LibertyOptics

Hi Folks,

Getting ready to purchase my third Toy 4x4, a 1984 SR-5 Xtra cab with 22r and 189,000 miles. while it's a one owner vehicle and well maintained, I have no aspirations that the engine will be peppy for anything more than 100,000 miles, tops.

Researching, I've narrowed down three options to replace the engine.

1) Buy one rebuilt here. I've tentatively selected Putney's Custom Automotive Machine because they seem to have no problems de-mystifying what work and procedures they follow when the rebuild an engine, and they seem to have a lot of passion. I appreciate that. Any other "preferred" rebuilders that you have experience with, I'm all ears.

2) Buy a "low miles" Japanese-built import. I'm having a hard time finding anyone who has them in stock. Is this still a viable option? where would I find one? I actually like this option the best. However....

3) Buy one of the "new" long blocks I see circulating on the 'net now. There is a lot of conflicting info out there. These new engines are supposedly made in Japan, not China, and maybe hold some promise. The Japanese company making them supposedly bought all the castings from Toyota? I know of one Toyota/Lexus tech that is doing this fulltime in Golden, CO. He is buying and installing these engines and seems to really like them. Here's a URL http://www.atlr.net/EngineSales.html


At any rate, any guidance/experience shared here is appreciated.

Thanks,

Scott

toyospearo

I don't know where you are located but here in Northern CA. we have a shop called General Machine. They specialize in building the 22r series and they have been doing them since the 22r was born. They use core shortblocks and machine them. You can customize them if you want. They use Toyota heads, timing covers, etc. They have a great reputation. I would give them a call.
1795 Alliance Road Arcata, CA 95521-5303 - (707) 822-5521

metalhed

Greetings and Welcome
Can you update your location?

Jessie at ATLR is my local mechanic, and he is a reputable guy and I have seen the engines in question. They appear decent.

tried4x2signN

OMG... a 1 owner.. with less than 200k... And it needs a rebuild already?


I gotta hear this... What say, post padders?

LibertyOptics

Thanks for the great feedback, guys. This looks like a classy forum.

Location updated.

LibertyOptics

As a clarification, I'm looking to acquire a replacement. Not going to replace the current engine until the time comes, but I'd rather have one in hand then wait down the road.

Thanks.

broncrider

welcome to yotatech!! and to me thats a decend amount of miles on a 22r. if its still running like a 4cylinder engines and no knocks oil burning or major i would drive it till it comes up with a major problem. thats me thought. no need to fix it if it isnt broke. but once again welcome to the site more info here then you will ever need to know

tried4x2signN

Why would you even need a replacement with those miles on it?

Is your compression low?

tried4x2signN

nevermind... instead of driving my point across and spending all day on this board, I'll just skip to the point.


Toyota motors are the best in the world... Ok, more so for that era.

VIRGIN motors are even BETTER! That's an engine that hasn't been opened since Toyota put it together...

In your research you've found what you wanted to find... What you haven't found is those cylinder walls should be still in fine working order... And those oil leaks are driving you mad, aren't they?

So you've got a virgin bottom end, cyliders that should be in fine working order... And you think b/c it's got 185k miles on it, and the oil leaks, you need a new motor...

Run a compression test. Replace all the oil seals, EDIT: and the timing chain, drive it another trouble free 100,000 and save yourself a few thousand...

gee whiz...

tried4x2signN

It was never peppy... It had 96hp stock... Would it run 300k miles? Yes... It'd just take you a while to get there....

100,000 miles on a 22R isn't even breaking a sweat...

LibertyOptics

What I meant was I don't expect it to be running as good as it should after an additional 100,000 miles on top of the 189,000 it already has....

Do you have anything constructive to offer?

LibertyOptics

Seems like a good guy to me. Do you know if his engines are assembled here or imported fully assembled?

tried4x2signN

Hey, if you got the money... then by all means...

I just think you're spending money you don't need to, and getting an engine only marginally better... (I'm only basing that off the 20 or so engines I've taken apart, or made running... not internet opinion)

but that's cool...

RustBucket

iTrader: (1)

Are you willing to assemble the engine or is a ready-to-drop-in unit what you're looking for?

When I did my rebuild 30k ago I bought a used block and had a local machinist put together the shortblock with ENGNBLDR parts. He also reworked the head and installed an aftermarket cam. Then I put it together along with the timing chain and all that and installed it. I think alot of guys on the board go that route and you'll find alot of documentation.

LibertyOptics

Thanks for that. Do they have a website or are they old school?

Magnusian

Don't forget about japanengine.com, I've read a few threads in various places where people have bought engines from there and haven't seen any complaints but lots of praise. They offer new-cast blocks, and they can come as just the block, short block, or long block, the prices seem reasonable and they offer 48-state free shipping too (no good to me, I'm in Canada). They don't take core returns since they don't want old blocks, this is good incase you get a bum motor and need to swap back to your old one.

Of course, like it's been stated it sounds like your engine is still in good shape, the most I'd do to it myself is replace the timing setup if it hasn't been done yet since it's at that mileage for it. I'd also pop the head off and relap the valves/replace hg (if necessary), that should keep it running perfectly for at least another 100k.

Junkers88

edit: it wasn't worth the hassle......

Anyway. Back to your original post, and the resulting intelligent answers, I do feel that your engine will do well for another 100,000 miles with regular maintenence. If you do feel the need to have a spare laying around then I'm sure someone on here that has actually bought a rebuillt, or new, engine can give you some insight. In the mean time enjoy your 84, be sure it's tuned up and just drive it. Although there is nothing peppy about these engines they do tend to last a while.

Have fun!

broncrider

dont take my comment wrong. I know what you were saying. im doing the same thing for my cummins. looking for another block to build so if or in my case when something goes boom your not stressed about finding another motor you hope runs..

tried4x2signN

Sound advise... But the guy wants to spend $4,000 not @ $700...

Magnusian

At least he's not trying to go for one of those 450hp LCE setups, I don't know how anyone can justify the price tag on 'em, especially since it seems like you're supposed to rebuild them every 500 miles.

When I rebuild my 22R in the summer I'm budgeting for about $2k (including shipping to soviet canuckistan), but that's because I want to put a weber carb on, get block bored and honed, cleaned, painted, new head/cam, dual-row timing chain conversion, etc, but after that I'm not gonna put another dime's worth of parts in it if I can avoid it. Main reason why I'm rebuilding is due to very dubious maintenance by the PO, and it's time for it's first new timing chain, so I figure I might as well go dual-row because I don't want to have to do it more than once or twice (I want to take my truck AND motor to 1.6 million km, only reason why I'm putting a little extra money in it, especially since I'll be putting about 80k km on it a year, gotta love those 250km daily commutes!). There's also a tiny amount of oil in my exhaust (the level on the dipstick doesn't change but you can smell burning oil and see a slight blue-grey hue to the exhaust when it's running), which leads me to think I've maybe got a piston ring starting to go since there's no exhaust in my oil, and no water/oil latte anywhere. Otherwise it runs great as is, and I'm sure that if I just did the timing chain it'd probably run great for years if it wasn't driven as much as I plan on driving it. I want to get a little bit more out of it as well as make sure I don't have to muck with it all that often.