket when u replace it. This cost u might have to make a few calls to find out how much from machine shop...

 

[Im Chris Brown]

Pull your dipstick out,
IF oil looks like chocolate milkshake = BHG symptoms.
If its black/dark oil = Not likely

crappp!!!!!!!!!!
im hoping the oil is just...old and dirty?

im changing it tomorrow then checking it sometime thereafter. hopefully its not still the same. guhhhh

 

[suprarx7nut]

A good set of metric tools is the BEST investment you can make on your car ownership, IMO.

Various sockets (10mm, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23), wrenches, screwdrivers, and of course, TORQUE wrench.

Extenisions go a long ways, especially the wobble ended ones. You'll also need an inverse hex 10mm socket for the head bolts.

 

[Frank Rizzo]

You will also need a 32mm six point socket for the heater union.

Also a 14mm allen head socket for the no.3 cylinder head cover.

And if you reseal the plug underneath the EGR cooler, you will need a 17mm allen head socket.

ARP head bolts require a twelve point 1/2" socket with a 3/8" drive.

I agree, tools are the best investment.

 

[jdub]

you dont HAVE to... several people, including a vendor on here. he just cleaned the block, decked the head, and threw a cometic gasket on it, and its been that way for 2 years... so to say that you HAVE to resurface both is a lie. its the "right" way to do it... but if you dont plan on pushing it, just get the ARP and a good graphite head gasket.

It's not a lie. Every manufacturer of MHG's publish a RA spec for their product...why do they do that? The smoothness of the mating surfaces is critical for the viton coating to seal. The difference in expansion rates between the iron block and aluminum head produces a "scrubbing" effect the ridgid MHG can't tolerate well...the smoother the mating surfaces, the better it minimizes this.

Guys do get away with not doing the block...it's a crap shoot if the block deck is smooth enough. Most I've seen end up redoing the job. IMO, If you can't deck both the head and block, you're better off with a stock composite HG.

 

[HommerSimpson]

you dont HAVE to... several people, including a vendor on here. he just cleaned the block, decked the head, and threw a cometic gasket on it, and its been that way for 2 years... so to say that you HAVE to resurface both is a lie. its the "right" way to do it... but if you dont plan on pushing it, just get the ARP and a good graphite head gasket.

Well when i bought my car the head was off... I slaped a grafite gasket and arps studs.... it lasted 10k miles till i boosted it to 10psi and it blew the very first time...So as long as he understands... right and wrong and bandaid.
Of course the problem was my block was warped...

 

[jdub]

Yep...the decks MUST be flat. No HG is going to last if it isn't.

If a stock HG is installed correctly, the decks are flat, and you use 70-75 ft/lbs on stock bolts or ARP's torqued to spec, a stock HG will hold up pretty well. They've lasted for years running boost just below fuel cut

 

[suprahabsfan]

Hey Fonz, i live up rt. 12 near fox lake/round lake area. If u decide to do this mhg replacement, I'd love to help out if you want. Good learning experience for the both of us. And as long as u have good set of metrics, blah blah, u should be good on that. A fairly good ratchet for getting exact torque specs on head bolts (on a roll) and if u can remember how the parts came off, then u are off to a good start.
I think it's more time than anything. Am I wrong?

Also-i have this dvd on how to rebuild the 7m motor. It is very detailed, one of the best ways to learn is to watch someone else do it while they also explain it. The dvd combines a vision video on what needs to be done when and basically everything that the repair manuals offer (tsrm/haynes). It may come in handy 4u

Where can I get this DVD!!!