tmcorbin's 1987 Pickup Build-Up Thread
08-12-2009, 06:28 PM
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tmcorbin's 1987 Pickup Build-Up Thread
Now that I know how to post pictures, and we're just starting a new project I thought I would start a thread on it.
This is a 87 4x4 pickup that we bought as a project truck for our son and I to fix up. We have two years before he is able to get his DL. So we have plenty of time and are not in any real hurry. Just a good Father/son project. And if we are able to get it done, it should start him off right.
Bought the truck for $700.00. Mainly because the body/frame is solid, and most of the major items were still there. I did not realize how bad off the motor and trany is until we got it home and did some diagnostics on it.
Got off early this afternoon, my son looked really bored, so we decided to start the tear down process. We worked for about 4 hours and have it ready to drop the tranny, and pull the engine.
Only thing left is to put the engine hoist on, tranny jack under it, unbolt the bell housing, and pull them both out.
When brought the truck home, we ran a wet dry compression test and came up with ridiculously low compression on cylinders 1 and 3. Did a cylinder leak down test and the air was flowing out of 1 and 3 as fast as it was going it. But the little engine still sat there and ran. Not great, but it would get you down the road. So I brought a video probe home from work and the reasons were clear pretty fast. The cylinder walls had pretty deep scars. Turned the probe up, and half the 1# intake valve is missing, same on 3#, 3# also has a large crack in the exhaust valve.
Plan is get the engine on the stand, tear it apart and send to a local machine shop. They said $45.00 to clean and check the block, same for the head. From that, if it is buildable, they will tell me what size pistons, and bearings to order. Then order a complete kit from engbldr, cam, over size valves, the works. figure that should all come in for about 1K. We are going to attemp the tranny also. Good reason for me to by a few tools I want anyway. The tranny rebuild kit and tools I need should come in for about $750.00, so all in all not to bad.
Plan to have the engine, tranny, tranfer case, front and rear diff, and 3" suspension lift done by the time he is 16. The pretty stuff can be done while he is driving it. Like I said that gives us two years, and the budget is not wide open either. I am working on my 85 4 runner at the same time.
Enjoy, all the help has been greatly appreciated.
This is a 87 4x4 pickup that we bought as a project truck for our son and I to fix up. We have two years before he is able to get his DL. So we have plenty of time and are not in any real hurry. Just a good Father/son project. And if we are able to get it done, it should start him off right.
Bought the truck for $700.00. Mainly because the body/frame is solid, and most of the major items were still there. I did not realize how bad off the motor and trany is until we got it home and did some diagnostics on it.
Got off early this afternoon, my son looked really bored, so we decided to start the tear down process. We worked for about 4 hours and have it ready to drop the tranny, and pull the engine.
Only thing left is to put the engine hoist on, tranny jack under it, unbolt the bell housing, and pull them both out.
When brought the truck home, we ran a wet dry compression test and came up with ridiculously low compression on cylinders 1 and 3. Did a cylinder leak down test and the air was flowing out of 1 and 3 as fast as it was going it. But the little engine still sat there and ran. Not great, but it would get you down the road. So I brought a video probe home from work and the reasons were clear pretty fast. The cylinder walls had pretty deep scars. Turned the probe up, and half the 1# intake valve is missing, same on 3#, 3# also has a large crack in the exhaust valve.
Plan is get the engine on the stand, tear it apart and send to a local machine shop. They said $45.00 to clean and check the block, same for the head. From that, if it is buildable, they will tell me what size pistons, and bearings to order. Then order a complete kit from engbldr, cam, over size valves, the works. figure that should all come in for about 1K. We are going to attemp the tranny also. Good reason for me to by a few tools I want anyway. The tranny rebuild kit and tools I need should come in for about $750.00, so all in all not to bad.
Plan to have the engine, tranny, tranfer case, front and rear diff, and 3" suspension lift done by the time he is 16. The pretty stuff can be done while he is driving it. Like I said that gives us two years, and the budget is not wide open either. I am working on my 85 4 runner at the same time.
Enjoy, all the help has been greatly appreciated.
Last edited by TinMan; 08-12-2009 at 06:34 PM.
