DenLorsTools.com Summary: Finally a very good video showing the Time Sert 2200 universal head bolt thread repair kit being used to repair Toyota head bolt threads. We’ve sold hundreds of Time Sert 2200 thread repair kits (with free next day shipping) but have not seen a video showing how it’s used as good as the one shown in this article. Just watched Jerry’s Broken Tap video, which is an excellent instructional video. Here’s more details and the video below.

Jerry’s broken tap shows in the video and engine that has the head already off. They have a lot of local shops that run into a problem when trying to install the head and torque the head bolts. Toyota has a common problem with the rear middle four head bolt threads stripping. Sometimes it’s after an over heat when the aluminum threads get weakened and fail causing the head gasket to leak. Sometimes we’ve had customer’s tell us that their Toyota had not over heated at all. So that leads me to think that in some cases the aluminum threads fail without overheating and then that causes the whole problem of the head gasket leaking. It’s sort of like the old question “which came first the chicken or the egg?” It doesn’t really matter. What matters is the best way to make a lasting repair that eliminates future issues. That’s where Time Sert comes in.

First when a Toyota comes into the shop with a blown head gasket, the thing to do is check to make sure all the head bolts can be torqued to factory specs. That way there are no surprises. Checking the threads this way BEFORE taking the head off will allow you to go ahead and order a Time Sert kit from us with free next day shipping, before you resume pulling the head off. When the head is off and cleaned up, use a straight edge to see if the head is warped excessively. If it is not straight send it to a machine shop to be planed or machined so you won’t have a blown gasket due to the surface not being straight enough. There’s only a small tolerance, something like .20mm (.0079″) warpage limit if I remember correctly. Check the repair manual if you see any gaps at all when checking with a straight edge. Also if the car has been overheated badly it may not be a bad idea anyway to just let the machine shop check for warpage and for cracks just to be safe.

Forget using just shop rags, use tape on the block to keep metal shavings out. Packing tape works good but duct tape may be even better. The video does a great job at explaining the rest. If there’s anything we can answer just give us a call. Unlike some of the other Time Sert Distributors, we don’t use cartoon characters and don’t claim to be thread doctors. What we do have is an experienced ASE master tech with nearly 30 years of experience. We have free next day shipping and know how important it is to get you the tools you need quickly. Watch the video and then go to our 2200 product listing when you’re ready to make the purchase or give us a call at 800-524-9783.