Congrats on fixing the problem! On the 4age can you swap out a stock head bolt for an arp stud one at a time?
That might be a good thing to do, do them up tighter and replace the stock bolts (as they are apparently a single use item)

Lol don't get that argument started on single use head bolts.
 
Let's ignore that for a second though, a whole set of genuine head bolts and washers is less than $40, so I don't see why you would wanna use them over and over.
ARP studs would be overkill, but if you took off the head completely and wanted to not ever do it again and have future mods planned, it wouldn't be out of the question. You might as well throw on a TRD HG while you were at it though.

Good news & luck.

maj
Lol don't get that argument started on single use head bolts.
 
Let's ignore that for a second though, a whole set of genuine head bolts and washers is less than $40, so I don't see why you would wanna use them over and over.
ARP studs would be overkill, but if you took off the head completely and wanted to not ever do it again and have future mods planned, it wouldn't be out of the question. You might as well throw on a TRD HG while you were at it though.

Yes it may be overkill to replace the bolts. I only mentioned it because I have personally sheared off a bolt head on a 3sgte trying to tighten it to spec. Not really knowing what I was doing likely contributed to it :) but I'd still go with new ones.

barely 3 pages and already a rollercoaster of emotions. shiiiiiiiiiiiit.
 
good news though! hope i get this lucky one day!

I hope I haven't opened a can of worms here 
 
I think I will be sticking with factory bolts in the event of having to change them. Im not going after a super sports build, Im after more of a reliable build. One that will keep it on the road for years to come.
 
Im glade to see so much activity on my humble rebuild. Speaking of which REBUILD UPDATE!!!!!!!
 
In the last couple of days I was able to get my hands on a dirt cheap stock exhaust from pick and pay less of all places. Its in fairly good nick for its age so that another positive. This weekend i will be cleaning it up and installing it.
 
Wish me luck

There's a GZE MR2 at pick and payless? Where?

There was one at black town that had hit a telegraph pole. It has since been claimed in its entirety now, I had a mate let me know the second it arrived. I just got in and stole the exhaust, lucky for me.
 
It was already missing most of the interior and many other bits worth taking, so no good finds here. It still had its engine though and the thing only had done on the clock 110 000. The gent that picket that one up got a good deal.

Ah only things I might have wanted was interior anyway.

Im in the same boat, im still trying to track down a dash :(