08-12-2009, 06:38 PM
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Nice find.
Prior to working on my 92 truck this spring, I really had never done anything significant work-wise with my truck. My son (age 13) and my other son (age 7) had a good time working on it (it's not done, needs motor work, but it's mine since mile 1 so it stays) that when i did get it up and running in march (it just died again last week) we looked for another Toyota....we found an 88 4runner, good body, ??head gasket failure. so, just like you, we have a project vehicle on top of my vehicle and no boredom, just lack of $$$$.
Evereything I do on these trucks has been a 1st time for me, never did anything repair wise or bodywork wise before. so this is all a learning experience for me and my sons. I have found YOTATECH to be THE ABSOLUTE resource for info that is both reliable and verifiable.
Prior to working on my 92 truck this spring, I really had never done anything significant work-wise with my truck. My son (age 13) and my other son (age 7) had a good time working on it (it's not done, needs motor work, but it's mine since mile 1 so it stays) that when i did get it up and running in march (it just died again last week) we looked for another Toyota....we found an 88 4runner, good body, ??head gasket failure. so, just like you, we have a project vehicle on top of my vehicle and no boredom, just lack of $$$$.
Evereything I do on these trucks has been a 1st time for me, never did anything repair wise or bodywork wise before. so this is all a learning experience for me and my sons. I have found YOTATECH to be THE ABSOLUTE resource for info that is both reliable and verifiable.
08-12-2009, 06:54 PM
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We are deffinately thinking fuel injected, but we will see where money leads us. You can get a good webber set up for about $250.00. And I have read really good stuff about them.
My 85 4runner is my DD, and it is going to need an overhaul this year also. If the overhaul on this 22r goes well, we may drop it into the 85, and then rebuild the one out of the 85 for his truck. Same for the tranny if that goes well.
We will take plenty of pictures on both.
The good thing is both the 85 runner and 87 pu do not owe anything to a bank. Trying real hard to teach that lesson to my son.
Good thread on a trany rebuild on 4x4wire. Seems like it is doable.
later.
My 85 4runner is my DD, and it is going to need an overhaul this year also. If the overhaul on this 22r goes well, we may drop it into the 85, and then rebuild the one out of the 85 for his truck. Same for the tranny if that goes well.
We will take plenty of pictures on both.
The good thing is both the 85 runner and 87 pu do not owe anything to a bank. Trying real hard to teach that lesson to my son.
Good thread on a trany rebuild on 4x4wire. Seems like it is doable.
later.
08-13-2009, 02:25 PM
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Sounds exactly like my project that i just finished. My dad gave me his 1987 toyota pickup just like yours with 300,000 miles on it when i was 13. I just finished a complete drivetrain rebuild by myself on the truck.
I would suggest that you stick with the a stock rebuilt Aisin carb. Theyre jetted perfectly and provide plenty of power. I matched mine with a full LC engineering exahust system and a DUI ignition and it will pull 22Re's all day. Plus its already setup for a carb and theyre easy to troubleshoot.
Also be sure to check the rust on the brakelines inbetween the frame and the gas tank. One of mine ruptured and set me bake about 2 weeks. Thankfully it didnt brake on the highway.
I would suggest that you stick with the a stock rebuilt Aisin carb. Theyre jetted perfectly and provide plenty of power. I matched mine with a full LC engineering exahust system and a DUI ignition and it will pull 22Re's all day. Plus its already setup for a carb and theyre easy to troubleshoot.
Also be sure to check the rust on the brakelines inbetween the frame and the gas tank. One of mine ruptured and set me bake about 2 weeks. Thankfully it didnt brake on the highway.
08-14-2009, 07:17 PM
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We pulled the engine last night, the trany is only held in by one bolt in each side of the cross member and a strap between the frame rails. We will pull it some time this weekend. Came home from work today and we stripped all the externals off the engine. We will take our time taking off the head, crank and pistons. Everything is pictured, labled and bagged.
We did take plenty of pictures, but I left my card reader at work. I will bring it home tomorrow and post them tomorrow night.
I plan to take the block and head to the machine shop next week. They are going to clean and check them both.
