# head gasket on scion xa



## sirtokesalot (May 15, 2008)

ok so ive been working on a 2006 scion xa. it took a while to find the right tool to get the head off but im now at head off. heads warped and looking for used head. my question lies apon installation of the timing cover. the manual says to use seal packing to reinstall the cover. what is seal packing? it this some fancy name for rtv?


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

What is on the old one? Probably something like rtv.

Get a used head checked out by machine shop or maybe a rebuilt/reman one, unless you enjoy doing head jobs.

BG


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I'd say RTV in Toyoda speak.









If you go with the universal rtv make sure to get the Sensor Safe type(Pematex Ultra)


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## sirtokesalot (May 15, 2008)

Basementgeek said:


> What is on the old one? Probably something like rtv.
> 
> Get a used head checked out by machine shop or maybe a rebuilt/reman one, unless you enjoy doing head jobs.
> 
> BG


 yes it looks and feels like rtv there were 2 different kinds on there.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

I wonder if it has ever been off before ??? Can you tell what colors ?

BG


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## sirtokesalot (May 15, 2008)

black and grey. black around the water pump grey around the cover.its the first time its off car was his car since new. next quick question. do i need to worry about the block being warped too?


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Why is the head being pulled?? Is this due to overheating??


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Probably not since it's usually a head bolt problem that causes the head to warp(stretched, broken, not properly torqued) or on this engine family striped threads in the block for the head bolts have you checked the threads?


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## sirtokesalot (May 15, 2008)

yes it was overheated 3 times. heres the rundown. about 2 months ago he blew the serpentine belt water pump stopped spinning he tried to drive it to where he was going coolant shot out the overflow gave a nice steam show he pulled over and shut it off. towed it to my house did a check nothing was wrong at that time put a new belt on it was fine for about a month then the water pump began leaking. he kept driving it. it overheated once in that time due to lack of coolant. replaced the water pump car was fine again for about another 2 weeks the t-stat stuck closed. again he never learned drove it untill he had to stop at a red light where the car died and would not start back up. once the car cooled back down it started again and drove but the damage was done the head gasket let go that time. he had scion diagnose it. they found that exhaust gasses were getting into the coolant reported bad head gasket and recommended replacing the engine because they dident know the extent of the damage. then it was towed here and sits in the garage now tore down to the block. i have not looked at the bolt threads did not know about this issue. would this issue be the problem if the engine was overheated?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Getting it that hot that many times may have indeed "tempered" the piston rings making them loose the spring tension and no longer seal tightly. It's hard to tell if you can't run a wet/dry compression test.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

As I suspected. A head may not get this engine 'up to par'. 

How do the cylinders look?? You may see aluminum deposits on the cyl walls where the pistons galled the cylinders. I've seen it before when my son let his Cherokee overheat.


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## sirtokesalot (May 15, 2008)

the car did run when it got here. it actually seemed to run very well for having a bad head gasket could tell from the exhaust sound it was bad but it ran ok. i drove it into the garage. i hope there's nothing wrong with the block is there anything i could do to check the block or is this something a machine shop has to do? if the car needs more than just the head he probably will just junk the car i don't think he wants to dump a lot of money into it.


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## sirtokesalot (May 15, 2008)

SABL said:


> As I suspected. A head may not get this engine 'up to par'.
> 
> How do the cylinders look?? You may see aluminum deposits on the cyl walls where the pistons galled the cylinders. I've seen it before when my son let his Cherokee overheat.


3 cylinders look a bit dark and one of them is very clean looking. but no aluminum shavings seen


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

My son's car was running fine when we tore it down.......just wouldn't stay cool and the coolant recovery tank was 'boiling'. 

If it has overheated to the point where the heads warped I wouldn't trust the block assembly. I'd check for a used engine to buy.


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## sirtokesalot (May 15, 2008)




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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

sirtokesalot said:


> 3 cylinders look a bit dark and one of them is very clean looking. but no aluminum shavings seen


Cyls should be shiny. There won't be shavings on the walls......it will be like a thin film of aluminum in spots. You can feel them by scraping a fingernail on the cyl wall.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

#4 has had coolant in it while running that's why the top is so clean, if there is coolant(water) in a cylinder while the engine is running there is a chance the connecting rod is bent since liquid will not compress when the piston comes up on the compression stroke, there is also a possible problem with the glycol being in the oil and depositing on the bearing surfaces displacing the oil and starving the bearings for lube.

What did the camshaft bearings look like?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Used motors are cheap enough for that model > 2006 Scion XA Gas Engine (1.5L, VIN T, 5th digit, 1NZFE engine) (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 300-65515A, 135K, $750.16 )


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

#3 looks real clean and what appears to be "washdown" (lack of a better word) and dried puddling on the right side of the cyl and piston. I'd say this one is done for and look for a used engine.


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## sirtokesalot (May 15, 2008)

3? u mean the 3rd one down? there is a little coolant that fell in there when i popped the head. i got a strait edge and checked the block it is not warped just the head is warped. cam bearings were great. there was no coolant in the oil when i drained it.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'm starting at the bottom of the picture and counting upwards. 

There was no water in the oil on my son's Cherokee. We trashed the engine and bought a used one......lotsa work either way but the odds were better with a complete swap. 

Fully assembled remanufactured head and gaskets will be ~$700 at the store I go to. Depending on the amount of warpage, you may be able to have the head surfaced......but run the risk of losing valve clearance. Take it to a machine shop and see what they say. Or....check the availability of a used head and pricing......also see what it'll cost to have it checked to make sure all is well.

IMO the engine looks rather tired from the condition of the cyl walls.....check for a ridge near the top of each cyl where the rings can't travel. If the ridge seems excessive it's your call on how far you want to go without replacing the entire engine. If you can get a warranted used engine it's worth a try if the vehicle is in decent shape. 

Also consider wrenchie's advice about overheating and losing ring tension......


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

The bottom is #4 the top next to the timing chain #1


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## sirtokesalot (May 15, 2008)

well his choice is to continue on rebuilding with the original block. we picked up the used head yesterday. it must have been sitting on the shelf a while because 2 of the valve were stuck in the open position there was a small bit of surface rust on the backs of the valves. i discovered this after removing the cams.i managed to free up the valves with lots of penetrating oil and working them back and forth tapping them with a small rubber mallet i had also scrubbed the rust away with a toothbrush before i started working the valve back and forth. both valves that were stuck now moved freely and just as easily as any of the other valves. is it ok to use this head or should i bring it back and try to find another one?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I would completly disassemble the valves and check the stems for rust pits before installing the head.


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## sirtokesalot (May 15, 2008)

ok i put the valves from the old head in the new head before installing it car was back together yesterday. its running fine i drove it almost 80 miles in the last 2 days now without issues aside from the check engine light coming back on but it had been since he bought the car. check engine light is the cam position over retarded witch is because the oil control valve for the vvt system is stuck open.i told him what it needs he's gonna get it but i gave the car back today and he is happy.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Good to hear it worked out well for you


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