Warped Head - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

ktownkrolla · 02-10-2010, 09:20 AM

Hey guys, I usually chill on the GEN 6 Corolla Forum as that is my faithful DD. Anyways, my girlfriend got handed down a GEN 3 95 camry because it was overheating only when going up hill or at WOT. So i tried a new thermostat and it was still overheated. When it was over heating the coolant was coming out of the reservoir under high pressure So then i pulled off the cap while the car was cool and then started it and watched my coolant flow through my radiator. Cool. Then i pulled out the thermostat and gutted it and put the housing back on. Car didn't overheat once. Okay. So i'm not over heating but I still have a problem. So i drive it around all day and my coolant was still coming out of the reservoir under pressure. Plus i was burning oil on the outside of the block and my valve covers are dry but its soaking wet underneath the exhaust manifold. Not to mention i had just cleaned that spot off from all the coolant i spilled while doing the thermostat. So i pulled my head off and inspeceted the head gasket. It looked pretty damn good, but you could see burn marks on the metal rings around the cylinders. So i took the head to the machine shop and they cleaned it and found that it was so warped that it was finally flattened at the minimum spec. I gotta go pick it up today and put it in early saturday morning cuz i got a wedding to go to saturday afternoon out of town, and were taking her car.

hill8570 · 02-10-2010, 09:29 AM

Color me clueless, but is there a question in there somewhere?

Anywho,

chronoti · 02-10-2010, 10:34 AM

and to taking her car

i would double check with a non gutted thermostat that the car isn't over heating anymore or giving anyother problems or symptoms of bhg

73sport · 02-11-2010, 12:43 PM

Looks like you have a choice to make: Work feverishly on the loving reliable Camry which will always serve you faithfully or go to a wedding in another car (I sense betrayal!). You didn't say it wasn't your wedding so we'll assume it is which brings us here. . . - 15 year old motor oil, radiator juice, solvent, sealant, sweat, elbow grease and quick wipe down with Go-Jo is in your furture. . . You should be smelling like daisies by the time you get your tux on!

The Camry is still a solid choice. . . and will likely never leave you!

Was there a question about the car we can help you with?

AlmightyCamry777 · 02-11-2010, 01:49 PM

You most likely have a blown head gasket. Possibly a warped cylinder head. Sometimes the engine block warps too but not nearly as common as a warped head (due to sheer mass of metal i guess.)

So its probably valve job time for this engine. Remove the head and take it to a machine shop to check for warpage, if you are having that one rebuilt. If you are just swapping for a rebuilt head (what i always do) check the engine block for warpage. It is not hard, you need an accurate straightedge and a feeler gauge set, the toyota manual tells you how to check and what the warp limits are.

Also examine the block and water jacket holes for evidence of damage caused by the coolant leaking. Check also the cylinder head bolt holes to make sure none are stripped!
Also toyota says not to reuse cylinder head bolts. So buy new bolts too if you are doing a valve job.

ktownkrolla · 02-17-2010, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73sport

Looks like you have a choice to make: Work feverishly on the loving reliable Camry which will always serve you faithfully or go to a wedding in another car (I sense betrayal!). You didn't say it wasn't your wedding so we'll assume it is which brings us here. . . - 15 year old motor oil, radiator juice, solvent, sealant, sweat, elbow grease and quick wipe down with Go-Jo is in your furture. . . You should be smelling like daisies by the time you get your tux on!

The Camry is still a solid choice. . . and will likely never leave you!

Was there a question about the car we can help you with?

No no question. And i didn't mention that my other car was a 92 corolla. Which serves just as dutifully and faithfully as my 95 camry. Which was indeed fixed in time for the wedding. New head bolts, a cleaned and machined head (i don't believe in doing valve jobs unless i am rebuilding the engine. The upper end and lower end wear and tear together. Strengthen one end up and the other end usually becomes weaker quicker) and some new gaskets and four hours later my baby's baby was back on the road.