Everything else is in rubber maid containers. I am going to take them to work and steam a little each night.
That was the greasiest engine/trany pull I have done. I can grab the trany input shaft and move it side to side about an inch.
I will post pictures tomorrow night.
later
We did take plenty of pictures, but I left my card reader at work. I will bring it home tomorrow and post them tomorrow night.
I plan to take the block and head to the machine shop next week. They are going to clean and check them both.
Everything else is in rubber maid containers. I am going to take them to work and steam a little each night.
That was the greasiest engine/trany pull I have done. I can grab the trany input shaft and move it side to side about an inch.
I will post pictures tomorrow night.
later
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08-15-2009, 06:48 PM
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Here is the some of the pictures of engine out of the truck.
A few pictures from the inside of this 22r
I thought I would throw in a few pics of the rest of the stable.
Later
A few pictures from the inside of this 22r
I thought I would throw in a few pics of the rest of the stable.
Later
09-05-2009, 06:03 PM
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Loaded the 87 pu on a car hauler today and took it into work to steam clean the engine compartment and under side. Boy was it nasty. After we were done I remembered we did not take any before pictures. Sorry. Tomorrow I will take some after pics.
I could not believe the difference. We were at the point that we were tired of going out to tinker with it for a few minutes only to be covered in grease from head to toe. The steam generator did not get it like new clean. But I did not coat it down with degreaser first either. It did get pretty much all caked on grime off. Enough that later we can take it out in the yard and degrease with a smaller pressure washer. The steam genny also took off a lot of the old undercoating.
Had a hick up at the end. We had turned off the steam generator, and drained the lines. I let the pressure out of the wand, and hit the quick disconnect. It must have an air bubble in it. It let out a long burst of steam that hit me right in the side. Of course it was right after I taken off the rubber apron. Blistered a good 8" circle on the side of my gut. Leason learned, from now on I will turn off the burner, and run cool water through it before shutting it down.
Plan for this week is to tear out the interior, and rear bumper. They are both trash. Hopefully we will be able to tear down the engine and get it to the machine shop.
later
I could not believe the difference. We were at the point that we were tired of going out to tinker with it for a few minutes only to be covered in grease from head to toe. The steam generator did not get it like new clean. But I did not coat it down with degreaser first either. It did get pretty much all caked on grime off. Enough that later we can take it out in the yard and degrease with a smaller pressure washer. The steam genny also took off a lot of the old undercoating.
Had a hick up at the end. We had turned off the steam generator, and drained the lines. I let the pressure out of the wand, and hit the quick disconnect. It must have an air bubble in it. It let out a long burst of steam that hit me right in the side. Of course it was right after I taken off the rubber apron. Blistered a good 8" circle on the side of my gut. Leason learned, from now on I will turn off the burner, and run cool water through it before shutting it down.
Plan for this week is to tear out the interior, and rear bumper. They are both trash. Hopefully we will be able to tear down the engine and get it to the machine shop.
later
09-06-2009, 10:50 AM
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Great experience for your son, he will certainly appreciate the truck when it's all said and done!
09-07-2009, 06:28 PM
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It was pooring down rain all day today, so we decided to spend a few more hours on the 87 pu. Completely stripped down the engine and got the block, crank and head ready to send to the machine shop for a good cleaning and to be checked. I will probably get it there by the end of the week. From that we should know if the block, head and crank are good, and what sizes we need for everything, bearings and such.
Here are a few pictures.
Only a few more parts to do an initial clean up on, and then we can down to final cleaning and painting.
You could probably see in the picture of cylinders that the walls are scared pretty deep. Hopefully can be machined out. We'll see.
Also check out the cracked valves. It was still running when we pulled it.
When checking the head and cam like the FSM says to, the only way I could get a feeler gage in it was to use the screw driver to move it forward just a little. from that I could the min allowed thickness in.
Here are a few pictures.
Only a few more parts to do an initial clean up on, and then we can down to final cleaning and painting.
You could probably see in the picture of cylinders that the walls are scared pretty deep. Hopefully can be machined out. We'll see.
Also check out the cracked valves. It was still running when we pulled it.
