Removing cylinder head

[europa88]

How easy...or how hard is it to take off the cylinder head on a 1kzte?

Iv'e got the rad out at the mo and viscous fan off, also the ali crossover pipe
as I was in the process of making up a top mount intercooler. The rad was having a leak from the filler neck soldered up by my local rad shop when we found the 2 year old 4 row core has expanded!!

Iv'e owned the surf for 5 years and It's never gone in the red, got a tad warm when towing up long hills, the electric water temp gauge hit 110 degrees once(sensor in top hose) but soon cooled down.
Has had new thermostat, rad cap, flushed, viscous reoiled , toyota red coolant since I owned It etc etc.

been pressure tested,
been combustion gas tested,
been compression tested,
All by ex Toyota mechanic who I trust and all is good!
It doesn't appear to lose water(apart from the leak by the filler neck which was marginal)

So It's all ok then!!
So why has the feckin rad blown?

Do I take off the head at this stage or do I chuck more money at it (intercooler etc) and just not be bl**dy paranoid!
Taking the family on holiday to north wales in the caravan in August, It's booked!

Talk about concentrating your mind!

[sledge]

you sure u got all the air out, also have you checked to see if any of the hoses are blocked?

[europa88]

Yeah,think all the air was out, rear heater working fine, no farts or gurgles!

Rad was warm all over with no cold spots or anything like that.

[sledge]

how full is the exspansion bottle?

[europa88]

I have to top it up occasionally cos of the rad leak but nowt really. It's not pressurising the bottle, theres never been any bubbles or signs of over pressure in the overflow bottle!

I'm probably concerned over nowt, but to me a blown core is a sign of excess pressure somewhere in the cooling system.The rad cap is genuine toyota and only a couple of years old. I know it shouldn't fail but maybe it has.

[TonyN]

I'd say it was a duff rad, the rad cap will vent far before the rad explodes!

[europa88]

I'd say it was a duff rad, the rad cap will vent far before the rad explodes!

I'm hoping it's that Tony,they pressure tested It after soldering the filler neck back on and It's fine, but it looks like Its only the frame thats holding the core from expanding even more!

I might just throw it back on and see what happens.

As I was just on the point of bypassing the rad cooler any way, If It seems reasonable then maybe i'll just get a manual rad fitted!

I feel me cash flow probs accelerating!