88 Blue Turbo restoration/upgrade story

[lithium14]

Dammit... I had a long ass post on the compilation of all my research efforts regarding the engine rebuild... and it disappeared when SM went down earlier. I will try to rewrite what I can remember. At the end however I stated that I may just do a simple rebuild with crank work since the rest of the engine should be ok. and I'm too poor to rebuild it the way I want (to support well over 600hp)

Please feel free to add anything I missed

- Block examined for general health and cleaned
- Crank inspected, I did have rod knock after all, if it passes, then balanced at high rpm's and the journals either hard chromed or micro polished or both
- Forged rods (I'm going with eagle)
- Forged pistons (I want longevity and may try to see how much coating costs) I may just stay stock for now since I'm only using an upgraded CT for now OR I'll just get the CP or JE pistons (block machined to match each piston if I go with new ones)
- Bearing... need to find them NDC bearings since clevites apparently no longer exist
- MHG (goes without saying, but I added it just in case someone think I forgot) HKS stopper
- All ARP hardware
- Block decked with rear timing cover
- new freeze plugs
- upgraded oil pump (already ordered)
- upgraded oil pan with baffles (already ordered)
- new oil shaft bearings
- upgraded oil pump driveshaft retention plate
- oil squirter delete? (if this is recommended, then my 6 new squirters will be on sale after the build)
- Head polished for MHG

I am avoiding any major headwork unless it is completely necessary

Mods to support:
- 57 trim CT 26 with exhaust clip by Albert (on its way to him right now)
- 550cc plug n play FIC injectors from Suprasport
- Lexus AFM (already have)
- BIC DDP/test pipe/tanabe (already have)
- Walbro with 12v mod
- High Stall torque converter
- Modified valve body with shimmed accumulators

That's all I can think of right now, feel free to comment, the more feedback the better I feel about undertaking my first engine rebuild evar.

 

[IBoughtASupra]

The major head work is not really need. A mild port is good but the Comp Valve Springs are a cheap and well worth upgrade. I suggest that, a mild port and a valve job.

Your engine bay is a very clean and organized bay with everything still there. My catch can will make it even better.

 

[lithium14]

Thanks for the input!! I shall add that in

I've seen your catch cans, and I like what I see. I shall get back to you on those once I have her running =D

 

[lithium14]

alright ppl... I'm trying to finish pulling the engine, but I'm stuck on the transmission cooler lines. I've searched and searched and I can't believe I am the only one who has had this issue. And the TSRM is completely useless. A friend of mine said to simply "unscrew" the lines... I don't see how that works, I've tried every means possible on my spare trans and the one on the car. The issue is that the cooler lines are hardlines, so if you try to unscrew the fittings, the whole thing tries to rotate with the fitting, so clearly it won't work. There are two screw sections on the fitting, one right from the hardline, and the other going into the transmission itself, they both rotate the same direction, so that is no help either. WTF.

 

[mobes]

The fitting should rotate independently of the line - if it doesn't, it's probably just seized to the line. Be sure to use flare nut wrenches or you'll round off the fitting quite easily.

 

[lithium14]

alright... I just soaked both with wd-40... hopefully that helps a bit.

 

[lithium14]

Alright, went at it again to no avail... I must be doing something wrong here are some pics:

Metal shavings in my oil (old pic, forgot to post)

AZP oil supply line with new squirters

AZP CT oil line kit and heat shield gasket and oil filter relocation kit (still need lines for this)

Cleaned them up

These last two pictures are of the union fittings on the car

These two are the fittings taken off the new transmission (note the cut hardlines)

Now Jon, when you speak of the fitting rotating independently of the lines, which section do you speak of? The bottom sections that are immediately off the hardline? or the section that actually screws into the transmission body? In the second pic you can see I managed to separate the angled union. On the car, I determined that the screw closest to the trans on the angled union does loosen, but once it backs out it hits the rest of the union and does not help the union actually come out of the trans. AGH. It's just these two little things keeping me from pulling the engine dammit, everything else is disconnected, ac compressor, power steering pump, etc etc.

