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GTV
SILVER Star
Scored 2007 Unicorn. The holy grail of 100 series.
Yep the search is over, I scored a Silver 2007 Unicorn Land Cruiser w/Thunder Cloud trim and stone interior. I started this hobby of restoring 100 series, after getting the bug! A bug perpetuated reading mud, as a distraction from the stress of trading oil futures contracts 23 hours a day. I'd...
forum.ih8mud.com
I'm not sure what transmission plug (drain plug I assume) has to do with engine. Are you looking for transmission as well?
03 was first 5spd the A750F with dip stick. 04-07 they removed dipstick.
They 98-05 engine 100 series should fit your bell-house and transmission. Even the VVT blocks and bell-house are all the same IIRC.
Take tons of really good pictures to look back on as you pull your engine and strip down.
Don't just look for engine. Look for beat up, trashed interior, body, paint, frame rigs with good engine.
Get a scope and look in cylinder when you can.
Anything other than a 100 series 98-05 you'll be stripping to long block. Swapping oil pan, oil cooler and filter housing, engine mounts, exhaust manifold if you get and numerous brackets. The starter will be accessed so intake comes off. As you'll swap starter wire to battery. Engine main harness will be yours also. It wraps down under A/C compressor to crank sensor at last point. I just pulled from ECU as most do and came off with engine, then swapped. You see in The Unicorn, I left transmission in. FSM has us pull as one, most don't. I use two engine stands. You'll learn no matter how well you drain oil and coolant it keeps coming out as you turn engine. Drip pan is helpful as oil dryer to soak up mess.
It my understanding any 2UZ-fe non VVt long block will work for you. 100 series 98-05 are non VVT. But once you move from the 00-02 100 series, the amount of parts you swap increases. This takes time and some new OEM parts, seals and what have you. So consider that in cost. 100 series is first choice. Timing belt, pulleys, WP, etc "most" will go ahead and replace while engine out.
Rebuilding starter is good idea if you pull intake.
If you root around, there is some PDF of History of the 2UZ Tundra, Sequoia and such. It talks about changes and some of why and whats. The VVT short block, some say, will work also in all 2UZ non VVt. But pistons are a little different so it's unproven to my knowledge. Also the VVT has oilers in block for bottom of cylinder, very cool. They just milled and drilled the block and tapped the oil galley of non VVT 2UZ same block otherwise for the most part. VVT Heads are the very different with extra port above exhaust and much more.
Some have been taking the VVT plastic intake manifold and putting on the non VVT, cool stuff. Other find 12 hole fuel injectors and replace the 4 hole. 200 series have these 12 hole as do other Toyota/Lexus, so something too it I suppose. I stick with stock myself.
You'll use your wire harness outside of a 00-02 swap and what else depends on how far away from the target model and make.
Finding a drop in 100 series 00-02 save a lot of time and labor. 98-99 or 03-05 not much more labor from 100 series. So hunt first for those in your neck of the woods.
Value of 98-02 can be as low as $5, $10 or $15K, so insurance is totaling them more and more. Like the one I showed you here on CL. Some guys keep and take the hit for not giving rig to insurance. Insurance sends to Corpart, so they have tables for adjusting if one keeps. This hit is from $2.5K to $5k generally, yr and mileage count. But sometimes beat up rigs are $500 to $2K with good engine, it's finding in your time frame. History of Oil & filter and air filters adds value as does low mileage.
As I said, in your other thread. Do your homework. Don't just grab any engine. So many of these seller of engines flat out lie. I learned the hard way as have others. I had JDM engine guys tell they have a 50K miles or under 2UZ VVT. Asked for pictures of engine and with VIN # on RH head. They say sure and never send. The honest ones said in 17 to 20 yrs have never seen a 2UZ come from Japan.
I had a CL guy deliver a 08 4Runner 2UZ-VVT w/130K to my door with harness, exhaust manifold and transmission for $500. Title and all w/130K miles. I checked Toyota and Carfax. I got burned. It's a rebuild-able I've been selling parts off of. Takes up room, hard to spare.
