Buying a 87, head gasket questions

Gengus · 04-14-2007, 04:55 PM

Im considering buying a 1987 supra with 50,000 miles. Ive been doing lots of research on the mkiii's and i understand that blown head gaskets are very common. I plan to run severaly tests (analyze coolant, compression test, check oil for foam, etc) to make sure that the head gasket is alright. my question is if i determine that everything is ok with the head gasket will retorquing it prevent it from blowing once i own the car or could it blow the next day, and am i correct in assuming that it is simple to retorque the head gasket
also could the head gasket be weak or does it pretty much get a hole or not get a hole.
thanks in advance

supramacist · 04-14-2007, 07:15 PM

Tricky Q you have here. In all honesty these cars pretty much come stock with a bhg. I think retorquing the bolts may prolong it. But you have no idea how the car has been driven. I read somewhere that most stock hg's blow between 60k and 80k miles. But if your auto hasn't been driven it's a hard call to make.

If it's not blown already it will blow sooner or later. I would invest the money from all of the testing into a new MHG and retorque it and see how it acts.

There are tale tell signs that the hg is about to go out. You can check the oil fill cap. If there is a white milky residue then your about to have problems. Check the radiator overflow. Make sure there has never been oil in it. Wich I think happens due to blow by.

I have a 91 na and I bought the HKS stopper MHG 2.mm. Right at $300.00
And countless other parts. If I could go back and do it all over again. I would park the car pull the engine tear it down and rebuild it totally. In a perfect world where money grows on trees, right.

04-14-2007, 04:55 PM	#1
Gengus Stock Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Charlottesville, VA Posts: 17	Buying a 87, head gasket questions Im considering buying a 1987 supra with 50,000 miles. Ive been doing lots of research on the mkiii's and i understand that blown head gaskets are very common. I plan to run severaly tests (analyze coolant, compression test, check oil for foam, etc) to make sure that the head gasket is alright. my question is if i determine that everything is ok with the head gasket will retorquing it prevent it from blowing once i own the car or could it blow the next day, and am i correct in assuming that it is simple to retorque the head gasket also could the head gasket be weak or does it pretty much get a hole or not get a hole. thanks in advance

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Blown Head Gasket Snake Oil	unkymurch	Non-Generation Specific Questions	21	08-06-2010 02:11 AM
1989 Supra blown head gasket	rayk5799	Non-Generation Specific Questions	6	05-18-2009 10:51 AM
Changing head gasket questions???	linuxgurupodboy	MKIII Supra	10	02-22-2008 10:51 PM
Head Gasket replacement questions.	DavidLeClair584	MKIII Supra	1	06-09-2007 09:17 PM
Replacing the Head Gasket	SupraDietrich	MKIII Supra	17	11-09-2005 01:57 AM

04-14-2007, 07:15 PM	#2
supramacist 1000whp postwhore Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Escape from the Prison Planet Posts: 1,356	Tricky Q you have here. In all honesty these cars pretty much come stock with a bhg. I think retorquing the bolts may prolong it. But you have no idea how the car has been driven. I read somewhere that most stock hg's blow between 60k and 80k miles. But if your auto hasn't been driven it's a hard call to make. If it's not blown already it will blow sooner or later. I would invest the money from all of the testing into a new MHG and retorque it and see how it acts. There are tale tell signs that the hg is about to go out. You can check the oil fill cap. If there is a white milky residue then your about to have problems. Check the radiator overflow. Make sure there has never been oil in it. Wich I think happens due to blow by. I have a 91 na and I bought the HKS stopper MHG 2.mm. Right at $300.00 And countless other parts. If I could go back and do it all over again. I would park the car pull the engine tear it down and rebuild it totally. In a perfect world where money grows on trees, right.