Builds 1994 Toyota Pickup Brain Transplant and Facelift - Laramie Wyoming (1 Viewer)

[Boomslang86]

I have an old and busted Toyota pickup, paid off, but old and busted.

Not for long.

Fall Plan:
1) Yank motor.
2) Tow to body shop for patches on roof.
3) Order new fenders.
4) Pull bed.
5) Design / build / install a hydraulic dumper lift.
6) Install stake-side flatbed.
...
7A) Send 3VZE to shop in Front Range or Denver for rebuild.
7B) Order rebuild / parts for a 5VZ-FE from 'Off Road Solutions'.
...

Winter Plan:
Hibernate.

Spring Plan:
Install new fenders.
Sandblast and paint (silver).
Install all the junk that gets finished up / arrives over the winter.
Install Old Man Emu suspension.

...More later

 

[mervo]

Build thread w/pics!

I'm in FoCo with a 95 rusted 22re pickup, first vehicle I ever purchased. So I'm curious to see your build come to life.

 

[Boomslang86]

Ja. I am interested to see it come to life too. Haha. It's been years in the "I am getting ready to..." phase... long overdue.

 

[Boomslang86]

Trying to figure out the forum settings and how to upload photos.

 

[Boomslang86]

Am planning on welding up new bumpers or buying Warn bumpers. The Smittybilts are totally rusted out.

Also looking for advice on rehabilitating the interior. The headliner has a tear in it (from before I bought it) and the cloth seats are starting to rip up.

Would like to make the interior utilitarian and livable. Am considering sound deadener in the dash (since I'll have it out anyway).

What's the general cost of replacing the carpet and headliner and reupholstering the seats / swapping the seats out for something new (what are the best direct swaps?)

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I like the SR5 bucket seats from your years (90-95) which would be a direct swap. Carpet kits are pretty cheap if you go with something like JC Whitney...

The 5VZ-FE is so much more engine than the 3.0.... Don't spend the money on the 3V-ZE!

 

[Boomslang86]

Yeah... I know the 3.0 is gutless.

But it's so much cheaper to fix it up than to swap it over.

Altho' I am very tempted to just pull the trigger on a full swap (engine and kit) from Off-road Solutions.

I might do it.

 

[Boomslang86]

Also, thanks for the advice on the sr5 seats. I will test-sir them. Haha.

And I'll look at the carpet kits @ JC Whitney.

Any advice on the headliner?? I guess the body guys will be able to advise on that, since they cut the lids off vehicles and replace them all the time.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I've swapped an earlier headliner, it's not too hard. I found a nice one in a junk yard and was able to take out without messing it up. Start at the rear of the roof FYI.

 

[Boomslang86]

What's it like to swap ADD for manual hubs with Off-Road-Solution's kit?

http://www.offroadsolutions.com/products/ors-manual-hub-conversion-kit/

I'm pretty sure I want to keep the IFS...

But, just for sake of thoroughness, what's it like to do the SAS?
What are the main advantages and disadvantages of the SAS?

Keep in mind, this is a work truck / camping and hunting truck, etc. It's not a rock-buggy or bog monster.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I've not done an SAS, but I have done plenty of fabrication. The actual work is not too bad, simple stuff, especially if you buy a kit with the whole front hanger etc. With the IFS your steering box is the style used for cross over steering, so either add $400, or find the solid axle box and do the funky stock J arm steering.

The main problem with an SAS is that it's a gateway project. One thing leads to another, and pretty soon you've dropped $2000 into your $2000 truck... Keep the IFS, do some maintenance and just drive it.

 

[Boomslang86]

Never pulled a motor before.

Some of these bastards are tricky!

Passenger side motor mounts must have been installed by a team of japanese wizards or something.

I believe a few of the bellhousing bolts are hexed... or possibly rusted.

(You know you like the pun.)

 

[Boomslang86]

What’s the trick on the shifter boots??

Power steering pump is captive due to pulley? Do I need a gear puller?

I thought I had it off before for the timing belt. Don’t recall the proceedure.

 

[Boomslang86]

Okay. So, if it isn't clear by now, this is my first time yanking a motor on my lonesome.

I'm pulling the motor and transmission out as separate units on the advice of a friend who worked in a local engine repair shop for years. Said it was the easiest way to get them out.

But I'm starting to think it will be very difficult or impossible to put in a new transmission (from below) and motor (from above) and get them to mate up *in* the truck.

I think it will be much more conducive to success (and happiness; less wailing and gnashing of teeth and busted knuckles) to mate the transmission and motor on the bench (or stand or whatever), and put them in as a unit.

What do you guys think?

>>>
Am I off base in thinking that it will be easier to get a solid seal on the bench? Is it worth the hassle of putting them in as a unit?
>>>

...
The FSM reads as showing how to pull them out and install them as a unit; so it can't be that bad, right?

 

[KLF]

I would never pull them together. You will be surprised how high you'll have to lift everything to get them out as a unit, and you'll have to cut out the radiator core support. How will you get them apart? You can't put the engine on a stand with the tranny attached.

Why are you even removing the tranny?

 

[jgranthevagrant]

I have pulled and re-installed the engine numerous times. Definitely easier than pulling both together. The engine bolts to the bell housing fairly easily when things are lined up. There isn't really a "seal" between the two.

 

[Boomslang86]

Ok. Cool.

In and out in pieces.

...

I am pulling the transmission becuse something is wrong with it. This truck had...issues, before it really died. Haha. I used it harder than I should have in the last year of its life.

...

Putting in new (reman?) from Marlin.

I will probably have someone look at the transfer case too, as long as I’m pulling this thing to pieces.

I would like not to ever have to do this project again.

I want to do it once. Do it right. And have it last another 250k or 500k miles. And it won’t be a daily driver, so it won’t rack miles quickly.

 

[Boomslang86]

OK... New plan.

I'm still repowering this thing, but not with the 3.4.

My buddy said he'd donate a 5.7 small block 350 to the project... which I'm tempted to do.

But I am leaning towards a Mercedes OM617 swap.

Jack Farwood has a series of videos on youtube about his swap. It looks pretty damn good.

( )

>>>
Now to finish yanking the motor and transmission.
(I missed the warm weather by a couple of damned bolts! I'll have it out soon.)

I'll see what the damage is on the tranny—likely swap it for a Marlin reman'd.

Then I'll start the hunt for a donor Merc' 300D in earnest!

 

[snobdds]

I just got done rebuilding my father's 91 toyota over the course of January. Just pull out the engine by itself, just make sure you support the front of the transmission with ratchet strap to keep from dangling there.

On my 1988, I spent the money to have 22re performance build me a motor. It runs good and all, but I am still at 7000 feet and the thin air is the biggest limiting factor. When the timing chain is due next time, I am yanking it out and putting in a new mini cummins 2.8 litre. The turbo should work wonders up here in the thin air.

 

[Boomslang86]

Ja.

I too am at 7,000 feet, and driving around the Rockies without turbo’d motors is slow going, for sure.



In other news...
I got the damn 3.0 out!

The throwput bearing exploded... so there’s that issue.

Next on the way out will be the transmission, transfer case, etc.

Now to find a donor OM617.