5th & 6th Generation (2002-2006 & 2007-2011)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 2002-2006 & 2007-2011
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
2002 2.4 W/147,000 miles. Trying to find a water leak has a bad outcome. The head gasket was leaking under the intake manifold. The car has never been overheated that I know of. Ordered all the parts but during repair I could not get half of the head bolts out (12pt socket head did not hold) and the center three on the intake side cannot be tightened. Engine is clean inside and shows little wear. I just don't understand what went wrong, for as many Camry's out there this problem is not unheard of I guess it's just my luck. I love the ride, room and mileage but don't think another 2.4 is in my future.
Take the engine to an automotive machine shop. They can cut the head of the bolts off (drill or mill), remove the head and then remove what is left of the bolts. They can also drill, tap and install helicoils where needed.
As to why, steel bolts and aluminum blocks do not play well together. Galvanic action between the two dissimilar metals will produce a corrosion effect between them and when you remove them, the threads sometimes go with the bolt. That is one reason why your other bolts are stuck so tight.
the 4cyl engine in your car (2AZ-FE) is one of the most reliable engines Toyota makes. IF you would have maintained the car better, you wouldn't be going through all of this.
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Thanks netforcer for the awsome sig! You da man!
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Seatbelt! you're piloting a vehicle were dual vvt-i hitts harder then VTEC and the torquesteer can possibly snap your wrists
In dave0919's defense, maintaining the engine any different would not have prevented a head gasket from blowing UNLESS the engine was run hot. He stated in the first post that it had not overheated so this is just "one of those things".
Even Toyota has one go bad every now and then. The good thing about aluminum bloacks and heads are the ease with which they can be fixed. I have seen a rod go thru the side of my business partners 413 dirt track chevy big block. The machine shop just welded it up, machined everything back to spec and he went racing the next weekend. By the way, fixed and on the dyno it put out 752 HP. Not bad for a "junk" engine....
Last edited by GeorgiaHybrid; 11-02-2008 at 08:56 PM.
I feel I must respond: I am retired from the auto/forklift trade, have worked on all sorts of engines, some good and some bad. The 2.4 is a good engine and I have maintained it well. When a bolt gives up thats due to improper heat-treating or design. We have used steel into alum. for 30+ years they know how to make it work. It's true overheating can kill even the best designed engine but mine shows no signs of it. It looks like the parts used to hold MY engine together were not as good as they should have been. I have never had the head of a head bolt fail until today. Junk may have been a bit harsh but I was %#$@@'d off.
BTW the Ford 400 Cleavland V8 was one of the best engines I never worked on.
I don't blame you for being pissed, when I first heard about this problem I was thinking of getting rid of my Camry, if I wanted to blow head gaskets and play under the hood, I would have bought an old K-car.
Can anyone confirm that helicoils work in the long run? How about finding low mileage Japanese used engines? What are the prices?
I have used helicoils in a lot of engines over the years. Owners have a way of cross threading spark plugs a LOT.. Not to mention exhaust manifold, head, intake and transmission studs/bolts. I have never heard of one failing IF it was installed right.
As to finding a good used I4 engine for Toyota'a or Honda's, good luck. When gas jumped up in price everyone that had an old junker with a blown engine in the backyard bought all of the used engines and parked the gas hogs. They are hard to come by right now.
I was able to get 7 of the head bolts out, took some doing and 2 new tools (12mm 12pt). Will have to see how long (deep) the threads are in the block to come up with a repair.
I do know that Japan is a world leader at making things all the same, each bolt,motor,bulb or whatever is the same as the last. Problems like mine that cannot be explained will most likely show up in a lot of other motors.
Drilled the heads off the last 3 (hand held power drill) and lifted the head off. the threaded part of the block is about 2 1/2" but is below the top of the block 2" don't know if they make coils that long. After the head popped off the bolts came out by hand.
I feel I must respond: I am retired from the auto/forklift trade, have worked on all sorts of engines, some good and some bad. The 2.4 is a good engine and I have maintained it well. When a bolt gives up thats due to improper heat-treating or design. We have used steel into alum. for 30+ years they know how to make it work. It's true overheating can kill even the best designed engine but mine shows no signs of it. It looks like the parts used to hold MY engine together were not as good as they should have been. I have never had the head of a head bolt fail until today. Junk may have been a bit harsh but I was %#$@@'d off.
BTW the Ford 400 Cleavland V8 was one of the best engines I never worked on.
I will back you up on this. I have seen atleast 10 of these problems at my dealership and most of them we've maintained the vehicle with all the maintenances. And it always seems to be the back bolts that strip out on the head. It is a problem with the casting of the block. Nothing you did could prevent this. The engine is a great engine but this is the one major problem.
I will back you up on this. I have seen atleast 10 of these problems at my dealership and most of them we've maintained the vehicle with all the maintenances. And it always seems to be the back bolts that strip out on the head. It is a problem with the casting of the block. Nothing you did could prevent this. The engine is a great engine but this is the one major problem.
Can you give us any statistics? Like which years, how many miles were on them, where were they were built?
Dave, You can get a long reach insertion tool that can go down that deep. If you have not done an insert down in a hole, I would strongly suggest you find a machine shop that can do this for you. If things go wrong, It's their problem....
I am working the election poll at Tim's Toyota so will talk to them about it. Have a machine lined up to look for a hole repair kit and check the head.
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I give up! Engine is junk
Not to mention exhaust manifold, head, intake and transmission studs/bolts. I have never heard of one failing IF it was installed right.
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