Help me choose an engine for my 87 Supra

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albo_bizak

New Member
Jul 28, 2007
51
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0
Cleveland
So i have a 87 Supra with the 7MGTE and i posted a thread a while ago that i broke my valve cover bolts in and i can't take them out. So instead of taking the head off and going through all that process might as well get another engine. Its not only that my valve cover bolts broke and i can't take them off but there are half a million oil leaks that i'm trying to figure out and i can't, plus the engine is dirty.
My first thought was to swap to a 1J, or should i go with another 7MGTE i can't afford the 2J unless if i become an exotic dancer for like 6 months and save all the tip money.
So i would like your opinions on what should i get, and where can i find one.
Thank you.
 
logan

logan

3 laws safe
Oct 4, 2005
109
0
0
U.S-U.K
Rebuild the 7m , the peace of mind is worth the $$$ . Another used engine is still just another used engine .
 
Facime

Facime

Leather work expert
Jun 1, 2006
2,716
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60
Corvallis OR
This sounds a little like buying the farm to get the cow. Fix what you got is my advice. If all the problems REALLY bother you, you probably shouldnt own a mk3.

That being said, you could pull the engine in a day, get it on a stand, pull the head and get the holes drilled out for the cam cover bolts. Then fix all the oil leaks with a gasket set/FIPG, and do some routine maintenance like replace water pump, timing belt, hoses/vac lines, etc. Finally put it all back together with ARP hardware and an OEM gasket and drop it back into a cleaned and prepped engine bay. Taking your time and doing it right should take you more that 2 weeks (if you get all the parts ahead of time) and cost $500. Then you will have a clean freshened engine in a clean bay and have a sense of accomplishment.

Of course if all that is too much for you to do on your own (and based on your problems with the cam cover bolts, this is probably likely) you could pay a shop to do it. To save some money pull the motor yourself and do some of the cleanup.


I seriously think that just getting another engine to drop in there will be a bad idea. unless you plan to go into it as well.
 
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HommerSimpson

New Member
Dec 31, 2007
1,067
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0
New Smyrna Beach Florida
Could you please take some pictures of you car and post.. Like outside.. the inside... and ofcourse we all want to see the broke bolts and the rest of engine... it will help us with sujestions for you.. Really wish you had a good friend that was a mechanic... if ya lived close id get them bolts out for ya but o well...
 
strictlySupra

strictlySupra

New Member
Dec 19, 2006
157
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Canada
i wouldnt rule out exotic dancing:sarcasm:

it has funded my build! jkjk

a 1j motorset will set you back around the 2k mark then you'll need supporting parts like ic and piping and the like. then unless you're doing the swap yourself a shop will most likely charge you between 3 and 5 grand soooo then you're looking at 7ish.

fix the 7m i thinks
 
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HommerSimpson

New Member
Dec 31, 2007
1,067
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New Smyrna Beach Florida
twincam187;1006215 said:
i wouldnt rule out exotic dancing:sarcasm:

it has funded my build! jkjk

a 1j motorset will set you back around the 2k mark then you'll need supporting parts like ic and piping and the like. then unless you're doing the swap yourself a shop will most likely charge you between 3 and 5 grand soooo then you're looking at 7ish.

fix the 7m i thinks
Click to expand...

3-5k ? holly shit batman that much ? id say 2k tops with cust supplying everything....
 
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upgradedsupra

.
Dec 3, 2003
6,653
0
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Canada
IJ.;1006240 said:
Yeah I ALWAYS do an engine swap if I break a bolt.... :nono:
(esp a critical bolt like one on a valve cover)
Click to expand...

Maybe he would buy new wheels if a tire went flat or if a scratch got on the paint, he would paint it! Think about how it works Ian! :rofl:

Duane
 
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Dan_Gyoba

Turbo Swapper
Aug 9, 2007
1,836
0
0
Alberta
www.gyoba.com
In all seriousness...

If you're considering a 1JZ swap, look into it and decide if you want to go that route. I think that I could afford to fix my motor a few times before making a JZ swap cost effective, but that's me.

I have these wonderful little screw extractors. They go in a drill in reverse and take out busted bolts. If you'd broken a mounting location on the head itself, that would be a different matter, and several people have broken the tabs on the valve cover.

Believe it or not, there is a reason that Toyota put those Al screws in there stock, it's so that people don't torque the shit out of the valve covers and break stuff, y'know?

Anyway... Go to Toyota. Buy a gasket kit. You can buy one that has every gasket for the 7M-GTE (I bought one last summer) It cost me some $450 CAD for the kit, IIRC. Well worthwhile.

Yank out the engine, and put it on a stand. Wash it. Pull it apart and replace the gaskets. Torque things properly. The kit also includes stuff like valve stem seals. Replace those, too. You may not want to use the head gasket that comes in the kit. You may not even want to pull the head, that's your decision. Replace the timing belt. Once it's all back together, wash the engine again. Install, enjoy.

It's not a full build. It's not even a proper rebuild, but it'll stop the oil leaks, and if you look, you can spot any potential problems coming up. If need be, it's not too much more to pull the rotating assembly for a quick cylinder hone (Assuming that you pull the head, of course.) It will, however get the 7M looking good again, and you'll know that you're not leaking oil. Less than $1000, and you've got a freshened engine.
 
miekedmr

miekedmr

mkiii in hibernation
Jul 12, 2005
513
2
18
Upstate NY
If you don't want to take care of the little things, sell the car.
It's worth more to someone else than it is to you. It's not worth the trouble to butcher it over some (relatively) small problems.
 
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