Tools for Headgasket Replacement

Welcome to PriusChat!

We could really use a dedicated thread to headgasket repair. It'd be awesome if you could blow this thread up with everything you've studied because there's lots of us who have been wanting to get into doing this particular repair due to so many people needing it.

Of course because you're new hear you'll be moderated for your first 4 or 5 comments before you can share images and links. So make comments on other posts on the site so you can get this thread going!

Also I bet @Mendel Leisk and @chapman will help us build the ultimate thread for Gen3 headgasket repair!

And beyond this post and this one headgasket job, you could make good money specializing in Prius repairs and working for yourself... Most shops charge so much for repairs that you can make big money working for 1/2 of what they charge.

 

Agree with @PriusCamper about a master thread on headgasket repair. The conventional wisdom I keep hearing on Priuschat about head gaskets is that it is hardly worth doing that job because of the tight tolerances that the engine was designed with. Even if you do the gasket, the problem might come back again, or the timing may be off due to decreased depth of the engine after head resurfacing, so on and so forth. I do not know how much faith to put in either of those, nor will I ever attempt to tackle this job myself having watched the GasketMasters videos.

Nonetheless, I am rather curious about how diy this job is and if it provides long term reliability.

 

I know too many people who need this job done and I keep learning about it and then something comes up that I had not yet learned and I get a little intimidated about it all yet again. I'm sure once I've done a couple of them I'll wonder why I was ever intimidated by the job, but I ain't there yet.

 

Last link in my signature is the full engine section, from the Toyota Repair Manual. (on a phone, turn it landscape to see signatures)

Don't get misled by Gasket Master's recommendation to use a "triple-square" bit for the head bolts. The correct tool is a 10 mm double hex, which is readily available on Amazon, and likely local to you, at automotive specialty stores. Seems like it's easier to find on amazon.ca than amazon.com, but anyway, here's a direct link, for both the 8 and 10 mm drivers, from one manufacturer (CTA Tools).

Gasket Master’s mention of Permatex Ultra Black (as a form-in-place gasket) is good though: while not what Toyota specs, it's effective, and has a much more leisurely cure time. The only downside, it's recommended to wait 24 hours before adding oil and firing it up.

If I was in your shoes (pray I never need to do this....), I'd go for the Toyota overhaul gasket kit: it's got most every gasket, o-ring and seal you'll encounter, all genuine Toyota, plus the head gasket of course, and the head gasket has had a revision, so hopefully good for the duration. I've a hunch the original head gasket's bad rep was in fact a clogged EGR system problem, but that's for another discussion.

The Gasket Master's videos are good, but from the perspective of a time-limited pro; you'd do well to also watch priuschat member @NutzAboutBolts’ three-part series. Which you can find linked at the bottom of first post here. All the other videos linked there invaluable as well, in particular the preceding engine and inverter water pump replacement videos.

 

IF the engine was not burning oil AND it never overheated AND the hg leak was diagnosed quickly before coolant loss AND no time was wasted for egr cleaning or new plugs, THEN the odds are the head does not need resurfacing, the block is not warped and a head gasket job might last 50k miles.

Will a dealer do a hg job? Not likely because of comebacks and high cost. Is a Hayes manual adequate? No. Is timing a common diy fail? Yes. Can an experienced and skilled mechanic get it right the first time? Yes if they accept the job.

 

All the tools is listed in my video description. The job itself isn’t too bad, the first time will take the longest to figure out where everything is at, after you do this 3-5 more times, you’ll be a natural at doing this job and can finish it quickly in a couple of hours… that is if you’re just doing the minimum work.