Hello all, after years of longing, I finally decided to pull the trigger on swapping my 93 extra cab 4x4! She rolled over to 365,000 on the way to the shop, after running on 5 cylinders for the last 6 years or so. I thought I'd post some of the progress for all you enthusiasts here! As of now, I have pulled the old 3.0 and nearly completely configured the JDM 3.4 to go back in. After many hours online, in manuals, and around the engine itself, I've concluded that it most likely came out of a 2001, 2wd automatic Tacoma. Here's some pics for starters. I'll update as I go along.
EDIT: Apparently the engine came out of a Toyota HiAce.

Immediately after washing, just 2 days before pulling the engine. When I bought it 13 years ago it was pretty much bone stock. Since then, It has received a 2" suspension lift, front and rear tube bumpers, and a whole lot of wear and tear.

The easy stuff out of the way, time to get serious.

Engine hoist wasn't working right, had to get creative with a ratchet strap.

Engine out, JDM showed 2 days later. Left time for cleaning.

Hour and a half with the Hotsy, top and bottom. I've never seen so much grease built up.

Was not very pleased with the packaging. It came loosely strapped to a broken pallet, wrapped in black plastic. There was some shipping damage. Crushed oil filter, oil pan cracked at drain bolt, power steering cap broken. Since the pan and filter are getting replaced anyways, I decided not to make a fuss.




Need to get this grease caked oil cooler off the 3.0. What a mess!

Moved oil filter to front spot. My JDM came with a cap instead of an oil cooler. The 3.0 oil cooler will be going on, and a new water pump to accommodate it as well.

Oil cooler and block coolant fitting in place.

 

Now for the timing belt and water pump. At first sight I noticed a little rust on the pulleys. Engine must have sat for a while.

What I didn't expect was a complete mess of rust and corrosion.

Everything cleaned up fairly well, however. There was some rust pitting in the block water pump mating surface, so I coated the new gasket in a thin layer of Permatex Optimum. New pulleys and thermostat were also installed.

 

Next, the oil pickup.

The original 5vz-fe oil pickup and baffle.

Baffle cutout to accommodate the 3.0 oil pickup.

 

Next, the dipstick relocation. I didn't take many pictures, as this was a careful and tedious process. I was able to remove the dipstick seat from the old engine, and with a set of calipers and good old Google, was able to figure out which drill bits were needed to get it to press fit into the 3.4 block. I shoved some rags in with a scraper, and worked up in size until I reached the diameter I wanted. Step bits were used, as well as marks on regular bits to get proper depth.

To keep shavings away from the crank.


Once through from the top, I stepped in from the bottom to allow the main shaft size to be reamed easier.


After drilling wider top bore, ready to be pressed in.


And done. Bracket for mounting the tube is still to come.



Back to the shop tomorrow to continue the project. More updates to come!

 

I had bought a wrecked 99. I guess I got super lucky; there was the famous plug (that looks like a not-drilled-out dipstick plug). So I got a brass drift and tapped it out from inside. (Had decided to rebuild the insides anyway). I had bought the tube-moving kit from Offroad Solutions. However rather than drilling out the (new) oil pump, I put some of the fipg stuff IIRC (Pretty certain they supplied that - bought so much stuff I kind of forget what's what) around the old plug, and just put that where one would put the dipstick tube in the oil pump. Pretty happy about it.

Looks like you're making really great time.

 

I feel like I read somewhere that 99 was the last year that had that. Everything after was just a solid cast protrusion. I still have to plug the oil pump hole; I haven't quite decided what route I want to take there yet.

 

Alright, I've been hard at it and here's some more progress for y'all. Next step was the exhaust crossover pipe. I had thought about just buying one, but my JDM has a funky downturn header on the driver side, and none of the current market crossovers seem to fit that style. So, instead I spent 3 days building one.

I started by drilling flat stock and fitting it to be traced.



Then on to the plasma cutter.



Finished with a hole saw and cleaned up on the belt sander.

 

Next, I purchased some 2 1/2" pipe sections from the local Autozone and began to route the crossover.

This was the first attempt. It did not go so well.




After a test fit I realized it was way too far back.

 

So I ended my day there, and came back the next day refreshed. This is what transpired.

I reduced the angle on the 2nd pipe and moved the whole assembly closer to the block.


Once I had it all tacked I realized that, due to the different header outlet angles, the pipe could not be removed as a rigid unit. A piece of flex solved that problem.



Finished product.

 

The next day I dropped the engine in. I didn't document the progress, but it's fully mounted and ready to be plummed and wired.

 

For anyone who might be wondering, I used a new clutch and flywheel for a 3.4, and a new clutch release bearing and starter for a 3.0.

 

(Thumbs-up emoji insert here)

Looking at your crossover, I have opportunity to say bad words. I had mine redone by Cliff at ToyOnly Swaps (?) seems like ages ago. Haven't even taken it out of the wrapper yet, but I also spent the last week of 'free time' working on how to plumb in a mechanical temp guage as a backup. I guess I need to pull mine off the stand, fit up the pipe after I get the head on, and see if my new tube will fit. I decided to go with the probe in the pass side rear head water jacket.

And it looks like I'm hijacking your thread. Sorry.

 

Unfortunately, with the driver side header having the weird downturn, the crossover ended up touching the firewall anyways. But since i have the exhaust wrap and the heat shield insulation on the firewall, I'm hoping it won't be a big issue. If it's terrible, I'll have to change the header to the domestic style and redo the crossover. At this point I just want to make sure everything else is going to work first. Now that I've been into it, the engine really isn't that hard to pull. If it's gotta happen again I can probably have it out in a few hours.

 

A couple updates. Progress has slowed due to waiting on the wiring harness.

Power steering and throttle cable hooked up.




Still trying to figure out the fan & shroud. The 3.0 shroud fits, but off center of the original mounts...

 

I'm getting to the point where it's easier to modify things laying around than it is to build new things.

 

Looks pretty good though.
I wonder why your shroud was off? Original radiator too, right?

 

Thanks.
I read that the 3.0 fan and fan clutch should be used if using the original shroud due to the 3.4 fan being bigger, but I agree that wouldn't explain why it's off center. I may throw them in just to see.
And yeah, original radiator.

 

Super jealous of your machining skills/tools. I'm with you on the disappointment of the JDM engine condition. I had a similar, albeit slightly better experience than you.

 

I was slightly disheartened at the original sight of my engine after the money spent and time waited, but I got over it pretty quick once the project was in high gear.
Got the fuel line hooked up today. Had Napa crimp on some JIC hydraulic fittings to the engine side and truck side instead of spending even more on a custom fuel line. Only cost $20. It looks like I need to figure out a return line still. The 3.0 did not have one.

 

Looks good. Are you sure the 3.0 didn't have a return? Mine did in my 4runner.