Doublewid3

Hello!

It looks as if I need 1 new head, the spark plug hole is too buggered up to either heli-coil or Time-Sert. It's been done one time before and it killed the old fix.

Anyways, I am taking it to a trusted shop and I'm going to order 2 rebuilt heads. I was wondering if I could get a machine shop to mill the head out abit for a better compression, is that possible? If so would you recommend it?

I miss my 4Runner
At least the Jeep came in handy for something other then to drain me dry of money

martinfan30

By milling the head you have to keep a couple things in mind.

Higher compression obviously requires higher octane fuel, which is more expensive.

By moving the cam centerline closer to the crank centerline, you change the cam timing. Every .012" you take off, you retard cam timing by 1 degree.

camo31_10.50

would the factory belt tensioner be able to take the extra slack out of the belt if you milled the heads and used a factory headgasket?



if you do this, you'll want to get some performance cams to compliment the higher compression....after that you'll want some headers LOL

martinfan30

Yes the tensioner will be fine.

Performance cams? I have been searching for years for cams for my 5VZ-FE in my T100...

camo31_10.50

didn't realize you were 3.4L.

but theoretically, you should be able to get a set of custom grind cams for the 3.4L

hmm, i've never heard of a set of Cams for the 3.4L, but it's always possible!....i think.....not sure if the computer can accept a set of cams or not.

if it can, then they'll be 100% custom i believe, might be kinda hard to get everything just right, since it's a quad cam motor.

xxxtreme22r

http://www.toyotacatalog.net/M1WebGe...E-745CDA5F6A76

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

A 3.4 is quite the performer..no? I guess maybe because it's in a T-100, ....which weighs quite a bit more? Maybe throw a 1uz in there? I know a guy that will do that for 2G's labor in a 1st Gen Runner... might be even cheaper in a bigger rig like yours? hehe.

Best wishes on your mod!

camo31_10.50

so like...why is LCE charging $800 for the cams?

should be roughly $500..usually runs about $100 per cam at a custom grind place..

of course with the gear being on there...ehhh...idk lol

paynemw

its funny you started this thread.... i blew a head on my 3.4 because the spark plug completely "de-threaded" the threads in the head... and the tabs on 2 spark plugs broke off into the engine... I was going to just do a head, but there was no guarantee that the cylinder walls weren't damaged... so I just got a lightly used 3.4... well it was bad, so the people I bought it from are sending me another one for free... but I will still have to replace it again. AH! I just finished it friday, and now I have to do it all over again... if anything I was thinking about match porting, or porting and polishing my heads, if I had the time, but I'd never want to increase compression, because then you can't boost the engine...

xxxtreme22r

they aren't asking for the cams back so $200 for each cam seams reasonable.

but in addition to that don't forget you need either this http://www.toyotacatalog.net/M1WebGe...6-B5C6DD2A8A8D : $724.95 or this: http://www.toyotacatalog.net/M1WebGe...D-1447B1F9C156 : $1,099.95

camo31_10.50

theres a reason i don't go to LCE for any parts.

xxxtreme22r

I know a guy running one of their motors in an 83 pickup, dyno'd about 300HP. Carbed 22r. But he's got about $9000 in the powerplant alone. I agree though, most of their prices are a little high. Looks Like I might have yo pick up a cam gear for mine though. the 20 thous I took off the block on mine is affecting cam timing too much I think.

martinfan30

Man I have never seen the threads become destroyed in a head on a Toyota engine... Unless it's operator error.. Seen it on plenty of Fords though lol.

Let me guess... The plugs in that head, where the ground electrodes broke off...
Bosch Platinums?

ONLY use NGK or ND plugs in Toyota heads. Have seen this failure with Bosch, Autolite and Champion Platinum plugs. Is the hope of 1/2 a H.P. gain worth major upper end damage? No, in my thoughts.

Doublewid3

Yes, the first one to blow out was Bosch, the guy at napa said he wouldnt run those in a lawn mower. And this is a common problem with Ford Tritions 4.8 5.4 and V10s

paynemw

yea... about a year ago when i bought the truck it had those bosch platinums in there... I didn't know any better, but now I know... and all I want to use with this engine is what toyota uses... NGK's... What a stupid young buck I was... as far as why the threads were completely destroyed, I haven't a clue as to why... I've never ever seen that either, and I didn't mess with the plugs... wierd

martinfan30

Know whats funny about Toyota and their plug choices? OEM plugs on the old V-6's (3.0 and 3.4) had NGK's on one bank, and ND's on another bank. Guess they were trying to please their suppliers.

Upon doing the first plug replacement on these engines, I found the NGK's held up a little better (wear wise) than the Nippon Denso's.

Just a little useless knowledge lol.

Doublewid3

Awww crap. I was *hoping* this wasn't going to be brain surgery. I knew about higher octane gas, like 89 would be great, I didn't want to be uber performance. But all this redo the cams/timing. I think itll be best to leave well enough alone.

martinfan30

Man, it's not brain surgery. Just have the heads shaved enough for a clean, flat sealing surface and run it. You will be fine on 87 octane.

Look for a TRD supercharger...

Then again, you'll have to run high octane...

Just take the engine for whats it worth. Reliability. Use low gears!

Doublewid3

Not to rip on the engine but I want that more bang. Course I'm not doing an "apples to apples" comparison. I've grown to love my Jeeps 4.0 despite the fact it has a dead hole it has all that RAW torque (5spd).

I want a TRD supercharger, but then the 4Runner won't be my DD where as the Jeep most likely would at these times w/gas so high.

Hey, at least I didn't get a 3vz-e

martinfan30

My experience with the TRD blower is this... I installed many on the 3.4 and 4.7. One on a 3RZ. The increase in bottom end torque is amazing. It will smoke low end on the 4.0. The mid end rush is good and the top end only seems slightly better. That may be due to my elevation of 4600 ft.

They will light up the tires at random!

You will use more fuel with all that torque available at the touch of a pedal!

I have seen a few 3.4's give up the ghost due to heavy trailer hauling after S/C install.