MickyG's MX-73 to 7M-GE Swap

[mickyg]

Thanks for the tips Mik!

I still didn't quite get the AC procedure. Did you mean the 5m compressor will fit in the 7m bracket or that the bracket only fits the 7m compressor? I have the 7m compressor and bracket both but wanted to avoid having to recharge the whole system due to cost. The plan is to leave all the lines and the compressor connected during the swap. No bleading lines, no refilling lines!

Fan flex eh? That's not something I even considered actually! I'll have to do some more measuring to see if this will actually work. I don't have the 7m fan clutch so using the 5m one seemed logical. Any ideas how much the fan can flex? I suppose Newton's third law states that the fan will definitely flex!

GTE is still an option but it's one that will have to come a lot later! I've got a GE sitting in my garage so that's the best option at the moment! GTE just drives the cost up a whole lot more than what I can justify right now.

I've got the 7m PS pump, just not the reservoir. I think the reservoir just comes off the old 5m pump so I'm hoping I can fabricate a method to mount it somewhere else.

"Drill slowly and put grease on the drillbit" Using a hand drill I suppose? I suppose I could give it a try! I do have a donor 5m block (from the soarer) that I could practice on.

 

[mickyg]

Lastnight (and a few days ago):

Spent a bit of time familiarising myself with the new engine. It's in very good shape externally - the cam covers are in excellent shape, there's normal road grime here and there but no evidence of a catastrophic oil leak anywhere, all the wiring is there and intact (except for one short piece that I'll need to take pics of, because I've got no idea what it does or where it belongs), there are a few connectors that are broken but nothing that can't be replaced or swapped out.

I drained the sump and was surprised to find it was totally full of oil! Also pleasantly surprised to find the oil had no water in it and looked pretty normal.

The cams both rotate very easily, so no binding that I could feel. The crank also had no resistance except for normal piston compression (haven't removed the plugs yet).

I'll put together a list of things I'll need to obtain/modify/invent shortly as I've encountered a few items that need addressing. All in all though, this is looking very positive!

 

[mickyg]

Items That Need Addressing (To be ammended):

There is a strut on the Supra motor that I'd love to use (assuming it's for damping engine vibration or perhaps it's a torque brace) but as there doesn't appear to be a place to mount it on the Cressida, it'll probably have to be left out. Anyone know whether this cam be used or if it's really worth worrying about?

There's a vacuum solenoid directly above the fuel filter, under the intake. I've not seen this on my car and am not familiar with it. Anyone know what this does?

I'll need to drill and tap the dipstick hole on the front boss of the block. I've already mentioned this previously so looks like I need to experiment on the junk soarer block to get this right!

I need to find a way to mount the 5m reservoir on side of the engine bay (anyone know what the technical term is for the engine bay side of the wheel well?).

There are a couple of connectors on the front right end of the loom that I don't have devices for. There's the ignition coil connector, which I do have, another square connector that I'm assuming goes to the FI resistor pack and it's definitely different to the 5m one (7m square, 5m round). I'm guessing this is to prevent plugging an older single fire resistor into the 7m's 3 fire system.

On that note, I'll look at what the differences in ign coils between the 5m and 7m are. Does anyone know off the top of their head if they're compatible? The connector fits perfectly, if that helps!

Pics and a revised list to follow.

Edit 1

First off, that "fuel filter" I mentioned is not! I don't know what it is and haven't found a description for it in any of the EPCs or TSRM pages. Does it have a name and does anyone know what it does?

Edit 1a

It's a vacuum reservoir! Now I just need to figure out where the fuel filter lives.

 

[Allan_MA70]

the 5m-ge ecu is fairly forgiving i have run a 6m-ge on a 5m-e ecu with no issues, i would just compare the 5m-ge dizzy to the 7m one and modify the 7m one as required then run the 5m-ge injectors, loom, afm etc no wireing issues, and worst case you have the 7m loom there!

