miggles said:
That's about $30 cheaper than what Repco quoted me but still not proportional to what I've seen in US dollars. But then again, there's always shipping to factor in. Guess I'll just have to deal with it!
MickyG's MX-73 to 7M-GE Swap
- Thread starter mickyg
- Start date
That's about $30 cheaper than what Repco quoted me but still not proportional to what I've seen in US dollars. But then again, there's always shipping to factor in. Guess I'll just have to deal with it!
You know what REPCO stands for rite? Rip Every Poor Crunt Off.
All the autometer gear comes in from Rocket Industries. Try contacting them via their website and see if you can purchase directly from them. My friend at a industrial hose store has a account with them and I get my gear from him.
All the autometer gear comes in from Rocket Industries. Try contacting them via their website and see if you can purchase directly from them. My friend at a industrial hose store has a account with them and I get my gear from him.
just gota and say your from <insert area> side performance and get trade price then go down in overalls all covered in crap and say your here to pick up the part for <insert area> side performance and paying cash typicaly you will get trade price without the effort of a dodgy looking trade order 
The radiator shop next door to work (same building actually) has an account with all the local auto parts stores so that might work. They used to be a VDO reseller and have a few electric gauges still laying around. One of 'em is an oil pressure gauge - go figure! I can get that for next to nothing, just need to find a sender now! See, it's not so bad after all!
Looks like full VDO elec oil pressure gauge set will run me less than $100 from my friends next door! Thanks IJ for setting me straight on thread size for the sender (I PM'd him in desperation). I was searching for BSP here and of course 3 characters is too few to do a search. Before I was looking up sender and pressure and somehow missed all the details on what our engines use. Anyway, in case someone stumbles on this thread that's looking for thread info - it's a 1/8 BSP (or BSPT)!
Do a search on "BSPT" and, oh look, there's a whole bunch of posts!
Do a search on "BSPT" and, oh look, there's a whole bunch of posts!
Today:
Threw a quick temp stand together to allow me to pull the motor off the real one, so I could get the rear main seal retainer attached correctly. Trust me, you don't want to know what that looked like, but it did the job!
Rear main retainer and seal now installed and engine back on stand. 9ft/lbs is a miniscule amount of torque, I certainly hope it doesn't leak on me!
Threw a quick temp stand together to allow me to pull the motor off the real one, so I could get the rear main seal retainer attached correctly. Trust me, you don't want to know what that looked like, but it did the job!
Rear main retainer and seal now installed and engine back on stand. 9ft/lbs is a miniscule amount of torque, I certainly hope it doesn't leak on me!
This Weekend
Managed to accomplish a fair bit this time around!
I'll attempt to finish the exhaust valves tonight (although they're a lot worse than intake), then move on to the fine grit paste for finishing. Then the head goes to the machinist for a quick re-assembly of the valve components (I didn't have the tools and the machinist said it'd take him 5 minutes to do - for free!).
After that, it's just a matter of reassembling everything! I do need to start searching the forums for the correct assembly steps for ARP head studs. I thought I knew how to do this but have become a bit stumped when I did a test run yesterday. The studs obviously have two threaded ends, one of which has a hex key hole. I assumed this end was the one that went up. However, that's the end with the least amount of threads. When comparing to the stock bolts, it's also the end that most closely resembles the thread count of the stock bolts. This leads me to believe that end goes in the block, which seems a bit odd.
EDIT:
Thanks to IJ's always helpful pics, the hex end IS up. Thanks Ian!
Pics:
Managed to accomplish a fair bit this time around!
- Cleaned intake components (throttle body, y-pipe, plenum)
- Did a test fit of the 5M's throttle linkage (not going to work without modification)
- Finished cleaning the head
- Hand lapped all intake valves to a rough state
- Finished installing rear timing cover, including gaskets and seals
I'll attempt to finish the exhaust valves tonight (although they're a lot worse than intake), then move on to the fine grit paste for finishing. Then the head goes to the machinist for a quick re-assembly of the valve components (I didn't have the tools and the machinist said it'd take him 5 minutes to do - for free!).
After that, it's just a matter of reassembling everything! I do need to start searching the forums for the correct assembly steps for ARP head studs. I thought I knew how to do this but have become a bit stumped when I did a test run yesterday. The studs obviously have two threaded ends, one of which has a hex key hole. I assumed this end was the one that went up. However, that's the end with the least amount of threads. When comparing to the stock bolts, it's also the end that most closely resembles the thread count of the stock bolts. This leads me to believe that end goes in the block, which seems a bit odd.
EDIT:
Thanks to IJ's always helpful pics, the hex end IS up. Thanks Ian!
Pics:
- degrubbied intake parts
- other side of intake parts
- front view of timing rear timing cover - Oooh, SHINEY!!!
Attachments
Last edited:
Couple of quick observations as a result of all this:
- ACIS is bizarre! The butterfly splits the plenum in two and nothing else. When open, the air comes in through the y-pipe and fills the plenum. When closed, the plenum is now two chambers and air comes through the y-pipe exactly the same as before. I don't get it!
