1JZ VVTi 4Runner 4WD Buildup

[badger]

Hey guys.

I'm originally a sports car nut. I used to think off-roading was ridiculous...
Built many DSM's, RX7's, and Toyota's. All go-fast applications.
Then a few years ago I went for one single off-road trek in a friends 12H-t HJ61...
It blew my mind! I was instantly converted!
It's funny because I used to think that his Landcruiser was hideous, and I didn't see the appeal. If only I'd known that I'd end up buying it off of him!

That cruiser is now long gone ...
Owned x4 4runners since.

Time for a build.

I've wanted to build a truck with this setup for a very long time.
After gathering most of the information I needed from forums like this; it only seemed right to submit the work I've done so far. Many people have done the supra/truck swap but the 4wd info is still patchy.

I used parts from 3 vehicles for this build. Which is, for the most part bolt-in. A little cutting and pounding here and there, but no welding.
*EDIT - There is welding*

'91 Toyota 4Runner VZN131. 3VZ. R150F manual.

'95 Jeep TJ. 4L. AX-15 manual.

'97 Toyota Chaser JZX100. 1JZ-GTE VVTi. A341E auto.

The best option is if you can source a JZX100 with an R154 manual tranny (strongest tranny in the family). Then you will not need the Jeep. Nor will you have to get too deep inside any transmissions.
My donor Chaser was auto, and R154 parts can be expensive and scarce so I went the Jeep route.
The input shafts between the AX-15 and the R150F are interchangeable.
Meaning, I had to disassemble x2 transmissions to make one work, and make the other useless.

Here is the 4Runner -- 400K, Broken nosed.

Living in the bush and lovin it!
(No joke, my driveway is probably steeper than the hills that many of the users on this forum have ever wheeled! 4LO required)

Bumpers off/ Skirts off.
Yanked the interior. Now all bedliner!

Now to disassemble.

This is the Jeep AX-15. Near identical to the Toyota R-series. All Aisin-Warner.
The AX-15's longer input shaft is required to more closely match the depth of the 1JZ/R154 bellhousing.

 

[badger]

VF1A Chain-driven Top-shift Transfer case.

Jeep input shaft installed into an R150F with factory VF1A t-case. All purdy.
It really wasn't too much work, just need snap ring pliers, a gear-puller, and some patience.
(Sorry, I lost the rest of the pics for the tranny work)

The JZX100. Gorgeous car. Engine out.

The 1J, disassembled and cleaned.
The engine had no compression on 5 cyls, but with full pressure on the 6th.
Sounded like a cylinder head problem to me.

A buddy and I fiddled with the head and found that all of the intake valves were stuck.
We took out the cams, and valve buckets. Slightly tapped the top of the valve stems with a rubber mallet.
When tapped, we found that all of the exhaust valve springs compressed and sprung right back into position easily.
While all of the intake valves made a dull thud. They wouldn't budge. They were stuck open.

 

[badger]

Cams, Bearing caps, Valve buckets.

Time to empty this thing.

Valves, Springs, Retainers, Keepers, and Seals all out. The intake valves were disgusting!
I still do not know how this happened. There was gunk everywhere between the stems and guides.
I had to use a decent amount of force to get them to come out of the head.
The exhaust valves fell out as normal.

I'll post up more in a day or two. Parts should be here soon.
Clutch/PP/Bellhousing/engine mounts/engine master kit.
I'll also add pics of the cleanup process I'm doing to all the engine/trans parts.
Muriatic Acid is the key. The s*** comes out brand new

 

[pappy]

Geez, that all I can think to say. Keep posting.

 

[Kris]

Its been a long time since I've seen someone put a JZ in a 1st gen.

 

[Waterboy]

A man after my own heart! Love the 1J and 2J! A guy on the supra forums built a second gen 4runner with a built 2J that was beyond impressive. Think 60' rooster tail on sand dunes with a lifted 4Runner.

 

[badger]

That's exactly what I have in mind hahaha

I'm going to go for 300hp. Nice and easy. Drivetrain should be okay with that too, I don't drive like a **** haha.

I'm hearing 1jz screams at night.

 

[badger]

Goodies arrived from RCTS today!

