LUVTruck.com

Update.....here we go.....I've got the new head gasket and I'm gonna try to put everything back together today. One thing I thought I'd share - I couldn't get the head bolt out despite repeated doses of penetrating oil and multiple tries with the vice grips. It wouldn't budge. So I bought the attached stud extractor on Amazon for $13 and the bolt came right out. Couldn't have been easier.

More to come.....thanks again for all the tips!

Update-I've got the truck mostly back together, with one issue. None of the auto parts stores has a matching head bolt to replace the bolt that stripped. A hardware store has a standard hex bolt that matches the specs on the stripped head bolt. Is there any reason that wouldn't work? If not, any ideas?

I would get a good used one. Ask around here, someone has one.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

Thanks. Anyone happen to have an extra head bolt for sale?

Where are you located?

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

FYI it appears that TopLine head bolts for a 2.3/2.6 are identical to 1.8 head bolts- same overall length, diameter & thread pitch(12mmx1.5) except the TopLine bolts have longer threads. If you want to go new you can get 2.6 bolts from ebay for about $50 including shipping.
I discovered I have 9ea(missing one) used 1.8 headbolts that were with a head & intake I picked up some years ago. I cleaned a couple, the socket heads seem tight, ran a thread chase onto them, so I have some if needed.

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'78 Chevy LUV,1.9,4sp,headers,31's,SAS Dana 30,Dana 20,SOA rear w/Aussie Locker, rough body, bought new 12/4/78.
'87 Trooper,2.3,5sp,headers,31's,ball joint flip & spacer,Aussie Locker rear,Superwinch hubs,brush guard w/5.5K winch,more to come.

Ask and you shall recieve. Ball is in your court.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

Thanks everyone. I am in Kansas City. I called an Isuzu dealer here in town and he ordered a head bolt that he thinks will fit. Cost is about $7 and it will be here in a couple of days. If it doesn't work I'l follow up with you guys and see if I can buy one from you. Thanks again. PJ

Wow, there are Isuzu dealers left in the US?

I can confirm that the 4ZD1 head bolts are identical to the LUV. I have had them side by side. I haven't held a 2.6L 4ZE1 head bolt in my hand, but all accounts are that they are the same part as well.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

Thank you. There are a number of head bolt sets for the 4ZD1 available. I'm not sure my Isuzu dealer is going to come through, so I may have to order a set.

Question - I'm dying to see if I've stopped the leak. The regular hex head bolt I bought from the hardware store seems to fit perfectly. Will it hurt anything if I use that this weekend, and replace it later with the proper bolt? I intentionally left the last bolt as number 10 in the tightening sequence, so it would be the last one in, and the first out. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

PJ

I wouldn't risk it. Head gaskets on these trucks are touchy as it is. The head and the washer on those bolts work together just so, I doubt a replacement with a different style of head will yield the same pressure with the same torque value. If the gasket is squashed too much in one area it won't bounce back when the correct bolt it put in.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

Thanks. The Isuzu dealer did come through with a perfect match. Cost eight bucks. Everything is back together and she started right back up. I'll take the truck for a spin and leave it over night in the garage, and check in the morning if there are any leaks. Thanks for everyone's help. Fingers crossed....

After you drive it for a few days go ahead and make sure the head bolts stay to the last torque value, check the rocker arm torque, then the valve lash while you have the cover off, then 15,000 miles later do it all again.

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'78 Chevy LUV,1.9,4sp,headers,31's,SAS Dana 30,Dana 20,SOA rear w/Aussie Locker, rough body, bought new 12/4/78.
'87 Trooper,2.3,5sp,headers,31's,ball joint flip & spacer,Aussie Locker rear,Superwinch hubs,brush guard w/5.5K winch,more to come.

Thanks. Update - I've driven the truck about 40 miles last night and today. It seems to be running great and is no longer leaking oil/coolant where it was leaking before, between the head and block.

At first, though, there was still quite a bit of oil dripping from the bottom of the truck, so I thought there must be another leak. It has slowed considerably to just a drop every few hours. The drip is off of the front of the transmission case, just behind the oil pan. The dripping oil is pretty dirty, even though I changed the oil last night before driving the truck.

Is it possible this is just old oil still dripping off, that had leaked out before I replaced the gasket? There was oil everywhere from the gasket leak. Or do I need to keep looking for another leak? If so, any suspicions where it might be leaking?

Even if there is another leak the problem was greatly improved by replacing the head gasket. Thanks to everyone for their contributions. I don't think I could have gotten it done without you. This forum is a great resource.

PJ

Your rear main seal may be leaking. It would drip down the block and exit at the front of the transmission housing. Changing that involves removing the shifter, driveshaft, transmission, pressure plate, clutch, and flywheel. If you do that job, you should get the pilot bearing while you're in there.

Jack

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'83 Isuzu P'up Diesel LS - Original Owner
JoeIsuzu@IsuzuPup.com
IsuzuPup.com

Thanks. It's such a slow drip, maybe a drop every couple of hours, that I may just keep an eye on it and see if it's just old oil. If not, how hard is it to replace the rear main seal? As tough as replacing the head gasket? Are any of the rear main seal repair products, like Bar's, worth a shot?

Thanks again.

The rear seal itself is easy. Getting to it is a lot of work.

Jack

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'83 Isuzu P'up Diesel LS - Original Owner
JoeIsuzu@IsuzuPup.com
IsuzuPup.com

Thanks. I think there is probably a second leak. I'll get the tracer dye to make sure it's tracing back to the rear main seal.

If it is, I'm trying to get a feel for if or when I might try to tackle that job. Replacing the head gasket wasn't that bad, if I'd had all the parts in the beginning it probably would have taken an afternoon. What would you guess to replace the rear main seal?

5 minutes, once you have the pressure plate off. I'd say it's a total of about 4-6 hours if you have all the right tools, and you never drop a bolt or misplace a tool or part. For me, call it 10 hours.

Jack

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'83 Isuzu P'up Diesel LS - Original Owner
JoeIsuzu@IsuzuPup.com
IsuzuPup.com

Thanks. The manual says the oil pan has to come out to get to the rear main seal. While I'm at it, should I also replace the oil pan gasket, or would you leave it alone if it's not leaking?