3VZ-FE Head Gasket replacement

[DarkSideMoon]

Hey everyone, after chasing down my coolant/overheating issue for more than a year, I'm pretty satisfied that it is the head gasket. I'm in the process of tearing it down and I have a few questions.

1. Is there anything I should replace while I'm at it? I had the timing belt/water pump replaced 20k miles ago.

2.Any tips/tricks? I'm going by the toyota repair manual. Particularly with getting the electrical connectors off? I always end up manhandling them. right now I'm stuck in the sensors just under the v-bank cover.

3. A good portion of my rubber lines are rather dry, anything I can do short of replacing them?

4. I've heard with the 3vz-fe that you can advance the timing (as long as you put in 93 octane) to get some more horsepower out of it. I've also heard you can adjust the fuel/air mixture as well. Could someone point me in the right direction for those?

Thanks everyone!

[Luckynumber5]

Just make sure a good machine shop checks the heads out and replace those valve stem seals. To adjust the timing you will need a timing light, you should have one anyway since you will be taking the dizzy off. Adjusting the afm is pretty simple, just make sure you mark where the wheel was with a permanent marker before you try to adjust anything, it like to move around as soon as you release the little arm that holds it in place and you would have to go through the trouble of getting it back to stock tension again if it jumps

[JohnGD]

As mentioned, check the deck, use new stem seals (like a Fel-Pro set premium for both intake and exhaust), check valve clearances, and use new head bolts.

[Nark]

I tweaked AFM all the time when ever I go in for smog...not all the car, only the one that need tweak
Change timing!!! how do you do that w/o change out the chip? Is 3vz-fe any uniquely different than most? I don't have camry. I do wish my cressida wagon would blow up so I've an excuse to buy me a gen3 camry wagon.

[BMR]

Originally Posted by DarkSideMoon

4. I've heard with the 3vz-fe that you can advance the timing (as long as you put in 93 octane) to get some more horsepower out of it. I've also heard you can adjust the fuel/air mixture as well. Could someone point me in the right direction for those?

DarkSide - here's a link to the AFM cog adjustment.

As for the timing, stock is 10 degrees BTDC, and you can go to 15 or 17 (depending on which thread you run across) without using premium.

FWIW, I've got my AFM cog set at 5 clicks leaner, and my timing's at 15 degrees. Has been for 3 years now, and I haven't had any issues running regular gas.

Originally Posted by Nark

Change timing!!! how do you do that w/o change out the chip?

The 3VZ-FE motor has a distributor. Timing is set the old school way with a timing light. Need to install a jumper across TE1 & E1 before adjusting.