 

[mobes]

The flare nut should turn, that is "the bottom sections that are immediately off the hardline". You'll want two wrenches, use an open-end on the adapter that goes into the trans to hold it stationary, and use a flare-nut wrench for the flare nut or you'll just round it off. If the line tries to turn with the flare nut, either keep going or wiggle it back and forth and it should break free. It's the same sort of fitting that is used on brake lines, only there is an additional adapter.

 

[lithium14]

Alright!! more pics!!:

It's so cold in the garage.... I really want to finish cleaning up the bay and engine and get the trans off... but I still gotta wait for pistons/rods and the guys I ordered them from apparently was on break when I ordered them, so probably won't get them till well after new years... dammit

 

[planemos]

Looks like you spilled all your tranny fluid on the floor. Haha the same thing happened to me

 

[lithium14]

Started taking the trans apart too... I feel uneasy about relying on some of the old seals, wondering if I should go ahead and get a rebuild kit. I am making such a huge mess in the garage lmao... can't concentrate on one thing dammit, I'm jumping from interior work to the engine to the trans back to the engine, then on to some more interior... haven't even touched the engine bay yet fml

 

[planemos]

Just keep doing things and eventually you will be done!

 

[IJ.]

Set a goal for one area complete it then move onto the next one and so on...

Jumping all over the place you'll end up half assing something

Buy a whiteboard it helps

 

[D.J.T.]

I say... Let the 5 Speed swap commence... :naughty:

 

[lithium14]

Scrubbed the "new" a340e nice and clean, but it still doesn't look as clean as my old trans that is still dirty. There is not a speck of rust on my old trans while the new one is rusted everywhere it can be rusted. As far as the trans build goes, I think I'll settle for a gasket kit for the "new" one, swap it in with the upgraded valve body and torque converter, and save my old one for a full build, internals, the whole shebang. Also gonna have to use my old extension housing as the "new" one is damaged. Same deal for the bellhousing. Once I clean up the two transmissions, I can move them aside and focus on the engine.

Also I noticed my Supra does not have the brackets for the torque absorber that BIC sells an upgrade for. If anyone has spare brackets lmk. I'd like to install the absorber for the new engine.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Started taking the trans apart too... I feel uneasy about relying on some of the old seals, wondering if I should go ahead and get a rebuild kit. I am making such a huge mess in the garage lmao... can't concentrate on one thing dammit, I'm jumping from interior work to the engine to the trans back to the engine, then on to some more interior... haven't even touched the engine bay yet fml

This is something I've always struggled with in work, school and life in general. I always seem to hit a roadblock in one task and get forced to do something else while I wait on parts or someone else to finish their part of the task.

I like IJ's advice and certainly agree with the whiteboard or something similar. Feels very good to make a list and check items off. Seems dumb, but just having a list makes me more likely to finish things because it irks me to check something off if it's really isn't quite done yet.

 

[lithium14]

Oh yeah, I'm gonna need new AC lines. fml. It seems at some point, someone decided to put some form of softline into my system, and now it's leaking from the union from hardpipe to softline.

 

[boostcraver]

Wow man, I just got caught up on your build. Nice progress! I see why you want my steering wheel, though...mine isn't perfect for sure, but it's definitely better than the one you have

 

[lithium14]

Dammit... how much trans fluid is there???? FML

 

[lithium14]

First, thanks guys for the comments, and second, here is a long awaited picture update with some perplexing stuff at the end. Here we go:

Cleaned up the shifter

Have to cut the wires to take the rubber piece off :'(

I hate ghetto wiring... need a soldering machine and some heat shrink

My nice black cockpit. I will have to do some more wiring and customization to make the 89+ cruise control work. ugh

It'll look even better once I get the faded plastic pieces painted black as well as replace all the leather on the seats and inserts with black leather.