Engine Head Gasket / Cracked Head Repair (Toyota 3.4L V6 5VZ-FE ) - Part 1

[@OlafNolle]

Dear Timmy and Sean: As a South African now living “Down Under”, thank you for taking much time and putting the effort into making this tutorial video set - to help others rebuild of their beloved Toyota 5vz-fe engine. This was a truly professional job! Without your dedication, I would have failed at saving my Landcruiser Prado. I am so grateful and wish you both all the best as you selflessly inspire others to do the same!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@OlafNolle It's our pleasure to help out our Toyota Brothers and Sisters around the world. Thanks for taking the time to comment and share such a nice statement about the work Sean and I do. We appreciate it!

[@hmu958]

I will be rewatching this as I have a head gasket job coming up. Thank you. This is like a shop manual.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Good luck. I hope it goes smooth for you.

[@efil4kizum]

better than a shop manual imo

[@marcoharrorato7259]

Amazing video guys very detailed. I actually started working on my own 3rd gen 4runner thanks to this series. I bought it as my first ever car a few years ago to go to university after highschool. It was a huge help in learning how to wrench and fix stuff. After doing this same job 3 years ago you start to learn how everything works and bolts to.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks Marco. That's great you got into turning wrenches. Not many people your age are doing it. It's becoming a lost art.

[@redruuum75]

Friend just bought 02 3.4 taco needing a head gasket. Thankyou! Bolt for bolt, and impeccable timing during your narrative. We both feel as though we took a college course. Best vid and description there is.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

You're very welcome. Sean and I want everyone to be successful using our videos as a tutorial, so we gear them to the absolute beginner at turning wrenches and make them as detailed as we possibly can. Good luck with the job.

[@solosoundlapaz]

Thank you Timmy for taking the time to teach us what it is like to do a professional job, not even in a dealership do they offer you a job as excellent as this one. Greetings from México.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

You're very welcome. We enjoy sharing knowledge with people and getting comments like yours helps us know we're making a difference. Thanks Mexican Toyota Brother!

[@brucewayne2773]

Did both my heads about 18 months ago, wasn't that bad of a job. Ordered all OEM Toyota head gasket kit, and all that you might as well replace parts while you're in there, highly recommended.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks for the comment Batman. It's not a bad job, but it's fairly involved. Filming more than doubles the time it takes to do it, so maybe my take on it is a bit skewed. It was a ton of work to film and edit this project.

[@brucewayne2773]

@@TimmyTheToolman Filming ,editing and all the small details is definitely time consuming. I applaud you and Sean for doing quality videos. You both helped me greatly with my 4 Runner as always

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@brucewayne2773 Thanks Batman.

[@985VFZE]

What were the size fittings you had for the rings?

[@brucewayne2773]

Rings were fine, I only replaced the heads@@985VFZE

[@tombstone2826]

I replaced the heads on my 1999 4runner 3.4 engine . The heads were from the junk yard and rebuild at a local machine shop. At 230,000 miles still runs good!

[@cbdreamer1709]

I’m loving this. Perfect timing for me! I may have a blown head gasket

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Glad you're loving it, but sorry to hear you might have a blown head gasket. This series will serve you well if you actually have a blown head gasket or cracked head.

[@harryreyes8929]

Thanks Timmy! Clear and precise honest no fluff pleasure to hear from you!!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks Harry. We appreciate your comment. More episodes are coming and you're going to be stoked.

[@rediranch]

For keeping track of where electrical or vacuum lines go, a friend taught me to take telephone or CAT wire and use the colored wires to mark both sides of the connection. Use combination of colors.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

That’s a really cool idea! Thanks for sharing! - Sean

[@scubbarookie]

What a great series this is so far. Thank you Tim! Very detailed!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thank you and you're very welcome. I'm glad you appreciate the detail. Happy Wrenching!

[@benaldredge2671]

Great part 1 with amazing attention to details as always. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this build! You guys take care and looking forward to the next video.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks for the compliment. I'm glad you appreciate the level of work we put into our videos. We pride ourselves in creating detailed videos for people to use as a tutorial. The next video will be out soon. Stay tuned!

[@andrewb2326]

Wow great video. I was hoping it was coming when Sean did the supercharger rebuild. It's a privilege to watch your videos - I learn so much from them.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks for the nice comment Andrew. We appreciate it!

