Like oil and filters, there’s always lots of opinions and experiences on the head and gaskets.
I have very little hands on experience with them because my Toyota engines have not failed that often, so I don’t’ get to work on them very often.
Like many of you here, over the past 18 years I’ve read hundreds of posts and discussions on the subject.
From the Toyota engine builders I’ve talked to about head gaskets and heads on the 22s, they say the most common problems are not with the gasket, but the installation, the improper machining, or lack of, or guys simply replacing the gasket on a warped, or out of spec head. There may be anecdotal evidence to the contrary, or evidence of abnormal gasket failure with a particular gasket maker.
Regarding the heads and who makes the best aftermarket… I would trust 22RE Performance, LC Engineering, and engbldr.
When 22R head failed in my 85, the head shop here in Phoenix showed me on my head the two main reasons the 22 head fails. The water port on number 3 chamber tends to crack across to the chamber because of its close location to the edge of the chamber. The second reason is because of electrolysis that corrodes the surface due the dissimilar metals. Of course, the 3rd reason is because of over heating the engine.
Personally, I’d buy the OE head gasket from 22RE Performance, LC Engineering, engbldr, OEM from Toyota dealer, or the one from Felpro.
Similar to the NASCAR engines, the valve train and heads are the parts that need the most attention. Knowing what I know now, after owning 4 Toyota trucks, I would plan to due a complete R&R head job (probably a replace) on my 22 at around 100K miles (about 5 years for my drive time) whether it needed it or not - on a factory stock Toyota head
If you gave up just one Starbuck’s Latte a week and put that money in a “head-job piggy bank” - at the end of 5 years you’d have enough money saved up to do complete quality head job.
That’s just my worthless opinion.
Gnarls.
