Reviving my tired 7M-GTE for a swap (w/ pics)

[89_turborunner]

Killer swap!~

i had read about the hybrid tranny some where but cant find it..

i dont live to far from yeah, maybe i'll see yeah around possible in the trails or sand?

either way your truck will be sic
\
why if you have the knowlegde to dissble the tranny why not tear down the block and have it prept for a mhg? and head?


ever blow a head gasket on a trail?

About that. Right now I am pretty close to broke, and I owe my college a lot of money. So I can't really afford a lot of new stuff. (if I took the bottom end apart it would get new bearings everywhere, as well as rings, and a new factory oil pump, etc). I didn't have any money when I tore down the tranny either. I put all the original (225k and 242k) bearings and sychros back in. They looket/felt good though. I have seen bad ones B4.

I have never blown a HG on the trail... but I don't think I should be concerned... You tell me, I have specs below.

What company would that be? USA6X6? that Runner looks like it's going to be sick. Can't wait to see some more progress on it.

Yes it would be that company. They lied to me about my tires, I had to wait 5.5 months for my product to arrive, and when it did, the tires were moderately dry-rotting, and had chuncks missing from some hard use. They also sent me the wrong inserts, wasting about 4 hours of my time (installing and un-installing the wrong ones). Their customer service is dis-satisfying, and their products are less than impressive. The wheels look better in pics, they are full of burrs, not precision at all. But the pricing is good for what they SAY they will send you. Tell your friends about it. Maybe save somone the trouble.

I'll take your lady friend.

Over my cold dead body. And I am a tough one to kill. :biglaugh:

I cleaned the head and the block with gasket remover and a scraper. Gauged it with feelers and a +/- .001 24" straight edge. Both came out to .0025. I did scratch the head a little bit with the razor (closest to the camera in 2nd pic), but I didn't gouge it. what do you guys think? Machine work? no machine work? metal HG? regular? (what are non-metallic made of?)

Also, what is the best way to get all the other gaskets... like the manifold gaskets, the inner timing cover thing, thermostat housing, valve covers, EGR, EGR flow controller (I think...that funny box on the back of the head). Do ALL of these come in the "head gasket KIT that the auto parts stores sell?. I am also going to buy a new Tbelt and tensioner, water pump, thermostat, and all new hoses. But I will probably delete at least my EGR. I want to eliminate as much stuff as I can and keep the engine reliable. there are NO emmisions where I live.

 

[Loki]

Yes it would be that company. They lied to me about my tires, I had to wait 5.5 months for my product to arrive, and when it did, the tires were moderately dry-rotting, and had chuncks missing from some hard use. They also sent me the wrong inserts, wasting about 4 hours of my time (installing and un-installing the wrong ones). Their customer service is dis-satisfying, and their products are less than impressive. The wheels look better in pics, they are full of burrs, not precision at all. But the pricing is good for what they SAY they will send you. Tell your friends about it. Maybe save somone the trouble.

Nasty, just another horror story I've heard about them.

 

[supradan22]

Looks like another build Im gona keep my eye on, make sure you torque down the headbolts to atleast 80lbs with some ARPs to Prevent the DREADED BHG and you may want to change the oil pump arround 200k is arround the time they go out.

 

[89_turborunner]

NEW DIRECTION!!!

I was going to order a gasket set and I realized how much of a collosal waste of time it is to go this far, and then plan to rebuild it later. So, right now, at 242K, this engine is getting rebuilt. The whole bottom end.

Assuming all parts pass inspection, here are my plans:

New oil pump (aisin, ordered)
New gasket set (cheap, ordered)
Crank polish ($45, local)
Crank machine work (man I hope not)
New rod +crank bearings, thrust washers (clevite)
New water pump (napa)
Thermostat (napa)
New head studs (ARP)
Maybe new main bearing bolts (ARP)
Maybe new rod bearing bolts (ARP)
Milled head (.003)
Milled block (.003)
New rings (???)
MLS head gasket (???)

