for the bottom end, since you will likely have the engine out of the truck (or at least i would...heck of a lot easier to access that way), pull all you main caps, if you can, use a plastiguage and check that way (using new rod/main bearings of course). When I took my main caps off (which you can see pics on my build up thread), the crank was so grooved, I HAD to get it turned at the machine shop...costs about $100 i think...says that in my thread too i believe.

 

my advice is to pull the motor first. it makes it way easier and probbly take less time

 

Thinking about doing this. What are the pros and cons of pulling the motor vs taking the heads off while the motor is in the car? I've done several engine swaps before mostly on hondas/acuras but I've done a turbo mr2 and I've swapped the 2jz in my sc300 quite a few times so I should be able to knock it out.

I pulled the top manifold off tonight.

 

well don't listen to him, for heads leave the motor in, pulling the motor is a Pain in the @$$ for a head job as it stands everything is there your biggest problem is dealing with the exhaust, do you you really want to add dealing with transmission, motor mounts, misc wireing, etc, really unless your going to mess with bottom end and cylinders or suspect a block leak leave it in..................

 

X2 on what offset said....if its just heads coming off, leave it in the truck. IF YOURE OVERHAULING however....pull the engine.

 

You NEED to check your main bearings, so I'd suggest pulling the engine. Up to you, of course.

Have you considered a 3.4 swap? Wish I'd done that when I rebuilt mine...

 

AMEN TO SWAPS!!!! had i known it was going to cost so much to rebuild my 22re, i coulda swapped a 5.0 for the same price....oh well..hind sights 20/20 right???

 

go ahead and leave it in but some food for thought. pull motor replace crank and bearings and re install 16hrs. head gaskets in the engine bay 32 hours. i can pull a motor in just over an hour and a half and doing hg's on a stand is a heck of alot easier than doind it in the bay especialy on a lifted rig like mine. if you do it in the bay get a good stool to stand on or make a little scaffold or something once you get started you'll know what i mean.

 

I'm pretty tall so workin on the motor in the bay isn't really a problem. I think I'm going to leave it in. The exhaust seems like the only real problem. And with the right tools it looks doable. I just wanna fix the gaskets and be done with it. I will probably go and swap the 3.4 in the future but for right now the lack of funds won't allow it.

Check out the mouse nest on the manifold in the picture I posted. At least I think that's what it is.

Also I hit up ted from engnbldr to see what's up with some oversized valves. And he said they don't make them anymore. Oh well. Was worth a shot.

 

A couple of points - I got the milky residue and my radiator always needed topping off - also, the vacuum never formed when the radiator cooled off, so my overflow tank level never went down. No other symptoms. I sent a sample of oil to Blackstone for anaylsis. They confirmed gycol in the oil, indicating head gasket leak and trace elements of various metals indicating lower bearing wear (just beginning..). You may want to do this to better establish status of lower end..

I have not had time to rebuild engine, but wanted to keep the thing operational so I could move it around and keep things moving, so when my friend said that he had successfully used Bars headgasket leak repair I thought what the heck..
Anyway, it seems to have worked in my case?!?!? I've only got a couple of hundred miles on it but it looks 100% better. I'll probably send off oil sample to see what they find. PS - there are two types, one requires that you flush ALL of the antifreeze out (the kind I used) and the other works with antifreeze (for a 300% increase in cost). I closely followed the instructions.. Not bad for 10.00. I hope that it holds but if not, no biggie..

 

Just an update. Gonna try to pull the heads off today. Been slowly working on it so I don't lose motivation. Oversized valves came in from ebay, gonna send those out with the heads.
So everytime one of my previous cars breaks down. My good friend has been so kind to let me use his rig. Here she is guys. 170k my friends dad is the original owner. Still keeps tickin