My 1993 Toyota camry XLE V6 just blew its head gasket. i am wondering how hard it is to replace them.
Ryan

The head gasket can be either difficult or simple to replace, all depending upon whether or not you have enough time, and experience with your vehicle. The process would most likely call for you to remove numerous engine components, such as the Intake and Exhaust Manifolds, valve cover, valve assembly, air filter hoses, and most likely, the hood, depending upon how much space you have to work with. I can guarantee that you will save bundles of cash if you do it yourself, although it may be easier to have someone else do it for you, but if you decide to carry out the task yourself, you can reply to this and I can send you detailed instructions on how to tear down and rebuild, and to check your work to make sure your car will run for a good while.

Either have someone with you to help or someone who is willing to show you how to do it, the first time around. No it is not difficult if you have done 100 of them and know what tools you will need, and what are the common problems to expect.
Here is a more important question......Have you had it diagnosed to fined out --WHY-- it blew in the first place? You will need to do this as another head gasket may JUST GO AGAIN in short order. I have two Camrys sitting at the shop with well over 300,000 miles and never a head gasket replacement. Timing belts JUST GO.....but head gaskets are rare unless somelthing else is happening.

Look into it carrefully before you dive into a project that can prove fruitless.

When the head is removed it should also be magna fluxed (25-30$) at any automotive machine shop and should also be checked with a ruler for warp X 4 for 4cly X6 for a 6cyl.

Good luck and let me know if you need any more tips on important items that will SAVE YOU A BOAT LOAD OF TIME AND MONEY.


Sidler.
http://www.offroadaction.8k.com/
http://community.webshots.com/user/offroadaction

I have a 91 Camry and want to know if you have specific information on what the torque settings are and what order in needs to be put back in. Thanks.
-Cyril


The head gasket can be either difficult or simple to replace, all depending upon whether or not you have enough time, and experience with your vehicle. The process would most likely call for you to remove numerous engine components, such as the Intake and Exhaust Manifolds, valve cover, valve assembly, air filter hoses, and most likely, the hood, depending upon how much space you have to work with. I can guarantee that you will save bundles of cash if you do it yourself, although it may be easier to have someone else do it for you, but if you decide to carry out the task yourself, you can reply to this and I can send you detailed instructions on how to tear down and rebuild, and to check your work to make sure your car will run for a good while.

I can look and see how much torque you will need to apply to the mounting bolts, although I'm not too sure how I will be able to tell you which bolts need to be installed or removed first, and their orders. I have the manual, but I don't have a working scanner, so it might be just a bit difficult. Although I will see what I can do about finding you the information you need. PM me if you still want the info.

I would have a shop do it. get est. first... the main thing is getting off the crank pulley after that everything else you can do by hand,but you will lots of parts laying around.and if it is your fisrt time it might take you a week or so to finish up.one other thing exhaust manifolds bolts hope they dont break when taking off... best of luck if you going to tackle it...

I have the exact same car as you and just replaced my water pump, timing belt, camshaft seals / crankshaft seal and valve cover gasket. I can tell you this, it is a huge project if you are alone and have never done this kind of stuff before. Find a mechanic buddy and get him to help you through the process.

/DF

Have 93 Camry v6. Needs Headgaskets. Can you email me instructions......
action@jcn1.com.

Do i really need new head bolts?? Is aftermarket Gasket OK??

Bill

As for instructions, there is a full generation 3 service manual at the top of this forum you can download for free.

Mike

It is unproductive to bring back old threads. Make a new thread with your question after you have searched the forums for related information, if you didn't already do that.

The '94 generation 3 manual at the top of this forum won't help you. Toyota used the 1MZ-FE in Camrys starting in '94. The engine you have is a 3VZ-FE - see the 1993 Lexus ES300 manual in the Merry Christmas sticky thread, page EG73 on.

Use new headbolts

Buy Toyota head gaskets

The '94 generation 3 manual at the top of this forum won't help you. Toyota used the 1MZ-FE in Camrys starting in '94. The engine you have is a 3VZ-FE - see the 1993 Lexus ES300 manual in the Merry Christmas sticky thread, page EG73 on.


Brian,

Thanks for the correction. I don't have much experience with the V6's as I have personally always owned the I4's.

Mike

That's the weak point of that manual, it is only good for '94 and above in some areas, and only good for '95 and below for others.

Check the heads & block for flatness & get the heads milled flat (About $75).

The best gaskets to use you can readily buy are Victor's Nitroseals. (Napa/Carquest chains) They're about $40-45 a gasket.
The best gasket would be to get some custom copper gaskets cut.
The head bolts do not require replacing in this case. However one suggestion. Instead of 25lb-ft +2x 1/4 turns. Turn them to 25lb-ft, then 35lb-ft then 50lb-ft.

If you have copper gaskets... Nothing stops you from putting much, much more pressure on it.


But sure that you flush the cooling system very well! Replace the radiator & intame naifold pressure caps, along with a quality thermostat. Make sure the thermostat is installed correctly. You might as well tune everyting up. NGK 6779 spark plugs, new distributor rotor & cap, timing+auxillarly belts.

I agree that it is not necessary to use new headbolts, but it is cheap insurance. Stressed bolts are never as reliable as new ones.

It is unproductive to bring back old threads. Make a new thread with your question after you have searched the forums for related information, if you didn't already do that.

The '94 generation 3 manual at the top of this forum won't help you. Toyota used the 1MZ-FE in Camrys starting in '94. The engine you have is a 3VZ-FE - see the 1993 Lexus ES300 manual in the Merry Christmas sticky thread, page EG73 on.

Use new headbolts

Buy Toyota head gaskets

I agree. Only use Toyota headgaskets. Headbolts on most Toyotas can be reused as long as they're not the "torque to yield" kind. Just be sure the threads are cleaned and don't forget to lubricate them.

Not to argue, but just to explain the reasoning behind why Toyota normally uses TTY bolts, but never talks about replacing them.
1) Most of the engines could use more torque to keep the heads down in the first place. ;)
2) They're more than strong enough.
I personally tested several of my old head bolts to their breaking / unloading points the first time I ever cracked a head off. 105lb-ft was the lowest reading I remember between any of them.
I had that entire set down to 90lb-ft when I put them on, and none of them unloaded over a years time.
Head bolts are also huge money for a Toyota set (I know, I bought some years ago) & they're honestly not strong to justify the cost. You're better off running a cleaning tap down the block & go to a nut & bolt house & just buy from them. You can get stronger hardware for 1/10th the price Toyota sells for.

That's if you want to replace them.


I still really like the Nitroseal's better than Toyota's gasket:
*Toyota's gaskets don't look to be much better than the cheaper replacements (they're still using the paper gunk).
*Toyota's gaskets of that construction are not rated to higher compression ratios
*The Nitroseal's are a hair less expencive
*The Nitroseal's are rated through 12:1 compression ratios.
You run 12:1 <effective>compression ratios on Toyota gaskets of that style construction pre/post fixing the "external leaking" (not the blowing out) problem & you'll wind up with a blown head gasket once it get's hot.

They're more than strong enough.
I personally tested several of my old head bolts to their breaking / unloading points the first time I ever cracked a head off.

I agree that most of the time they will work, but if you want to reuse them, you better have them magnafluxed. That is the only way I trust used bolts for bearing caps or heads. IMO, you are rolling dice otherwise and I don't know the odds.