When checking the head and cam like the FSM says to, the only way I could get a feeler gage in it was to use the screw driver to move it forward just a little. from that I could the min allowed thickness in.
Last edited by TinMan; 09-07-2009 at 06:35 PM.
10-21-2009, 05:45 PM
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Sorry the only thing we have gotten done is steam cleaning the drive train parts, body and under side. Everthing is set aside labled and all. We have been knee deep in the high school band season. Practices 3 nights a week, football games on fridays, and compitions on the weekens. That lasts until thanksgiving. In the meantime I have put some more tools into the shop, a little more work my dd 85 runner, and refreashed some of my fabricating skills building props and carts for the marching band. I need to drop off the block, that way we can at least start ordering some of engine rebuild parts and have it all ready for after christmass.
Thanks for asking though.
Later
Thanks for asking though.
Later
10-21-2009, 08:49 PM
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been there done that with the high school band. former band geek myself. good luck, I should have mine done after this weekend. no camera so no pics so I didn't bother starting a build thread.
P.S. do you remember where the temp sender for the gauge is supposed to go? noone on here has replied to my thread i started trying to find out where its supposed to go in a carbed motor.
P.S. do you remember where the temp sender for the gauge is supposed to go? noone on here has replied to my thread i started trying to find out where its supposed to go in a carbed motor.
10-22-2009, 04:25 PM
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I thought the temp sender was located in the top of the intake, but I will have to go look. I'll go out there and post again later. What all have you done to yours?
Tool box has been great. I though it would be plenty of room until I unloaded the all the craftsman boxes I had and organized the tools into this one. It is nice living in a miltary town, someone is always moving and selling stuff they cant take. I bought that one for $350. Sold my other 4 craftsman boxes at our yard sale for almost what I paid for that one.
Since I last posted on this little truck I have come across a Oxy/acet cutting torch, Drill press, Bosch 14" chop saw, and a few other little goodies. I sold all of my wood working tools at the yard sale, and made pretty good money at it.
Since I have been helping the band with the carts and props, the band director has let me order steel through him. They have a deal worked out with the supplier, get it at almost cost, and no delivery fee. I am trying not abuse the privilage. But it is hard. I want to build a solid 3/8" top fab table, and few more items before we really get working on the two trucks. Going this sat to look at a manual tube bender from craigslist. Guy is selling out his uncles garage. Says his uncle used to build race cars. Sounds like it is a JD2. Hoping I can get the dies and bender for about the cost of a JD3.
Wont happen this weekend(band comp in VA), but I have a knuckle rebuild kit from trail gear sitting in the garage for my 85. Hopefully next weekend. Hopefully by then I can talk the wife into letting me order a 2" suspension from rocky-road. That will be it for my 85 dd until this 87 is at least under its own power again. Or the engine goes in the 85.
later
Tool box has been great. I though it would be plenty of room until I unloaded the all the craftsman boxes I had and organized the tools into this one. It is nice living in a miltary town, someone is always moving and selling stuff they cant take. I bought that one for $350. Sold my other 4 craftsman boxes at our yard sale for almost what I paid for that one.
Since I last posted on this little truck I have come across a Oxy/acet cutting torch, Drill press, Bosch 14" chop saw, and a few other little goodies. I sold all of my wood working tools at the yard sale, and made pretty good money at it.
Since I have been helping the band with the carts and props, the band director has let me order steel through him. They have a deal worked out with the supplier, get it at almost cost, and no delivery fee. I am trying not abuse the privilage. But it is hard. I want to build a solid 3/8" top fab table, and few more items before we really get working on the two trucks. Going this sat to look at a manual tube bender from craigslist. Guy is selling out his uncles garage. Says his uncle used to build race cars. Sounds like it is a JD2. Hoping I can get the dies and bender for about the cost of a JD3.
Wont happen this weekend(band comp in VA), but I have a knuckle rebuild kit from trail gear sitting in the garage for my 85. Hopefully next weekend. Hopefully by then I can talk the wife into letting me order a 2" suspension from rocky-road. That will be it for my 85 dd until this 87 is at least under its own power again. Or the engine goes in the 85.
later
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