1987 22R-TE blown head opinion please - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

928mr2 · 12-04-2009, 10:12 PM

I blew my head on my 1987 4X4 turbo. Coolant in cylinder #1. Coolant was coming in, apparently by a little breach just between the head and gasket under the ring around the cylinder. To machine it would have been ok but I went to show my head to an experimented mechanic to have his opinion and he saw that the head was cracked between the valves and he told me to try to find a used head to replace it and not to put a rebuilt one because the block would'nt support a higher compression with a rebuilt machined head.
I don't fully believe in that solution. I found a rebuilt head, ready to installed. The company told me that it does'nt need a thicker head gasket or a shim to get the stock compression because the don't take that much off. By the way my truck has over 160 000 miles.
I don't know what to do anymore. I don't want to do this job twice or to break the block and spend even more $$$.
I just bought this truck and had that badluck after riding a few hundred miles.
Any opinion is welcome

***79Corona*** · 12-07-2009, 08:45 AM

A compression test would tell you the condition of your piston rings.

928mr2 · 12-07-2009, 11:13 AM

Quote:

A compression test would tell you the condition of your piston rings.

The head has been taken off!!

***MR2Jedi*** · 12-07-2009, 12:36 PM

If power was good, no smoking or excessive oil use before the head went kaput, I would say go with the rebuilt head. Like we talked about before, I don't think your compression would go up more thatn 1/2 a point-if at all. If you''re worried about that, just use a thicker headgasket.
Honestly, I think the techs concern about using a rebuilt head is BS.

928mr2 · 12-07-2009, 09:54 PM

Quote:

If power was good, no smoking or excessive oil use before the head went kaput

I would say that the power was excellent, even in the last moments

. As far as i know no blue smoke but about oil consumption i have no idea because i bought the truck lately and drove it for about 200 miles.
I ordered the rebuilt head yesterday on ebay. To try finding a good used head for a 22R-TE is nearly impossible.
Thank's again

Toycrawler · 12-17-2009, 06:55 PM

My best advice is to sell the truck to me asap! turbo would be fun on my trail rig

928mr2 · 12-17-2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

My best advice is to sell the truck to me asap! turbo would be fun on my trail rig

With all the money i've put on it and in the excellent condition it is for a 22 years truck!
Keep on dreamin

I should receive the rebuilt head tomorrow and start reassembling right after. But i'll ride it only next summer.