My journey with my '91 Sunroof.

[Boosted MK3]

This thread is dedicated to the building and restoration of my 1991 Toyota Supra Turbo. Lets start with some background. I bought the car in early November of 2012 (10th or 11th I believe to be exact) I was the 3rd owner. I bought the car from Mechanicsburg, PA. The PO was the 2nd owner, he bought it from his boss who was the original owner. The car was purchased in 1992 brand new in Oregon, right around the time I was born (1995) the car made a cross country drive with its original owner to a new home in PA. The original owner kept the car until around 2005 when it was sold to the second owner, he drove it for a few years as his daily driver then he let his daughter use it to drive to and from school. He claimed she had blown the headgasket twice, but there is no evidence to support that. I do believe it may have blown the headgasket once in it's life, due to some noticeable work in the head, but the block appeared untouched. Car comes up for sale on CL and I snatch it for $4,000.

And here she is, the day I brought her home.
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I drove the car for hmm, maybe two weeks? Had some notable issues, such as a complete failure of the power steering system (rack and the pump) which I replaced, next order of business came about on thanksgiving. It was time to start sanding the car down and putting primer down. Very messy process so I've only got 1-2 pictures of the car in this "paint prep" stage.
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By early December 2012 it was time to pick up the car from paint. I was very happy with the results, though looking back on it I regret the color decision. Wish I would have went with a Silver. Oh well I'll paint it again eventually.
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At this point, the car kept the same outward appearance for a while while I focused on making the car more fun. First step, get rid of the fucking automatic! Then I later put on a 57 trim CT26, Apexi CAI, Bic Performance Divorced downpipe, 11psi wastegate actuator, 3" CX boost pipes, and a 3" DM catless exhaust. Car was loads of fun and decently quick for a daily, But I was on stock injectors so fuel cut was an issue. Eventually got the 550/ Lex maf setup. Probably running about 13-15psi at that point. At some point in there I did plastidip my Front toyota badge, my wheels, and my rear turbo badge. Later I swapped from the toyota "T badge" to the pre 1990 "Toyota Supra" Badge.

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As you can see I love this car, drive the shit out of it, and generally have a ton of fun.. But you know what they say. You got to pay to play. So after these various shannanigans....

[video=youtube;rqxYKXVDx-A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqxYKXVDx-A[/video]
[video=youtube;fOf9MqTK_mQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOf9MqTK_mQ[/video]
[video=youtube;htObDxrDZtg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htObDxrDZtg[/video]

It's probably not surprising for you to find out that in February 2014 my motor started playing a knock knock joke on me. Who was there you ask? Main bearings 1,3,6 spun and the Ringland on cylinder 1 was broke. Needless to say I really fucked the bottom end and a engine pull/ rebuild was needed. Took the block to my local machinist and had it bored .020 over, crank turned and micropolished, block decked, acid washed, new oil squirters, new NPR pistons and rings, and King bearings all the way through. Was one hell of a learning experience for me.

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Well... It's was finally about time for that fateful moment everyone secretly dreads. The first startup.
[video=youtube;QhCKY4j2jcQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhCKY4j2jcQ[/video]
[video=youtube;z7V0aN_9ILA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7V0aN_9ILA[/video]
[video=youtube;zBLeU_Nk6gk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBLeU_Nk6gk[/video]
Needless to say I was beyond happy to hear it start without a knock! Now after a short breakin period it's back to the shinanigans.

[video=youtube;Ry9tvJhm0R8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry9tvJhm0R8[/video]
[video=youtube;9TCpkxSIRLQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TCpkxSIRLQ[/video]
[video=youtube;9WH5GMzMC4U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WH5GMzMC4U[/video]

As luck would have it, only 1,012.5 miles after my first rebuild..... My motor blew again. Just in these past couple weeks I have pulled and re dissembled the motor attempting to find the cause..

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Then I found it.. Spun a rod bearing on cyl. 4. Bearing is pretty damn chewed up. Now that I'm thinking back, I don't believe I ever cleaned the oil cooler during the first rebuild... Whoops. Live and learn right?

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Just recently dropped my block off at the machine shop, I'm getting ARP Headbolts, ARP Rodbolts, New OEM oil pump which I'm going to shim, New Rings, Toyota OEM HG, my crank is damaged beyond repair so I'm also getting a new crankshaft and clevite bearings. Will also be on the search for a CT26, a W58 clutch, 89+ Turbo TPS, and some other little things. Also need to get around to stripping the head down and replacing the valve stem seals. I already have them, just have to actually install em. Will update this once I actually have some more stuff done.

