The Fruition of Obsession -- 310,000 mile makeover --

[suprarx7nut]

After 3 years and counting of obsessing over the MK3, I've owned 3 (2 turbo, 1 NA) and only gained enthusiasm. I'm finally ready to build a BPU MK3.

After 310,000 miles my 7MGE is going to be separated from its body after 20 years of more or less "loyal" service. I'll be documenting some of my swap process here and providing as many pics and tips as I can. The whole car will be undergoing a slow, but hopefully steady makeover.

The donor motor is from another member and has gone through a BHG repair within ~3500 miles. I'll be doing the bottom end bearings, but the rest will be left as is. I will start conservatively but will add mods as $$$ as time allow.

The Goal: 340 rwtq in a clean and reliable daily driver

The Parts List:
Rebuilt 7MGTE motor (except original rings)
-[strike]Greddy HG (1.5mm)[/strike] Toyota HG
-ARP Studs http://amzn.to/1UKbSSo
-ACL Bearings
-Polished 6M crank
-New Toyota Oil Pump shimmed ~6mm
-Port matched manifolds
-New oil squirters
-New gaskets and seals throughout
Rebuilt W58
Raptor Racing 3" exhaust Ceramic Coated
Raptor Racing 3" Divorced Downpipe Recirculated Ceramic Coated
Apexi Intake http://amzn.to/1WKvauu
3" Hi Flow Metallic Magnaflow Cat
50 trim CT-26 from Driftmotion
Lexus AFM/550 injectors/SAFC or MAFT Pro
Boost Controller Greddy ProFec B Spec 2
Fitted Hardpipes (universal kits really bother me)
Bosch 110 BPV

Non-Power Goodies:
Competition Stage 2 Clutch
Tanabe Springs http://amzn.to/21gq3kh
Koni Yellow Shocks http://amzn.to/21gq9bw
Black Floor mats including trunk
Recovered steering wheel
Prosport Gauges (Oil Pressure, Boost, Water) http://amzn.to/1WKv5Hj
Brembo or Powerslot Rotors
Viper Smart Start
8 or 10" sub in custom spare tire enclosure
Die Hard Platinum Battery
AEM Analog Wideband http://amzn.to/1U7Z4IO



Have yet to purchase/install

Here are some before shots from a year ago. Car is currently 100% stock. Slow and reliable.

More shots to come as I start to prep the GTE motor and start the swap in the coming weeks.

 

[Supra87T]

Lexus AFM/550 injectors
MAFT Pro or Apexi SAFC

Looking forward to seeing your build. You won't need a Lexus AFM and a MAFT Pro though. IMO MAFT Pro would be the best way to go.

 

[arizzle]

subscribed! maft pro is good, but if you want to keep it simple just keep the lex/550 and tune with a safc.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Looking forward to seeing your build. You won't need a Lexus AFM and a MAFT Pro though. IMO MAFT Pro would be the best way to go.

subscribed! maft pro is good, but if you want to keep it simple just keep the lex/550 and tune with a safc.

Good catch. I should've put those all on one line. I'm still debating which route to go. The MAFT Pro would be ideal, but is more involved and more costly. I have a feeling I'll be settling for the SAFC with the Lex AFM and 550's, but we'll see. CRE is in my area and knows the MAFT Pro setup as well as anyone so I may recruit his expertise...

Anyone have boost controller recommendations? I was considering the Profec by Greddy, but have heard a few instances where the controller failed. Is that a reliable choice or is there a better electronic controller?

 

[Supra87T]

Maybe save some money on the boost controller and use the MAFT Pro. The boost solenoid for that is pretty inexpensive and you won't need an additional controller.

 

[bombinuass]

also subscribed. im ready to see how this goes. keep us updated

 

[IJ.]

Good luck with the build!

 

[suprarx7nut]

All basic parts are here and the build is under way! New squirter bolts installed and the crank mains checked out at .035 to just under .05mm.

Oil pan has a fresh coat of high temp silver paint and the factory new oil pump is shimmed and ready to go.

Tonight I'll get measurements on rod bearing clearances. Let's hope they all fall in line as well.

