Lewis15498

Hey guys, my name is Jeff and this is my 1992 Xtra-Cab. It is a 3.0 Auto 4x4. This thread will tell the story of my truck's near death experience and its recovery. The truck was suffering from a blown engine, body and frame rust, brake line failures, and just general sucking at life.

Treatment (Phase 1):
-Remove cab and bed
-Strip, clean, remove rust and paint frame
-Replace all brake lines with stainless line
-Address any rust/rot on the underside of cab and bed
-Ditch auto trans for R150
-5VZ engine swap
-Reinstall cab and bed with 2" body lift

DAY 1

Initial assessment. 2 of 8 bolts had to be torched. Bed is ready for removal.







Later a couple friends come over and we lift the bed off without any issues. Taking the cab off will be just as easy. Hey, I can dream right?










The rust on the underside has progressed over the year it has sat, but I don't see anything comprimising the frame's integrity. Could it be better? Yes. Am I worried? No. I am hoping i can clean the proportioning valve up. I hear they are expensive.

Lewis15498

DAY 2

Started working on taking things apart. Took off the corner lights and directionals.





Got under the hood, removed some stuff and disconnected wires and whatnot. Pretty much everything that needs to be disconnected to remove the cab except the A/C lines is done.





Discovered some body rot. The PS rocker pannel is trash from the door back, and I found a hole behind the PS inner fender. Also peeling back the carpet revealed alot of surface rust on the floor pan, but that can be dealt with after the truck is together and running.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

Trucks frame actually looks descent. I like seeing full body removals and build up. Those bed bolts usually are rusted really bad.

In my build thread on #88, I have some steps to help remove the body. Any questions that come up on cab removal just ask, its really not hard at all, you wil be surprised, just so you know the front clip comes off with cab, not like domestic trucks. Looking forward to your build. Welcome to Yotatech. Subscribed.

Just seen some pics that are Forbidden it says. Might want to try Photobucket.

Lewis15498

Thanks man! I appreciate the offer, and I'll have to check out your build thread. May just pick your brain as the cabs coming off soon.

Fixed the pictures.

Day 3 photos coming soon!

Lewis15498

DAY 3

Things reallly get moving. I stripped down the front end minus the hood and removed the Seats. I disconnected the AT shifter, which was a bitch to figure out, but once I did it was easy. Got 4 of the 6 cab bolts undone, helped my brother with the brakes on his car and picked up just before it started pouring. Trying to be more organized I packaged removed parts in boxes, and labeld the boxes with a sharpie. Today was very productive and I'm feeling even better about the project.












2" body lift ready and waiting. I'm not a fan of body lifts, but it was either this or saw a hole in the hood so the 3.4 would clear it. It will have the added bonus of 2 inches of extra room for my fat man hands when performing work in the future.



Scored this unit out of a junkyard for $160. R150 out of another 92 with transfer case I think it has 165k on it. Drained tranny and diff fluids and they both looked good, both trans and transfer shift smoothly. I think I got one hell of a deal!

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

That is a deal on the tranny. Here they want $500 just for the tranny. Dont know about transfer case. Getting quite a bit done.

I havent done a 3.0 body swap, but cant be much different then a 22re. The wiring harness will go with the cab. I always have to remove the motor and tranny for 2 reasons, 1. I dont have a lift and 2. you would have to lift the cab really high. The floorboard on one end and the front of the radiator support on the other end.

The 2" lift should help quite a bit with the motor swap. A 92 with a 3.4 should be a nice little setup. Maybe one of these days I need to get brave enough to swap a 3.4.

Anything comes up, feel free to pick my brain on the cab removal. If you come across something that might be different from a 22re that might help the next guy let me know. I am always updating my fixes as I find new and better information.

Lewis15498

My current plan to remove the cab is gonna involve eye-hooks, chains, and a couple engine hoists. Its evolving as I put more thought into it.

One question I have at this point is can the cab be tipped on its back without damaging it? I want to address any rust on the underside while its apart and it will be a hell of alot easier with the cab on its back. I'd rather not remove the rear glass but I will if I have to.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

I seen someone on here that had it sitting on the backside of the cab one time, I had never tried it and was afraid I might get some damage so really dont know on that one.