1JZ/R154 Bellhousing, flywheel, pressure plate, clutch hub kit, fork, support, hardware.

(Drift-motion) Engine swap brackets and mounts for a 1JZ-MKII Supra.
"Tim's 1jz 4runner inspired."

I wrapped the exhaust manifold, and will use it in conjunction with the factory shielding.
I haven't worked out whether this will end up being a FMIC or TMIC configuration...
Both have up's and down's.
Either way I want the engine bay temps to be low.
Suggestions??

Gaskets/Seals

Valve covers and Spark bezel finished.
I was hoping for a lighter colour of gray for the engine parts (for ease of diagnosis in the bush).
But this will do, and I think it looks pretty cool. A sort of new-school industrial feel.

Let me know your thoughts!

 

[Mudder]

I can't wait to see how this turns out!

 

[badger]

A few more...

Prep for crude acid wash. Very basic, cheap and effective.

Muriatic Acid.
This jug is already partially diluted by the manufacturer. Yet still kicks ass.

Read all warnings.
Understand what chemical reactions that can be created with this.
A different mask should be used than what I used. I doubled mine up, and avoided contact.
I managed doing it outside with a fan blowing away the gases that are released.

-Apply the acid with a brush.
-Use a brush or something lightly abrasive to scrub it around . (the acid does the work)
-Neutralize with a base by rubbing it around with another brush.
-Rinse neutralized solution and contaminants away with water and the help of your brush.
-Neutralize and the dilute all tools, trays, and anything you used and it will be good for another round.

Only do a few things at a time. Depending on the materials you are using this on, if proper neutralization or drying doesn't occur quickly - your parts will begin to rust, or oxidize, so dry them and coat them!
For best results - Large items like the intake manifold should be done start to finish.

Ready your "paint booth"

The result is impressive. I've never had paint grab a surface so well.

 

[badger]

A tip: Try to avoid these iconic creatures when conducting your Acid Bath.

 

[badger]

I need some help with the pilot bearing, this was always wishy-washy for me.
A member used a jeep one and mentioned that the JZ crank has a stepped rear for two sizes.
This seems to be true but I cannot find the post...

Small splined R150F shaft vs. Large splined AX-15 shaft inside tranny.
Significant increase in diameter between both nipples.

The R150F and R154 have same diameter input shafts so the pilot fits on both.

I need a pilot with the ID of 3/4" to match Jeep shaft; Yet with an OD to match the JZ crank.
That'll be a thin bearing! Is this possible?

Solutions?
Suggestions?

 

[badger]

Anyone have any advice regarding the pilot bearing?

 

[badger]

*bloop bloop bloop*

Roughly 1L of acid : 40L of water.
I thought it would be too weak, but it turned out perfect.
Most of the oils/contaminants make their way to the surface where they can easily be skimmed off.

A little over 12hrs later, with periodic coaxing and agitating.

Then another 8hrs further.
After some minor elbow grease with a scrub pad and a thumb over the garden hose

So purdy! (the chair - Its 'one-off' paint job courtesy of my girlfriends' childhood. Circa '94.)

I blasted the valve guides and all other non-aluminum parts with parts cleaner, air, and then penetrant.
After spraying an intake valve; I mocked it into position in all the guides...
It slid up and down like butter! ...this can only mean SUCCESS!
I needed to pound the valves with a rubber mallet to get them out!

Next it will be lapped. Then re-assembled.

QC approves!

 

[badger]

It's been a while now, here's an update!

Valve-train is together, all seems to be functioning correctly. No more jammed valve stems .
Finally time to assemble this thing. Love this part!

I'm quite happy with the black/silver/grey colour combo.

My personal favourite picture so far. A clean slate for future bolt-ons.
Cam covers are just sitting to cover the openings, the cams aren't installed yet.

Charge pipes and accessories installed.

Finished product 'teaser'.
Almost ready to set this in the truck!

I'm awaiting the flywheel bolts, release bearing, and timing belt. Once I have the flywheel bolted on I will try and sandwich the engine and tranny. I'm curious to see if the transmission input shaft will need to be trimmed or not.