Engine must have sat out exposed to elements and or washed. Then sat and rusted. Water was in intake and cylinders. It's rebuild-able but not what I wanted.
I've taken block to machine shop. It's rebuild able with out boring cylinders, just hone. Heads need machine shop time as well.
Rebuilding is something I'd like to do sometime. I haven't done one in more years than I'll state here. It was fun. But today to really rebuilt a 2UZ to spec is no small feat. It can be done and rebuilt are out their. But with what, Chinese parts and to what spec. They're good for 30K, to 60K and smoke. A good used can go 1 million miles or more, we don't know how many really. A rebuild using all OEM and top machine shops is pricey. We also don't have some info from factory. Like what grit or type stone to hone with. Factory hone marks are even in the 1 million miles engine still. See my first link in signture under engines.
Toyota sell short block of VVT block is $4K. VVt heads $1K, IIRC. So new is $6K plus gasket kits and labor. I've any estimate for ~$12K from Toyota shop at of GA to replace engine. We don't know if block or heads USA made or imported from Japan. I'm speaking mainly of the VVTi. My Local Toyota wholesale parts guy is great. He orders me parts just so I/we can look at like radiators, coils, clips, etc. But engine or heads are too expensive and deposited required. If i return he'll get called on the carpet as they say. So we've never seen packaging or block codes to know from where they hail.
I found a (as linked above by @GTV) a Lexus GX470 w/98K perfect oil & filter history. From WI fresh kill with hood on. Pitted like all rust belt engines, but that doesn't matter to much. Internals were very good. Exhaust port on head bugged me from pitting, but worked. I paid yard $2,300 to my door in Denver shipping, extra without loading dock. These yards are sometimes really hard to deal with. They don't care, they're often swapped with buyers from shops with loading docks for their stuff. It's a billion dollar business. So do your home work, if your going to pay the $$ and take the time. Some smaller yards and large ones just lied and offer guarantee which is usually not your cash back.. Others offer without intake, not for me. They drop sand all to often if intake ports.
My case was a bit different in that I had the 2007 Unicorn. It needed the best I could find. USA made engine was not in the cards. I did months of homework and came back to what local gear-heads from mud said to me. Stick with Japaneses made engine, better. They are by all accounts in years of my target search and VVT-i up to mid 07. USA made, have more "Toyota tick" piston slap and rods are busting. That said: The 1 million mile was USA made 05 Tundra, with perfect PM record of fluid changes all HWY miles.
Your case $800 Tundra may be fine. Savings, but again more parts to swap, more time!
Good you started your search now. Some find in a day some take months. One local @Moore80 had three bad engine in a row. He had last long block rebuilt for him. He's installing now. We PM daily, it's time consuming. He'll be firing up in days. I wish he and I didn't PM, but had a thread. I think many could have benefited. Also I can't post pictures (easily) in PM, which would have helped.
Oh here is my no start 00LX I pulled with a 2011LC. Down from a field find in the hills last July, week after I bought/drove Merlot (07 w/64K) up from So TX. Near $5k in parts now in Emerald (00LX w/350K miles (CN 650K km)) runs good now. Compression varies a bit, but within spec of 14 lb difference and above minimum, like usual. Just put in new TT Denso spark plugs and 8 Denso Coils ~$500. I may write this one up, it's a work in progress. Waiting on @Moore80 to send me some fuel injectors to have rebuilt. So I'll not have down time as it's DD now for my GF and I. Door locks fail in the summer heat and DS door hinges (I have) need replacing when I get time. Started life in CN sticker on bumper indicates some time in Boston perhaps, and a bit rusted (not to bad). It's my DD and experimental rig. I paid for the tires they gave the rig...just kidding.
This one not many know about.
Soon I'll be in my shop, and not on threads of mud so much. Working on Merlot getting ready for HIH for new owner. I'll be doing some mod, not my normal pure stock restore. Darn I like Merlot. Now it like The Unicorn and The Black Knight have new homes. 2018 was year of rarity.