 

[kakanator]

damn bad luck sir. Doing fattie burnout right after rebuild prob didn't help it to. That looks like the bearing was crushed or to big and got hot and went.

 

[ask92]

Looks like a great build. I agree however with the above post, generally after a fresh rebuild like that you shouldn't push the car too hard for at least the first 1000 miles.

 

[Boosted MK3]

Looks like a great build. I agree however with the above post, generally after a fresh rebuild like that you shouldn't push the car too hard for at least the first 1000 miles.

We are only young and dumb once! I did break in the motor, sorta. About 500-600 miles before I rolled into it too much but I definitely was way to hard on her way to early. Dumping all this money into it a second time so quickly really opened my eyes. Needless to say after she is done it will be babied beyond belief, hopefully for years to come.

damn bad luck sir. Doing fattie burnout right after rebuild prob didn't help it to. That looks like the bearing was crushed or to big and got hot and went.

It happens. I made mistakes with the first rebuild, and the short time I got out of the motors shows it. Even with all the time I spent researching before hand there was just some things I over looked, or simply was rushing and forgot about. This time will be different, I'm taking my time and doing it correctly.

 

[kakanator]

i feel you man I rushed my first 7m with hella junk yard parts and npr's with just basic replacement parts. Ran well for a year and a half but to much boost on stock injectors and I melted the ringland on the number piston. I made 308 tqs and 300 hp on 11 psi with just ddp and 3 inch strait pipe shit was a beast with a na diff.

 

[Boosted MK3]

i feel you man I rushed my first 7m with hella junk yard parts and npr's with just basic replacement parts. Ran well for a year and a half but to much boost on stock injectors and I melted the ringland on the number piston. I made 308 tqs and 300 hp on 11 psi with just ddp and 3 inch strait pipe shit was a beast with a na diff.

I'm on NPR's sadly. They are cheap and nothing broke, yet. At the time I spun the rod bearing I was running an open bic performance DDP, some hard pipes, intake, stock turbo hitting fuel cut, but I was on 3.73 gears. Felt really slow compared to the 57 trim/ 550/ lex maf set up and even that felt slow.

I sold my stock turbo when I blew the motor because I originally planned on boosting a 2jz-ge, but that plan fell through. I'd like to put another 57 trim on but I'm on a budget. It will either be a used 57 trim or a new ct26.

 

[755hp]

I here so many stories like this and it makes me think twice about going into an engine rebuild with my 7MGTE.

How did you end up killing the #4 bearing so soon?? What kind of machine work did you have done to the crankshaft and rods?? Was the crankshaft turned/polished?? Resized rods??

 

[Boosted MK3]

I here so many stories like this and it makes me think twice about going into an engine rebuild with my 7MGTE.

How did you end up killing the #4 bearing so soon?? What kind of machine work did you have done to the crankshaft and rods?? Was the crankshaft turned/polished?? Resized rods??

The reason mine was killed so fast was simply human error, like a lot of 7m's. In my rushing I completely forgot to clean, or replace the oil cooler after blowing apart my main bearing. Obviously metal shavings and general contaminates will still be in that oil cooler. Within 1,000 miles some of the engine running again some metal managed to block the oil passage enough to spin the bearing. When you consider how small the oil holes are it really doesn't take a lot.

 

[755hp]

The reason mine was killed so fast was simply human error, like a lot of 7m's. In my rushing I completely forgot to clean, or replace the oil cooler after blowing apart my main bearing. Obviously metal shavings and general contaminates will still be in that oil cooler. Within 1,000 miles some of the engine running again some metal managed to block the oil passage enough to spin the bearing. When you consider how small the oil holes are it really doesn't take a lot.

Damn, thing is, you cut into the engine block's lifespan already (20 over bore) and you did so w/ NPR pistons. Will you go 40 over w/ forged pistons (last rebuild on that block) for the second rebuild or just re-hone the 20 over bored cylinders (since its only over 1000miles)??

This is why for my rebuild, I'd like to hone my cylinders reusing the stock pistons or NPR if new pistons are needed??

So, what will it be for the cylinder/piston rings second build??

 

[Boosted MK3]

Damn, thing is, you cut into the engine block's lifespan already (20 over bore) and you did so w/ NPR pistons. Will you go 40 over w/ forged pistons (last rebuild on that block) for the second rebuild or just re-hone the 20 over bored cylinders (since its only over 1000miles)??

This is why for my rebuild, I'd like to hone my cylinders reusing the stock pistons or NPR if new pistons are needed??

So, what will it be for the cylinder/piston rings second build??

The block really wasn't hurt too bad this time since it was such a sort run time, and my NPR pistons from the last rebuild held up so I didn't need to much machine work.

