Thanks, and uhhh read the list again? haha

 

1 AM on the east coast, bed time haha

 

hot tank the upper and lower intake to get that gunk out possibly? I would while i was in there.

 

lookin' good!

 

It'll work. I dont have the money either soooo.

Hey people... how bad is it if I dont adjust my valves? They did machine a bit off my heads and I didnt get a thicker gasket.

 

Hey man ,dont be in a hurry adjust the valves the thing is out now do it.You will regret it later !!

 

Update 8-1-09

Finally got some assembly lube. Then lost my tube of FIPG. I’m sure I’ll find it as soon as I don’t need any more of it. Had to drive into town to buy another tube of FIPG, and to return the GM A/C and P/S belt tensioner pulleys that the intelligent workers at Kragen gave my mom when I asked them for the timing belt idler and tensioner.

Got the cams in and checked the valves they were all good enough for me so I don’t have to adjust them, thank god. Valve covers on. Started plugging electrical and vacuum things in, maybe prematurely but I will find out later. Also threw in my spark plugs.

Seems my employee discount at Toyota lowers everything to near after market price. It’s all been about the same.

 

Update 8-10-09

Valve covers on. Playing with the timing belt. Must have put it on and taken it off 6 times at least. And it still has to come off again because I noticed that the woodruff key in the crank for the crank timing belt pulley and the harmonic balancer is sheared off. And my harmonic balancer is screwed.





Broke one of the injectors taking it apart. The little green plastic thing on the end of the injector CAN NOT come off. Mine did. I have to find a used injector.

Injector with green cap…


Injector without cap…


Injector rails installed…


I have to go back and get the injector cross rail crush washers tomorrow, hopefully we have them in stock. I hate the waiting game. I could have the damn thing together by now but its always “wait till tomorrow for the part” then “we have to order it, it will be here tomorrow” then it takes me 5 minutes to put the part on just to find out I need something else in order to get the next part on.

 

Update 8-13-09

Upper intake manifold is on. I THINK all the vacuum lines, and fuel lines, and wires, and connectors are connected and in their correct locations. Well I hope they are. The throttle cable is even connected. 

Found out that the harmonic balancer had a gash in it where the woodruff key in the crank hits it. And the woodruff key was a little bent. Took a while to get the timing belt gear off of the crank. Got a new woodruff key. Put in a new front main seal since I was already down there. Priced out harmonic balancers and decided to J-B weld mine. Lol. Well see how that goes.

 

Update 8-14-09

Harmonic balancer is on. What a crazy ordeal it was trying to tighten the crank bolt. Have a look at my home-made SST…




Timing cover, belts, distributor, plugs, fan clutch on…


Aaaaaand together…


Tried to start it. It took a while. Finally got it to light, I think it had to prime all the fuel lines and such. It idled like crap and would not rev at all. Plus it had a very bad squeaking noise like it had no oil. I let it go for a few seconds but just shut it off. I did use assembly lube but I used it lightly. I’m afraid that I didn’t use enough and now I’m just screwing up the bearings.


Update 2 hours later

Sounds like it’s the throw out bearing or something. Press the clutch in and the squeaking goes away. But the engine still runs like CRAP! I’m surprised it lit.

 

Update 8-16-09

Doing some more checking. Trying to do everything. Its kind of annoying not being able to ask you guys anything.

I have a neighbor/family friend who used to be a mechanic for Ford. So I took the truck over there and we looked through it for a couple of hours. He has an absolutely amazing collection of tools as any real mechanic does. We hooked it up to this kind of heartbeat monitor thing for the ignition I don’t know what it is called. But we were able to cut power to each of the plugs individually and watch the RPMs drop. When we cut power to plug 1 nothing changed. That means cylinder 1 wasn’t firing. I already knew it had a miss but know we knew where it was.

Cylinder 1 is the one that I had the injector problem with. It is the injector from a junkyard. The engine it came off of was supposedly running. We used a stethoscope with a small metal tube on the end and stuck it on the number 2 injector. You could hear a very noticeable and sharp click with every revolution of the engine. Listen to injector number 1 and all you hear is the faint hum of the engine in the background. So guess what? The injector is screwed. Going to work tomorrow to find out how much they are and hopefully order one.

On my way home I noticed A LOT more power. It will actually pull my driveway in second gear. (it isn’t too terribly steep). But I know it will be much better when all the cylinders decide to play. I feel SO much better about the engine now and can’t wait to change the injector.

In driving it, I found out that it needs a clutch and also severely needs the shifter bushing. Also when I bought the truck it came with about a case of Royal Purple gear oil. That made me wonder. But I have found that the rear diff leaks and I will have to look into that later. Also the starter sucks ass and the power steering box leaks which I knew when I bought it.

Diff…


She’s a beauty, and moves under her own power…

 

Update 8-20-09

OK so I put the new injector in yesterday and it is running great. One thing I don’t know about is why it idles at 1200-1300 when it is cold and settles down to 750-850 when it warms up. Other that that it seems to run perfect.

I changed the upper and lower shifter bushings this afternoon and, whaddaya know, you can actually feel it go into gear.

I’m hoping to drive at least 50 miles tomorrow. But I can hear a humming as the front left tire turns, sounds like a wheel bearing to me? I guess Ill just do the brakes while I’m down there.

 

Update 8-23-09

Drove it to work today. It’s still non-op (don’t tell anyone). It did great. Two things that I really need to fix are the starter and the wheel bearing. I think I’m just gonna do the starter contacts for $25 instead of a re-man for $125.

I knew the mileage was gonna suck but I filled it yesterday went to work today and now I have half a tank. Oh jeez. Time to get that MR-2 I’ve always wanted for a daily.

So how bout some pics? I took a few at work and on my way home.

 

Update 8-24-09

Okay so maybe I did a little upgrade on the stereo… So what? Who cares? Well… apparently Officer Lemasters does.

 

Update 8-30-09

Got a new to me set of rims and tires today. They are Hankook 33x12.5 on some oxidized aluminum wheels. The best part about them was that they were free. I spent a couple hours polishing the wheels and putting them on the truck and I love the way they look.









They stick out a little, and I haven’t flexed it out yet but the front rubs on the pinch when I turn. I’m pretty sure the rear is going to rub on the front side of the fender well when flexed.

 

Today I went for a little ride up the hill took a few pictures. I’m really happy with the way the truck looks now and I know I’ve still got a few maintenance issues to deal with but I love it. Here a few pics for yall…

 

Hey , welcome back Dude , She looks great and the tires make a big difference . Congrats!!

 

I know dude thanks! Yours is looking pretty awesome too. I wish I could do that to mine.

 

I thought you were gone forever, glad your back and your rig runs nice.

LOL @ that ticket. I have 2 10s in my runner and ive never been hastled by the cops.

 

I was used to how the 2 15s sounded in my Camry and now the runner magnifies them alot. I was on the highway doing about 55 and drove by him while he had a Mercades pulled over. I turned it down even though I didnt think it was up loud. He decided to leave that Mercades as fast as he could just to get me. I heard from a freind at the FD here that that particular officer has a thing for giving out noise tickets.