2nd Gen Tundra 2UZ-FE VVT-i Rebuild Thread

[bratlas]

I’m starting this thread to document my 2nd gen Tundra 2UZ-FE VVT-i rebuild.

This is more of a personal journey than a formal how-to. I’m not a professional engine builder, and I’m not trying to present this as the definitive way to rebuild one of these engines. I just wanted one place to document what I find, partly because it has been hard to find easily digestible rebuild content for this engine online.

I also figured posting here gives me a little bit of insurance by taking advantage of this group’s combined knowledge. I’d love to hear advice, corrections, and criticism as I go. If you see something I’m missing or doing wrong, please call it out.

The truck is a 2007 Toyota Tundra with the 4.7L 2UZ-FE VVT-i. I bought it last year with about 270k miles and a known major oil leak from basically everywhere. The original plan was to pull the engine, reseal it, clean everything up, and put it back together. Once I opened it up, that plan changed quite a bit.

The leaks had gone unaddressed for a long time, and once I got into the engine I found signs of debris-related wear inside the system. So instead of the relatively simple overhaul I was wanting to do, I ended up breaking down the short block and rebuilding junkyard heads in lieu of reusing my original ones.

I know the common advice with these engines is usually "just swap in a good used 2UZ." That probably would have been the easier route, and maybe even the smarter route depending on how this goes. But I felt like I was up for the challenge, and figured this knowledge would do me well for long term maintenance practice.

My next post will be of engine initial state for reference of what I'm working with.

Stay tuned!

 

[bratlas]

So let's begin with the state of the engine. It was oily as heck.

Both valve covers, intake manifold, oil cooler, rear main seal. Literally everything was leaking. It was leaking for so long, the steering rack was CAKED in oil/dirt.

 

[bratlas]

When I pulled the camshafted, I was devastated to see that basically all the journals and caps were scored pretty bad. I agonized for weeks on if I should just keep and send it, but decided not to use them. It was a real bummer.

Valve seats were also in really bad shape....

 

[bratlas]

The short block turned out to be in much better shape. Thankfully the crank had no scoring like the camshaft.

I was actually terrified to pull the crank because if they were scored, I probably wouldn't have been able to save the engine without a ton of machining. Journals have shadows of debris damage but nothing a good polishing cant fix. I had the crank sent to my local machine shop and they said it was basically perfect! Forged crankshafts are so badass. So glad toyota used quality materials in the short block. These things really can take a beating!

Pistons were a different story. The skirts all had scratches on them and worn coatings. Ring lands had a bunch of carbon and oil holes for rod bushings were partially plugged.

I also dropped a piston on a rubber cushion and Im really bummed about it. I cleaned the pistons with carb cleaner and a brash brush and they came out really good but I do have a lot of cosmetic skirt damage from letting the rods bang against the inner part of skirt as I was pulling from block. I'm really bummed that I damaged them all but I'm chalking up to first time lessons to learn from. Pistons will be sanded of rough edges and reused.

Cylinder walls are shiny smooth; almost perfect for 270k. I can still see cross hatch but there are a few light vertical lines I can't feel with a fingernail. The plan is to just ball hone after the machine shop checks it out.

More to come!

 

[vtl]

I became a better man after rebuilding my own engine. What a feeling when it starts right up and does not knock nor produce any other noise that should not be there! Was so proud of myself that started a rebuild of transmission, screwed up the valve body reassembly, which ended up in line pressure loss and friction packs burned Second rebuild attempt ended up better. Still on the road and butter smooth after 5+ years.

You can do everything yourself. Measuring is a pretty basic operation, just make sure you kept parts and measurement tools overnight on the same bench, at the same temperature, or they will expand/shrink during measurement and ruin it. At the end you will spend about same money on this step, but will keep the tools. I had to buy a machinist's straight edge, bore gauges, small bore gauges (for valve guides), vernier calipers and a piece of thick polished glass for resurfacing the head. Also Flex-Hone and who knows what else. It turned out pretty well, the car is still on the road after 5+ years. Not 2UZ, but engine of similar era.

Would highly encourage to get this book: Automotive Engines: Diagnosis, Repair, Rebuilding: Gilles, Tim: 9781285441740: Amazon.com: Books - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1285441745 Can be second hand, not the newest edition.

 

[jsloden]

The main reason most people don't recommend rebuilding these is because the tolerances on these is very tight and most engine shops won't even rebuild them. This is not a good engine to learn on. Also, if you want to get the same type of reliability out of the engine as it had originally you want to go with ALL toyota parts. In order do that you will spending WAY more than you could have bought a second hand engine for. I applaud you for wanting to do this yourself and learn new things but a small block chevy would been ideal to learn on, not a 2uz. Make sure you have a good daily driver. I would have fixed the oil leaks and sent it.

