Head Gasket Replacement

[Toysrme]

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.

[Brian R.]

Originally Posted by Toysrme

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.