Few questions, preventative maintenance.

Toyotafanboi

It's worth noting, from here on out, that i absolutely hate when things go wrong. i am O.C.D. not with cleanliness, but with things working correctly. I've had reasonably good success with the last 7 year run of Toyotas and Nissans with the worst of it being the Corolla that needed a caliper and a rad...

Annnnyway... as i'm sure you all know, my Celica's head gasket gave in. The car in question is a 2002 Celica and the engine a 2zz-ge 190bhp.

i chose to go for a replacement engine because;
it has less than half the mileage of my own (105k kms vs 250k kms)
it will cost less than a good head gasket job
the turnaround will be much faster, a day vs. a week
and i get to keep my old engine to mess with
questionable decision, i know, but here i am.

The engine going in is from a Japanese import Celica and has no history with it. i have no reason to believe the car is clocked or anything, but it does have no history. i can see the engine start up and tick over, but it's in a fairly smashed up car so it can't be test driven. the oil is the blackest oil i've ever seen and this has me worried; i really want to clean it all out but can't decide what's best.

I've read bad things about specific engine oil flush products online in that they are very harmful for engines. i've also read online about adding diesel to the engine oil which sounds just as dangerous. i was thinking about just getting him to add a really cheap 5w30 oil when he services it and then put a good brand in after 250 miles or so? what do people think?

to avoid a repeat of the head gasket situation, i am tempted to add this product (http://www.irishautoparts.ie/single-part.aspx?PartNumber=5052665000005) to the coolant, Scotty Kilmer approves of running it as an active prevention for H.G.F. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6YF-3zMBqY). deep down i know this is stupid/ risky, i really do, but this product appeals to my O.C.D in the worst possible way. could someone please talk me out of it?

I am keeping my existing gearbox, but i'm having the oil changed while the work is being done. The cars manual states that "Any 75w90 GL-4 or GL-5 semi or fully synthetic gearbox oil is acceptable". i've read some real horror stories on here about using GL-5 oil in a GL-4 box and vice versa. is it really safe to go with "any"? i have bought 3 liters of GL-5 75w90 fully synthetic and intend on using this.

If you're still reading, i'm having a new clutch kit fitted along with the replacement engine. i am considering a new timing chain kit too, should i bother? the kit is only around €100 but i know sometimes you are better off not upsetting what's there if it's all working fine. what do people think?

Lastly, can anyone else suggest anything i should do while the engine is out? water pump? oil pump? Crankshaft oil seals? bottom end bearings etc? i would rather pay a little extra now rather than have some other **** come up in 6 months time.

cheers

nd

the link to the website doesn't seem to be working but I saw what it was on scottys video(steelseal for anyone else).

Idk about it as preventative maintenance. I wouldn't personally. The sister did try it as a repair when her HG went. It lasted maybe 4 months approx. A friend also tried it in his van when his went and it again lasted a few months. It didn't clog anything it wasn't supposed to which was good.

Tbh I don't think head gaskets just go. I think 99% of the time it's due to overheating. Maybe your celica headgasket was gone when you bought it and the previous owner had patched it up with something like steelseal.and sold it. Or something like that.

Very black oil would be a bit of a worry. I'd maybe put a cheaper brand fully synthetic in and change it after 1000 miles. My thinking being a standard cheap oil might not have the "detergents" in the fully synthetic oil to flush out the crap you want to get rid of. But I'm probably wrong on that.

I probably wouldn't change the timing chain unless you've reason to think it's worn.

CJhaughey

If the engine is out, drop the sump while its easy to access and clean all the gunge from the sump and oil pickup.
It will be an easy job when there is nothing to get in the way like subframes.

316

What is the car worth driving as I wouldn't go chucking money at it if repair was more than its value. Are you sure on your maths that a head gasket job will be more expensive than buying an engine and other parts?
250k km is no big mileage.

Toyotafanboi

The car is worth **** all either way. €1500 - 2k driving but i intend on driving one for a few years and this is a top spec model that took bit of patients to come across, the shell has a good long N.C.T. on it still too.

By the time you get an engine gasket kit, head bolts, water pump, service kit and pay for a head skim and a good days labour i was looking at €750 or so... i appreciate 250k kms isn't massive (i intended to try do that again in it) but it is an incentive to get an engine with half the miles on it. The replacement engine, service kit, new clutch kit and labour will come in just under €1k.

jca

As someone posted earlier I'd certainly drop the sump and give it a good clean out. While you have it off I'd remove some of the big end caps and see what the crank and shells look like, do the same with the mains while your there. I wouldn't change the timing chain unless the tensioner is a long way out indicating excessive stretch. Good idea to do the clutch though. Would you be willing to try that steel seal liquid in your original engine? It might buy you a bit more time if nothing else.

George Dalton

As above, I would just drop the sump and either clean or replace the oil pump pickup. Don't use any flush, it causes more problems than it solves in my opinion.

I wouldn't bother with the timing chain, leave well enough alone.

Clutch kit is a no brainer.

As for gear oil we use this gear oil in those Toyotas and have never had any issues:

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-973-fuchs-titan-gear-syn-75w-90-semi-synthetic-driveline-oil.aspx

Toyotafanboi

Great advice lads, thanks! Just want the car back now, was really enjoying it !