Head gasket on '96Previa SC. Tips? : Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Jan. 19, 2012 7:15 p.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

I have a '96 Previa with 200k and a badly blown headgasket as they are prone to do. I am about to pull off the head and do a semi quickie head gasket job. Any pointers? Any knowledge of better than stock replacements? Better head bolts? Etc...?

Thanks, Josh
Jan. 19, 2012 7:44 p.m. Nashco SuperDork

It lasted 200k before failure and you want better than stock parts? Dang, that's demanding!

Seriously, if it's that badly "blown" you ought to check the head and block for flatness and cracking. Also, working on a Previa is pretty awkward, so careful on how quick you think it will go.

Bryce
Jan. 19, 2012 7:55 p.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

Nashco wrote:

It lasted 200k before failure and you want better than stock parts? Dang, that's demanding!

Seriously, if it's that badly "blown" you ought to check the head and block for flatness and cracking. Also, working on a Previa is pretty awkward, so careful on how quick you think it will go.

Bryce

Lol-they all blow at 200k. I am not that unhappy with 200k but I am curious if there were improvements. I am debating doing the "Less difficult" method with the engine still in just lowered, or biting the bullet and dropping it out the bottom. It books at around 13 hours for just the head gasket so I know I am in for a bit of fun.
Jan. 19, 2012 8:59 p.m. belteshazzar SuperDork

remove supercharger pulley

use dremel tool to carve ribs in supercharger shaft.
Jan. 19, 2012 9:20 p.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

belteshazzar wrote:

remove supercharger pulley

use dremel tool to carve ribs in supercharger shaft.

Fer why?
Jan. 20, 2012 4:24 a.m. failboat HalfDork

Moar boost!
Jan. 20, 2012 8:21 a.m. 16vCorey SuperDork

I don't have any tips, but I do have a funny story about a Previa. The company I work for sold a Previa engine to a car lot. They installed it, and called us saying that it had a bad head or head gasket. Since we drove the van that it came out of, we knew it couldn't, so we told them to tow it to us and we'd look at it. Turns out the "mechanic" who installed it had gotten one of the heater hoses mixed up with the brake booster hose, so it was dumping coolant straight into the intake!
Jan. 20, 2012 9:04 a.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

failboat wrote:

Moar boost!

Ahhhhh-I got it now. Don't re-install the pulley and use the shaft as a tiny tiny pulley.
Jan. 20, 2012 9:07 a.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

That's a bizarre string of words you've got there, Canoe.
Jan. 20, 2012 10:56 a.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

That's a bizarre string of words you've got there, Canoe.

Yep, that would be where I got the signature. Anyone who can string together a sentence like that deserves some recognition.
Feb. 23, 2012 5:45 p.m. Nashco SuperDork

Did you ever fix this?

Bryce