1KZ Cracked head

[peterrock Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close peterrock]

Hi,
Well i have found the head on my prado is cracked. I can get a new head fitted for 2800 NZD I dont know if that is for a chinese head or not but I will find out. If some one could help me with these questions I would be very grateful

How can I test to see what condition the bottom end is it. Its done 390K I would hate to spend that money and find out the bottom end is naffed.

If it is a chinese head are they any good. the work has a year warranty
\
thank you. Pete

[Guest Close Guest]

Try contacting Rick NZ. He might be able to help with genuine parts in NZ.

[ScoticusMaximus Member Find all posts View Profile Close ScoticusMaximus]

that seems steep? you can get a reconditioned engine for not much more i thought?

[macaroon1 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close macaroon1]

Peterrock..trust me I'm no mechanic but I've been reliably informed the original one's were Chinese and made from partly recycled metal. A few are OK but A few are not..so you may have just been unlucky!!?? The next Chinese one may be the very same in make up so personally I would not go there!!

A good alternative is AMC (Spanish)..I think they also supply parts to the big German brands? I'm unsure of the cost but if your 1KZ is in good nick this would be a worthy investment for it's longevity...the head will never crack again! Get the bottom end checked if all good then new Amc head.. your car will be like new??

Cheers

[t303 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close t303]

AMC head, genuine head gasket, headbolts and genuine VRS kit. All the Toyo gaskets are composite coated stainless, no paper or cork gaskets.
390K's makes it a hard decision. Depending on how many more K's you want from it, I would be considering a midlife overhaul with new bottom end bearings and probably new pistons/rings because the ring grooves are probably pushing the limit. If the bores are OK you might get by with a quick hone and STD size everything. How much do you love your Prado? :-)

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Coste 4g 3 years ago scott to supply n fit new head not including radiator flush/rodding, thermostat, coupling etc to my grande 90 series with 103 k on the clock and very well serviced. Wouldn't touch the Chinese shit heads and I wouldn't replace it with Toyota one either as the part number is still the same never been superseded so you may be putting the same shit back on again.. Might pay to do a google search to see who is using what. Mine come from a place I think for memory was in Melbourne and was made from a solid cast..maybe why it cost me the amount it did..I can find out for you if need be, can just give my mechanic a buzz and find out if you have no luck ..... Cheers Steve

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

I'm sure I saw some where new crate engines for around 5k ??? Will do a search when I get home and see if I can find it again..... Cheers Steve

[samo Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close samo]

a few bottles of chemeweld would get it going again for quite a while lol. cheers samo

[MUMSRIG Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MUMSRIG]

Pricing a reco head at the moment and I'm looking at a grand here in Aus... Spoke to my Toyota spares mate here at home as he just did his 90series head last week and he purchased an exchange unit for 2grand.

Either way, I think that you would be better off reconditioning your existing head and I would suggest that if you do so then your compression etc will improve and put more pressure on the bottom end which could cause more issues later on. When the cylinder head is off check the bores for wear and then think at least about doing the bearings..

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

I believe mumsrig with the old head you cant do any thing with them except throw them in the bin. Apparently there isn't enough meat on them to do a refurbish with them ?? only going by what my mechanic told me. He said that's why they crack in the first place because there to thin from new.....Cheers Steve

[mackayvx Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close mackayvx]

Yes Mitch.
Throw that old head away.
AMC heads are around the $1400 mark. That's fully built with new cam.
SMS diesel spares are the mob to deal with. Roo sourced mine in brissy.
Use genuine gaskets and new head bolts.
The only thing the AMC head was missing was manifold studs.
You will have to transfer them off your old head or buy new ones.

There isn't a welder on the planet that is good enough to fix one of those shitty tmc kz heads...

I don't regret getting my AMC.

Drew

[t303 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close t303]

I believe mumsrig with the old head you cant do any thing with them except throw them in the bin. Apparently there isn't enough meat on them to do a refurbish with them ?? only going by what my mechanic told me. He said that's why they crack in the first place because there to thin from new.....Cheers Steve

Agreed, they usually go from around the exhaust valve to the water jacket. The heads from early hilux to prado changed, with the valves on the later heads a microfurk or so longer, the head is taller overall.

[t303 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close t303]

Yes Mitch.

The only thing the AMC head was missing was manifold studs.
You will have to transfer them off your old head or buy new ones.

Drew

Hey guys, one thing I just remembered on manifold studs: The old ones are usually stuffed, so you will probably need new ones anyway. It is never the best idea to put any alloy threaded hole under much stress, which is what happens when using bolts into an alloy head ( in critical use eg aviation, they will be helicoiled from new). They strip out real easy! Get down to the parts store and get enough VL Commodore exhaust manifold studs to do the job (8x1.25mm thread from memory?) and some stainless washers and manifold nuts to suit. You can also replace the two bolts that toyota used. The genuine Tojo studs are too short and do not thread right to the bottom of the holes in the head. The VL studs will thread all the way in, but you will need to pack some nuts/washers under the manifold nuts to clamp the manifold without bottoming out on the stud. Set the studs in with loctite and you can then torque up the manifold nuts without stressing the head. Now you have little chance of pulling the thread out of the head unless you go stupid torquing up the studs/nuts.

[peterrock Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close peterrock]

1KZ cracked head

thanks you all for the information. Yes the heads are pretty much a throw away item once cracked. i will go ahead with a new head but will get them to check the condition of the bore first. If that is ok then I think I should be good for a while.

Thanks again, Pete

I believe mumsrig with the old head you cant do any thing with them except throw them in the bin. Apparently there isn't enough meat on them to do a refurbish with them ?? only going by what my mechanic told me. He said that's why they crack in the first place because there to thin from new.....Cheers Steve

[MUMSRIG Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MUMSRIG]

I believe mumsrig with the old head you cant do any thing with them except throw them in the bin. Apparently there isn't enough meat on them to do a refurbish with them ?? only going by what my mechanic told me. He said that's why they crack in the first place because there to thin from new.....Cheers Steve

Todd had his refurb'd with the pre-combustion chambers replaced and the head decked as it was warped, all the guides and seals done with VRS kit and headbolts for around the grand mark. I can't see why the head would be a throw away especially if it isn't completely gone. I haven't removed mine yet (maybe tomorrow) and I don't think it will be that bad (doesn't boil or blow bubbles etc, just low on power) so i'm thinking a refurb should be fine and dandy unless I see something bad like a crack in the actual head and not the pre-combustion chambers??