Originally Posted by dcg9381

I can't tell what constitutes a "set". I can tell you that dealer mark up on prices can exceed 100% so it wouldn't surprise me if one "set" was a good for a single cylinder at the dealer. Chances are that Toyota doesn't make the bearings, so go aftermarket.

I buy from engnbldr. I sleep because I know I'm getting a good price and I don't have to worry about buying some junk from China that isn't make out of the right materials and might not be spec'd correctly.

Know how big a wrist pin is? Know how big a valve is? Think it's likely that a wrist pin would get bent via collision with a valve? Good.. Me either.

You're engaged in a full rebuild. Have your rods checked (not replaced) by a machine shop. The rods are stout little things.. And I've never had to replace a set. Advice is to replace your pistons if you have more than 100k miles on them. Just buy engnbldr's rebuild kit ($300) and be done with it, sleep at night - no worries...

You can nickle and dime this, but in the long run you're adding more risk for minimal cost savings. What you don't want to happen is to do all this work, spend the money and then be re-doing it again to the tune of another $800 or more...

Originally Posted by thook

Well, you can read the post I just made. You'll see some conclusions I've come to, and I've learned about some statements you've made....ie, wrist pins. It's highly unlikely the rods are bent, either. They're also much stronger than valves.....atleast as far as Toyota is concerned.

As far as online ordering, I really am trying to speed this up and waiting for an order is not what I want to do, but will if necessary. That being said, trust me....I will not be buying just any junk because it's quicker. I'm doing my homework....

I'm doing more research into bearings, so I'm not definite on who I will buy from or where. I'm looking into bearing materials according to cost and practicality.

And, I am going to nickel and dime this. I have to live within my means......minimal costs being very relative. But, since you mentioned it, why would you replace the pistons if they have over 100k on them? If they're still good, what's the point? What "risks" are you talking about? They are Toyota. I understand you are giving me your best advice from your own knowledge and experience, but I'm also getting it from other sources who have some different opinions about it.

Originally Posted by runethechamp

If you search some around here you can find the comments I got from my machine shop guy about the Rock pistons and bearings I first got for my rebuild. It wasn't pretty, I'll tell you that much. I know for sure now that I would never put those pistons in a Toyota engine. I think I'd even go as far as saying I'd rather keep the old pistons than put new Rock pistons in there.

Originally Posted by thook

Are your "comments" in your rebuild thread?

Originally Posted by runethechamp

My favorite quote, as there was practically smoke coming out of the machine shop guy's ears: "And these pistons, they're made in India! I'm not saying that everything that comes out of India is cr*&, but this is NOT Toyota quality."

And just for the sake of it, there was no financial benefits for this guy to say what he did and implicate that I should get origianl parts. I bought all my parts from somewhere else.

Originally Posted by thook

Right....now I remember.

I guess the machine shop doesn't realize even Aisin/Seiki has a plant in India.

Originally Posted by runethechamp

That quote was more in there for entertainment than enything else. More important is just the tolerances and construction of the pistons themselves.

Just to make it clear, I have nothing against engnbldr, the service I got from there was second to none. And I don't know enough about engine parts to form my own completely independent opinion of the parts either. But there was no reason (at least not financial) for my machine shop guy to lie to me, so I trust his words on this.

Originally Posted by nate V

The plastiguage is a good way to go i have heard but i have never used it my self. I have always done all my measuring with ball and tee gauges with a micrometre. But that is a much quicker and more efficient way of doing the same thing. Let us know what you find.

Originally Posted by SEAIRESCUE

I highly recommend you find a shop and have them measure everything to determine where you need to go next. The shop can turn the crank and match bearings with journals. They can rebuild rods to factory specs. The can knurl your pistons and extend their life for little money. They have the best hones for restoring the std bores or can bore it out if needed. They can clean the block and get all the crap out of it. Trust me it collects crap. If you don't go this route, you may end up with a problem after start-up and break-in. Good name brand bearings and Hasting iron rings if you don't bore has always worked well for me. DO NOT install chrome rings. Molly rings good for bored cylinder walls.

My $0.02

Originally Posted by runethechamp

If you search some around here you can find the comments I got from my machine shop guy about the Rock pistons and bearings I first got for my rebuild. It wasn't pretty, I'll tell you that much. I know for sure now that I would never put those pistons in a Toyota engine. I think I'd even go as far as saying I'd rather keep the old pistons than put new Rock pistons in there.