Change Head Gasket on 1986 22r with 156 k Miles.

FelPro makes a good gasket set I would also change the timing chain & the guides while it is apart. You could probably reuse the head bolt but why take the chance they are not that expensive IF you have some type of engine rebuilder in your town they should be able to fix you up with everthing you need

eBay is an excellent source of rebuild kits. There are a couple of volume sellers on eBay that have tons of 22r parts including full rebuild kits.

I have done five 22r head gaskets this year.

On eBay you can get a new timing chain cover, oil pump, water pump and timing set for around $100 total.

You can reuse the headbolts if they haven't been eroded too bad. Normally the second and fourth bolts on the exhaust side get heavilly eroded by hot exhaust gasses, These 2 bolts come down in between the first and second, and 3 and forth exhaust ports so they get a lot of heat. This causes them to expand and contract, which can loosen and stretch them. These 2 bolts are where 22R head gaskets usually fail.

If those 2 bolts look good then you can reuse them. I would still wire wheel them and give them a shot with some high temp engine enamel before reusing them. Also chase out the threads in the block with a hand tap.

When you reassemble, I little high temp RTV around the second and fourth bolts can't hurt.

I new set is under $30 on eBay.

Most of the bolts in a 22R are the same thread pitch, 10mm x 1.25mm, 8mm x 1.25mm, and 6mm x 1.25mm, Get one of each tap size for chasing out threads.

A 3M bristle disk makes cleaning gasket surfaces much faster.

If you plan on doing the timing chain or oil pump, one of the hardest parts is getting the Harmonic Balancer (main pulley) off.

I made a special wrench from 1/4" steel that grabs the center groove of the pulley and locks it against the truck frame.

A vise-grip chain wrench can work. The bolt is a 19mm and is usually set in place with high torque and loctite, so it helps a lot to heat the bolt head with a small propane torch until it is a few hundred degrees F. That will soften the loctite.

If the Harmonic Balancer has a groove worn in the oil seal surface (they all do) you should use a pulley sleeve to restore the surface for a better seal with the main oil pump seal. They cost about $7 at NAPA. Press it over the back of the pulley with a wood block and a soft mallet.

If you can find one on eBay, get a factory manual for your truck.

Make sure to use RTV gasket sealant that is Sensor-Safe.

You should get the cylinder head cleaned and pressure tested. It should cost under $100 from an Automotive machine shop.

Make sure not to get much grit down into the cylinders when cleaning the gasket surface. Rotate the main crank until all 4 pistons are below the surface. Place shop rags into the cylinders with large steel washers on them to keep them down.

Be careful of the chain guides as you separate the head from the block and don't forget the hidden bolt that goes from the head to the top of the timing chain cover. It is usually hidden under the dirty oil directly under the distributor.

If the guides have broken then it is likely that the timing chain tensioner is clogged and needs to be replaced.

The tensioner has a spring in it, but it is also powered by oil pressure. If the oil is dirty then the feed line to the tensioner can get clogged. This lets the chain develop some slack. This slack in the chain causes the chain to beat up the chain guides. If the plastic chain guides break, the timing chain will start chewing through the inside of the timing chain cover. If it chews deep enough, it will get to the coolant lines going to the water pump, and SHAZZAM, you have an engine full of mayonaise.

You can get more expensive timing chain sets with steel backed guides.

Feel free to email me if you have any more questions. I could keep typing here for days on the subject.