headgasket? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

760tito · 01-30-2011, 02:18 PM

sorry to do the newbie post but hopefully i can get some answers. I just got a 97 corrolla that had overheated. it was puffing smoke out of the exaust and had very muddy coolant...i also pulled a p0302 code (misfire #2) so i automatically assume headgasket, i pull off the head and i dont really see and obvios problems with the headgasket thou! now im worried that the head may have an internal crack? i dunno im thinking of just replacing the motor lol i mean i got the car for free so it wouldnt be a huge investment......thanks

BoyYota · 01-30-2011, 04:40 PM

Go have the head checked out, could need milling or something.

***Zembonez*** · 01-30-2011, 04:56 PM

+1 Have the head checked out. It's not always easy to tell where a headgasket is blown or leaking.

760tito · 01-30-2011, 06:14 PM

yea i was kinda hoping to see part of the headgasket thrashed but not the case....i did have to remove the cams to take the headbolts out, my hayns didnt mention this, did i do it wrong?

mchgner · 01-30-2011, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 760tito

yea i was kinda hoping to see part of the headgasket thrashed but not the case....i did have to remove the cams to take the headbolts out, my hayns didnt mention this, did i do it wrong?

No, just have the head/block machined if it's warped and make sure you use the right order for tightning the headbolts. If the head is warped then it breaks the seal of the headgasket. I think you are supposed to buy new headbolts everytime but I didn't and I was ok.

speedy25 · 01-31-2011, 11:38 AM

Internal cracks are rare. You could have had the coolant tested for combustion gases.

You cant always tell where a head gasket failed, but sometimes you can.

Most of the time when an aluminum head gets overheated it warps. If that happens it needs to be straightened THEN resurfaced. Check that its still flat before reassembly. At the least install new valve seas while you have it apart.

-SP

760tito · 02-15-2011, 10:35 PM

i just replaced the engine, thanks for all the replies thou! i freaking dig the forum!!!!

kickfli12 · 02-16-2011, 06:01 PM

i hope you marked your cams and had cylinder one in tdc ready to fire.

BoyYota · 02-16-2011, 06:03 PM

He replaced the engine.