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The biggest concerns with running the stock crossover is maintaining the cooling system and adjusting the valves every 60k like Toyota recommends. If you can stay on top of these two things you should not have any problems.
The biggest concerns with running the stock crossover is maintaining the cooling system and adjusting the valves every 60k like Toyota recommends. If you can stay on top of these two things you should not have any problems.
Originally Posted by LolaL
couple of hours in the shop this morning...
spent part of it chasing threads on exhaust studs and nuts
all but the AC pulley are looking new with fresh paint
even the distributor made it on (with new cap and rotor and wires)!
and the workbench is looking almost empty!
And as you might be able to see, the crossover pipe made it back on and linked up to the driver side exhaust manifold. "WHY!?" you might ask? I was talking with my instructor some more about heat, head gasket failures, then eventually back pressure, poor flow, and engine performance. In his heyday at the Toyota dealerships, they saw equal parts cylinder 1 and cylinder 6 head gasket failures due to gasket material and integrity rather than from heat contribution. Part of me obviously still wants to change it, but if I'm not going to improve flow while I'm at it.... mmmm. I think what actually won out was getting everything back together and ready to go in the truck this coming week.
so maybe I'll save up for headers and run an X crossover under the truck.
in reality, I'll probably just keep it mostly stock and keep an eye on the coolant level in my oil when I send it in for oil analyses; we all know if I want a performance truck, it's not going to be the 3VZE.
I think you will be fine when you get the truck up and running LolaL and again that engine looks awesome. However, as I mentioned when you first opened this post and along with what your instructor said, our 3VZE engines are known for blown HGs and burnt valves. Keeping an eye on the coolant as you stated will help you spot that. Before mine blew, the plastic over flow tank on the right kept going down to where I would need to add coolant every couple of weeks. Other signs of a bad HG are water in oil (milky oil) and white smoke out the exhaust. Headers will benefit as they will either prolong this or eliminate the HG issue for good as they take away the heat more efficiently from cylinder 6.
Otherwise, as I said, I think you will be fine when you get you truck up and running.
Before mine blew, the plastic over flow tank on the right kept going down to where I would need to add coolant every couple of weeks. Other signs of a bad HG are water in oil (milky oil) and white smoke out the exhaust.
yeah, this engine was starting to puff white smoke out the exhaust and smell sickly sweet of coolant before I pulled it out. My last oil sample before tear-down also started to show traces of coolant in the oil. The coolant (and the truck and the engine) obviously hadn't been taken care of too well over the years.
In other news, I was reading about different break-in oil formulations and actually found someone who had taken a number of different brands component/formulation tested.
If Joe Gibbs or Lucas Break-in oils aren't readily available or I'm working on a budget, I'll use conventional Valvoline oil with a good zinc break-in additive and have never had a problem in dozens of rebuilds. The key is the zinc (ZDDP) combining with the phosphorus in order to harden and protect metal surfaces. Just running straight oil during break-in can hinder proper break-in and significantly reduce engine life.
If Joe Gibbs or Lucas Break-in oils aren't readily available or I'm working on a budget, I'll use conventional Valvoline oil with a good zinc break-in additive and have never had a problem in dozens of rebuilds. The key is the zinc (ZDDP) combining with the phosphorus in order to harden and protect metal surfaces. Just running straight oil during break-in can hinder proper break-in and significantly reduce engine life.
I've heard some people continue using zinc/phosphorus additives on older flat lifter engines to help prolong the life of the engines (but shorten the life of the cats, if they're present)... I found the Lucas break-in when I picked up oil the other day, so that's what's going in!
and... guess who can't wait for tomorrow to come (although I won't be able to start until like... noon-ish.
engine's in! Should be able to finish buttoning up the rest tomorrow-
to do
-plenum and intake hoses
-remaining water hoses
-fuel main supply line and cold air inject line
-belts (I noticed I stuck one of the pulleys on the fan backwards so it doesn't line up) >_<
-radiator & coolant
-vacuum hoses
-charge AC
-top off PS fluid
-I'm sure I'm forgetting something...
hands were filthy so didn't take too many pictures, but here's two
when I picked up spark plugs, the store said the one on the right (BKR5EGP) had superseded the ones that I had in there (also repair manual recommended BKR5EYA). 5EGP had greater gap clearance (~0.038" vs. recommended 0.031"), so adjusted and threw them in. Guess I'll see how they perform.