[@jaredt8883]

Nice video! It was almost like taking a quiz, as you were naming parts and hoses, I was trying to call it out to myself first. I think there were only two I missed, the "air chamber stay" I called a "intake plenum stay", so I think I got it close enough. The other was the transmission kick-down cable, I do not have that on my 2000 Tacoma, but that may be because I have a manual transmission. Anyway, as some one who was faced with this same job and chose to rebuild the engine myself, I absolutely agree, finding a good and trusted machine shop is a must! I had the machine shop rebuild and resurface both my cylinder heads, as the "new" one I got to replace the cracked head did not pass their inspection. Just because it looks all clean and pretty does not mean it is flat. They also did the valves, and cleaned, resurfaced, and honed my block. And after all that they surprisingly rebuilt the lower block for free, put together all of the pistons, rods, rings, bearing, crankshaft, everything. Great guys, and worth every penny. Anyway, liked the video, very informative as usual. 👍

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Wow Jared. Sounds like you have a great machine shop at your disposal. They did you a solid. Thanks for sharing all that with us. Happy Wrenching!

[@marvinshorty4611]

Am looking forward to the remaining parts of this video series. Thanks for doing this.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks Marvin. Part 2 is coming VERY soon. Stay tuned!

[@marvinshorty4611]

@@TimmyTheToolman I may be using your video series soon. My '98 4Runner just surpassed 440k miles

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@marvinshorty4611 Well, let's just hope your engine keeps running with no major issues for a long time to come. But, you are way up there in miles. A definite testament to Toyota quality.

[@ppeterson9359]

Great video. Even though I’ve done this part of the job before, I still picked up a few tips. Those hose pliers and right angle needle nose pliers were great additions to my tool box. Good tip re the coolant hoses on the bottom of the throttle body.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks! I just got that hose plier set. I love it. I wish I would have found them sooner. Happy Wrenching!

[@lonzooutdoors]

Literally doing this step by step as I watch. Great content

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks for the compliment and good luck with the job. Let us know how it went when you're all done.

[@CaribouHour]

How’d it go?

[@dcabinet]

Excellent and very detailed video... This is great.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks for the compliment. We appreciate it!

[@SCOC182]

I’m excited for part 2!!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

It's coming soon Bro!

[@michaelstern934]

Great part 1 of the series, lots of detail 👍👍 I'd consider swapping heads and rebuilding my rig, if not rebuilt 👀 Thank you and keep up the good work!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks for the comment Mike. I think I would swap heads as well like Sean chose to do. I've taken very good care of my engine and I would roll the dice the lower end stays intact for a very long time to come.

[@Gabriel-jc2sc]

Nothing but the best videos!!Thanks Brother! 💪💪

[@TimmyTheToolman]

You're very welcome Gabriel and thanks for the compliment. We appreciate it!

[@donemmanuel4226]

Excellent video as always guys.Patiently waiting for the next video😁.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks for the compliment. Part 2 will be out in around 4 days. Stay tuned!

[@jackwalsh1468]

Tim, a very entertaining and informative video. Cheers Mate.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

We're glad you like it, Jack. Thanks for commenting.

[@kenny-d3944]

Thanks Timmy for this great educational video..I have a 1996 3.4 liter Taco..🙂

[@TimmyTheToolman]

You're very welcome Kenny. I'm glad you found the video educational.

[@cbdreamer1709]

My favorite series

[@TimmyTheToolman]

It’s a solid series for sure. Tons of hours preparing and filming to bring you the very best! - Sean

[@scraigjohnson]

Awesome video as usual, Timmy....Thanks for the good work!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks Craig. We're stoked you like it.

[@davidgoedde8170]

Amazing video. Explains everything you need!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks Dave. This was just the appetizer. The main course and dessert are coming.

[@randycorrales1]

Stressed because I think my 02 Tacoma has a bad head or head gasket. Barely gunna hit 153k miles too so it’s low miles. Any thoughts concerns ???

[@TimmyTheToolman]

What are the symptoms that lead you to believe you have a bad head gasket or cracked head?

[@efil4kizum]

@@TimmyTheToolman it must have self-healed itself!?

[@sommaykongmalay8492]

Hi Timmy, I wouldn't have been able to remove the head so easily without this video. I own a 1997 Toyota 4Runner 4x4 with a 3.4L 5VZ-Fe engine, and it has already covered 290,000 miles. Now that the heads are off, I'm considering replacing the piston rings and bearings. I just wanted to know if it's possible to do this without removing the engine

[@TimmyTheToolman]

It's possible, but the front differential would need to come out so you could drop the oil pan. I think it would be easier to remove the engine and more comfortable for you to do the work with the block on an engine stand. Be sure to do plenty of research because there's a lot that can go wrong with this kind of work. You have to properly match up the rod bearings, hone the cylinders, and get the right piston rings. It can be done, but you have to be meticulous to make sure you do it right.