You will probably need to pull your backglass. The window section sits further out then the back wall of the cab. You might try taking some wood and supporting the back edge of the cab and if your hoist will go that high, have them to support the weight of the cab. You would have to work on it at an angle.

You will want to label and bag all of your bolts and you will have quite a few. One thing I do when at all possible, for example I see where your bumper bolts that are a 17 or a 19 mm bolts on the front of the frame, I try and put them back in where they come from.

Snug them in good and tight, it keeps them form getting legs and when I go to reassemble, it makes it so much easier that I know which one goes where. You cant do it in all cases, but you will be surprised at how many bolts are close.

Something to keep in the back of your mind, as you are going to have to replace some of your bed bolts. When you go to put the bed back on. One problem I have had is no matter how tight I snug them down, some reason they like to work them selves loose. I have bought new Toyota bed bolts which have a little tab that slips into the slot in the bed and they worked loose. So now I put lock tite on them.

Lewis15498

Fortunately the body lift kit includes new bolts. Gonna throw some locktite on them regardless for good measure.

Lewis15498

Day 4

Cab is no ready for removal. Removed the remaining two cab bolts and hood, disconnected the e-brake, fuel lines 4wd linkage a/c lines and any remaining hoses, wires exc. Jacked the cab up and installed i-hooks through the rear and middle mounts for lifting. There isn't much weight to the front clip so I think it will be fairly well balanced. I got two 6' lengths of chain and connected them to the I hooks then connected the front and rear chains to an engine leveler. Cab is currently sitting on pieces of a 2x3 on the frame. Next update the doors will come off and cab will be lifted off.













Looks like I'm going to be needing new body mount bushings.

Lewis15498

Day 5

Today the cab came off. It went easier than I anticipated. I removed the wheels from the engine hoist for added stability. Had it set at the third boom bolt hole. In hind sight I should have used the fourth bolt hole as the rocker pannel hit the piston, but I was terrified it would topple over. Got the frame out from under it and set the cab on some blocks/pallets. Threw the doors back on and started removing things from the frame. I work on it for 4-6 hours each day, I've prolly put in 20-25 hours at this point and I'm pleased with my progress so far.









Almost there, throw in a little hulk power to clear the engine.



Rolled out the frame.







Set the cab down.





Put the doors back on. Somehow our fat bastard cat, Mario, got trapped inside. He was not happy about the situation.







Disabled vehicles make great storage units.



Unfortunately the board protecting the rocker slipped out and the rocker whacked the pump on the hoist. Put a decent ding in it. :cry:



When I set the cab on the ground the boom pressed against the top of the door opening, ripping the trim a little, no big deal.



Frame minus exhaust, spare and wiring. Started on unbolting the trans.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

close the rear slider and put a cover over the shifter hole.
I have 4 cats..leave an opening they will find a way in


awesome job with your documentation..keep it up and this will be a good reference for other cab swappers

Lewis15498

Lol very true, however in this particular case my brother tossed him in there and closed the door. I'm gonna get it sealed up to keep other cats/critters out tho.

Thanks alot man! I know people love pics and I didnt want my thread to be just boring blocks of text with a pic or two every ten posts or so.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

You made some fast progress. I was intimidated on the first body swap I did. I really believe body removal is about easier then engine swap. It actually goes together easier. You arent dealing with rusted bolts.

I seen some wonder if they could do a body swap. If you can do a motor, you can doa body swap.

Our town will pick up stray dogs but not cats, they find their way into anything. It just takes a small opening and they can get in.

With the body off should make doing the 3.4 thing 10 times easier. I wouldnt have thought of the way you lifted your cab with the hoist. That is a great idea and one I will use the next time. Wish I had known of it earlier. Thanks

With the body stripping your truck has and you being form the Northeast, quite similar to the New England Patriots symbol. Coincidence???lol... just kidding.

Lewis15498

Thanks man. This is the first time I've done this, and I have no professional mechanical experience or training. I agree most anyone can do it.
My advice to others is dont be afraid of it. Do your research, formulate a plan, and try to excecute it. If it doesnt work, research more, restrategize and try again. And if you dont know, dont be afraid to ask someone. All together its a great way to learn.
At 16 I didnt know the difference between an alternator and a distributor, or that my fuel injected car didnt have a carbeurator. At 19 I swapped my first engine in a honda. Had no knowedge going into it, just a haynes repair manual (fail). I spent a week unplugging and labeling every single plug on the engine harness. Then I lifted the engine out, and realized the harness came out with the engine. My point is you may not do it the best of fastest way the first time, but its a great way to learn.

