hi all,

i'm at a loss on what to do next, thought i'd describe my situation and maybe get some straight advice from the wisdom of YT.


i had a new 22RE engine installed into my 88Runner about a year ago. the installer was supposedly ASE, and a self proclaimed expert on toyota trucks. 10k miles later, the engine has been running great, so i have always assumed the guy knew what he was doing. (til now)

last month we had made an arrangement to have factory 4.88s swapped in from a junk 93 4Runner he had (with G144 axle code). he wanted $800 for the job. he agreed to take a car for some, if not all of the job. An 02 Mitsu Mirage 4dr, clean and loaded, with 135k on an engine that just had a full maint. & t-belt done, but it was off a tooth or something and failed within a week. He agreed to credit me $500 for the car as-is, and if he could repair it and sell it, he'd agree to all $800, trading the car for the installed gears. (the mirage is easily a $2000-2500 car once running)


a week before i planned to bring him the truck for the gear work, it starts running badly. i stop and open the hood to find the hose on the bottom of the EGR has come off. i shove it back on, and it blows back off after a half-mile. since i'm right next to the Toyota dealer, i figure i'll pay the premium labor rate and just bring it in. they charge me a $90 diagnosis fee.

after a few hours, the svc. guy says it's going to cost more because they want to take off the valve cover to check the timing. he says the timing is off, not advancing correctly, and the chain may have stretched and jumped teeth, since the truck is so old. i tell him the engine is a mere year old, and not giving anymore money for them to take guesses. i've never heard of anyone having to take the valve cover off to check the timing.

so i i take the truck to the guy who installed the engine. driving there, the engine has NO power up hill, and is hissing loud, probably through that EGR hose. i'm doing 25mph at best on inclines. downhill i can get up to speed again.


at first he says the EGR has a bad diaphragm, and replaces it with a used one he has. but he says it's still not running right. then he sees the muffler has a dent in it, so he says it's probably clogged, and he cuts it off with a saw. makes no difference. then he sees the exh. manifold is getting red hot, so he shuts it down, tells me it may be a clogged cat. and i'll have to leave it. i tell him to just fix it, and i'll send down the mitsubishi which he can apply the credit toward this repair and forget the gears for now. i have the mitsu towed down there and give him the title and key.

a week goes by, i hear nothing. he knows i have no car and i'm bumming rides to get to work. i finally hear back from him and he asks what i want on for exhaust. i just bought the stainless exhaust kit that was on it from him when he did the engine, so i said just put on some universal stuff so i can get it back on the road. i ask him to let me know how much it will be.

a week goes by, i hear nothing. i get through to him again and he says my intake manifold has a hole in it. he says he can put on one from a 93 but it will require changing the computer and engine harness. i tell him to fix it and just get it running again, and to let me know how much it will be.

another week goes by, i hear nothing. i leave a msg asking him to return my calls so i have some idea what is going on. when i hear back from him, he says i'll need to buy a new wiring harness and its expensive. he says something about it going into the cab. i don't know if he's fried it or what, but at that point i said stop, because without knowing how much the repair bill is to that point, i can't authorize anymore work, and i'm not buying a harness without seeing the cause of failure for the existing.

when i get there, my truck isn't in his shop, it's out back with his donor junkers. my parts are in a carboard box on the seat. the back seat is out, and the access hatch to the fuel sender is out. the int. manifold and everything above it is in a box. the engine harness is 80% removed and lying across the engine. the exhaust has been welded back together in a few places so it looks like dr. frankenstein made it.

i ask where the mitsubishi is. he says he already fixed it and someone is borrowing it. so - the car i gave him (so he would have the opportunity to make MORE money than my repair job would have paid) is already fixed, and he offered it to someone else to drive instead of me. that's when i got pretty upset.

i told him i'm taking my truck out of there, that i'm not letting the bill run up any higher. i was really mad that i've gone 3 weeks with no car, struggling to get rides to work; he doesn't answer the phone when i call and doesn't call back the same day; every time i do talk to him it's an additional part that needs replacement; and i never get any numbers on how much it will cost when i ask.

he starts pouting like i'm insulting his mechanical ability, and starts getting all melodramatic about how hard he's worked on the truck, and that his phone had failed or something so he wasn't getting my calls, etc. etc. i told him i was mad that i gave him a car, which he's already fixed and someone's driving, and i have nothing to show for it but a truck that's in worse condition than it was when i brought it in.

that's when he tells me that he already installed the 4.88s. what??? when did he do that? and why didn't he get my truck running again, first, like i asked when i said to hold off on doing gears and apply the credit for the mitsu to the new work?

so i towed my truck home. i counted the d-shaft spins while i turned one wheel. sure enough, it appears there's 4.88s in there. so that's the silver lining. at least i got my 4.88s installed in trade for the mitsubishi as originally agreed.