 

[MK3.0dudeman]

Great body to start out with.Man 310,000 miles and it still looks like that.Thats awsome

 

[suprarx7nut]

^^Ya, I lucked out with the chassis. ZERO rust, a few small dents and overall good paint. And of the 3 mk3's I've owned, the black NA with 300+k miles has the least blown suspension out of any of them, haha. I wonder if somewhere one of the previous owners snuck in a shock replacement without keeping record of it. :dunno:

Rods checked in just under .038mm clearance on 1-6.

Oil pan is on and sealed. Most the top end is assembled and installed, now I need to do some helicoiling... The used head I have has studs pulling out left and right. My guess is the aluminum is toast. Since I'm time-crunched, I have to use the head anyways, but down the road, I'll buy a new head from Toyota for the next build up, which will have a much higher hp goal. :evil:

On a good note, I FINALLY GOT A REAL JOB!!! So my budget will be much bigger than expected.

Pics:
$70 worth of squirter bolts...

 

[suprarx7nut]

Pulled the car into the garage tonight. Started disconnecting the motor at 7:30pm and by midnight I had it ready to pull. For working by myself, I thought that was an ok time.

Yesterday was valve stem seal and shim adjustment. Not fun at all.

Where she sits now:

Official BEFORE engine shot:

I hope to have the GTE in and running by friday night. Then its break in time.

 

[mattsplat72]

Glad to hear/see the 7m working out. Dropped in her replacement this weekend only to find out I got ripped off and had the wrong oil pan....I am beginning to miss my 7m...

 

[suprarx7nut]

So far things are going pretty well, but the head is pretty shot. I had to helicoil about 12 of the threads in the head. I'll be happy if it will last for a few years at ~10psi.

I was supposed to get up early today and have a roommate help me pull the old engine out completely, but I slept waaaaay in. Guess I was further behind on sleep than i thought.

Off to the garage to pull it out by 3pm!

 

[suprarx7nut]

Well, got the gte in tonight... But something's not right. ECU has power at the B+ terminal, but there is no Check Engine light at any time. Car seems to have power everywhere in the cabin. The fuel pump even starts to go when I turn key to start, but nothing happens. No crank, no CEL, no nothing... :dunno:

The ECU I have is pretty beat up, but is supposed to be good per Mattsplat72. Came out of his running car.

Anyone know what I might have missed?

 

[mattsplat72]

I pm'ed you this morning. The shop that did the GTE swap had the ing/sw hard wired in when I took the harness out I cut the wire and labeled it. Did you see that it should be a stock wire with a thicker red wire attached to it... Other then that I just unplugged it and pulled it thru the firewall and re plugged it in. I PM'ed you my phone number give me a call if you can't get it figured out.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Got it running. It was the wire that had been cut, but I had to swap terminals on that wire with another. It functions as the clutch switch apparently... :dunno:

Car runs, but doesn't boost much(boost leak for sure) and I need to replace the mounts, both of mine were ripped upon engine removal.

Altogether very happy with the results. I seem to have misplaced the throttle bracket so I had to use the one off my 88 auto.

The competition clutch I got has decent engagement right off the bat. It still needs breaking in, but it grabs very well and you dont need a sledge hammer to punch the clutch in so I'm happy.

Off to change the oil, top off coolant and try to find my boost leak and tighten clamps. I'll be in the market for a nice aftermarket intercooler piping setup soon if these boost leaks dont disappear fast, lol.

Oh, and I did the tach resistor swap in a hurry and got zero results from it. I'll double check my work later tonight perhaps, but for now I just estimate my rpm based on the gear and speed.

 

[buckshotglass]

Looking good.. I love a black Supra.

 

[Hachigo87]

over 300k? That is an extremely clean chassis given its age and amount of use..

Props to you on a quick swap with minimal problems, your list is looking about the same bolt on wise as my shopping list it seems. Looking forward to seeing it all fall into place

 

[suprarx7nut]

Looking good.. I love a black Supra.

over 300k? That is an extremely clean chassis given its age and amount of use..

Props to you on a quick swap with minimal problems, your list is looking about the same bolt on wise as my shopping list it seems. Looking forward to seeing it all fall into place

Thanks guys!

Update: fixed my boost leak, it was from the coupler that attached to the cast aluminum elbow below the turbo. The clamp was a little cockeyed and not as tight as it should be. Car is nearly all back together. Still need to figure out my tach issue and then reassemble all the little stuff.

 

[mattsplat72]

You put this into NA car right? I remember having to swap mine over to a GTE tach.