chris_bramley

It could well do... how much were you thinking?

I'm curious how this works... cos far as I knwo the HG needs to seal, so wouldn't it essentially be like an unsealed gasket? It could be a good idea though. It certainly looks interesting, and if you can run up to 32psi through it it would be good enough I think! However - let's assume I do NOT want to be doing all this again! So I'd like to make damn sure on this one as I said above, anyone's got cheap prices I'm all ears. especially for porting and polishing which might be worth doing if I can afford it! It will already be a good £75 to skim...

Yarr. Does anyone know the standard prices vs 2nd hand versus Toyota prices on these? I've had to replace the radiator and heater matrix too so far so this is becoming ubercostly and I can't afford this to be too much.

I was considering this but a lot of consensus on here is to always go with stock... where possible. Head saver shims? hmm, it sounds good but I'm a little dubious about adding what's essentially another gasket to the equation :s I'd need to look into that. I'll also need new bolts, won't I? damn damn damn, this is getting pricier by the nanosecond

Hi all Some of you have been following the saga so far with my car... We've finally tracked what happened to it: Radweld in the rad (ARGH! WHY was it THERE?!?!) caused a block in the cooling system which stopped water getting through to cool the engine. The head gasket blew ferociously, which allowed engine pressure back into the rad system, which blew the rad out through my bonnet vents. I finally got the head off, and had it measured. It is at least 20 thou out from true, meaning I either have to skim it deep and get a thick HG or a new/good cond 2nd hand head. Can anyone suggest anything? I've already had a lot of work done and I can't afford too much more of this My baby has been off the road now for 2 months and I'm utterly gutted by this, of all the things to happen it's been the rad system, the heater matrix and now the head... all interlinked. All of you so far who've been of help, thanks for everything; and everyone, please give me any help on this you can! it's the life of my supra we're talking about here - a worthy cause! Thanks guys C

Hi fellas, new info needed please! Almost sorted the head gasket (!), was wondering if anyone has the torque settings needed to do it all back up? Whole engine would be nice, pdf anyone? And how is it, when you've taken half the engine out, and it's on the floor, IT'S STILL ALL IN THERE?!?! I'm loveing my car more and more despite the heartache of all this shit - it's so beautiful even in pieces C

I checked with Envy, Paul - they quote the entire gasket kit as £195 odd. Any ideas where you got you £174 odd? Apparently the list price is about £195 :s Anyone else, feels free to give a good place to get the kit for as little as poss

wallets back in pants gents, I'm only interested in furthering the car's recovery I'll see how it checks out. The reason my mate suggested getting it skimmed was it will clean the fitting up and if it doesn't need much doing it won't affect the compression. I'm only going on what I know from all you guys and ppl who know more... and not everyone says the same thing! Paul mac seems to think it's viable..... cue flame war hehehe

Good call whatever happens I'm getting it checked first.

Brilliant, thanks Paul. My mechanic mate has also advised skimming it as low as poss as it's 11 years old and over 50,000 miles - and it will keep the compression low to do it the least. He said you only need 1/1000 of an inch off to smooth it and ensure it's fine again and it's worth getting done, and that little won't affect the engine or the need to use another gasket width. I'll try and source the kit asap, and the skim would be next day return. I'll get the garage next door to check it once it's off but I think it's probably worth smoothing it back down with the smallest possible skim, from what I've heard and been told. Envy may do it? I think I'll check em out!

I haven't got the money to do all this, it's hard enough to get the bare minimum done! I'm told the likelihodd is if anything is wapred it will be the head surrounding the gasket and in theory the most hopefully that would be needed would be a skim. Regardless of all this, I'm going to bump the question again: Who knows where I can get the £170 gasket kit from?

No - but the extent of the overheat suggests there could well be, as a lot of ppl on here have also said it's possible it warped. If i can get time from him to check it I'll get it done. Well, yes - our entire society is based on acting on information gleaned from past years and other people. What I am asking is if this advice is valid, and if not why not - not if ppl are reliable as a whole. come are, zsome aren't - we know this already. Details on the pros and cons would be more useful to me. I wouldn't say he's going to opposite way, but on what he's seen of the car he said it's something to think about getting done. I can impose on him and try and get him to check the head, I understand that is a good idea, but he said most of the cars that have had what mine had have needed a slight skim. He specialises in mercs and beamers so chances are you're right - he likely doesn't know supra details off the top of his head.