Last edited by LolaL; Aug 14, 2015 at 05:13 PM.
Reason: because pictures and bad grammar
One of the instructors was teaching a course today from 8-4 today, so of course I had to go in!
plenum, I hope I don't see you any time soon.
everything seems to be in place (except for cruise vacuum hose hanging out the driver side and the windshield fluid hose hanging out the passenger side.
yes, I needed the ladder for a lot of the work. I'm too short!
"my" tool cart
My to-do list I scribbled down last night. I was really hoping I hadn't forgotten anything. Everything but the AC got charged before I gave it a crank. Started up on the 3rd try! Adjusted timing ~10degrees (might advance it a hair more). Drove it around campus without the hood on. wheeee!
DROVE IT HOME!!! Have some coolant seeping out the water inlet, so I'm going to re-seal it tomorrow morning. Not sure if the bead was too thin or what. Everything else seems to be pretty good. Going to keep a close eye on all the fluids of course.
So excited and so tired at the same time. Thanks everyone for your input and help!
next: transmission overhaul, haha. No, seriously, but it won't be until our last semester, so stay tuned!
As someone who just acquired a '95 4Runner with a 3VZE that needs a rebuild, let me just say thank you for this thread. What a great resource! Keep up the good work!
Nice work! A great feeling to hear the VRRRMMMMM as it comes to life.
Originally Posted by grumpin
That's great! Good job!
Originally Posted by dbd6604
As someone who just acquired a '95 4Runner with a 3VZE that needs a rebuild, let me just say thank you for this thread. What a great resource! Keep up the good work!
Originally Posted by Janos01
Glad to see you got it up and running Lolal. Enjoy it & have fun.
I know, I think I had a giant grin all of Sunday. Test drove it on 195 after resealing the water inlet. no leaks! But, the work's not over. I drove it up to PA (no overheating! no knocking!), but smelled fuel over on the passenger side engine, so I'm going to pull it back into the shop and see if something didn't get torqued down properly or if some crush washer just didn't want to seal/seat. nothing caught on fire...I guess that's good, right? Maybe I should pick up a fire extinguisher for the truck just in case (!)
I must have gotten lost in vacuum city when putting the engine back in.
that would explain the smell. Glad it wasn't a fuel leak!
and today I was reminded that I had been having a hot start problem before the engine came out for the rebuild. Stopped by the grocer's on the way back from class and the truck didn't want to start back up. >_<
Always has to be something, doesn't it?
These vacuum lines are no joke. I feel like I'm going to have a hell of a time putting everything back together even though I have the FSM. Glad to see you got that figured out though!
Out of curiosity and a bit off topic, Lolal, what kind of power steering fluid do you use? From the forms ive read, it is not very clear as some say dealer fluid and others say aftermarket.
These vacuum lines are no joke. I feel like I'm going to have a hell of a time putting everything back together even though I have the FSM. Glad to see you got that figured out though!
yeah, I took a few pictures before I disconnected everything, then used a bunch of Yotatecher's posts (http://pix.ie/rb09/2389978/size/800), repair manual diagrams, underhood decals, etc... I think I might have to double check the lines again.
Originally Posted by Janos01
Out of curiosity and a bit off topic, Lolal, what kind of power steering fluid do you use? From the forms ive read, it is not very clear as some say dealer fluid and others say aftermarket.
I just used ATF this last time I flushed it. We use PS fluid from Napa at work (at the Lexus dealership) :p
Ok was it just standard ATF fluid or Toyota ATF fluid?
mine is just standard ATF. I had leftover from my trans flush when I had to reseal the pan, so I used it and flushed out the PS lines too. I don't think it's as big a deal (Toyota vs. aftermarket) as long as you have the right type and the right levels-probably why you've found people using a variety of different kinds on the forums.
mine is just standard ATF. I had leftover from my trans flush when I had to reseal the pan, so I used it and flushed out the PS lines too. I don't think it's as big a deal (Toyota vs. aftermarket) as long as you have the right type and the right levels-probably why you've found people using a variety of different kinds on the forums.
Aug 10, 2015 | 05:11 AM
