TNRabbit

What is the shop doing to your pistons? Are you having them installed into the block?

Also, I quoted you about $40 for the timing belt pulleys; that's not right. One was over $100, the other (lower) one was cheaper, but I don't remember off the top of my head what it was. Maybe that's the one that was $40. I'm re-using my old tensioner; it still meets specs.

DaveInDenver

A good machine shop will want the pistons and rings in hand before they do the cylinder hone or bore.

justinking060310

I dropped the pistons off late this afternoon so I won't get them and the block back until next week now... Yes they need the new pistons/rings to do it correctly. I also picked up some CompCams Engine Assembly Lube.

No, I am not having them install pistons, I will do that - I did let them install the freeze plugs for a dollar each - that was certainly worth my money.

TNR - Are those specs you speak of in the FSM, I have not looked - I would prefer to reuse, my timing belt was dealer replaced 10k ago but i dont know about the tensioners.... Does the FSM explain how to check them(mine didnt FEEL like they had any play in them) or can you tell me?

Kat

The Head Shop in Virginia Beach is going my machine work. Guys name is Ray.

TNRabbit

Sorry, I think we may be confused. There is a spec for the actual TENSIONER in the FSM. I don't remember it offhand. The tensioner is spring loaded & keeps tension on the lower idler pulley. The upper idler pulley is around the water jacket intake. Both mine sounded like they had sand in them, but you couldn't tell while the engine was running. I would check both pulleys very carefully. How do the bearings in yours sound?

You're belt should be good for at least another 50,000 miles if it looks ok.

toy power

So is this your first engine build? looks like you will have a fun truck when its finished. if you haven't already gotten a ring compressor, i would suggest a fixed one (one solid piece of metal) or a higher quality adjustable one. i had one that was a piece of junk when i built my first motor, i can't believe i didn't break a ring. that is one tool i would not skimp on. good luck i look forward to seeing more pics

TNRabbit

What is this part?

J Dizzle

Not sure if anyone else mentioned it yet, but your p/s pump looks like its been leaking from the first pictures. Might as well take care of that while everything is out too.

justinking060310

Toy Power - Yes this is the first time I have gone into a short block -- I can finally afford to buy the tools I need/want to do the job correctly and not have to second guess myself. Do you have a recommendation on a ring compressor - I had planned to pick up an adjustable one from Sears later this week. Do they make a fixed size one for pistons this small?

TNR - That is the oil strainer on the right and the oil strainer gasket on the right -- I could not even blow through the original one becasue of all of the sludge.

J Dizzle - I looked back at my pictures and don't see the power steering pump in any of them(but I did just wake up) so I will look at it in person this afternoon and assess it. Thank you for the reminder.

So, I am currently waiting on the call from the machine shop to go pick everything up -- I still haven't finished cleaning out my engine bay yet --- Bad Katie! Bad!

Goat - If your out there reading this - I mocked up my radiator to check for clearance to squeeze an external stacked plate transmission cooler between the radiator and the condenser, and there is all of a hair follicle sized gap between the two. I am going back to read if you put a spacer in there or something because it's not gonna fit in there the way it is.

KAT

mt_goat

No spacer, yeah it was a tight fit with just a hair gap. I'm trying to remember, I may have cut a little of the radiator support bracket so it would fit better I don't remember doing that. I do remember cutting some 1" holes through that support bracket under the condenser with a hole saw for better air flow. I'll look through my pics, later Kat.

mt_goat

Ok, I found some pics and now I remember.




You can see where I took a pair of pliers and bent the lower edge of that brace slightly to give a little more clearance. Also you can see the holes I cut and some of the brackets I fabbed up to hold the coolers in place. Of course that would be almost impossible to do with the engine in place, but with it out its pretty easy to sit on the front diff and work (oops I forgot again you don't have a front diff). You will get some funny looks from your neighbors sitting in your engine bay. Could be the 2wd is slightly different than my 4wd too.

justinking060310

ok, so i broke down and I ordered the cat and catback system by Downey($383 shipped) -- Yes, it is a 2.5" system, i know, I really would have liked a 2.25" but you now what? I can live with it for the ease in performace I am (hoping) to get. The whole system is Downeys so everything should bolt up and align easy as pie.

I received an anonymous PM about a sale at sears online store tonight.

Goat - I am going to research how to make some room up front for the cooler - I am going to see if I can put a spacer in front of the condensor and/or the radiator - I am trying to remember how much room is in front of the stock fan, is there room to bring the radiator forward(towards the motor) 1/2" or 3/4"?