[@sommaykongmalay8492]

@@TimmyTheToolman I think I will remove the engine like you suggested. Again, I appreciate your video, please keep it coming.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@sommaykongmalay8492 We will continue making videos for a long time.

[@efil4kizum]

@@TimmyTheToolman are you redoing some of your very OLD videos from last decade that did not have the bestest of audio/video quality?

[@efil4kizum]

@@sommaykongmalay8492 i have a '97 Taco with same engine and a manual transmission that has now covered 350,000 miles. why are you having to consider piston rings, bearings, and why are the heads off at this mileage + age?

[@michaelrueckert8507]

I've had a JDM engine I bought on eBay since 2015 with no issues. I've put over 100k miles on it and supercharged it in 2018. I've had perfect luck but I get what you're saying. It was definitely still a risk.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

I'm glad to hear you got a good engine, but others weren't so lucky. I've heard the horror stories.

[@michaelrueckert8507]

@@TimmyTheToolman Yes, I'm thankful I was one of the lucky ones. Love your videos! Unbelievable how detailed you guys are! About to do my timing belt and will definitely be following your timing belt video when I do it! 🙂

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@michaelrueckert8507 Make sure you watch Part 2 of the Timing Belt Job as well. We share some important information you don't want to miss out on. Good luck with the job.

[@michaelrueckert8507]

@@TimmyTheToolman Thank you!!

[@mtsanchez27]

Hi there, do you know how many hours this jobs takes to get it done by the book?

[@TimmyTheToolman]

No, I don't have information on book time for jobs. I'm a DIYer, not a shop, and I don't have access to that information.

[@mtsanchez27]

@@TimmyTheToolman estimate? Thanks in advance!!! Great info like always

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@mtsanchez27 I don't have an estimate.

[@efil4kizum]

there ought to be someway somehow to get a rough estimate? not many seem to do by the book now however, its just slop and hack and more slop from trained proshops, it gives me ulcers 8^{

[@efil4kizum]

@@mtsanchez27 i would gander it to be no-less-than 2000$

[@DougBereczki]

Your videos are awesome! We are replacing our head gaskets and doing the timing as well because of your videos! We checked our valve lash and found that we need to replace some shims. Now here is a weird question. Is it possible to install the heads on backwards (pass on drivers side and visa versa? We sent the heads out to be resurfaced and the brackets that hold the end cups in place were still on the heads. The one that looks like a triangle that accepts the wiring harness and the one that is just straight across. When we got the heads back those brackets were on the front of the heads. Would they have had to remove those brackets to machine the heads. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@DougBereczki I think it might be possible to get them on backward, but the heads are marked and have arrows. If you watch the part where we are getting the heads back on, I discuss the markings. You'll figure it out. To machine the heads, the heads would be completely stripped before they put it on their surfacing machine.

[@DougBereczki]

@@TimmyTheToolman We have the 5VZ Toyota engine and when I inspected the heads a little more closely the arrows are on the front AND back of the heads. So it seems possible that the heads can be installed oppositely and the arrows and single bolt hole will appear correct. Is it possible that the brackets were removed and just put back on on the opposite side of the head? And if they are on oppositely would that be a problem? As I stated above we were at the point of checking the valve lash with the cams reinstalled. Thanks so much for your reply!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@DougBereczki Looking at Part 5 again, the passenger side head arrow faces the radiator or the front of the vehicle while the driver side head arrow faces the firewall or rear of the vehicle. The special allen head bolt is at the rear of the head on the passenger side and at the front of the head on the driver side. They could have got the brackets on wrong, I suppose. Did you watch Part 5? I'm kind of thinking you didn't because I believe your questions would have been answered if you did.

[@DougBereczki]

@@TimmyTheToolman OH YES we watched and re watched all the videos!!!! They are excellent. My Son took 100s of pictures, hopefully that will confirm that we have the heads on correctly. We just got the thinner shims today thanks to your valve lash video!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@DougBereczki Ok, good luck with the rest of the job. I hope it goes smoothly for you and your son. That's cool you can share this with your son. Auto Mechanics is not something many dads share with their children anymore. Good Job!

[@StandFast1611]

Is it worth fixing if I have a p0300 code, had it inspected and said it has "hydrocarbons" due to coolant.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

P0300 is a general misfire code. Your engine is consuming coolant due to the hydrocarbons detected in the coolant. It's either a bad head gasket or cracked head. It depends on the mileage whether or not it's worth replacing the heads or just completely rebuilding the engine.