 

[bratlas]

Today I cleaned the block in preparation for sending to the machine shop tomorrow morning!

And here we are after a few rounds and some elbow grease:

Cleaning wasn't terrible but I should have got smaller scrub brushes. I was able to get by with a brass brush and a dremel brush bit, by hand, for tight areas.

I was also able to get a better look at the cylinders with all of the buildup cleaned off. I few scratches but thankfully nothing can be felt with a finger. This is the worst looking cylinder.

And the rest of the cylinders look like this more or less:

So now that the block is cleaned, the parts washer at the machine shop should be able to finish off the rest pretty easy. After the parts wash, I'll brush out all the oil passages and put away until my bearings get here from Dubai. I still have a couple weeks to go until they get here. I am planning on rebuilding my alternator and power steering pump in the meantime if time allows.

Stay tuned!

 

[bratlas]

The main reason most people don't recommend rebuilding these is because the tolerances on these is very tight and most engine shops won't even rebuild them. This is not a good engine to learn on. Also, if you want to get the same type of reliability out of the engine as it had originally you want to go with ALL toyota parts. In order do that you will spending WAY more than you could have bought a second hand engine for. I applaud you for wanting to do this yourself and learn new things but a small block chevy would been ideal to learn on, not a 2uz. Make sure you have a good daily driver. I would have fixed the oil leaks and sent it.

You have no idea what you're talking about. The 2UZ is a very straighforward rebuild candidate. If I wanted to rebuild a 5.3 or 6.0 then I would have done so. If you want to rebuild a chevy small block then go for it.

I'm doing OEM selective fit main and rod bearings. Almost everything is OEM except for the overhaul gasket kit. I wasn't able to source an OEM kit so I went with an Elring kit from rockauto. Time will tell if it will be long lasting but I have high confidence in the kit. All the o-rings and gaskets look great and was not much cheaper than OEM.

 

[jsloden]

You have no idea what you're talking about. The 2UZ is a very straighforward rebuild candidate. If I wanted to rebuild a 5.3 or 6.0 then I would have done so. If you want to rebuild a chevy small block then go for it.

I'm doing OEM selective fit main and rod bearings. Almost everything is OEM except for the overhaul gasket kit. I wasn't able to source an OEM kit so I went with an Elring kit from rockauto. Time will tell if it will be long lasting but I have high confidence in the kit. All the o-rings and gaskets look great and was not much cheaper than OEM.

Ok, I've just owned and extensively worked on 80 and 100 series land cruisers, as well as tundras, and sequoias. But I probably don't know what I'm talking about. Just go read a few threads. Good luck with that elring kit. Make sure you at least use toyota head gaskets. Good luck.

 

[bratlas]

Dropped the block off today. I'm sad to leave it but I know it's in good hands and will have lots of fun playing with the other blocks

And now we wait! I worked out a deal with the machine shop and I will be painting and assembling here. If all goes to plan, The rest of the photos in this build thread will be at the shop, but if I dont have enough space to move around, I might go ahead and do final assembly at home. The big win here is that I don't need to platigauge anything and can do all my measurements with micrometers and whatnot.

Either way we are looking reallllly good! If I have time this week I might crack open the alternator to replace the brush. Will post again soon!

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

[bratlas]

Ok, I've just owned and extensively worked on 80 and 100 series land cruisers, as well as tundras, and sequoias. But I probably don't know what I'm talking about. Just go read a few threads. Good luck with that elring kit. Make sure you at least use toyota head gaskets. Good luck.

I guess I don't understand why you say that the 2UZ is sooooo much harder than a domestic truck engine. It's not like it's a BMW engine or anything.

I guess I understand tolerances are tight but that's what measuring is for...and every engine needs to me checked for tolerances.

I just feel like you are making a blanket statement that isn't at all accurate to my experiences.

I will say though that I have rebuilt 100000000 a750 and ab60 transmissions from the sequoias and tundras so it's not like I have no technical ability. This is my first dip into engine stuff though.

 

[bratlas]

I got my order in from Amayama today! I have (almost) everything I need to start assembly!

One small annoyance is that my thrust bearings came damaged...Seems like it was dragged across a rough surface or fell on the ground.

Not sure what to do here. I'll let the machine shop sort it out.

The good thing is that the thrust bearings aren't selective fit, so I should be able to get any aftermarket thrust bearing in theory. I'd love to get some Taiho replacements but I dont wanna wait another week or two. I'm itching to get assembly going...

 

[bratlas]

If anyone has any suggestions for aftermarket thrust bearings I'm all ears...

I'm thinking the King AM-Series ones might be the ticket:
TW 288AM

The thrust washer is the same across the entire UZ family so I have high confidence that the 1UZ and 3UZ would have complained about them by now.

Open to suggestions!