Good luck. I'll try to watch this and your other threads.
I'm very interested what's story of your rigs bad engine, and all swaps as this one!
03 was first 5spd the A750F with dip stick. 04-07 they removed dipstick.
They 98-05 engine 100 series should fit your bell-house and transmission. Even the VVT blocks and bell-house are all the same IIRC.
Take tons of really good pictures to look back on as you pull your engine and strip down.
Don't just look for engine. Look for beat up, trashed interior, body, paint, frame rigs with good engine.
Get a scope and look in cylinder when you can.
Anything other than a 100 series 98-05 you'll be stripping to long block. Swapping oil pan, oil cooler and filter housing, engine mounts, exhaust manifold if you get and numerous brackets. The starter will be accessed so intake comes off. As you'll swap starter wire to battery. Engine main harness will be yours also. It wraps down under A/C compressor to crank sensor at last point. I just pulled from ECU as most do and came off with engine, then swapped. You see in The Unicorn, I left transmission in. FSM has us pull as one, most don't. I use two engine stands. You'll learn no matter how well you drain oil and coolant it keeps coming out as you turn engine. Drip pan is helpful as oil dryer to soak up mess.
It my understanding any 2UZ-fe non VVt long block will work for you. 100 series 98-05 are non VVT. But once you move from the 00-02 100 series, the amount of parts you swap increases. This takes time and some new OEM parts, seals and what have you. So consider that in cost. 100 series is first choice. Timing belt, pulleys, WP, etc "most" will go ahead and replace while engine out.
Rebuilding starter is good idea if you pull intake.
If you root around, there is some PDF of History of the 2UZ Tundra, Sequoia and such. It talks about changes and some of why and whats. The VVT short block, some say, will work also in all 2UZ non VVt. But pistons are a little different so it's unproven to my knowledge. Also the VVT has oilers in block for bottom of cylinder, very cool. They just milled and drilled the block and tapped the oil galley of non VVT 2UZ same block otherwise for the most part. VVT Heads are the very different with extra port above exhaust and much more.
Some have been taking the VVT plastic intake manifold and putting on the non VVT, cool stuff. Other find 12 hole fuel injectors and replace the 4 hole. 200 series have these 12 hole as do other Toyota/Lexus, so something too it I suppose. I stick with stock myself.
You'll use your wire harness outside of a 00-02 swap and what else depends on how far away from the target model and make.
Finding a drop in 100 series 00-02 save a lot of time and labor. 98-99 or 03-05 not much more labor from 100 series. So hunt first for those in your neck of the woods.
Value of 98-02 can be as low as $5, $10 or $15K, so insurance is totaling them more and more. Like the one I showed you here on CL. Some guys keep and take the hit for not giving rig to insurance. Insurance sends to Corpart, so they have tables for adjusting if one keeps. This hit is from $2.5K to $5k generally, yr and mileage count. But sometimes beat up rigs are $500 to $2K with good engine, it's finding in your time frame. History of Oil & filter and air filters adds value as does low mileage.
As I said, in your other thread. Do your homework. Don't just grab any engine. So many of these seller of engines flat out lie. I learned the hard way as have others. I had JDM engine guys tell they have a 50K miles or under 2UZ VVT. Asked for pictures of engine and with VIN # on RH head. They say sure and never send. The honest ones said in 17 to 20 yrs have never seen a 2UZ come from Japan.
I had a CL guy deliver a 08 4Runner 2UZ-VVT w/130K to my door with harness, exhaust manifold and transmission for $500. Title and all w/130K miles. I checked Toyota and Carfax. I got burned. It's a rebuild-able I've been selling parts off of. Takes up room, hard to spare.
Engine must have sat out exposed to elements and or washed. Then sat and rusted. Water was in intake and cylinders. It's rebuild-able but not what I wanted.