If the head needs work on that 7m and / or its soft i would use its crank and rods with your 5m block/head and you will have a 10.??:1 CR 3ltr that will munch a stock 7m while keeping the same engine number in you car!

 

[mickyg]

Hmmm.... :evil2:

That's definitely a thought.

The only problem I have with that approach is timing. I want to keep the car as is on the road as long as possible and then plan to just spend a weekend doing the swap, when the time comes. I highly doubt I could swap the 5m head to the 7m block, replace the 7m pistons with 5m ones, AND make sure I don't have to replace any rings/bearings on said pistons/rods in a weekend. Unless I'm seriously underestimating myself!

The more attractive option, purely from a quickest route to completion perspective is running the 5m loom/ecu to the 7m. I'll have to give that one some more thought, especially if the 5m dies on me quicker than expected. It's developed a very annoying ticking lately and I haven't isolated it yet. I know what it's not at this point but haven't ruled out rod knock just yet (but am working on it).

Anyway, that's another issue for another forum! It is a Cressida with a 5m, after all!

 

[mickyg]

Just learned the "fuel filter" under the intake manifold is actually a vacuum reservoir (see "edit" on page 3)! Oh the things I've yet to learn...

 

[IJ.]

Micky: No filter on the motor on a 7M it lives over the Diff.

 

[mickyg]

Thanks for filling in the blanks! I was just about to go search for the answer to that one.

I don't know if there's a way for me to retrofit the 5m one back in the supra location, perhaps finding a home for it in the engine bay somewhere is a better option.

 

[IJ.]

Where is it on the 5M?

 

[mickyg]

It's mounted in almost the exact same spot as the vacuum chamber! In fact it probably uses the same holes in the block.

 

[IJ.]

I'd leave it mounted there and move the Vacc tank to the inner guard behind the strut tower if there's room.

 

[mickyg]

There should be room there. I'll have a look to be sure though.

Here's a pic of the 5M location for the fuel filter:

 

[BosoMKII]

I am interested in how you go about tapping for the dipstick. What will you use to plug the old spot? Is it threaded so you can use a bolt?

I like your project. Its cool. I think much of our research overlaps! I will be checking in with you when I need advice! hahah

 

[IJ.]

Boso: It's just a plain hole no thread.

I'd just drill a pilot hole then drill it to size.

I can make a plug for Micky with a slight taper that will blank off the old hole.

 

[BosoMKII]

Thanks for the info. I figured drilling a hole in the block would be the easy part, but I wasn't sure about fitting the dipstick tube into a new hole or sealing the old spot.

 

[IJ.]

The dipstick tube has a taper on the end so if the hole is the right size you just tap it in with a hammer and a piece of bar (there is a SST to do this but a bar or a screwdriver works)

 

[mickyg]

Wouldn't surprise me if the SST was a bar and screwdriver!

I'll have another look at the dipstick hole but I could have sworn it was tapped. If it's not, that makes things much simpler.

Ian, I take it the block material isn't rediculously hard and a normal metal drill bit will do the trick?

 

[IJ.]

Micky: LOL the SST from memory is a curved piece of bar with a hollow end and a cut out that the tube sits in so you can tap it in with the other SST: FBH! (fucking big hammer)

Yep just drill a smaller pilot hole then drill to size it's hard but nothing a HSS drill won't cope with!

 

[mickyg]

Thanks for the tips! I'm planning to bring the dead 5m home this week (that's the Soarer motor I keep mentioning) and will practice on it first. I have a lousy habit of breaking drill bits in motor parts so I'll give this one several attempts on a dud block.

The last nightmare I had with drilling into engine parts was the cam retainer plate on the back of my 5m. There were 3 bolts holding it on and I sheared the last bolt off completely. With the hard steel of the bolt and the soft alloy of the cam housing, I broke every bit, screw extractor and anything else I tried to use! Needless to say, it's still held on by 2 bolts! But strangely enough, it's not leaking oil!

 

[IJ.]

This is why you drill a pilot hole first

If you want I'll come down and lend a hand doing it.