1FZ-FE Rebuild - Restoring my FZJ80 from an early demise

[bryanb]

Last Wednesday we got the engine and trans hooked up. Seating the torque converter was a little bit of a challenge, but it finally fell in place.

 

[bryanb]

Saturday, we worked from 8am until 11pm to get the engine in, hook up the harness, modify the radiator mounts for the body lift, install the radiator/shroud/fan, install the condenser and trans cooler, install the intake/MAF, install the power steering reservoir with new lines, connect the trans/throttle/cruise cables, install the AC compressor, install and adjust belts, etc....

 

[Wayne]

Outstanding! Well done.

 

[fguil80s]

Can I just say awesomely done!!!! Brings back olde memories of when I was in your shoes working on my HG.

 

[gfox777]

Fantastic work!!! Very pro.

 

[SmokingRocks]

Really like what you've done here. Very clean rebuild.

So you waited to put the harness on till after you got the intake manifold bolted to the block? All my parts come back from the machinist this friday, so I will be starting this same process.

Anything you would do differently? or anything was the particularly challenging that after done you realized there was an easier way?

 

[Spencersieler]

^also want to know, my rig is disassembled at this moment

 

[SmokingRocks]

I lowered my block into the engine bay without the intake manifolds on then after it was in I bolted it all up. Put the harness on when the lower IM was attached. This was easier for me

 

[bryanb]

Really like what you've done here. Very clean rebuild.

So you waited to put the harness on till after you got the intake manifold bolted to the block? All my parts come back from the machinist this friday, so I will be starting this same process.

Anything you would do differently? or anything was the particularly challenging that after done you realized there was an easier way?

Sorry, SmokingRocks, I completely missed your question from weeks ago, although it looks like you got everything worked out. Yes, I pretty much assembled everything ahead of time. Having the manifold installed didn't seem to complicated anything, and if IIRC, the cam cover is actually the first thing to contact the firewall when tilting the engine in.

Probably due to reading this forum ahead of time, it seemed like things when smoothly and I can't think of anything we would have done differently. The 1" body lift certainly provides some much needed room to work around the transmission and back of the engine.

^also want to know, my rig is disassembled at this moment

I definitely attempted to take care of anything that could possibly go wrong any time soon, since it's much more difficult later. This made for a larger bill than I had hoped for, but I'm hopeful it will pay off in the future.

 

[Red Merle]

The next big decision was whether or not to do a cometic gasket and ARP studs. Although it’s likely that running the OEM head gasket would be fine for another 200k miles, I ultimately decided to go with the cometic head gasket (MLS, .070) in order to restore the factory combustion dimensions since the block required 9 thousandths off the deck and the head had to be shaved 10 thousandths. It’s also nice not to have to re-torque the head gasket a month or two after we get up and running. And, who knows, perhaps one day I will add some boost. Parts should be arriving soon.

Wait, so if you use the OEM gasket, you have to take everything back apart to re-torque the head bolts? WTH?

 

[SmokingRocks]

Thats something that confused me. Per the FSM the bolts are to be torqued to the specified Ft-LB value, then 90 degrees past for one pass, and again 90 degrees past for a second pass. How do you check / re-torque a 180 degree past spec'd value?

 

[Red Merle]

Thats something that confused me. Per the FSM the bolts are to be torqued to the specified Ft-LB value, then 90 degrees past for one pass, and again 90 degrees past for a second pass. How do you check / re-torque a 180 degree past spec'd value?

Glad I am not the only one who is confused by this. Anyone know what the deal is here? Why wouldn't they just ask for a higher torque spec if they want you to keep cranking past the point where you hit the spec?

 

[SmokingRocks]

I haven't taken my cams out to do this "retorque" step and I'm not sure I need to.

 

[drowssap]

So I read through this whole thread and have to ask....did I miss the post where you said you got it running?

 

[Red Merle]

I haven't taken my cams out to do this "retorque" step and I'm not sure I need to.

No kidding! I don't want to replace the HG as it is, but the thought of having to pull everything back off again doesn't appeal to me, at all.

I would still like to know what the deal with this idea is and if using the ARP studs eliminates that step.

Anyone?

 

[Spencersieler]

[QUOTE="
I definitely attempted to take care of anything that could possibly go wrong any time soon, since it's much more difficult later. This made for a larger bill than I had hoped for, but I'm hopeful it will pay off in the future.[/QUOTE]

Same here man, Radiator, Weather put, anything that could go wrong in the next 40k miles will be getting done. I have a 1992 thats running beautifully at the moment, so my 1995 can sit for a while to do some extra work!

 

[OGBeno]

Wait, so if you use the OEM gasket, you have to take everything back apart to re-torque the head bolts? WTH?

No. Absolutely not with OEM head bolts.

As long as you do your initial torque and then your 2 90 degree turns.

Folks: just follow the FSM or whatever technical documentation you are using.

None of this is difficult as long as you follow the procedures.

 

[thatcabledude]

You are missing this part #

11291-66010

 

[bryanb]

No kidding! I don't want to replace the HG as it is, but the thought of having to pull everything back off again doesn't appeal to me, at all.

I would still like to know what the deal with this idea is and if using the ARP studs eliminates that step.

Anyone?

Sorry I was unclear. If using ARP studs and an OEM gasket, a re-torque could be necessary as the studs are not as elastic as the OEM bolts. If you are using OEM gasket and bolts, no re-torque is required, per the FSM and Beno's advice above.

 

[drowssap]

Bryan...is the truck running yet or are you still working on it?