1FZ Rebuild / Replace costs, tips, comparisons and knowledge base (1 Viewer)

[Wayzata]

Picked up a 1995 FJZ80 without lockers and pretty clean for MN for $750 last week to make my daily driver--it's now sitting in the garage with 267k and a knocking engine. I have been trying to read up as much as I can on rebuilding the engine versus replacing--and am now looking for your thoughts.

As I dug around on mud, I didn't find a whole lot of up to date info on what it should cost to rebuild or replace the engine-so I thought I would share my legwork and seek other mudders input.

Here is a spreadsheet on what I have been able to figure out so far for pricing on getting the parts for rebuilding the engine.

As you can see the range is somewhere between $1000 and $2300 for the parts. There is a guy in Hudson, WI (which is about 30 miles to the east of where I am at) that has done some work on some 4runners and feels reasonably confident he can rebuild it for about $1,000 worth of labor-not including machining. Other mechanics on craigslist within a half hour or twenty minute radius seem to not know very much about cruisers-and have not been exposed to very many yotas to begin with. There is also Poser Steve in Farmington, MN who is very good, but I haven't been able to get him on the phone after several attempts and seem to remember something about him working the graveyard shift for Cat? I'm tempted to rip into it myself, but have reservations about transferring my basic auto tech skills and knowledge from high school 15 years ago into dismantling it in the garage and getting this goat back up and running. Additionally, the house the and I live in is much nicer than anything we have had in the past, and I am not excited about getting oil, grease, coolant, etc. all over the garage floor and tracking it back into the house.

Here are the bits of knowledge and tips I have acquired from mud reading up on it over the last week and in talking with vendors. Feel free to jump in and or correct any and all:

• Pick up a Toyota FSM 1-800-622-2033 $96.48 with $16 shipping
• Do not mill the head as it messes up the camshaft timing, or take the absolute minimum if necessary
• Do not hot tank the block because the brass bushing on the face gets destroyed and is unserviceable
• Pull the engine and the tranny at the same time as it takes half as much time to do and prevents unnecessary wear and tear on electrical wires
• 93 and 94 engines will work in 95, 96, & 97 if you switch the pan with the tranny sensor from the old block to the new
• Cruiser Dan says if the crank doesn't need work, order select fit (specific numbered and sized) main bearings based on numbers on block, pan and bearings.
• Insert your tip here for any other must know items for rebuilding

Cruiserparts.net also has engines for $1100-$2400 with various mileage clocked, as well as the occasional engine here on mud for anywhere from $500-$2500.

What have been your experiences for costs and time for rebuilding or replacing your 1FZ? What do you think of the price quotes I have received for parts and labor? Can I do it myself? Is there anyone on the west side of Minneapolis that would be interested in some tech time in exchange for pizzas and beer? Is it faster and cheaper to get a used engine from somewhere? What about the risk of the new (used) engine having a snafu? What is the highest number of miles on a used engine you would willingly drop into your cruiser? What price have you paid recently for a used engine, and what was the mileage?

Please share any and all thoughts--particularly your pricing when successfully rebuilding or swapping a 1fz.

Thanks

Dan

 

[Wayzata]

bump!

 

[Sc0-]

If I can find my receipts I can post some stuff here.... just received about $1700 worth of stuff from Cdan in addition to maybe another $1500 worth of previously ordered stuff and a $450 receipt for machine work and to rebuild the head... (had to bore the block out but $450 or so was for a new radiator too) Also that bronze bushing is not a bronze bushing but rather a trimetal like the rod/main bearings. I had my local fabricator take some measurements and to reproduce one/couple for me out of a bronze alloy. The one in the block was a bit worn and caused the oil pump idler to wobble which in turn made the rotor hit the front oil pump cover and wear into it.... (I think my '94 also has this problem as I hear a "weird" metallic noise every so often coming from the front of the engine but won't know for sure unless I pull the PS pump to verify...) Also when I stripped the engine down their were no sizing numbers on the rod bearings this makes it impossible to call and order some from CDan, my main hiccup next to the oil pump idler bearing.

btw:
This will be the first and last 1FZ I rebuild.... If anything happens to the other LC's in my signature I guarantee an LS1 will go in...