Getting Cylinders honed
New piston rings for the NPR pistons
rods resized
ARP rod bolts
Brand new oil pump, and I'm going to shim it
new oil cooler
OEM HG
ARP Headbolts

If/ when the motor does something stupid again or I start my forged internal build, I probably won't be rebuilding it a 3rd time. At that point I'm going to get a running 7m-gte out of a donor car and rebuild that. I'm about to go rip apart my head now to replace the valve stem seals. Pics incoming tonight!

 

[755hp]

The block really wasn't hurt too bad this time since it was such a sort run time, and my NPR pistons from the last rebuild held up so I didn't need to much machine work.

Getting Cylinders honed
New piston rings for the NPR pistons
rods resized
ARP rod bolts
Brand new oil pump, and I'm going to shim it
new oil cooler
OEM HG
ARP Headbolts

If/ when the motor does something stupid again or I start my forged internal build, I probably won't be rebuilding it a 3rd time. At that point I'm going to get a running 7m-gte out of a donor car and rebuild that. I'm about to go rip apart my head now to replace the valve stem seals. Pics incoming tonight!

Nice! Keep us posted! Good Luck!

 

[Boosted MK3]

Forgot to post the other day but I got the valve stem seals done in the head. Took a little while at first, but once I got in the groove of things it went fairly quick. Also some parts showed up and I ordered some more parts as well. Going to go out and get some de-greaser and clean the head some tomorrow along with putting it back together just got tired tonight.

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[Boosted MK3]

Been a while since I've updated this BUT I've got some big news! Ordered the last of my parts, and got my block and other parts back from the machine shop!! I've been kinda slacking due to the cold/ snow and not having a heated work space. Also just picked up a second job so that has been slowing me down as well.

My cover blew off during a windy night and I woke up to this, all over my year old paint. Fack!

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[Boosted MK3]

Got some pretty small updates, but it's steady progress. I'm hoping to be driving the car in the start of April (just in time to wish I had a targa) and I'm planning on (finally) attending May in May down in Virginia. Been trying to go to that show since I bought my car in 2012 and every year either work or the car being broken has interfered. Anyway before this turns into a massive wall of text, onto pics.

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I also did some painting during the down time.

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Also reassembled (most of) the head, shes just waiting to get dropped onto the block.

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And my brand new Aisin oil pump getting ready to get shimmed.

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Also started to sand down the bay to prepare it for paint. Definitely gonna clean it up some while I'm in there but I'm not going to do a tuck or anything, just hide a few things
such.

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Also noticed a few months of sitting did some damage to the leather.

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I'll be sanding the rest of the engine bay on Friday, and re assembling the motor Saturday. Hopefully I'll have some time (and a nice day) to lay down the paint during the week and I'll install the engine and be driving next weekend! If everything goes according to plan, of course.

 

[Boosted MK3]

I've finally made some progress with the motor assembly, also been working on the engine bay when I can but the weather hasn't allowed painting to happen yet. I've got tomorrow off work, hoping to make some good progress.

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[Boosted MK3]

Well, got some pretty big updates for you guys tonight. Engine bay has been painted. Motor is not only done being assembled, but it's in the car! Had a bit of a battle with figuring out some of the wiring but all in all made great progress today. Still have plenty to do though, haven't even started to fab up the new FMIC or oil cooler, radiator, etc. But that is all in due time. Now that the motor itself is in I'm beyond pumped and am going to try to hammer the rest out as quickly as possible. I also finally got a new window switch from a member here, after I broke mine.

I'm itching to drive her, and more than anything I want to surprise my father by letting him take it on one of the very first drives. He has taught me everything I know about cars, and is single handily responsible for my automotive passion. Not to mention he is out in the garage helping me chip away at it every single time I'm out there. Honestly, letting him drive it doesn't even begin to show my appreciation for everything he does. Anyways, onto all you guys really care about, the pictures.

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[Billybob9187]

Wow looks really clean. I love the black on black engine bay and engine. Just need to get the intake manifold and alternator powder coated.

 

[Boosted MK3]

Wow looks really clean. I love the black on black engine bay and engine. Just need to get the intake manifold and alternator powder coated.

Thanks, my boost pipes and intercooler are bright and shiny, so I'm probably going to get my intake and alt polished to match that. I'm hoping that will help break up the black nicely, without being too over done and bright.

 

[Boosted MK3]

Guess who got their car running motherfuckers? That's right, this badass mofo. Only let it run for about 20 seconds, because I don't have a radiator in yet, rad comes in Wednesday. Expect a photobomb and video then!

 

[kakanator]

shit just got real. nice man back from the dead and better.