Thursday, January 01, 2009 - 07:59 pm, by: Mike Beck(Gold_40gt)
I purchased a head rebuild kit in December, made by the 'Ever Green' company in USA, it came with a Graphite head gasket set. All the seals & other small parts seem to be good quality, but with something like the head gasket, would it be more ideal to go for a Genuine Toyota option, just for the extra piece of mind? This gasket is probably fine, but I'd rather put in one I know 100% will do the job like the factory one that seem to last forever.
Is there any point in going for a TRD cooper or steel gasket for pre-strengthening when further mods are added later down the road?
Advice will be appreciated to help clear off this thought I have in the back of my mind.
Thursday, January 01, 2009 - 08:38 pm, by: Chris Lock(Sledge)
if you're modding later anyway, just use this one now, and when you re-do the heads etc later, use the better one.. You don't usually re-use the head gasket when you take them off...do you?
Mike Beck Goo Roo New Zealand Soarer Limited UZZ31 V8
Thursday, January 01, 2009 - 09:58 pm, by: Mike Beck(Gold_40gt)
The heads are being rebuild & painted.
Mine are rather tired and excessively dirty on the outside so I figured why not, it would do the old barge some good.
Also, considering that it is approaching 18 years old, the valve seals appear to be causing some smoke on start up so it seems like it needs it.
I'm also going to order some headers this month, so when I put the heads back on, I can slip them down into place easily with out having to do it the other way on a hoist.
Future mods, well for now I'm sticking to the main NA alterations, eventually later this year I would like to see the factory ECU gone and a complete Link stand alone system put in, but It will be getting a fair bit of track usage so it may be sensible to get a metal type gasket just for the extra heat/pressure it will go through.
I'll have to check out what the Toyota / TRD range has available.
Mike Beck Goo Roo New Zealand Soarer Limited UZZ31 V8
Thursday, January 01, 2009 - 10:01 pm, by: Mike Beck(Gold_40gt)
Chris Lock wrote on Thursday, January 01, 2009 - 08:38 pm:
if you're modding later anyway, just use this one now, and when you re-do the heads etc later, use the better one..
Haha, It's not a job I would want to do again so this is why I want to get it right the first time.
I have no issues with working on the 1UZ in this department but I wouldn't recommend it for enjoyment! Once through the hard bits its quite satisfying though.
Friday, January 02, 2009 - 10:59 am, by: Dave Rose(Sand_groper)
Just a thought Mike while the heads and ex headers are off change the engine mounts (easy to get too) , once you put high flow headers on its a pig of a job to do. They always look good until you take them off ,new ones always make a big difference! as you know they are oil filled i am sure this has something to do with it
Friday, January 02, 2009 - 11:42 am, by: Mike Beck(Gold_40gt)
Dave Rose wrote on Friday, January 02, 2009 - 10:59 am:
Just a thought Mike while the heads and ex headers are off change the engine mounts (easy to get too) , once you put high flow headers on its a pig of a job to do.
Funny you should say that Dave, I was just looking at the engine mounts this morning when I was sorting some other things out on the engine and thought they wouldn't be too hard to tackle with no exhaust or head in the way, Mine like all are clearly stuffed. So I'll be getting a set of them for sure.
Chris, Neil has them on his Rush Imports site for $110AUD each. So its a couple of hundred for both. Worth the money for sure - I'm going to get a price on some from my man at Toyota when its time to get them.
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, once you put high flow headers on its a pig of a job to do. 
