ncsugrad2006

Hello everyone,

(skip to bullets if you just want to see the questions)

Pretty new here--just bought a 99 4runner limited 4WD with what I believe is the good 'ol cracked flex plate syndrome. Had it towed home yesterday and started doing a little work on it. Definitely sounds like the flexplate to me, but time will tell I suppose.

I spend a good part of yesterday trying to get the starter and/or flywheel inspection cover off. That didn't go well. I've read now that I need to move a brake line out of the way from the passenger wheel well and I'll be able to wiggle the starter out of there through there. I did manage to get the starter bolts and wires off, just couldn't find anyway to get the starter out (who the hell designed this thing anyways? ). The point of taking the starter out was to try to see if this flexplate is cracked before I pull the engine. It definitely has the sound of a cracked flex plate, and if it's not that then I don't have a clue what it is.

So, that's where I am at now.

Couple of questions for any of you guys who have done this before:

• I am planning on pulling motor only and leaving the transmission in. Do I need to do anything with all the other 4WD stuff? Or just unbolt the transmission/bellhousing like I would on any other engine? The last vehicle I worked on with a transfer case was a 3000GT VR4--and on those it's 3-4 easy to access bolts to pull the transfer case, so it's a no brainer.
• Can the wiring harness come off basically while still on the engine via unhooking the connectors to the ECU, or do I need to pull all of these off? I believe the method listed in the FSM is to pull connector off ECU and leave wiring harness basically intact, but I would need to check to be sure.
• Think I can just slide the engine forward enough to get some clearance to the flexplate instead of actually pulling it out all the way? I'd still have to get to those two bellhousing bolts at the top somehow, but maybe it'd be easier. I already have the radiator/belts and all that in the front pulled, so I have a foot or so of room up front to work with. What would I need to do wiring wise to make that happen--Can I leave everything on?
• Do I have to pull the steering rack out of the way? to get to some of these bellhousing bolts/whatever else is in the way?
• What about the front sway bar?
• If not required, would pulling the sway bar and loosening the rack to give me some wiggle room make my life easier?
• Any tips on getting the crosspipe bolts off? I sprayed them down with PB Blaster yesterday to soak for a good 48 hours, and I am going to go buy some extensions that will let me get a 1/2" Snap On 4850HO impact wrench on them. That thing should either break them or get them off. Or strip them and leave me completely screwed . Speaking of which, I am going to go buy some good impact grade flex things today also so I can get this gun on more of these bolts that I'm just not strong enough to get off from these awkward undercar positions.

I think that's about all I have for now--Any other tips are of course appreciated. Thanks everyone!

UKrunner

1. You can leave all the 4wd stuff alone - its on the back of the tranny.
2. Disconnected the wiring harnbess at the ECU in the pass. footwell, you will also need to disconnect all the connectors that are on the tranny. There a good few of them, 6 maybe?
3. You might be able to slide the engine forwards and take a look.You'll need to disconnect the coolant hoses at the firewall. Dangle a usb webcam down there and watch it on your computer screen
4/5. I didnt pull steering rack or sway bar.
6. If you can get them out quick and easy, yes they would make life easier. Bolts for my sway bar were seized, so I left it without trying.
7. PB Blaster and time. Took mine 3 days of soaking. One stripped, all the others came off very easy. However, you do not have to remove the cross pipe, just undo the exhaust where the cross pipe meets the down pipe near the O2 sensor.

ncsugrad2006

Thank you sir!

I went and bought a bunch of extensions and impact swivel things so hopefully I can get to everything now. I'll see how tough those sway bar bolts are and go from there. If I can get an impact wrench on them it should be easy enough

ncsugrad2006

Also, how did you get off the stripped exhaust bolt? Just curious.

UKrunner

When I took the cross pipe off, the engine was out of the vehicle. I think I tightened 2 nuts down and used a thick adjustable wrench with a pipe over it for leverage, and twisted out the whole stud. I did that with one bolt/nut but cant remember which it was. there were 3 or 4 that where stuck pretty well.

ncsugrad2006

I may had misworded what I was planning on doing.. I was going to just unbolt the three nuts in this picture I found (bottom right)



Will that work ok? I guess the big question is whether I can get them to break loose or not

yota toy

wiring will come off from the ecu easiest and pull through firewall once disconnecting leaving only a fe ground wires and connectors left to disconnect to where you can do it with the motor on the ground or stand and not hunched over the fenders

ncsugrad2006

Suggestions on best way to deal with the wiring harness going down the drivers side between engine and fender? It goes back to transmission. I can get the connectors off at the transmission but can't figure out how to get these wire tie things off. Seems like they're metal and no way to Open them.

Suggestions?

ncsugrad2006

(can't figure out how to edit on phone)

To clarify--same harness goes up front of the engine too, looks to be some sort of crank sensors. If it weren't for that I could just ignore it.

UKrunner

That wiring is trans temp, reverse, solenoids, speedometer, 4x4 stuff.
All the wiring clamps should either be bolted on or just clipped into fasteners. Get a good look at them with a decent flash light and you should be able to see how they pop apart. If not, you could always break the clips and use tie wraps when re-installing. I did that with a few that were total bast@rds.

ncsugrad2006

Thanks--I ended up just pulling the intake and taking the wiring harness off the top of the engine entirely. I was completely tired of being on my back (and it had rained earlier so the ground was wet--not fun) so I decided to just work on what I could get to easiest.

So... It's out. Pictures coming soon

ncsugrad2006

Question for you guys--What should I replace while the engine is out? I am new to 4runners--are there common problems with main seals or anything like that? This thing has 205K on it and has never been opened up (besides regular maintenance, I hope anyways). Any thoughts? It didn't seem to have any obvious leaks but figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

And here are some pictures


Overall pic of getting ready to pull it out:


Closer up pic of it coming out


Well there's your problem...


More of the problem


It was connected barely when I pulled it out--as soon as I hit one of the bolts with an impact wrench to pull it off, the center part just fell off. I can't believe that the car started with thing in it..


More carnage


And pieces

ncsugrad2006

Well crap

I was just looking at the back of the engine to see what was and wasn't leaking and noticed something odd in the center of the crankshaft





Looks like the alignment nipple thing on the torque converter got snapped off when this thing broke (or maybe it was the cause? Who knows.

Point is now I have to find another torque converter. Any suggestions? I hate to buy a new one but I'd hate worse to put in a used one that doesn't work. And I can't even find a used on on eBay, which probably isn't a good sign.

In other news--Looks like I need to reseal the rear cam seals, which I hear is pretty common. Otherwise looks to be holding oil in pretty well.

ncsugrad2006

Well afters hours of searching for a torque converter I figured out the local Advance Auto has them, lol.

D'oh

Which one is the correct one??

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...RPTRANAMS_____

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...RPTRANAMS_____

ncsugrad2006

It's alive!

Flexplate rattling noise is definitely gone, so that is good, obviously.

Only problem so far is the temp gauge is always on cold and it seems to be running pretty rich, which in the past I have seen happen together (LT1 Camaro, I blew through a few sets of plugs before I figured that one out, lol)

I stuck a regular thermometer in the radiator after driving a few miles and it read 200'ish degrees, so the water is getting warm.

Thoughts?

I'm thinking either water temp sensor went out or something is going on in the connector for it. I assume it's right at the thermostat, yes?