Any tips & tricks for motor swap? bad for good motor (simple swap I would think)

[steveaw11]

About to swap my knocking gte out for a good running one, Just curious if there are any tips and tricks I should know before I get started.

I found a motor with 159k on the clock, runs like a top minus a little off throttle skip, but clears up if you rev it slightly and hold, you can't tell its there, so Im figuring thats ignition or bad gas related. Definately not a sign of BHG though.

Im not a newb when it comes to cars, hell Ive swapped the motor in my MR2 several times (those who know MR2's know thats not an easy job), I just do not know Supras, it seems straight forward though, I mean it comes out the top, which is almost gonna be new to me again.

So here are a few things I have thought of for it so far.

I have a full gasket set, so going to replace as many as I can before I put it in.

Was going to check the Tq of the headbolts for new tq rating, I didnt see a Toyota service record for a HG or retorque on the OEM records I found in glove box (also I have a set of studs...out of curiosity by a very slim chance can I install the head studs without physically braking the hg loose and leave the head on?) I would think no to that, but ya never know.

Just basically looking for any advice or helpful hints to get this thing out and new one back in without running into any snags.

There is no visible smoke coming from this motor, and hardly any oil leakage another good sign so, im keeping my fingers crossed this motor is gonna do me right.

 

[gtsfirefighter]

I'd replace the headgasket while the engine is out of the car. Pull the tranny with the car, it will make your life easier. Replace coolant hoses while engine is out.

 

[steveaw11]

I'd replace the headgasket while the engine is out of the car. Pull the tranny with the car, it will make your life easier. Replace coolant hoses while engine is out.

That would allow me to put my studs in

any specific coolant hoses your referencing? I had planned to replace any oil hoses and small lines I saw, might replace all the vacuum lines with black silicone too, just as a precaution.

 

[steveaw11]

Something I thought of.. Is there any problem with using black silicone vacuum lines? I have once "heard" they are not that great for longevity.

 

[Another MkIII]

Mine had silicone and they were really loose, lots of leaks. They're also really flimsy and I've seen them collapse on themselves under vacuum. I would say stick with rubber, I did, its tried and true.
-AM3

 

[gtsfirefighter]

That would allow me to put my studs in

any specific coolant hoses your referencing? I had planned to replace any oil hoses and small lines I saw, might replace all the vacuum lines with black silicone too, just as a precaution.

ALL of them. Don't forget the turbo coolant hoses and the small hoses that run up from under the intake to the throttle body and ISCV. If you see anything that looks like it'd be a bitch to get to while in the car, replace it.

 

[CajunKenny]

A full set of bearings are cheap/easy enough to replace. While the engine is on the stand, flip it upside down and spend an hour putting new bearings in.

 

[steveaw11]

A full set of bearings are cheap/easy enough to replace. While the engine is on the stand, flip it upside down and spend an hour putting new bearings in.

While I do agree, Im not sure I will have time nor funds to replace them, Im assuming you mean only Rods, maybe thrust washers, not the mains, you said 1 hour to do.

OEM Rod bearings arent the cheapest for a set, I can however get a set of Clevite 77's from work for pretty cheap in a STD size... but problem with that is I wouldnt be making a tight tolerance on all the rods, I'm sure some would be loose while others were tight.

In a pinch, what would you do if you could? OEM sized specifically? or STD sized Clevites?

 

[Bronco_Guy]

+1 on pulling the motor and transmission together.

When I pulled my 7MGE/W58 combination a few years back, I found it helped to raise the rear end of the car to gain a better clearance angle. YMMV

Re vacuum lines: my experience with silicone vacuum lines is good so far. I bought mine from Hose Techniques and was quite impressed with how "quality" they look and feel. My roomie got some off Ebay for his 300zx that were Mr. Gasket brand, and they didn't have quite the same "feel". But he's happy with them. They were considerably less $$$ than mine.

Good luck.

 

[CajunKenny]

Clevite Rod Bearings ~16 bucks from Summit. Since you're dealing with a 159k engine, I'd skip the OEM bearings.

Unless there's unusual wear or the crank has been ground, STD's should work fine. How can you go wrong?!

You can mic everything and even though I'm not a huge fan, use some plasitgauge.

I would assess the overall condition of the engine and determine how much money to put into it. It may not be worth doing much with; but, only you can decide that.

