jdm or rebuild?

[SMP142]

so i recently found out i am getting rod knock. so i know i am going to have to change bearings, if not more in the process. but i have already been getting alota parts together for a higher hp setup. now my question to you all is..... should i drive my car for a lil longer the way it is? then when i upgrade my manifolds and stuff, fix the bearings, head gasket, ect? or should i spend money on a jdm or used motor with low miles, put a metal hg in it and be done? which is better? and by better i mean worth putting my money into? my engine has 145k on it. kinda high if i dont rebuild it. where as i can get a used one with 40k or less. if i am planning on high hp i figure i might be better off with a motor that has lower miles. just thought i would get some sugeestions from people. i have heard of guys getting good deals on motors. any sugeestions would help. thanks-

 

[MDCmotorsports]

Well if you're looking just to get the supra back up and running and not making huge HP numbers for long amounts of time... go JDM. Replace the headgasket and head bolts when it gets here.

If you're wanting to make some serious HP (and have it last for a time) rebuild it using quality parts with aftermarket pistons and ARP hardware throughout.

Something to remember..... a 7m series of engine hasn't been produced in Japan for years now. Most of the "low mileage" 7m's that you get out of japan have been sitting some where FOR A WHILE. I got one a few years back for a customer, and it had a family of cocroaches in the oil pan.

 

[supraman7mgte]

there is no way you'll get a motor with less than 40k on it,unless you get documentation.
what you do depends on your budget. if you just want it back on the road,get a jdm motor in it.then rebuld the origional motor taking your time.

 

[Erkenz]

OR... You could fork over $2k to Jarco for a rebuilt JDM. Thats what I did anyway...

 

[SMP142]

so a rebuilt is what people are leaning towards.... if i pull my motor and rebuild it, how much am i looking at in parts roughly? how much is a set of rods w/ pistons and rings? i know i am gonna have to get a valve job among other things but how much am i looking at if i do the whole rebuild?

 

[89mkthree]

how do you guys feel about a rebuild with stock pistons and rods, can these handle 450 HP? what about stock rods that are shot peened and cryotreated and stock pistons that are cryotreated? im just throwing this out there as a possible alt. to aftermarket parts. im thinking about doing this for my motor cuz i get a 40% discount on parts, so i thought it would be a nice cheap but strong option for me. what are your thoughts?

 

[rakkasan]

I personally wouldn't use a JDM motor. I thought about it a year ago, but then I thought that I would be doing just as well as buying one from the local junk yard instead of having one shipped from another junk yard located across a big pond.

Go with a rebuild, IMO

 

[rakkasan]

how do you guys feel about a rebuild with stock pistons and rods, can these handle 450 HP? what about stock rods that are shot peened and cryotreated and stock pistons that are cryotreated? im just throwing this out there as a possible alt. to aftermarket parts. im thinking about doing this for my motor cuz i get a 40% discount on parts, so i thought it would be a nice cheap but strong option for me. what are your thoughts?

If you're going with stock pistons, go with stock rods too. The stock pistons will fail before stock rods will. Stock internals will handle 450rwhp all day long.

 

[supra90turbo]

Rebuild ftw.

 

[SMP142]

so how much am i looking at all in all? i will be doing everything myself except the machining.

 

[rakkasan]

so how much am i looking at all in all? i will be doing everything myself except the machining.

depends on your goals & abilities. Shop around for the prices possible if you have the time. I finishing up my short block now and I have a little over $1600 in the short block. My set up includes JE pistons & rings, stock rods (resized, destressed & cryo'd), Clevite bearings, new oil pump, ARP bolts (mains studs, rod bolts, head studs & flywheel bolts). That price also includes balancing & assembly.

 

[NDBoost]

http://www.importperformanceparts.net/imports/pek-toyota.html

I learned about this site just last night, goto #3 for our supras.. Not sure on the quality of things they offer.

 

[SMP142]

depends on your goals & abilities. Shop around for the prices possible if you have the time. I finishing up my short block now and I have a little over $1600 in the short block. My set up includes JE pistons & rings, stock rods (resized, destressed & cryo'd), Clevite bearings, new oil pump, ARP bolts (mains studs, rod bolts, head studs & flywheel bolts). That price also includes balancing & assembly.

thats not bad at all. so you had someone else assemble it for you? so i might even be able to save some there. but thats not bad for short block, considering i already have most the other stuff i need to assemble the rest of teh motor. all my new parts that is. i hear of ppl going with JE or wiseco pistons. which is better for the 7m? i have always ran wiseco in my cars and bikes. never had probs. but this motr is diff so i am asking.

 

[rakkasan]

thats not bad at all. so you had someone else assemble it for you? so i might even be able to save some there. but thats not bad for short block, considering i already have most the other stuff i need to assemble the rest of teh motor. all my new parts that is. i hear of ppl going with JE or wiseco pistons. which is better for the 7m? i have always ran wiseco in my cars and bikes. never had probs. but this motr is diff so i am asking.

I'm paying $150 to have the short block assembed. I could have saved that money by doing it myself, but then again, that's more tools that needed to be bought to enable my to do it.

Look around & be patient. I bought my pistons, rings & rods off of Ebay for $425 shipped. They're brand new pistons & rings, mounted to fully prepped rods with reciepts for all of the work. I know, that's a steal, but those kinds of deals are out there.

As for which is the best piston, I'll degress, for there different opinions for each brand. My advice to you is to research them (based on solid info, not speculation) & decide which one you feel most comfortable with.

 

[SMP142]

150 is a good deal for assembly. i thought it woulda been alot higher. it usually is around here. so if i could pick up a block and bottom end from a junkyard it would be worth it? that way i can just change over what i need when the time comes to pull the old motor. i guess i have some time to think about it. but i can start looking for parts now....

 

[rakkasan]

150 is a good deal for assembly. i thought it woulda been alot higher. it usually is around here. so if i could pick up a block and bottom end from a junkyard it would be worth it? that way i can just change over what i need when the time comes to pull the old motor. i guess i have some time to think about it. but i can start looking for parts now....

If I were to do it again, I would have my rebuilt motor fully assembled, all parts on hand & few hundred bucks in hand before I pulled my old motor. I've been without my Supra for 6 months now & it sucks.

 

[Fuzz420]

Im n/a and went with a replacement jdm, A year later im happy with my decision but the way i figured it up now i could have had a nice upgraded block and clean stock head for a few dollars more than what i spent before.

 

[IHI-RHC7]

If you just want to have the car back on the road in good shape until you go high hp.
Buy rod bearings for $48 from Champion Toyota and replace them. Then your car will run good until you buy rods, pistons, gaskets, etc...

 

[89mkthree]

rak, who did you have do your cryoing and your balancing?

 

[rakkasan]

rak, who did you have do your cryoing and your balancing?

The cryo was done by someone in New York. The person I bought them from had them done, not me, but I'll see if I put my hands on the reciept & get the address for you.

Tha balancing was done by a guy my machine shop uses here in Plant City, FL. I saw the returned PO from the balancer & he got the balance within a 1/10 of a gram, so that makes me :icon_bigg . He charged $100 to do it.