QUESTIONS:
Where do I buy rings for OE pistons?
Does toyota use TTY bolts for mains and rods?
Is there anything I am missing?

Right now I want to keep the build under $1000. So I do not want to buy some $300 head gasket. I ahave heard cometic is good and economical.

 

[pimptrizkit]

i have rain titatin mhg i blew my first one due to no preping my block properly and ended up blowing compression into cooling system..

during rebuild i went with a 2mm after .009 from block removed, and .003 from head on previous bhg,

if you are a local to the portland area, contact the mccord vancouver toyota
when you call the parts dept ask for mark, and tell him your part of the supra friends, and he'll give you a discount. if i remember right it's right up there with champion toyota, like 35-40% beats the 20% i was gettin through the college.

i picked up oem rings for like 120, rod's for 145? and mains for 80 i think .

edit , toyota does not use TTy bolts, ther re-usable,


if you change your rod bolts, have your rod's re-sized or you'll get rod knock before 1k miles. again.. this is reason my motor is out right now LOL

 

[Syris]

You should be able to get the OE pistons rings from Toyota

 

[89_turborunner]

Thanks guys. I will get the rings from the factory.

Non-tty main and rob bolts makes me happy. MVP motorsports said they were all tty, probably to help sell more ARP hardware. Saves some money.

Right now it looks like around $800 for the build.

 

[polobai]

that is siiiick-love the writeup! I am by no means a "4 wheeler", but do you know of anyone that has done a 7m into a 91 Landcruiser? My father has one laying around with a blown motor-should be tons of fun......

 

[s383mmber1]

Great build! Really impressive, im doing something very simliar, except its going back into my supra :icon_bigg


Go with a cometic head gasket, fairly cheap and very strong!

 

[89_turborunner]

that is siiiick-love the writeup! I am by no means a "4 wheeler", but do you know of anyone that has done a 7m into a 91 Landcruiser? My father has one laying around with a blown motor-should be tons of fun......

nah. I have seen 2wd pickup, 85 4runner, 87 4runner, and some 90s 4runner. and o course cars (240z, celica-supra, etc).

all the non-supra swaps go about the same though. tranny issues, hook ECU up to power, hook up starter and alt., do fuel lines, then make mounts an go. Oh and mayb a fuel relay.

So for the ???,

factory rings, Original rod bolts, original crank bolts, cometic gasket.

 

[tig321]

nah. I have seen 2wd pickup, 85 4runner, 87 4runner, and some 90s 4runner. and o course cars (240z, celica-supra, etc).

all the non-supra swaps go about the same though. tranny issues, hook ECU up to power, hook up starter and alt., do fuel lines, then make mounts an go. Oh and mayb a fuel relay.

So for the ???,

factory rings, Original rod bolts, original crank bolts, cometic gasket.

I'll be keeping an eye on this build. 4Runner's 7m turbo's are very something very near my heart:love: I was actually looking for a supra turbo "parts car" for a swap into my 90 4runner. The supra I found (90 turbo) was just too nice for parts, so I kept it:biglaugh:.

So what are your goals for this engine? Will it be mostly stock with maybe just a manual boost controler? Or will you be looking for an upgraded turbo and bigger injectors ect,down the road?
If your not looking for big #'s and are trying to keep costs down. I'd think the factory composite HG and ARP head bolts would suit your needs fine. The other stock bolts would be also. It's not like your going to reving the s#it out of it all the time in the mud ...are you?

 

[tig321]

i'll be putting a 7mgte in my '94 within the next two years!

-shaeff

Me too!
After I buy a house with a GARAGE later this year, Race Ya!

 

[89_turborunner]

I'll be keeping an eye on this build. 4Runner's 7m turbo's are very something very near my heart:love: I was actually looking for a supra turbo "parts car" for a swap into my 90 4runner. The supra I found (90 turbo) was just too nice for parts, so I kept it:biglaugh:.