Once together I will see if the engine/trans can be installed as one unit. *fingers crossed*

 

[badger]

I bench tested the transmission and transfer case functions.
... And whaddaya know, I put it together locked in gear. The transmission gear selector was positioned in neutral, yet the transmission internally was actually in reverse. This stopped the gear selector from leaving the "neutral" position. I thought I had left a shift detent ball/spring out, so only after cracking into the case again did I realize that it was in reverse, and all of the detent assembly's were correct.

I re-assembled in neutral, and all was as it should be.
N - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - R!

Transfer case 2HI - 4HI - N - 4LO all functioned properly.

All I had to do now, was cover up my previous mistake of painting it yellow...
My excuse was: I had a bunch of yellow cans around the garage. Forgive me.

A second look. 10 spline AX-15 input shaft being very obvious.

Gettin' ready!

Here are the AX-15 Front Bearing Retainer (LEFT) and the R150F Front Bearing Retainer (RIGHT).
Aside from the differently sized snouts, the R150F retainer has a thinner casting at the bottom right corner, you can see that it has been recessed.
(the corner closest to the camera, near the small stamps "11" vs. "61")
This was recessed in order for the R series bellhousing/clutch slave cylinder design to fit.
The AX-15 didn't require this recess because it uses an internal slave.
The 1JZ R154 bellhousing will not fit over the AX-15 Retainer without grinding away that material!
Being a direct bolt-in, I will use the R150F Retainer to avoid machining.

Here is a shot inside the bellhousing.
See the 'leg' of the housing jut out to hold the clutch fork support?
That is the part that doesn't fit over the "non-recessed" Jeep retainer.

So again:
In order to use the Jeep retainer you would have to machine either the retainer itself,
or the bellhousing. Your choice.

Also note the large nose on the input shaft - this will need a.. well... Nose-job.

 

[badger]

Found the leg of an AT-AT! ...Or would it be MT-MT?
The gray, to match the engine. FAR BETTER!

The nose-job complete! Took off a little over a 1/4", rounded out the edges. (geezer-slip for scale)
Now the bellhousing bolts up to the engine without the shaft bottoming out in the crank.

Yep, that's a 5spd 4WD 1JZ.

The truck returns to the clinic. Heart transplant written on the patient report.
The transmission is 100% complete and fully functioning.
I just need the proper clutch disc to connect it to the engine.
'95 Jeep disc won't fit inside the PP. Need something lesser in diameter than 9.5"

Well someone had to steer...

 

[DarkMachina86]

This build is making me drool.. I have a 2nd gen that that combo would look super sexy in. Great build so far!!

 

[Tapage]

that's looks a long drivetrain .. total length .?

I'm impatient to ear that 1JZ sound ..

 

[badger]

Thanks guys.

Tapage, It is a long drive-train! Well, for a small truck anyway.
It measures out to 67"(170cm) from head to toe.

The transmission, at 38"(96.5cm) seems long, yet it only gained about an inch in length with the R154 bellhousing.

The hefty straight-six however, is 29"(74cm) long, from serpentine belt to bellhousing/block flange.
A 7"(18cm) addition from the previously 22"(56cm) long, 3VZ-E.

So the drive-train, and its mass, are only increasing in the front part of the truck. It will affect the trucks' handling, but I'll live with that for now. As well as cope with the cramping of space near the rad.

...

BTW: When I mentioned earlier that I had owned an HJ61...
Tencha, was my 'spark' to actually go ahead and purchase it.
Such a bad ass cruiser!! It has been a wallpaper of mine many times.

Though this is my first post under the username badger, I have been watching this forum for years, typically surfing through the 60 and 80 series cruiser sections. I was driving my 1st 4Runner at that time, and wasn't exactly satisfied hahaha.

I saw Tencha:

So I found Ursa:

This "Bear" was a Japanese '89 12H-t/H55f 61 Safari.
Man, was it an incredible specimen... What a tractor!!

I seriously believe that Landcruisers (60,70, and 80 especially) are the most "superior" consumer-based street-legal off-road vehicles on earth. (mouthfull)
Above it; only Unimog. (But that's not fair, and it fails on a few of the consumer aspects )

...Now after finishing this post; I REALLY miss that truck!