[Kvjh]

I've done a fair amount of work on my 97 Camry V6. So my timing belt/water pump, replaced 90% of the suspension, valve cover gaskets, egr, and all the basic maintenance stuff.

I have reason to believe that my headgasket is blown. Ordered the turkey baster style liquid test kit (I've heard good things).

How hard is replacing the head gasket for those who have gone it on the 1MZ-FE?

Also what else should I tackle while I have the head off besides seals, gaskets, and spark plugs/wires?

 

[BMR]

I see you’ve already done the timing belt job, so that’s one down.

The knock sensors are under the intake manifold, with a short wiring sub-harness running out to the driver’s side. The connectors get super brittle with age and all the heat, to the point of crumbling. Good idea to replace that.

Head gasket failures are rare on the 1MZ. What makes you think one is blown?

 

[Cosmofennema]

A compression test should be the very first step.

 

[Kvjh]

Head gasket failures are rare on the 1MZ. What makes you think one is blown?

I hope I'm wrong. White smoke on start and exhaust smells sweet. Also potentially related the coolant overflow keeps spitting out coolant with no drastic temperature change on the dash.

 

[Kvjh]

A compression test should be the very first step.

I will give this a go asap. Is this something I can rent from an autopart store?

 

[Stillrunning]

I hope I'm wrong. White smoke on start and exhaust smells sweet. Also potentially related the coolant overflow keeps spitting out coolant with no drastic temperature change on the dash.

I will give this a go asap. Is this something I can rent from an autopart store?

With those symptoms a compression test would be a waste. You can also remove the plugs, the offending cylinder's plug will be very different that the others.

If the head gasket breach is not obvious then a crack test would be advised.

 

[Kvjh]

You can also remove the plugs, the offending cylinder's plug will be very different that the others.

I dread doing the plugs again on my 1MZ-FE but I need to do them anyway. I'll give them a look next weekend.

 

[tedmich]

compared to doing the rear HG the plugs a complete walk in the park (pre corona)
pray its the front head!

 

[SunglassesGuy]

getting to the heads is not all that bad. I did it couple weeks back. you can be down to the heads in a few hours. I took off intake manifold and intake to clean off the carbon deposits and install new fuel injectors and while it was apart replaced the coolant bypass hose that is under the intake. was debating on replacing the knock sensors, but after seeing the price decided to take my chances on the factory ones. just take lots of pics along the way, and you will be fine. be careful with the smog valves under the engine cover. they get brittle with age and will break easily. as far as getting the heads off from that point, I think they are ready to be taken off. I also had the altenator off while doing this and the fans out, they are easy to get out. gives some extra room to see everything.

 

[tedmich]

The knock harness if what usually fails not the sensors, the wire has got a ground shield over it and this is what shorts out the 5V signal wire. They've cooked for decades and really need replacement with a new factory unit.