So what are your goals for this engine? Will it be mostly stock with maybe just a manual boost controler? Or will you be looking for an upgraded turbo and bigger injectors ect,down the road?
If your not looking for big #'s and are trying to keep costs down. I'd think the factory composite HG and ARP head bolts would suit your needs fine. The other stock bolts would be also. It's not like your going to reving the s#it out of it all the time in the mud ...are you?

Plans for later: airflor metering system upgrade (no clue currently), probably 550s or bigger, probably bigger then a .57(I think) trim CT26, and an electronic boost controller. I want 400-450 at the crank.

And YES, I will be revving the !@#$%^@ out of it in the mud. but not all the time.

 

[supra90turbo]

This is going to be epic.
I'm amazed.

We're not shocked at the condition of the engine because that's typical. The 7M has a VERY hard block casting and it's not at all uncommon to still clearly see crosshatching at 250,000mi.
Good move rebuilding the engine. A very smart move.

 

[89_turborunner]

This is going to be epic.
I'm amazed.

We're not shocked at the condition of the engine because that's typical. The 7M has a VERY hard block casting and it's not at all uncommon to still clearly see crosshatching at 250,000mi.
Good move rebuilding the engine. A very smart move.

This is by far the most positive post i have EVER had in one of my threads. Thank you.

I should have all my parts to the machinist today.

 

[89_turborunner]

I got the block and the crank to the shop today. Here is the breakdown:

$45 for runout inspection and polish on crank
$80 to deck the head on the block
$50 for a hot tank wash on the block

I also got the head torn down... mostly. I don't have a spring compressor, so I stopped there. I think I will have the machine shop do the rest. A spring compressor costs more than getting it done.

Also, I can't find a big enough (12mm) allen tool for the spark plug gasket thingamajig. I think I will use a bolt and a nut welded together to get them out.

I should have the block back by wednesday.

huge issue: WHAT COLOR FOR THE BLOCK? The head will stay aluminum. I kinda like gloss black.

I don't even know what color my 4runner will be when it is done. I was thinking orange, but the GF says no (I still like it). Yellow is too bumble bee/school bus, red is too common, black is lame, white is lame, grey is lame. How about blue? If I found the right blue that is what it would be.

 

[89_turborunner]

I should have my block, crank, and head back from the machinist in a few days.

I have a new aisin oil pump, and a full gasket set at my house right now.

The machinist said that my head has been resurfaced before, and it had some fire ring impressions in it, and so did the block. For these reasons, I am thinking I should get a thicker gasket (like a 2mm), to keep compression values as close to stock as possible (since I will have so much material gone from the head and block). And I will be ordering bearings as soon as I get the word from the shop that my crank had no runout and just had to be polished. then I will be putting it back together and plastigaging all the bearings and measuring thrust on the crank and rods.

And I plan to modify the oil pickup to get it about 3/8" from the bottom of the pan, mostly because this truck will be all over the place and probably end up on it's side from time to time. Oil starvation sucks.

Does anyone know if I need to clean the oil galleys (w/brushes) or water jackets any better than hot tanking can? I remember reading about it somewhere.

 

[89_turborunner]

Is anyone checking this thread out still? I have a few questions.

Where can I get a cometic head gasket? I have only seen them on ebay.

I went to the machnist, he took .010 off the block and .004 off the head. but the head had been machined at least once before. he said there is probably a total of .020 gone from when it was new (this is 1/2 a mm). Crank was good, just had to be polished. Bores are round, right at stock (he looked it up, I think 84mm?)

So I will be ordering a 1.9mm cometic HG as soon as I find out who sells them, clevite bearings and thrust washers in stock size from titan, and stock rings from toyota. And of course plastigages and assembly lube at the local auto parts place.

I am suprised you guys are not complaining about a lack of pics.

 

[3p141592654]

I got mine from 935motorsports.

To figure out for sure how much was removed from your head, measure from the deck to the cam cover flange. Should be exactly 116mm on an uncut head.

 

[Big Wang Bandit]

Also look at Horsepowerfreaks.com

They have LOTS of supra stuff