my 15 year old son and I yanked the motor and pulled it down. The good news it has two new cylinder heads, water pump, timing belt and both idlers on it. My guess is the previous owner overheated it and didn't realize the bottom end was hurt until 5,000 miles after the repair shop did the $2,500 top end job. Not wanting to sink anymore into it, they traded it in and cut their losses.

The worst of 3 scuffed pistons.

The bore


The short block


Considering how bad the piston looks, that bore shows very little evidence of the carnage. Even with two good heads, it may not be cost effective to fix. Good used motors are between $1,000 and $1,500 and I get to keep my current stuff as back up parts. I can rebuild my short block for about the same $1,000 plus another $500-700 to go thru the heads and make sure their right. If I rebuild mine, I should also update the knock sensor wires since they are a total pain to get to. If I could find some good used pistons, I might risk a $400 gasket set and $150 in head bolts to put it back together and see how long it lives.

 

Wow. Looks like oil starvation to the rings. Most likely due to the sludge bulid up.

 

A little eye candy for you guys. This is a crappy pic of my "man cave" 25' X 50' shop I built in 1991. The wife has the 2 car garage for her rides and junk and I have my shop for mine. This allows me to work on my vehicles, fabricate stuff or just hang out at night and watch speed tv. I don't know how I lived without it and built all the stuff I did over the years. I will never be able to live without one. Anyways, here is where all the dirty deeds are done.




The reason I built the shop, to build and campain my own race car. After 2 years it was time to get seriously in debt or get out with my credit in tact. I choose the second option.


My next hot rod was a street legal NASCAR truck. I took my spare race car drive train and put it under this rig. lots of fun!


And lastly, my most recent (6 years ago) vehicle build. Its my DD. 1980 FJ40


I really appreciate all your guys help, TRhanks alot!!

 

Yucky piston...great shop and toys!

Hmmm...California Speedway....many, many years ago (like 30) I lived near the old Ontario Motor Speedway. Close enough to hear the roar of the Indy cars. Fun times.

 

My guess would be overheating/severe detonation caused the piston to swell and chew itself up.

 

Thanks, I know how blessed and/or lucky I am to have what I have.

 

Sweet shop and toys, I love the FJ! The LC's not bad either.

It sounds like you're leaning toward rebuilding the short block, using the heads, etc. I would agree that is the way to go. If you buy a new engine, you never know exactly what you are getting. And "spare parts" for these 3.4's are usually not needed...although that sounds a little tongue in cheek based on what you just went through. I will say it's very rare.

Curious why you'd have to spend any money at all on the heads? You mentioned several hundred dollars....if they are new, what would you be spending money on to replace? Valve stem seals, valves, guides, rockers, etc......can't you just visually inspect and call it good?

 

I'm glad you like the toys, I know I do. I recently sold the FJ80 and bought a 05 Sequoia LTD. The FJ40 got a total resto here in my shop 5 or so years and 50K miles ago. My motorhead wife and son were helping me assemble the motor in this pic. Pretty cool that they like doing this stuff too!


How about the little woman lubing the bumpstick (that sounds bad) prior to install.


You are correct in what I'm thinking. In my head I built in a fudge factor in case the heads might need parts, but I assume they won't. The machine shop will probably want to at least clean the heads and grind the valves and seats if nothing else, that will cost something. I just put a straight edge on the head and block and found less than .002" flatness on most of the heads and block with one spot at less than .003", I think that would be less than the max of .0039" spec. If I could find some good used pistons, I could gamble on honing the block, throwing some new rings at it and seeing how long it will go. Even there, I'll be in it $700-$800 (gasket set, rings and head bolts) and no warranty or I could gamble on a used engine with a 90 day warranty for $1,000.

 

That's cool. I currently live less than 5 miles way from the old Riverside raceway. I was bummed to see it go and a stupid mall built in its place. Stupid move.

 

More cool pics! Love seeing the family in on the action. My dad and I do most of our work together, wrenching is certainly great family time if they are so inclined.

You know there is real work being done when you see a ring compressor and a classic oil can sitting on the work bench.



You know, if you can find a good used engine for only 10 bills, that might be the way to go. I know I've never seen a good one that cheap though. Somewhere $1500 or north is usually what I see. And at that point, you're doubled up on what you'd spend using what you have.

 

This project will be on hold for at least several months. 8 days ago while commuting to work on my KTM 625 SMC bike, I was involved in a major accident. I won't be doing ANYTHING for at least 90 days as my busted body heals. So I will keep you guys posted on which way I'm gonna go with this project. The noise was definetly the scored piston(s). these engines are expensive to rebuild, new head bolts are $150 and a good gasket set costing $400, sends build costs very high, very quickly. Anyway, I will let you all know what I decide to do when I'm healed up. OK guys, I'm out for today.

 

That sounds a whole lot like my tick. But mine isn't as rapid/frequent. Not being much other than an oil-changer I took it to my toyo guru (who has since passed. CRAP) who did indeed listen with a stethoscope to try and determine where exactly it was coming form. A week later he called me and said "I tell ya I can't find a damn thing wrong with it. It doesn't do it all the time and when it doesn't it sounds exactly like mine(he had a pickup with the same motor). I say just drive it til it quits." Since its performing as it should I've taken his advice and will drive it til it quits. That's been a good 3 or 4 months ago now. I'm definitely going to loosen up my belts and see if that works though.

 

And sorry to hear about your accident man! Hope you're up and at 'em soon.

 

Sorry to read of your accident....take care, heal well.

 

Thanks for the kind words. I hated being in the hospital for 8 days, but glad they put me back together and now its my turn to heal as quickly as possible. I'll keep you guys posted.

Randy

 

Best wishes to a fast recovery! Get better soon, glad you're alive and there was something left for them to put back together!

 

Thanks Man,

As a VERY active guy, this is not easy for me being down and out. I've never been down this road before.

 

Me either...hope to never be. I know I would go stir-crazy, or at least experience anxiety. But I also know that to heal well, there is a time to take it easy and then a time to start working it out. Just be smart.


Mind if I ask what happened? Besides a motorcycle accident...any specifics?

 

I'm trying hard not to go crazy being down for sooo long. Thank God I have a VERY understanding wife and family. I was minding my own business riding to work in the car pool lane when (from what I understand) a skidding car spun into my lane, knocking me off my bike and crushing my foot against the engine case during the process.

 

The walls of my house are closing in on me!!! Healing nicely, but slowly. Constant pain is my closest friend, it sucks!