- My gasket kit seems to have an extra seal. I installed the rear main last week, the front and the oil shaft went on yesterday. There's obviously two cam seals but I've got an extra one left. This one's exactly the same diameter as the front main but a lot thicker. Ideas?
oohhh ohhhh ohhhhh oohhhhhhhhhhh *face goes bright red and starts squirming in chair* i know, i know, pick me, pick me
the spare seal is a ............................cockring :naughty:
the spare seal is a ............................cockring :naughty:
All right Ian, you win!
So, er hmm... Anyone know if that seal fits anywhere on a Toyota 7M engine?
So, er hmm... Anyone know if that seal fits anywhere on a Toyota 7M engine?
That it is so I'll not worry. It was more of an issue last night when I saw two that would technically fit. Got that sorted by digging out the old one in my "bucket o' bits" that I keep on hand. Glad I didn't pitch it!
Minor Update:
Had high hopes of getting a whole bunch done this weekend but ended up taking a lot longer to do the little things than what I'd planned. Here's the list (I love lists!):
Out of all that, I managed to get the two ex manifold holes chased for my donor studs (they're in good and tight and actually seemed to be holding fine), finished rough grinding the exhaust valves and seats, and spent a fair amount of time cleaning up my garage.
The valves are really annoying me. I recall saying they were really clean and smooth to begin with but after cleaning it up and attacking the seats with grinding compound, I'm starting to see they're not smooth at all! Even the intake seats aren't all that fantastic.
I hit each ex valve with coarse compound and the wooden lapping tool for about 5 minutes each and got a reasonably flat surface. I then moved on to the finishing compound and realised I had only flattened the tiniest little bit of the seat (less than half of the seat in the middle). So now I'll have to spend more time on the ex side with the coarse compound. I'm sure this will affect my cam to valve clearance and will be carefully measuring again when it's back together (may have to hit people up for shims, too!).
Any tips on valve lapping that I'm not aware of? To give you an idea of my approach, I'm using a small blob in 4 places around the circumference of the valve face, using the tool between my hands as if I'm trying to warm them, and alternating pressure on the valve seat. I then lift the valve, allow some of the compound to ooze back onto the contact surface and go again. I repeat this process until the sound is no longer gritty - usually takes about 5 minutes per valve.
Before and after pics of one valve (I think I may have even gone over this one twice!):
OK scratch that - we seem to have an attachment policy that I never knew about... Guess I'll have to get my webspace with my ISP going...
Had high hopes of getting a whole bunch done this weekend but ended up taking a lot longer to do the little things than what I'd planned. Here's the list (I love lists!):
- rough grind ex valve faces and seats
- finish grind (polish) intake valves and seats
- chase threads in block for ARP studs
- chase threads in head for ex manifold
Out of all that, I managed to get the two ex manifold holes chased for my donor studs (they're in good and tight and actually seemed to be holding fine), finished rough grinding the exhaust valves and seats, and spent a fair amount of time cleaning up my garage.
The valves are really annoying me. I recall saying they were really clean and smooth to begin with but after cleaning it up and attacking the seats with grinding compound, I'm starting to see they're not smooth at all! Even the intake seats aren't all that fantastic.
I hit each ex valve with coarse compound and the wooden lapping tool for about 5 minutes each and got a reasonably flat surface. I then moved on to the finishing compound and realised I had only flattened the tiniest little bit of the seat (less than half of the seat in the middle). So now I'll have to spend more time on the ex side with the coarse compound. I'm sure this will affect my cam to valve clearance and will be carefully measuring again when it's back together (may have to hit people up for shims, too!).
Any tips on valve lapping that I'm not aware of? To give you an idea of my approach, I'm using a small blob in 4 places around the circumference of the valve face, using the tool between my hands as if I'm trying to warm them, and alternating pressure on the valve seat. I then lift the valve, allow some of the compound to ooze back onto the contact surface and go again. I repeat this process until the sound is no longer gritty - usually takes about 5 minutes per valve.
Before and after pics of one valve (I think I may have even gone over this one twice!):
OK scratch that - we seem to have an attachment policy that I never knew about... Guess I'll have to get my webspace with my ISP going...
Micky: Take the head to the shop and have them syncroseated with a machine!
If they're any good they'll set all the stem heights at the same time saving a TON of mucking around with shims....
If they're any good they'll set all the stem heights at the same time saving a TON of mucking around with shims....
Exactly what I've been thinking of doing. I didn't want to spend a pile of money but this is threatening to take me weeks if I do it myself!
It's either that or buy some diamond paste but then you still have the PITA job on the shims to sort....
There was enough "wiggle room" in the shims from before that I think it'll be alright. However, buying diamond paste might cost as much as getting a proper job done! I'm using the carbide stuff and I don't remember it being this difficult with the 5m and the valves/seats were in MUCH worse condition on that motor. These ones are either a lot harder or my technique is all wrong...