but i also have a truck that's in worse disassembly than it was when i brought it down there. i have no idea if the exhaust he rewelded is ok to leave on there as-is. i have no idea what he was doing under the rear seat at the fuel sender. i have no idea if there's an EGR valve, good or bad, in the box of parts. i have no idea if all of my parts are in the box. i still need to locate an intake manifold without a hole in it. and the hole looks like someone beat it in with a hammer.

now i don't know what to do. i don't want to quit on it, when i'm so close to having my truck finished. but i don't know where to begin. i cannot do this work myself. my back injuries just won't allow it. it's ironic, i finally have 4.88s for my 33s and now the truck is disassembled and won't be being driven any time soon. it will have to wait.

i don't know what to do with it. i just bought a little honda for $600 so i can get myself to work. (it's got a cracked exh. manifold, but i'm pretty sure it doesn't need an HG like the seller was suggesting it might. i fixed an overheat issue already, unclogging the overflow tank hose that was allowing coolant out, but not back in.)

i welcome any advice offered. thanx for listening to me vent. i don't have anyone else to talk to about it, that would understand.

have a good week,
Tj

 

There is no reason to switch out the wiring harnesses. Even if there were a reason, it would be idiotic to do, when you could get a new manifold off ebay for a decent price and not have to endure the HOURS of labor that swapping harnesses takes. What on earth does this guy think is so different between 22re's?

Manifold glowing red doesn't sound too good. Was the entire exhuast new when he put in the engine?

If this was me, I'd get it fixed somewhere else and go to small claims to recoup the repair cost from this guy.

 

have a diffrent shop fix then take him to court. the exhaust getting red like that is from a clogged cat, now i dont see how the egr a hole on the intake and a bad cat all at the same time, i can see a bad cat and the egr popping out to release pressure but a hole in the intake, i would like to see a pic casue i think he did the hole to make a little more money, sorry to hear about that, but wish u luck and u might be able to find someone close on here that can help u get it fixed.

 

I come from a jank ass mechanic shop where my boss did this to people. Still cant figure out why. needless to say i dont work for him anymore
Your exhaust prob just sounds like timing its simple set the engine at tdc and make sure that the rotor is close to where it should be. What is happening is that your sparkplugs are detonating late in the cycle and shooting the exposion down the head. Simple if that started happening worse after toyota Id tell them to fix it.
Intake prob simple DUCT TAPE WORKS use a little electrical tape and wrap it around a few times.
and to finish it off craigslist. Use it to find mexicans or out of work mechanics usually 20 bucks an hour.

 

If I went to a shop and my vehicle was fixed and it was being driven for something other than a test drive, I would have on the spot called the police and report the vehicle stolen.

If the guy is that much of an arse and it sounds like he is, I would also report him to BBB.

I am sure you can find someone on here that is close to your area to help you out if you have difficulty fixing things yourself as well. Might save you alot of money as well.

Good luck and I hope you get everything sorted out.

and x2 on a clogged cat causing a glowing manifold. If it weren't for the egr tube popping off, I would say timing and or running way rich but..... since it's obviously got an exhaust backup somewhere well......

 

thanx for the input, guys.

i don't know what i'm going to do yet. even if i can find a competent shop, i know i'm going to get soaked for the amount of work to do. i am really just bummed out right now. it's going to have to wait until i don't feel so hopeless about it.

i guess i'll have to start churning out more soft tops for it. i still haven't finished the first one, we put some buckles on backwards and have to swap them around to test fit still to the original frame. if i can get two more done, i could maybe sell them for a few hundred each and put that money into the truck repairs.

it really sucks when you've been on a long journey, and the finish line comes into view, then you realize you just got detoured many miles.

 

The cat was clogged,thats whythe egr has gas blowing back thru it.

 

it's possible. but at this point i don't know. and since he welded it all back together, i really can't check.



SO, ANY TOY TECHS IN THE ATLANTA METRO AREA WITH SERIOUS DIAGNOSTIC SKILLS LOOKING FOR SIDE WORK?

 

After reading through all that mess it sounds like the original, and only real problem, was the CAT being clogged. It also sounds like the mechanic was trying to make some extra money on you, I don't know if he's a friend of yours or not so I'll refrain from any bad comments.

I had a similar issue years ago and ended up sending a wrecker to get my truck, and the motor that I'd rebuilt to go in it which was sitting in the back of the shop holding up 5 leaking bags of kitty litter the shop used for oil spill clean up (2500$ to rebuild and tune a 422 and it was treated like a tool rack ), and had it brought home. I did the re-install in the carport and went from there.

The best thing you can do is start putting the rig back together, just keep receipts for all the stuff you have to buy. If you find that money is short go take the 02 Mitsu back and sell it to fund your Toyota. If the mechanic has an issue with that then you should go to court for it. I know you traded him the 02 initially for the 4:88's but in reading your post ya'll changed that arrangement to reflect the repairs he needed (or claimed he needed) to do to your truck. The Mitsu should be reclaimed by you and sold and that money put towards your truck.