[@StandFast1611]

@@TimmyTheToolman it has 240k miles on her, so I'm at a fork in the road on what to do

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@StandFast1611 That's sort of a crapshoot. If you are going to do all the work yourself and you can get a good deal on a quality set of heads, I think it's worth just doing the heads rather than a complete engine rebuild.

[@StandFast1611]

@TimmyTheToolman Should I just drive it until it blows? I mean it runs fine but warming it up is rough! It Shoots white smoke like crazy but after the temp gauge gets to normal temp, it rides like new

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@StandFast1611 It runs rough because your engine is burning off coolant in the cylinder(s). I guess as long as you keep an eye on the coolant level, you can keep driving it like that.

[@pwfcpwfc]

Hi Sir , Thanks you for making those great educational videos . By the way where can i find the link of the article you mentioned on your video ( what to look for good reman. engine ) ? Thanks

[@TimmyTheToolman]

We got an advanced reading of the article. It's not yet published, but it will be soon. We'll provide a link to it in the video description when it is published.

[@pwfcpwfc]

@@TimmyTheToolman OK Thanks.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@pwfcpwfc We were wondering if we should mention the article since it wasn't published yet, but since it speaks very well to the topic on hand, we decided to take the risk that it does end up being published. I'll try to remember to comment back when it is published so you can check it out.

[@ogfaIlen]

hey Timmy, wanted your opinion - I’m about to do a valve cover, adjustment + fuel injector job and wanted to know how much more of a pain it would be to replace the head gaskets while I’ve already got the engine apart. I’m at 298k miles and have already completed an insane amount of projects thanks to your videos in order to restore the 4runner as much as possible. I tend to go overboard and replace a lot more than necessary for peace of mind and so that I don’t need to repeat my work soon after. with that said, this will likely be the last major project for a while and I can’t seem to find many forum threads about head gasket failure under normal conditions. all threads of folks doing this job after a leak/failure, but almost none for preventative (imagine that lol) what do you think? is it matter of time before mine starts leaking? or is this job more work than its worth for an engine without issues? Thank you so much for all you do!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Pulling the heads off is a lot more work, and I would not do it as preventative maintenance. Quite often, the failure isn't the head gasket but the head itself. The head cracks, and the fracture leads to a coolant jacket. I would only remove the heads if I was having an issue like my engine is consuming coolant and I'm getting a misfire.

[@efil4kizum]

do you change the yota pink coolant frequently enough? once a year? that should keep it from becoming acidic and eating at the head gasket as far as i understand it currently

[@israelrodriguez6986]

Well I wasn’t, first but here I am, and super excited about this one!!!!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

You can't always be first, but I'd have to say, you're probably one of our most devoted subscribers, if not the most devoted. I can't think of anyone else that was with us at the beginning and still comments like you do.

[@corbinail3295]

Freaking awesome video!! Thank you so much guys. Happy wheeling.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks Corbin. You're very welcome Bro!

[@kedronpful]

Can I do this job without a Milwaukee rachet?

[@TimmyTheToolman]

I see somebody went to the Smartass Institute of Technology. Use a crescent wrench for the whole thing if you want. Electric ratchets save time and energy and that's why we like them.

[@nathandulong4968]

Doing this job right now! Someone put the head gaskets on the wrong side before I got the engine -_-. Thanks for the video

[@TimmyTheToolman]

That was a genuis move putting the head gaskets on the wrong side of the block. I don't know if we'll get all the parts out in time for you, though. All 7 parts will be live over the next month.

[@nathandulong4968]

@@TimmyTheToolman All Good! thanks for making these great videos!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@nathandulong4968 No problem. Part 2 will be out in a few days.

[@joshgill5329]

How long will your engine run with a blown head gasket?

[@TimmyTheToolman]

It could last a long time. You just have to keep an eye on the coolant level and not burn up your engine. But, you may be dealing with a misfire as well and thus have poor engine performance.

[@joshgill5329]

Mine runs great. Only symptom I have is the white smoke and sweet smell. No codes no coolant leak or extra usage. Will do a block test soon

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@joshgill5329 The white smoke and sweet smell is indicative of your engine burning coolant. Maybe the leak into the cylinder is very minor.

[@joshgill5329]

But it still means it’s the head gasket?

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@joshgill5329 Or a crack in the head.

[@عراضي-د4ي]

Sir,I take my hat off to you. Thanks teacher

[@TimmyTheToolman]

You're very welcome! Thanks!

[@jarinespinal184]

Amazing video guys thank you so much

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks Jarin. You're very welcome!

[@edwarddeguzman489]

Hi Tim, how can I DM ,PM you if I have questions?

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Are you on Facebook? If so, I have a Timmy the Toolman page you can message me on.

