2F engine rebuild questions (1 Viewer)

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I've read through a few of the different engine threads over the last few weeks, but now that i've got my engine out and dissasembled I still have some things i'm wondering about. My truck has just over 100k on it, but it had sat for 7-8 years at one time before I got it with 84k on it. It used oil from day one with me, and last summer when I kept track it had gotten to the point where it was going through at least a quart in a trip to work and back, which is 90 miles pretty much all 65-70mph. It has always turned new oil completely black within about 500 miles too. Anyhow, I plan to bump the compression up a bit by shaving the head. I have read on a few other threads where it has been suggested to take .080 off, which seems like a lot to me. I just dropped the head off at the machine shop and the machinist (who has built a few landcruiser engines) thinks that's a lot and may shorten engine life. He also said I would more than likely need to run premium in it, which I don't really want to do. I also plan on swapping out the cam but i'm still undecided if I want a new cam or want to send mine out to be reground by someone like Isky. It seems like a lot of people are using and selling regrinds, any reason why not to go with one? Also I have only read one thread concerning alternate rod bolts. And machining the heads on the supra ARP bolts without knowing if they would truly work seems like a lot of trouble. So I assume people are just reusing their stock rod bolts? With no problems? The last Toyota motor I rebuilt was in an MR2 and I used all the fasteners over again with no problems but I was somewhat concerned about rod bolts because they have been mentioned as a weak link. The motor will be balanced, and I have a mallory centrifugal advance distributor, Downey header, and a 38mm weber on a stock 2F manifold. It actually ran really strong and moved my soft top, aluminum tub rig quite nicely on 33's before. I'm hoping for something similar to Trollhole's big gay 2F's performance but without going to TBI. At least not yet.
 
The BG2F has a ton of money and time into it. Troll did just about everything he could.

Now - it doesn't sound or drive like a 2F - it is amazing - but be prepared to drop some coin.
 
I was just reading through the BG2F thread again and he only shaved the head .030 which seems much more reasonable to me. I think i'll go with that and have the block decked if needed. My engine's in a heck of a lot better shape than his was. I don't even think it will need to be bored, and my pistons look fine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that i'll be able to get it all together for around $1500.
 
I've read through a few of the different engine threads over the last few weeks, but now that i've got my engine out and dissasembled I still have some things i'm wondering about. My truck has just over 100k on it, but it had sat for 7-8 years at one time before I got it with 84k on it. It used oil from day one with me, and last summer when I kept track it had gotten to the point where it was going through at least a quart in a trip to work and back, which is 90 miles pretty much all 65-70mph. It has always turned new oil completely black within about 500 miles too. Anyhow, I plan to bump the compression up a bit by shaving the head. I have read on a few other threads where it has been suggested to take .080 off, which seems like a lot to me. I just dropped the head off at the machine shop and the machinist (who has built a few landcruiser engines) thinks that's a lot and may shorten engine life. He also said I would more than likely need to run premium in it, which I don't really want to do. I also plan on swapping out the cam but i'm still undecided if I want a new cam or want to send mine out to be reground by someone like Isky. It seems like a lot of people are using and selling regrinds, any reason why not to go with one? Also I have only read one thread concerning alternate rod bolts. And machining the heads on the supra ARP bolts without knowing if they would truly work seems like a lot of trouble. So I assume people are just reusing their stock rod bolts? With no problems? The last Toyota motor I rebuilt was in an MR2 and I used all the fasteners over again with no problems but I was somewhat concerned about rod bolts because they have been mentioned as a weak link. The motor will be balanced, and I have a mallory centrifugal advance distributor, Downey header, and a 38mm weber on a stock 2F manifold. It actually ran really strong and moved my soft top, aluminum tub rig quite nicely on 33's before. I'm hoping for something similar to Trollhole's big gay 2F's performance but without going to TBI. At least not yet.

I would not have any concerns about reusing the rod bolts unless the engine had previously been over revved to the point that it pitched a rod. If you're going to build a racing engine that goes 8,000 rpm, replace them. For a stock 2F you shouldn't have any issue.
 
So I found out a few weeks ago my head was junk, cracked in the # 5 combustion chamber right into a cooling jacket apparently. So #5 rings weren't sealing much at all likely contributing a lot to my oil usage. Oddly enough I never really noticed any coolant loss. So I got a used head and I'm waiting to hear if it's OK. But I have a few more questions. I want to get the inverted hex timing cover plate bolts, but I don't know what they are actually from. 3FE maybe? I am also still kind of wondering how much to take off the head. I want to still be able to run regular gas in it, but I know that the compression ratio can be raised a bit and still run on regular. Maybe .50 off would be OK. I'm at fairly low elevation too if it matters. I also got my cam and lifters back from Delta in Washington. They reground my stock cam to a 262 duration performance grind and resurfaced my lifters all for $125. And they sent me a free T shirt. Awesome service too, turned it around back to me the same day they got it. They mentioned modern oils are no good for cam break in and to use an additive to bring the oil back to SF grade I believe. I'm sure I can get some from Summit, and I need to order some mustang stuff soon anyhow. But what about using regular oil after it's broken in, will that be an issue?
 
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I was just reading through the BG2F thread again and he only shaved the head .030 which seems much more reasonable to me. I think i'll go with that and have the block decked if needed. My engine's in a heck of a lot better shape than his was. I don't even think it will need to be bored, and my pistons look fine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that i'll be able to get it all together for around $1500.

Easily with buying the right parts and having only the machine shop do what you cannot.
 
Thanks for the info on the screws. The replacement head I got was another 61031 for an earlier engine with dome pistons. From what I understand the FJ60 head needs flat tops and the corresponding rocker arm assembly. When I dropped off the block the machine shop said they might be able to get away with just a hone, so I was intending on using the same pistons over again. Now after looking at it further they say i'm going to need pistons too. So I really could have gone either way, but now I already have the early head so that's what is staying. Unless my "new" head is junk then I may go with FJ60 stuff.
 
One other question I just remembered is the connecting rod numbering. I had some 1's 2's and 3's according to the bearing caps. My machine shop says once it's balanced the locations of the rods in the engine won't matter as long as I didn't mix any of the caps up, which I was very careful not to do. Does this make sense? Were the different numbers for slightly different weights for some attempt at balancing from the factory or something?
 
Thanks for the info on the screws. The replacement head I got was another 61031 for an earlier engine with dome pistons. From what I understand the FJ60 head needs flat tops and the corresponding rocker arm assembly. When I dropped off the block the machine shop said they might be able to get away with just a hone, so I was intending on using the same pistons over again. Now after looking at it further they say i'm going to need pistons too. So I really could have gone either way, but now I already have the early head so that's what is staying. Unless my "new" head is junk then I may go with FJ60 stuff.

Sorry about that. I get my 79-80 years confused when it comes to the transition back to flat tops.
 

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