Head gasket set brand recommendations & ?'s 89 Cressida head install.

-Any suggestions on brands? Is whatever comes from Autozone, Discount
Auto, Napa going to work fine? Any brands to definitely avoid?
Apparently the shop that built my engine a couple of years ago used
Victor Reinz.

-What about new head bolts? Do the sets normally come with bolts? Or
are there better options I should pursue?

-I feel like I should upgrade my torque wrench from the inexpensive
bar type I got years ago. I see Home Depot has Husky click torque
wrenches for around $70, do you feel it'll do the job? I gather Snap-
On's run around $200. I'm sure they're good but would like to save a
few bucks if possible to do so and get good functionality on a one-off
project.

-I have the shop manual for this Cressida. Should the torqueing order
it shows be fine? In a previous thread, someone said they should be
final torqued to 70 ft/lbs. Anyone disagree with this?

What would you consider a reasonable cost range for a shop to charge
to disassemble, inspect, do a valve job, resurface and reassemble the
heads on a carry-in basis?

Any other recommendations/tips will be appreciated. I've installed
heads before but not on aluminum heads.

Thanks.

Doc wrote:
> -Any suggestions on brands? Is whatever comes from Autozone, Discount
> Auto, Napa going to work fine? Any brands to definitely avoid?
> Apparently the shop that built my engine a couple of years ago used
> Victor Reinz.

Fel Pro is good.

> -What about new head bolts? Do the sets normally come with bolts? Or
> are there better options I should pursue?

Depends on the application.

> -I feel like I should upgrade my torque wrench from the inexpensive
> bar type I got years ago. I see Home Depot has Husky click torque
> wrenches for around $70, do you feel it'll do the job? I gather Snap-
> On's run around $200. I'm sure they're good but would like to save a
> few bucks if possible to do so and get good functionality on a one-off
> project.

Home Depot, Sears or Loews should all be fine.

> -I have the shop manual for this Cressida. Should the torqueing order
> it shows be fine? In a previous thread, someone said they should be
> final torqued to 70 ft/lbs. Anyone disagree with this?

Go with the shop manual. Also read the instructions that come with the
gaskets.

> What would you consider a reasonable cost range for a shop to charge
> to disassemble, inspect, do a valve job, resurface and reassemble the
> heads on a carry-in basis?

$100-200.

> Any other recommendations/tips will be appreciated. I've installed
> heads before but not on aluminum heads.
>
> Thanks.
>

On May 24, 8:05 pm, Jeff > wrote:
> Doc wrote:

> > What would you consider a reasonable cost range for a shop to charge
> > to disassemble, inspect, do a valve job, resurface and reassemble the
> > heads on a carry-in basis?
>
> $100-200.


The local machine shop I talked to today was talking around $250 -
300. It's got 24 valves.

Doc wrote:
> On May 24, 8:05 pm, Jeff > wrote:
>> Doc wrote:
>
>>> What would you consider a reasonable cost range for a shop to charge
>>> to disassemble, inspect, do a valve job, resurface and reassemble the
>>> heads on a carry-in basis?
>> $100-200.
>
>
> The local machine shop I talked to today was talking around $250 -
> 300. It's got 24 valves.

That's seems pretty reasonable for 24V.

jeff

On Thu, 24 May 2007 16:58:41 -0700, Doc wrote:

> -Any suggestions on brands? Is whatever comes from Autozone, Discount
> Auto, Napa going to work fine? Any brands to definitely avoid? Apparently
> the shop that built my engine a couple of years ago used Victor Reinz.
>
> -What about new head bolts? Do the sets normally come with bolts? Or are
> there better options I should pursue?
>
> -I feel like I should upgrade my torque wrench from the inexpensive bar
> type I got years ago. I see Home Depot has Husky click torque wrenches for
> around $70, do you feel it'll do the job? I gather Snap- On's run around
> $200. I'm sure they're good but would like to save a few bucks if possible
> to do so and get good functionality on a one-off project.
>
> -I have the shop manual for this Cressida. Should the torqueing order it
> shows be fine? In a previous thread, someone said they should be final
> torqued to 70 ft/lbs. Anyone disagree with this?
>
> What would you consider a reasonable cost range for a shop to charge to
> disassemble, inspect, do a valve job, resurface and reassemble the heads
> on a carry-in basis?
>
> Any other recommendations/tips will be appreciated. I've installed heads
> before but not on aluminum heads.
>
> Thanks.


HKS Metal headgasket. Google "1989 Supra Headgasket"
These last a long time. Also, check the SOGI website. 59ft/lbs appears to
be not enough (was spec'd for an asbestos HG)

Doc wrote:
> -Any suggestions on brands? Is whatever comes from Autozone, Discount
> Auto, Napa going to work fine? Any brands to definitely avoid?
> Apparently the shop that built my engine a couple of years ago used
> Victor Reinz.

ACL are very good, try going to www.aclus.com

>
> -What about new head bolts? Do the sets normally come with bolts? Or
> are there better options I should pursue?

Depends of you have "plastic" head bolts or not. if it says to turn x
number of degrees as the final step I would get new bolts. I would get a
set of head studs if I could afford it anyway.

>
> -I feel like I should upgrade my torque wrench from the inexpensive
> bar type I got years ago. I see Home Depot has Husky click torque
> wrenches for around $70, do you feel it'll do the job? I gather Snap-
> On's run around $200. I'm sure they're good but would like to save a
> few bucks if possible to do so and get good functionality on a one-off
> project.