[@mattwernecke2342]

I've about given up trying to find a 4runner.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Is it because people are asking stupid money for them?

[@mattwernecke2342]

@@TimmyTheToolman That's part of it. I've been watching one for 3 months; he just raised the price.??? I can find 2 wheel drive, but I want a 4wd that is stock. Hard proposition in Atlanta area.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@mattwernecke2342 I'll most likely be visiting my buddy Jordan in November in Atlanta. We had a get-together last year there.

[@mattwernecke2342]

@@TimmyTheToolman Awesome! That's a great time of year to go!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@mattwernecke2342 If we're going to do another get-together at Jordan's place, I'll announce it on our channel by doing a video invite. If you're subscribed to our channel and receive notifications, you'll see the video.

[@cbdreamer1709]

Totally rad!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Yeah, we think so too. Thanks!

[@hmu958]

JDM motors are low mileage but high idle hours. There's a reason there are no old cars on the road in Japan. The older the car the more expensive the taxes in Japan.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Very true.

[@efil4kizum]

I heard recently from a guy originally from the Philippines that moved to Chicago from California that things are much different in Japan in regards to maintenance and why there are few older vehicles on the roads. They have comprehensive lists of must-do maintenance (whether it needs it or not) to comply with the law. these required maintenance costs greatly increase as the vehicle ages. So they send their older vehicles to a secondary market such as the middle east and areas such as that.

[@jrb222]

U da man timmy

[@jrb222]

I can tell you are a fireman. Funny story, I got hired by the fire department where I was an explorer when I was 21. I quit because I was lame (probably scared). I spent 5 years working towards that goal. Now I am a nurse practitioner at a great job and I still think about being a firefighter from time to time 😂

[@TimmyTheToolman]

What gives it away I'm a firefighter? Is it my charisma and good looks. LOL Being a nurse practitioner is a great career. Firefighting is a pretty cool career but every career has it's pluses and minuses.

[@jrb222]

@@TimmyTheToolman haha. Just been around enough firehouses to know. Looking forward to the rest of the head gasket series. Will seriously debate new heads vs yota 1 engine when the time comes

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@jrb222 Gotcha. You'll enjoy the series. More really good stuff coming.

[@on-site4094]

👍

[@levigarrett5614]

Yeah I was just about to get a yota1 3rz. All the jdms and used engines say they have 60k on them😂

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Yeah, isn't it curious they all have 60k on them. Getting an engine from Yota1 Performance is a great choice. You won't be disappointed.

[@levigarrett5614]

@@TimmyTheToolman awesome thanks for all the videos.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@@levigarrett5614 Our pleasure.

[@MrBeefsnorkel]

Fellow long time toyota tech here - I DO NOT RECOMMEND getting any cylinder head on a toyota resurfaced, or any other brand that is manufactured well (tight tolerances). The material taken off of the head actually causes engine timing issues, poor performance and check engine lights with cam timing codes. It actually makes the length of the timing chain different enough to throw off the timing. If you own a toyota, get a NEW cylinder head, do not get it machined!!!!!!!!!

[@TimmyTheToolman]

Thanks for the input. I think a lot of expert engine builders and machinists are going to disagree with you. From what I understand, you can safely take off material to machine the surface. You just can't take off an excessive amount, because then, you can run into the issues you mentioned. I'm sure you're knowledgeable and your comment is backed up by real world experience. I just think the results you mentioned are from people taking off too much material. There's countless people out in the world running engines with machined heads without issues. So, while I agree that what you said can happen when too much material is removed, I disagree with your advice that nobody should get cylinder heads resurfaced.

[@MrBeefsnorkel]

@@TimmyTheToolman Perhaps my statement was far too final. I think what my mind was thinking of, at the time, was the more modern engines (2014+) that I've personally worked on or seen at the shop for 8 years. Anecdotal evidence is not exactly the best.....so I'll give you that. I've seen it multiple times, but that doesn't mean it happens all that much. I appreciate your respectful discourse. I see why people like you

[@TimmyTheToolman]

@MrBeefsnorkel Well, I'm far from an angel. When people push my buttons or are outright disrespectful, they get a much different Timmy. I can be an a-hole. Your comment didn't qualify for me to summon Bad Timmy. You made a statement, and I gave a response. There was no need for me to be a jerk, but I needed to respond to your statement and share my thoughts about what you said. I also appreciate the civil exchange we could have. So, thanks, and Happy Wrenching!

[@chriscollison3136]

In Japan by law they have to change out the engine or buy a new car at 75000 miles so that’s why they look like crap cause they don’t care about it cause it will be gone soon.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

I have heard that before and makes sense.