Good Morning... Head Gasket Issue

[chenchel]

good morning I am new to the community. I have a blown head gasket on my 1996 Lexus es300. I tried using the link inside the threads already and none of them seem to work can anyone give me some advice on how to find the FSM. THANK YOU SO MUCH

[lexis lexus]

Hi,

I never had any luck downloading the fsm off this site. Best to get a Haynes for the Toyota camry of the same year. I did buy a digital fsm off ebay for a few bucks but there was no index.

The job will take many hours/days in and back. First step is to remove the intake side (2-3 hr minimum if you've done it before, longer if you haven't. Then the fuel rail, timing belt and pullies, then heads. (all this can be found in haynes).

While you're down there, plan to replace the spark plugs, timing belt, the knock sensors and their wiring harness, the egr valve, possibly a thermostat, the water hose that runs under the intake manifold (if the '96 has this not sure), both oxygen sensors if they aren't new, head bolts, prolly the exhaust studs and bolts, and of course most of the things you break.

I found (not in the books) it very useful to disconnect the wiring harness at the computer under the glove compartment and then pull the connectors through the firewall, so that the harness (which wraps around the outside of the rear head and the front and rear of the engine) can be pulled up in the air to make access much easier. Also think it's better to not unbolt the rear ex manifold from the rear head, but just pull both out as a unit, easier to get back in.

Will need a head gasket kit. I got mine on ebay for about $50, which has worked very well, (no leaks after 2 years and 20k miles) or you can buy one at Autozone or Advance for $300-$400 (look for a company called erista on ebay).

Good luck and keep us posted.

There's a lot written on this site about how to do this, but not in any one place or time.

LL