Kat

snap-on

Did i post my pics of how i had to tweek my disptick tube to get it to fit around the downey headers? Talk about a PITA!

Did i post my pics of how i relocated my transfercase cooler on the A340H? I spent hrs under the 4runner trying to figure out the easyest way to mount the thing. Came up with a fairly easy mount location and can use all the existing hoses and everything. (i shure hope you didnt buy downy's relocation kit)

We'll see how you like the look and feel of the EGR and reed valve hookups. I hate the downey design and spent hrs fabing up my own fex connections so it would be "right".

My shifter linkage has never been the same but im shure it has a lot to do with having the ˟˟˟˟˟ bent out of it and rebent... "ahhhhh i think thats what its supposed to look like" my 4wd shifter isnt right, but i havnt taken the time yet to figure out why.

I mounted my autometer sender for the real colant temp guage in the block drain hole on the pass side. Screwed right in.

I mounted an aux trans cooler and temp sender inline. Again another thing to watch are those pesky trans cooler lines. WAY to easy to get bend all to hell.

Make shure you use plenty of lubiplate assembly lube, and keep it away from the dogs. My labs ate the entire first tube before i got to use it and i found them with the second tube a few weeks later.

justinking060310

Snap-on -- First off, I am only 2wd so that takes a few headaches out of the equation. I guess i will have to work with the dipstick issue. I am planning to use braided s/s lines for the trans lines as soon as i figure out where to mount it.

I need to get my autometer stuff ordered.

What did you do with the reed and egr hookups? got any great ideas on how to get it done any easier

I have a jar of comp cams engine assembly lube -- that should work right? Do you just put a thin coat or do you be generous?


I started throwing around the 1" body lift idea as well as the PP rear coils(SSSHHHH!! don't tell anyone i have a saggy bottom!)

Kat

PS your dogs sound just like mine - if it is not bolted down, they will walk away with that...

toy power

I think this is a good adjustable one:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes

Avoid this:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...VCookie=Yesiii

The adjustable one will be cost effective if you build another engine. The only thing that makes adjustable ones difficult is that if you are not used to using them, it is very easy for the oil rings to hang up on the deck. Maybe that one will go on sale.

mt_goat

That's a great idea!

Kat, I don't know how much room there is between the fan and radiator, but surely you don't need that much do you?

snap-on

my reed and EGR hookups... ill see if i can dig up the pics, IT was a compleate hack job but turned out in the end.

Comp cams engine lube, i suppose, All i know is ive seen the lubriplate stuff in about 3 other motor build posts in the background of pics, and when i walked into my old school parts place, and asked what peeps use for assembly lube the uninoumous answer was


as for how much to put on, I had the same question, i asked a couple of guys that build engines, they said, thicker is better. In my case i took the tube and spooged out a tail of greese like you might do when putting toothpaste on your toothbrush, then evened that out with my finger on each bearing half. In my case it left a fairly thick white "paint" over the entire bearing.

I was a bit worried about how stiff mine was to turn over when i got it all put together, but i think most of that had to do with the new rings. IVe got right at 10K on my rebuild now and no issues.

justinking060310

very well, I may have to pick up some K-Y --- I mean LUBRIPLATE(wonders to herself if it could be found on the same shelf at walgreens?)

I didn't wan't to spend 80 bucks on a ring compressor, but i probably will based on that rec. and the fact that i would like to use it again, and i will always have it now.

Does someone (Snap-on, Bumpin', TNR, Goat) WINK WINK WINK want to go look at their fan to radiator clearance since i cant. I just want to know if I can put a 1/2 or 3/4 block behind the radiator mount bolts to make room for the coolers. I literally have 1/4" gap between the condensor and the rad fins.

Thank Gentlemen,
Kat

mt_goat

I can tell you I have about 1/4" but I have a different motor (5VZ) than you do and a Taurus fan. Sorry I can't remember my old stock 3VZ set-up except there didn't seem to be much extra room anywhere with that thing.

Bumpin' Yota

My wiper transmission came and I needed to remedy my slipping alternator belt so I went out and while out there obliged you. I could stick 3 fingers side by side btwn the fan and the radiator. Being conservative I'd say 2" or so. However mines a 10/89 model (1990) so yours may be different.

Anyone else?


Oh and Kat have you pulled the tranny pan yet or the tranny filter? When you do be DOUBLY sure to wear clothing you dont mind ruining. Those japanese engineers like to play tricks on us amercians doing our own servicing........lol I eagerly await your tranny filter chaning story! *bites tongue* (ps - also make sure there are no children in earshot when you do this change...hehehehehe)

TNRabbit

There's not much to check on mine; it's all in the garage floor....