If you bar type still pulls correct torque why do you fell it needs
replacing. But most reputable store should be able to sell you a
reasonable one for about the $80 mark. The Snap-on one's are meant to be
used every day, the home depot types are meant to be used occasionally.

>
> -I have the shop manual for this Cressida. Should the torqueing order
> it shows be fine? In a previous thread, someone said they should be
> final torqued to 70 ft/lbs. Anyone disagree with this?

The manual should be right but a good gasket should also come with the
correct sequence and torque figures for that make of gasket. the one in
the manual are for the factory gasket, but Toyota can make mistakes.

>
> What would you consider a reasonable cost range for a shop to charge
> to disassemble, inspect, do a valve job, resurface and reassemble the
> heads on a carry-in basis?

Depends really on the amount of work needed to be done to the head. $300
maybe.

>
> Any other recommendations/tips will be appreciated. I've installed
> heads before but not on aluminum heads.

Make sure you undo the head bolts in the reverse order to tightening
them and in multiple steps. alloy heads can bend easily if you are not
careful. Also check the block deck for any out of square measurements.
no point in butting a flat head back on it the deck is warped or
machined wrong.


>
> Thanks.
>

"Doc" > wrote in message ups.com...
> -Any suggestions on brands? Is whatever comes from Autozone, Discount
> Auto, Napa going to work fine? Any brands to definitely avoid?
> Apparently the shop that built my engine a couple of years ago used
> Victor Reinz.

I'm all for the OEM gasket kit. That way you have the other 20-25 seals
you should replace. But Toyota reemed me for $329.00.


>
> -What about new head bolts? Do the sets normally come with bolts? Or
> are there better options I should pursue?

There reusable


>
> -I feel like I should upgrade my torque wrench from the inexpensive
> bar type I got years ago. I see Home Depot has Husky click torque
> wrenches for around $70, do you feel it'll do the job? I gather Snap-
> On's run around $200. I'm sure they're good but would like to save a
> few bucks if possible to do so and get good functionality on a one-off
> project.
>
> -I have the shop manual for this Cressida. Should the torqueing order
> it shows be fine? In a previous thread, someone said they should be
> final torqued to 70 ft/lbs. Anyone disagree with this?

Everybody and there brother seems to agree that 58lbs was not tight
enough. (mine are 70)


>
> What would you consider a reasonable cost range for a shop to charge
> to disassemble, inspect, do a valve job, resurface and reassemble the
> heads on a carry-in basis?
>
> Any other recommendations/tips will be appreciated. I've installed
> heads before but not on aluminum heads.
>
> Thanks.

Finding a cause for the BHG helps. Loose head bolts seems to
be a common problem for example.
Replacing all those small coolant hoses or at least the hard to get to ones
might be a good idea.
If the head is warped so are the cam journals.

GL
Dan

"Hachiroku ????" > wrote in message news:jvt5i.20638$Qz.4446@trndny09...
> On Thu, 24 May 2007 16:58:41 -0700, Doc wrote:
>
>> -Any suggestions on brands? Is whatever comes from Autozone, Discount
>> Auto, Napa going to work fine? Any brands to definitely avoid? Apparently
>> the shop that built my engine a couple of years ago used Victor Reinz.
>>
>> -What about new head bolts? Do the sets normally come with bolts? Or are
>> there better options I should pursue?
>>
>> -I feel like I should upgrade my torque wrench from the inexpensive bar
>> type I got years ago. I see Home Depot has Husky click torque wrenches for
>> around $70, do you feel it'll do the job? I gather Snap- On's run around
>> $200. I'm sure they're good but would like to save a few bucks if possible
>> to do so and get good functionality on a one-off project.
>>
>> -I have the shop manual for this Cressida. Should the torqueing order it
>> shows be fine? In a previous thread, someone said they should be final
>> torqued to 70 ft/lbs. Anyone disagree with this?
>>
>> What would you consider a reasonable cost range for a shop to charge to
>> disassemble, inspect, do a valve job, resurface and reassemble the heads
>> on a carry-in basis?
>>
>> Any other recommendations/tips will be appreciated. I've installed heads
>> before but not on aluminum heads.
>>
>> Thanks.
>
>
> HKS Metal headgasket. Google "1989 Supra Headgasket"
> These last a long time. Also, check the SOGI website. 59ft/lbs appears to
> be not enough (was spec'd for an asbestos HG)
>

I think a metal head gasket requires a special mating surface.

"These last a long time"
But then again I never thought head gaskets wear out. 8)

On May 25, 12:21 am, Nick Bourne <"nabourne at tpg.com.au"> wrote:

> > -I feel like I should upgrade my torque wrench from the inexpensive
> > bar type I got years ago.


> If you bar type still pulls correct torque why do you fell it needs
> replacing.


How would I know?


> Also check the block deck for any out of square measurements.


How do you do this?

Doc wrote:

> -I feel like I should upgrade my torque wrench from the inexpensive
> bar type I got years ago. I see Home Depot has Husky click torque
> wrenches for around $70, do you feel it'll do the job? I gather Snap-
> On's run around $200. I'm sure they're good but would like to save a
> few bucks if possible to do so and get good functionality on a one-off
> project.
>

If you are only going to use a torque wrench every great while, and you
have the access to read it, stick with the beam type wrench. The only
way it can go out of calibration is physical damage to the beam. I
check my snappy clickers against my old beams to see if the clickers
need calibration.