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1AD-FTV DIY Head Gasket Repair


Kennycab
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Hi, sorry for not finishing the thread off, I will attempt to get it done this week as it seems a few people could benefit from it.

I discovered that removing the engine and gearbox as per Toyota's instructions was the best way to do this job, it is too difficult to reach many of the bolts when the engine is in the car, and the sump has to be removed to disconnect the oil pickup pipe before the timing chain cover can be removed. I would advise anyone wanting to do this not to bother trying to do it without removing the engine. It is a day's work to remove the engine and gearbox, then less than a day to get the head removed.

When the head was removed it revealed that the coating on the metal parts of the gasket (the stuff that forms the seal) had started to break up, that was really the only conclusion I could draw, it wasn't obviously blown in a certain place as some other gaskets I have seen.

I took the head to my local machine shop for them to examine, they stripped it down, put it through their cleaner, skimmed 0.1mm off it and rebuilt it with all new seals etc. which I supplied. I bought a head gasket set (contains everything but the head gasket) from Toyota and the thickest head gasket (also Toyota) which has the 5 notches on. Original one had 3 notches so the extra thickness was about the same as the amount skimmed off the head. The guy at the machine shop said he had to skim it because the old gasket material had started to embed itself into the aluminium and it was the only way he could be sure the surface would form a good seal. Perhaps this also contributed to the head gasket having failed. The surface of the block was ok and was just cleaned with emery paper.

Whilst the engine was apart I decided to strip the block, have the cylinders honed and fit new rings, big end and main bearings. These parts I obtained from Nevlock engine components, along with front and rear crankshaft oil seals, these were aftermarket parts. Also got a new set of flywheel bolts from local motor factors which cost about £5, can't reuse the old ones.

So everything was completely cleaned by the machine shop, all the carbon took off the pistons and at the top of the cylinders as well, then reassembled with a new set of FAI head bolts. A new water pump was fitted as the old one had been leaking. Both parts bought from motor factors, General Traffic.

It took a good day to build the engine back up and put all the bits back on, join the gearbox and have it ready for fitting. This also took a day to fit and get to the point where it was ready to start.

I have done over 15,000 miles since doing this job, there has been no coolant loss except for the odd drip from the overflow. Whilst the engine was out I flushed the radiator and heater matrix with the hose pipe to get as much of the old coolant out as I could. It now has a 50/50 mix of coolant and filtered water, coolant from the motor factor for about £15 for 5 litres suitable for aluminium engines etc. and luminous pink coloured. Toyota coolant was over £50 at my local dealers.

The engine runs very well, quiet, smooth and is more powerful than before. It's as if you don't notice the drop in power when the gasket goes, but you realise how much you have lost when you get it back.

 

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Here are some pics taken as I went along:

First, engine removed

 

Next, engine split from gearbox and clutch removed to show dual mass flywheel

Then engine on engine stand

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You need a way of locking the flywheel to loosen the flywheel and front pulley bolts, I used a holding tool that was for a Ford engine and bolted it in to the starter hole. I had this from a previous job I did, timing belt on Fiesta 1.25.

Some pics of the engine in bits:

 

 

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Continuing with reassembly, note the head pictures:

 

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I used a car creeper to wheel the engine and gearbox underneath the front of the car, then lowered the front and attached an engine crane to lift into position, and bolted on to chassis at the inner wing / chassis leg mount points. I left the subframe off (manual says fit it on first) then fitted this separately and attached mountings at the front and rear of the gearbox.

 

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Notice there is no air conditioning compressor on the engine, I unbolted it before removing the engine and left it on the car. Refitted after installing the engine, then fitted the belt. Air conditioning still working, no need for any regassing.

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  • 5 months later...
On 3/22/2017 at 8:25 PM, Kennycab said:

I started by removing the plastic underguards from engine and gearbox, then draining the coolant. Radiator drain plug is on the battery side, the white plastic nut showing in the picture. Loosening with a 12mm socket let the coolant out, to a waiting bucket underneath. Surprisingly not much sign of the black tinge.

To make sure I got all the old coolant out, I refilled with warm water, ran the engine for a minute with heater on and drained again. Then done it all again so there was just clear water draining out.

 

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Thanks for the explanation, can I ask you where is the engine block  coolant drain plug? 

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  • 5 years later...
On 2/18/2018 at 11:22 AM, Coolissimo said:

Thanks for the explanation, can I ask you where is the engine block  coolant drain plug? 

It's at the back of the engine and looks like a small stopcock with a hex bolt. It can be accessed from underneath the car, just ahead of the subframe. You will need ramps or a car lift to get under there

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  • 2 weeks later...

You guys seem to know a lot. Could you please go to o2 sensor ( under Avensis) and check my post( s) 

Thanks

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