How was the engine running before...leaks...burning oil...excessive valve train noise...?

 

[steveaw11]

I got to inspect it very thoroughly (spelling?) and it ran like a champ, it purred like a sewing machine, a good tune up should get rid ofthat off idle stumbling.

It had lots of dealer service records in the car so someone tried to maintain it good. Heck I didnt even notice any valvetrain noise. I may do the clevite bearings though, seems a lot of guys on here like them alot.

I gave $750 for the entire engine assembly with turbo and wiring harness, had to haggle him down to that they wanted $1k for it at first, but cash in hand talks.

 

[CajunKenny]

$1k for that is robbery! $750 is more of a common price. I paid $700 w/ a full gasket set. That was delivered too. I got it through a relative's shop. Gotta love the Wholesale Price hook up!

Yeah, if I was doing it, I would at least put rod bearings in. I would inspect the bottom half of the main bearings too. If they showed wear, I'd replace them too.

And of course replace the front and rear main seals. I'd do the timing belt and tensioner too since that'll have to come off to do the mains.

But eh....that's just me....

 

[Clip]

i've got all clevite bearings in my 200k NA and am perfectly happy with it

 

[steveaw11]

$1k for that is robbery! $750 is more of a common price. I paid $700 w/ a full gasket set. That was delivered too. I got it through a relative's shop. Gotta love the Wholesale Price hook up!

Yeah, if I was doing it, I would at least put rod bearings in. I would inspect the bottom half of the main bearings too. If they showed wear, I'd replace them too.

And of course replace the front and rear main seals. I'd do the timing belt and tensioner too since that'll have to come off to do the mains.

But eh....that's just me....

Dealer just did the TB less than 900 miles ago on this engine, If they did that it would not supreise me if they went ahead and replaced the tensioner as well as all seals on the front side of the motor.

 

[CajunKenny]

Sounds like you're golden. You just need to decide what to do....take pics....and then post them up!

Good luck and let us know how it all goes!

 

[james_9876]

Unbolt the motor from the wheel wells! :naughty: It's a lot easier, I didn't realized it the first two times I pulled my motor, I unbolted it from the enginebay side and it was a b**ch. :cry: As long as you unbolt the motor from the front wheel wells and jack up the back of the car, its all golden. :love:

 

[steveaw11]

Thanks for that tip there.

Okay I ordered the bearings (std) from Titan Motorsports today (there on clearance) and ordered a Beck/Arnley HG (similar construction to OEM with the copper around the water jackets)

This weekend i'm going to install the head studs and do the gaskets and bearings, along with all the water & vacuum lines.

The following weekend I will swap them out providing the weather allows.

Pictures coming this weekend or sooner.

 

[steveaw11]

Okay picked up the motor today, they did a decent job of getting it out of the donor car. Wire harness is still 100% intact, only thing broke is they broke a sensor off thats on the thermostat housing. No biggie.

I popped off the oil fill cap, and to amazement the head within is still aluminum looking, no golding, nor black from oil, just straight aluminum color, clean as hell.

Now this makes me think, after 160k miles, that head should not be this clean, no matter the attention to maintenance. And the turbo has very little side to side play and no front to back play (im assuming very little S2S play like 1mm is ok?). Im thinking this motor may have blew its headgasket sometime back (not long from the look of the head) and it may have gotten rebuilt as in whole motor, there is no valetrain noise, no bottom end noise, So im going on a limb and say it may have gotten rebuilt.

So if it was rebuilt, (theory 1) and the TB was just done less than 800 miles ago by Toyota, is it at all possible Toyota redid this motor around 800 miles ago?

At any rate, Im really struggling to say its golden and throw it in with a new clutch and some new gaskets, skipping the bearings and headgasket even though I have those on hand now. A old saying comes to mind, "dont fix it if it aint broke".

But seriously I believe this motor I bought for $750 has very recently been rebuilt at the least. I havent taken the valve covers off yet, but if its anything like what I saw with my flashlight looking through the oil fill hole, I am going to be very happy with the inspection under them.

(building suspense for under valve cover photos this weekend )

--Steve

 

[james_9876]

Cant wait to see some good fortune for once with a motor swap! :biglaugh:

 

[mkIIIman089]

And the turbo has very little side to side play and no front to back play (im assuming very little S2S play like 1mm is ok?).

You're over 5x the Toyota spec. Very little would be like .05mm...