1993 Camry Head Gasket - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

geezee · 06-13-2010, 04:51 PM

I'll try'n be brief but a full history will take a few... 1993 Camry LE, 4 cyl, 102,000 miles. About 3 yr ago, 75k miles, timing belt kit, (belt, tensioner, etc), was installed so all soft parts are good to go. It overheated 2 yr ago due to a faulty cooling fan, about 85k miles. Blew the head gasket. I replaced the head gasket myself (that job sucks!) but I (gambled) and did not take the head all the way off and in to a shop to have it milled flat, assuming/hoping it was not warped. I found I was able to keep the intake mani attached and intact, lift the head, clean the surfaces, and slide a new gasket in and reinstall the head... Prolly not the best idea but saved a considerable amount of(more) disassembly. After a year it did leak some oil on the backside of the motor- which as you know is nearly impossible to SEE -as to where the oil was originating, but I figured at the head gasket, on the backside, possibly up at the valve cover, but seeing as what I did to the motor, I figured it was the head gasket. Added oil every so often, continued as a daily driver. Went on vaca for one week so it sat unused. Went to start the car, it cranked and didn't quite start up (fired over and stalled). On second attempt, the motor sounded entirely different, like it had NO COMPRESSION. It cranks, pulleys turn, stuff is all still mechanically connected , however it simply turns over freely (easily, like no compression or attempting to start up). I pulled the upper timing belt cover. I figured the timing belt had been contaminated with leaking oil and let go (altho the pulleys turning...?). Had wife crank it and the timing belt is intact, pretty clean (not oil soaked) and is rotating its cams , etc, as you'd expect... So to me it has to be the head gasket blew. I don't have a compression tester and did not check compression in the 4 cylinders. Do I need to get one and do this or is it a done deal that the head gasket has blown and it needs a proper head job to run right again ? Or am I all wrong and its something else....? Any ideas welcome. Sry for being so wordy but I think the history of the vehicle is appropriate in this case.
Thanks
-Z-

peshwa · 06-13-2010, 11:46 PM

Sorry to hear that dude...fricking annoying to see this happen to your daily driver. I have used "Universal Block Leak tester (US $38)" to check for blown head gasket. While the car is running hold the test tube firmly over your radiator cap and observe for color of test liquid. If it turns yellow you have BHG else its ok.
Another nice tool is http://www.harborfreight.com/flex-dr...ter-92697.html US $8 only from Harbor Freight Tools. I have used it couple of times and its very useful and fairly accurate.
I know your car can not start right now and there are experts on this forum who can guide you. I am not one of them but just wanted to add my 2 cents :-)

geezee · 06-14-2010, 07:03 AM

I suppose its also possible the timing belt did jump a tooth or two and this has the motor acting like it has virtually no compression when cranking. I have not checked but I assume there is a mechanical alignment I can verify between the timing mark on the crank pulley and the relative camshaft positions....
Z