Ah, difference is they don't make any money from it. I know the guy who owns it and he's only recommended skimming because the overheat could well have warped it and he suggested it's best to do a low skim to make sure it's fine. His words were "why risk it" and I can't ask him to do all manner of checks n stuff for me cos he won't charge and he's busy as all hell. Since he'll get it done cost price for me he makes nothing from it, so I doubt he's got anything but my best interests at heart on this one. Also, ppl have recommended skimming and keeping a standard gasket to change the compression ratio to give more power - is this not true? If done properly (ie not over the top) isn't that good? He said it's great as long as you don't take too much off. And let me repeat my original question! Who knows where to get this £170 gasket set?

awesome! thanks Paul! Know anyone I can get it off? I may as well do the lot whilst it's out. The garage next door said also make sure I skim the head, they do it for £75 including next day return, pressure testing and laser checking... Which leads me to the all important quesiton of how much do I skim? what's the best amount to give more power without buiggering the engine too much?

Right, I've decided on OEM - anyone got a good price for it? OR - does anyone have a price and detailed list for the whole engine gasket set I've heard about? I understand it has head, rocker, central, manifold, valve stem seals, the lot, and someone mentioned not much more than £200 - anyone got any info?

I fully intend not to detonate! So not a problem for now. I'll look at it more when I upgrade the systems again.

I want something that will stand up well to up to 1.4 bar on twin hybrids, and then later a big single. Far as I am told oem will be fine as long as I'm sensible...

And how much are these? and are they better than the stock?

Thanks for the thought - luckily I'm next to a garage which can get my head skimmed, pressure checked and laser checked for £75 they get it done for audi's mercs and beamers all the time so chances are ra won't leave a blank expression!

Thanks! Is there any point in lowering the compression? I thought the supra needed a low compression anyway cos it's turbo'd... depends how muh they are i guess. so I have to do ALL the gaskets for everything? £170!! for a gasket!! lol horrific, toyota RAPE us all

Which sucks. Can anyone point me to the best replacement (steel) head gasket, how much it is and where to get from? i could also use a water pump and a new cam belt while I'm at it. I'm looking on the bright side - the garage next door gave me Kudos for doing the Heater Matrix myself and said if I can do that with little instructions and no manual, not being a mechanic, then I should have half the problem doing the head gasket! lol Any instructions for doing this would be appreciated So, since losing boost, I've had this chain: - boost loss fixed by replacing all turbo pipes with new - rad blows due to combination of resotred pressure and radweld (put there to fix faulty heater matrix I think) - rad replaced, heater matrix replaced, new rad pipes at firewall installed, put back together - I find that the overheat also killed the head gasket! I believe the term is argh. Still, since doing all this I have gone from knowing little to being fairly proficient with cars

It blatantly is the TURD. it could have destroyed my whole engine

It wasn't the coolant - there appeared to be radweld in the system, I assume it was there to plug the heater matrix leak. I'm pretty sure it caused a blockage in the rad, it was getting worse and worse with overheating. One day it just went bang - blew the radiator and cracked the top of it. Ouch. Once the thermo is replaced I'm flushing the whole engine with radflush and then filling it with a 60:40 of distilled water and good quality coolant that should hopefully do the trick - assuming the head isn't damaged from the overheat :s

It doesn't. but the engine overheated terribly due to the rad blowing, and it's almost 100% definite the thermo died as a result. It was an AA tow home - trust me, the thermo needs attention. Add to that I confirmed last night by running the car up after replacing the rad and heater matrix (NEVER ask me to do that again) and the engine got hot and started overheating whilst the rad remained mysteriously cold. I#'m no expert but I'd hazard a guess that the thermo died in the closed position and won't let all that nice water through!

Hehe yes I wanted to make BLOODY sure it was done. I've repaired what I could of the fittings - seems whoever wired or whatever the car befoer I had it broke a lot of things but it's all looking good. I reclamped the matrix, wrapped rubber tape under the clamps to makes doubly sure, and replaced hoses n stuff. Got it together last night - it ran!! Just need thermostat replacement and to recharge the a/c! I can't believe I did the matrix myself, I didn't have a clue WHAT I was doing lol I'm a computer engineer, not a mechanic! I actualyl think it might be ready in time for the wedding saturday! It has taken me probably 25 hours of work to do it and the rad and put it all back and test. Unreal, but Damn do I feel good I can do it. I'm in the elite club of heater matrix people now