Head Gasket

[Typrus]

My sis's 1981 Toyota Corolla Tercel (Yes, it says Corolla Tercel on the manual and on the back of the car) that has a 3AC engine with 141,000 miles blew the head gasket and it loses oil very quickly now. We want to fix it as the engine is barely broken in for a 3AC lol.
What all should we do when doing the head gasket? A kit would include a valve cover seal and stem seal. Could I do the stem seal in my garage? How would I clean out inside the bores and the valvetrain while I'm at it? Would new valves be a good idea? Any thoughts?

[clbolt]

It'd be a good idea to have the head surfaced and a valve job done while you have it off. It probably won't need valves, but the machine shop would tell you for sure.

My wife had an 82 Corolla Tercel. Toyota didn't like introducing the new model without a tie-in to the very popular Corolla. I've met a number of people who will tel you they have a Corolla when they actually have a gen1 Tercel.

If you choose not to have a valve job done, you can install the valve seals yourself. You'll need a valve spring compressor.

[ghettomobile]

Things to do when you replace a head gasket is to check to see if the head is warped. there are several ways to do this, but you will need a micrometer or a very precise straightedge(these things have names, but i cant remember them). If it is warped, you will have to either replace the head or take it to a machine shop and have it decked. Another thing to do is check the valves to see if they are seating correctly, and free of carbon buildup. You can do the stem seals in your garage, but you will need a valve spring compressor. If the vaves arent seating right, depending on how poorly they are seating, you can do valve work in your garage. What you do is get some lapping compound and the suction cup thing that sticks to the top of the valve, and you put the lapping compound onto the valves seating surface, being careful not to get any on or in the valve stem guide, and you lap them in by spinning the valve with the suction cup thing. If the valve is seatin too poorly, then you will have to take them to a machine shop to have them ground and have the valve seat ground as well. most of the time, all it needs is to be cleaned off and all the carbon removed from the top of the pistons and the combustion chambers in the head.
usually when you clean out the combusion chambers in the head, and the tops of the pistons, you use a piece of wood like a paint stir stick of something like that, and a brush that wont damage or scratch the aluminum and the valve seats.

[shogun]

yea just, freshen the head, the head gasket and take a good look to thew oil pump if ypu can replace it do so, its better to be on the safe side

[Mac]

make sure you unbolt the head in the right order or you will damage it, same with tightening it up. other than that, it shouldn't be difficult, only time consuming, how time consuming i don't know.