You might also want to pull the thirds and count the teeth on the R&P to be sure you did in fact get both sets of 4:88's. Don't forget to get your original thirds back also, if they are missing then he owes you for those lost parts also.

I wish you were here in Albuquerque and I'd clean out my garage so you could park the rig in there and we'd fix the damn thing.

Damn I hate mechanics like this....

 

Guys like that give legitimate mechanics bad reputations. It's kind of a bad deal. Sorry to hear about that man. Hopefully someone can help you out.

 

well, because the guy did the deal as originally agreed, i feel like i don't have much to complain about on that one part. it does appear he installed the gears in trade for the mitsubishi that needed a motor. i jacked each axle and spun a wheel while counting the d-shaft turns. the ratios are correct, with just under 5 d-shaft rotations : 2 wheel rotations. (4.88)

the remainder of his actions: disassembling my intake, emissions, fuel tank access, and cutting up/rewelding my exhaust, i am taking the loss on just to get the truck away from him. he did spend time on it that he won't be paid for, and i can't prove what damages existed vs. what he may have caused, so it's a no-win argument there. i'm pretty sure i'm not going to gain anything further from him. it's not a real shop, i can't do much to affect his "reputation" if he has one, so i'm just going to start clean.


i just need to find someone reliable to work on the truck, that actually knows what they're doing, AND is considerate of me as a CUSTOMER.

but this seems to be a needle in a haystack. i can't believe i'm having so much difficulty finding a 22RE expert in the Atlanta metro area.

 

If you run out of local options I'm 3.5 hours away.

:wabbit2:

 

So you got a set of gears installed (I'm guessing about 500$ for the gears as far as parts go). That "install" takes less than 2 hours if you know what you're doing. I've done third swaps in 2 hours for both axles in my driveway. I still think it's crap what he did.

That is just crap. You have, from what I can see in the avatar, a great looking, well maintained, extremely clean rig. With a 10K motor that ran GREAT before. His idea of cutting, gutting, and screwing up your rig is just not acceptable.

It's not a "real" shop? Then I assume he's doing mechanic work out of his house with out a business license. That means his "home/shop" is liable for any screw ups. Yes that means you can put a complaint towards his "place of business" in small claims court. I salute you for wanting to start clean but you don't have to "roll over" and take that kind of abuse.


Hook up with someone near you who runs Yotas. We are a small community of folks that live to keep these rigs on the road. There are guys like Wabbit and 4Crawler all over the place that will help you with this.


Good luck brother, I hope you get your rig back on the road soon.

 

THANK YOU, WABBIT.

it would be an expensive tow bill, but if i can't find someone of decent reputation near by, i may have to consider it. i KNOW you know these trucks.

 

Hey, I'm sorry if my post sounds angry but there are guys out there (most of them on this forum) that have a love for these vehicles and work really really hard to keep them on the road. Most of us are driveway and garage mechanics (shade tree you could say) and others are honest to God certified wrench benders and we all do it for the love of Toyota. It just pisses me off when something like this happens.

 

thanx, J. i appreciate the support. i really do. because only here on YT, do people understand how i'm feeling about this truck.

i'm sick of people acting like i'm trying to breathe life into some old, dead horse. this truck is solid, and i think it's worth repairing, rather than parting out.

i just have to be patient. somehow a solution must come so i can get this truck fixed correctly, and without selling a kidney.

and no apologies to ME are necessary. in another life, i had pretty good skills with working on vehicles. i was never a cert. technician, i was a VW/Audi parts guru for about a decade, and did most of my own work when i had access to a shop. of course, i had experienced techs that were my friends, right near by for assistance.

but that was a dozen years and 2 motorcycle accidents ago. (people in Atlanta like to run me over) so i can't stand over an engine bay, climb under a dashboard, or work on my back with my arms raised up, for longer than 2 mins at a time, without really aggravating old injuries. it's annoying as crap, i feel like i'm turning into an old incapacitated geezer already!

"patience, Daniel-san. wax on, wax off."

 

See if you can find a local moonlight mechanic, maybe a gas/service station or parts store or dealership employee that would be willing to do some diagnostics for cash.

When I worked in the shop I was always wheeling and dealing for after hours work. I know Wabbit offered, and I wish I was closer, but if your truck makes it to DC I know of a pretty good Toy wrencher

 

still looking for someone in the ATL area. anyone? Bueller??

 

sorry im in Washington or i would help.

 

Now reading the thread again and seeing in one of the last posts.

That the so called Mechanic was more or less working at home if I read this correct.

Not sticking up for them but I can understand how this could happen It happens to me every now and then because I am just to nice to say no when it comes to people asking me to do things. Because they are trying to save money.

Some times my own personal things need to move to the front of the line just because they need to be done plus working a 50 to 60 hour a week job.


Just for the record in case no body mentioned it the easy way to check the timing chain and guides on a 22R series engine is to pull the valve cover and with a light look down at the chain and guides. It is not perfect but far cheaper then pulling the whole front of the engine apart