I've taken block to machine shop. It's rebuild able with out boring cylinders, just hone. Heads need machine shop time as well.
Rebuilding is something I'd like to do sometime. I haven't done one in more years than I'll state here. It was fun. But today to really rebuilt a 2UZ to spec is no small feat. It can be done and rebuilt are out their. But with what, Chinese parts and to what spec. They're good for 30K, to 60K and smoke. A good used can go 1 million miles or more, we don't know how many really. A rebuild using all OEM and top machine shops is pricey. We also don't have some info from factory. Like what grit or type stone to hone with. Factory hone marks are even in the 1 million miles engine still. See my first link in signture under engines.
Toyota sell short block of VVT block is $4K. VVt heads $1K, IIRC. So new is $6K plus gasket kits and labor. I've any estimate for ~$12K from Toyota shop at of GA to replace engine. We don't know if block or heads USA made or imported from Japan. I'm speaking mainly of the VVTi. My Local Toyota wholesale parts guy is great. He orders me parts just so I/we can look at like radiators, coils, clips, etc. But engine or heads are too expensive and deposited required. If i return he'll get called on the carpet as they say. So we've never seen packaging or block codes to know from where they hail.
I found a (as linked above by @GTV) a Lexus GX470 w/98K perfect oil & filter history. From WI fresh kill with hood on. Pitted like all rust belt engines, but that doesn't matter to much. Internals were very good. Exhaust port on head bugged me from pitting, but worked. I paid yard $2,300 to my door in Denver shipping, extra without loading dock. These yards are sometimes really hard to deal with. They don't care, they're often swapped with buyers from shops with loading docks for their stuff. It's a billion dollar business. So do your home work, if your going to pay the $$ and take the time. Some smaller yards and large ones just lied and offer guarantee which is usually not your cash back.. Others offer without intake, not for me. They drop sand all to often if intake ports.
My case was a bit different in that I had the 2007 Unicorn. It needed the best I could find. USA made engine was not in the cards. I did months of homework and came back to what local gear-heads from mud said to me. Stick with Japaneses made engine, better. They are by all accounts in years of my target search and VVT-i up to mid 07. USA made, have more "Toyota tick" piston slap and rods are busting. That said: The 1 million mile was USA made 05 Tundra, with perfect PM record of fluid changes all HWY miles.
Your case $800 Tundra may be fine. Savings, but again more parts to swap, more time!
Good you started your search now. Some find in a day some take months. One local @Moore80 had three bad engine in a row. He had last long block rebuilt for him. He's installing now. We PM daily, it's time consuming. He'll be firing up in days. I wish he and I didn't PM, but had a thread. I think many could have benefited. Also I can't post pictures (easily) in PM, which would have helped.
Oh here is my no start 00LX I pulled with a 2011LC. Down from a field find in the hills last July, week after I bought/drove Merlot (07 w/64K) up from So TX. Near $5k in parts now in Emerald (00LX w/350K miles (CN 650K km)) runs good now. Compression varies a bit, but within spec of 14 lb difference and above minimum, like usual. Just put in new TT Denso spark plugs and 8 Denso Coils ~$500. I may write this one up, it's a work in progress. Waiting on @Moore80 to send me some fuel injectors to have rebuilt. So I'll not have down time as it's DD now for my GF and I. Door locks fail in the summer heat and DS door hinges (I have) need replacing when I get time. Started life in CN sticker on bumper indicates some time in Boston perhaps, and a bit rusted (not to bad). It's my DD and experimental rig. I paid for the tires they gave the rig...just kidding.
This one not many know about.
Soon I'll be in my shop, and not on threads of mud so much. Working on Merlot getting ready for HIH for new owner. I'll be doing some mod, not my normal pure stock restore. Darn I like Merlot. Now it like The Unicorn and The Black Knight have new homes. 2018 was year of rarity.
Good luck. I'll try to watch this and your other threads.
I'm very interested what's story of your rigs bad engine, and all swaps as this one!
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