Yeah it will be so much easier to bolt the new engine/trans in now. As far as the hoist goes, if possible I would reccomend stringing the chains front to rear instead of left to right, and using 2 engine hoists. This was my original plan, but I didnt have a second hoist available and wasnt willing to wait any longer.


I can see that. I actually dislike the strip, but I havent removed it because I figured the paint behind it isnt faded and it will look weird. Def gonna ditch them when it comes time for a repaint.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

Some like stripes on them some dont. I actually like the stripes, just to cheap to put them back on.

When you do your engine swap, do you have to deal with emissions laws? Here in Missouri, just Kansas City and St. Louis have a few to deal with as the way I understand it. I am sure it will get here some day.

Lewis15498

Surprisingly, here is Mass, a state that regulates most everything, all 95 and prior (OBD1 and prior) vehicles are emissions exempt as of 2009. So technically I dont even need a cat. I think the reason was because you needed alot of equipment to do the emissions test for pre OBD2 vehicles and less and less shops were willing to do it.

Lewis15498

Day 6

Pretty much everything is off the frame at this point, the bumper, tow hitch, spare tire, rear driveshaft, cab mounts, and misc. items have been removed. Engine and trans will come off next.









Picked this bad boy up from a salvage yard today, only has 126K on it, out of a 97 4Runner. The engine to the right is also a 5VZ but it has a blown head gasket. Buying the new engine for $825+tax was way cheaper than rebuilding the other one I had. It may get rebuilt at a later date, but its very likely it needs new heads as it was overheated badly.





Aisin clutch kit from rock auto. Sorry guys, it was the last one. Also shown replacement transmission mount and polyurethane bushing master kit.



Flywheel from autozone. Only $60 bucks. It may not be OEM quality, but its brand new which means I need not worry about hout spots. For the reccord, the dealer wanted $580 for a new flywheel. Risking having to take the trans off again is worth $520 to me, but I doubt I'll have a problem with the autozone unit.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

That overheated motor will be worth quite a bit down the road. The sensors alone will pay for itself. Then all of the special nuts and bolts that you may need later.

I have a spare motor and a bad motor. I plan on using my bad motor for a winterproject and rebuilding it. Its not something I have to get done and I can take my time at it. When it is done, might sell one to help fund my rebuild.

While you got your tire carrier out, let it soak in PB Blaster for a few days and work it a little. They really rust up. I have gotten 2 tire carriers that I thought wouldnt be salvageable and now they work good as new. I got another one soaking in some oil for a couple of days and will start getting it cleaned up here soon.

For your truck being from the north east, it looks really good. Guess Massachutes doesnt use alot of salt?

Your flywheel should be ok from Autozone. In a perfect world eveything would come from Toyota. I tried to get a key made for my wife for my 88 project and it hung up on her. I went to Toyota to get a blank and it was $8. They had to order it. Everywhere else you can get a key made for a little more then a buck.

Lewis15498

I just torched the bolts off of the tire carrier, It was pretty rotted and I didnt really have any intention of trying to fix it.

The motor may be rebuilt at some point, but I dont have the budget now. I saw the motor running, and it had been overheated a lot judging by how bad the HG leak was. I can almost guarantee the heads will fail a hardness test, and I dont have the money for new heads or machine work. I thought about buying remanufactured heads off ebay, but I'd prefer getting work done by someone I can trust.

Definitely going to be scavanging parts/ bolts exc. off the blown 5VZ and 3VZ. The motor I picked up had pretty much everything removed. They broke the retention tabs off a couple of the injector plugs to remove the wiring harness. I was thinking about removing all 12 Injectors, Sending out the ones that arent visibly damaged then having them cleaned/flow tested. Wether or not this gets done now or later remains to be seen.

We have alot of salt on the roads in mass. Not really sure what happened in this trucks history. I'm guessing it wasnt driven alot in the winter. Alot of the rust on the frame is actually from spending a year in the dirt.

I figured a new flywheel would be better than a resurfaced OEM unit. Its one thing when its out of your truck, but when you dont know the history of the flywheel, it can be risky.