80 Engine Swap Hours

[80Toyota]

First post here and just had a quick question on engine swaps. About How many hours it would take a competent shop to install a new 1fz-fe engine and my second question was about the 2UZ swaps- are there any kits /simple ways to do this - or is it more of a piecemeal swap ?-

I need one the best option that I could give to a mechanic (who can do a swap with all the parts on hand)

Thanks - Al

 

[half k cruiser]

If you have pulled a 1FZ before then I would say in about 4 hours you could have everything stripped around it and be ready to unbolt the mounts and pull it out. Add double that amount of time if you havn't. Install will take more time, putting things back together is always harder then getting them apart. Allow 8 hours maybe if you had the motor on hand and all your stuff was squared away.

As for the 2UZ, Slee can do the swap for you, if you want to spend $$$$. If you want a V8 go with an LSX as this has already been done and there are a lot more pros to doing it than the toyota v8

 

[80Toyota]

Ok great thanks for the extremely helpful info.

I read as much as I could about pulling and swapping the different engines.

I got a quote for about 25 hours give or take few hours from a local Toyota mechanic who has done replacement engines and swaps. About $2500 , and seeing if that's about right to remove and put in a rebuilt 1fz.

I read some stuff about easier wire harness pulling techniques , but will I need to pull the harness for a rebuilt engine swap or use the old one in decent condition? Thanks in advance

 

[80Toyota]

And I'm thinking it would be best idea to get new motor mount bushings , and some other parts while it's out. If there are any easily forgotten extra parts please feel free to comment. Thanks

 

[half k cruiser]

Honestly there are so many variables that can go into this whole thing. Heres a few questions for you.....
1) why are you removing the old motor
2) do you have another motor ready to go
3) $2500 gets you what, labor only, or labor and another motor

To answer your question on the harness, you will have to disconnect it from the ecu regardless before you can pull the motor, that is the easiest way. There is a ton of stuff you can do with the motor out. Everything is so much easier to access. Rust repair, harness repair, painting the engine bay, fixing your rusted rear heater lines, all of the heater hoses on the firewall, power steering gearbox, only limited to your imagination and cash. If you look in my signature there is a thread there for the rebuild I did this summer, that may give you some good ideas.

 

[80Toyota]

Thanks for the great answers. To answer your questions-

1&2- the old motor is shot. I'll keep it most likely for extra parts. I am most likely going to order one of the "new" rebuilt engines from engine haus // com, but I've been reading on here some don't trust it was done right by of price. The owner posted on here that he has a direct line to parts, and lots of credible certifications and buyer feedback online. People on here just seem to be scared off by not all oem parts , from what I've gathered.

But with a 2 year warranty for 3000, it seems like a decent deal if I can get at least 2-4 years out of the motor. There are other rebuilt 1fz motors from similar company's with 2-5 year warranty. I see everyone's concern over non oem parts , but if it lasted the 5 years it seems worth it to me.

2500- gets the rebuilt motor, and he 25 hours quotes to install is about 2200-2500 dollar estimate for the labor.

So , 5,000- for either the 2 year warranty from the engine haus company, or 6000 for (engine monkey?) I believe is the name of the company with 5 year warranty. And labor at mechanic.

Both company seem legitimate, but maybe I'm missing something. I haven't seen anyone on here use these rebuilt engines

 

[80Toyota]

As for those other parts like the heater hoses that's what I don't want to forget to order while the engine is out. Thanks for the list I'm sure there's a few more

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

So just to play devil's advocate here...

Is there something special about this rig that warrants spending at least as much as it's worth to replace the engine? I can understand any number of reasons, but if it's just a stock or mildly built 80, you would probably be money ahead to just buy a lower mileage 80 and sell this one at a reduced price due to whatever is wrong with the engine. Stock 80's seem to be in a slump price wise. They're silly cheap for what they are, and I think in a few years they will start to appreciate. However right now, you can buy a lot of 80 for $5-6000.

This is coming from a guy who is doing a V8 swap into an 80 because I wanted a badass 80 with more power and the value was a secondary concern. So I'm not judging either way you go, just trying to present a different view point.

 

[dallen341]

@half k cruiser

Are you saying it is easiest to pull engine/trans combo with harness intact but disconnected from ECM is the easiest route? I have been wondering this and you be one that has direct experience.

 

[alia176]

This is a sad statement
"But with a 2 year warranty for 3000, it seems like a decent deal if I can get at least 2-4 years out of the motor."

A properly rebuilt 1FZ-FE should go for way more than 2-4 years.

You want to swap engines and then have the old one as spare parts. This is Land Rover/Jeep mentality. You shouldn't need parts from the old engine if the rebuilt was done to spec in the first place. Get where I'm coming from?

"my old engine is shot" - do you know if the lower end is shot too? The lower end is quite robust so you maybe able to get away with very minimal honing, new rings and bearings. Just talking out loud here.

As far as the ECU harness, dump the old one and buy a new one. These harnesses are becoming crispy critters and this type of major disturbance really messes with the connections and not worth taking the risk IMHO. Imagine how PO'ed you'd be after the new/rebuilt engine goes in, you then fight weird gremlins.

Yes, it is easier to pull the engine/trans/transfer case combo out with the ECU harness intact, just disconnect it from the ECU. See pic.

My advice, for what that's worth, is to pull the old engine out, take it apart, rebuild it with OEM parts then stick it back in. Your'e good to go for another 20 years.

 

[half k cruiser]

@half k cruiser

Are you saying it is easiest to pull engine/trans combo with harness intact but disconnected from ECM is the easiest route? I have been wondering this and you be one that has direct experience.

Yes, take the glove box out, disconnect from the ecu, then feed the wires out through the firewall. When I did mine I removed the engine only so I did have to disconnect the transmission side connections near the driver side of the engine block. If you pull everything engine, trans you will just need to disconnect it from the ecu.

@alia176 makes a good point about the harness. They do get old and crispy, but, a new harness will set you back over $400 if you can even get one. Also, when I pulled the one out of my 94 this summer I realized that it wasn't the wires that were crispy, just the wrapping. The solution, carefully unwrap the bad parts and start re wrapping with fresh electrical tape and that ribbed plastic wire armor. Also, I had several electrical clips that were broken, a simple call to @cruiserdan , I gave him the numbers from the clips and a few days later I had brand new ones. When I got done the harness looked fantastic and made me feel a lot better about re using it.

 

[80Toyota]

Wow. Lots of great info. Thanks to all of you.

Erbrahami and Alia - I expected to get another 10 years or more out of the rebuilt engine. That's what I'm saying about not understanding peoples aversion to the rebuilt engine. The shops quote to rebuild the engine was about 5000, and that didn't include putting it back in.

Half K- yes I believe it was your post I read. Thanks for all the great info on reinstalling the engine and all the little parts. I'm not sure if the rebuilt engine comes with a new harness - I do think it does. I planned on doing exactly what you did with the old wires. Great response thanks again. It's a little confusing getting the parts all together and not skipping over anything

 

[80Toyota]

Alia - and that's funny about the jeep/ land rover comment.

My truck has some piston issues. Still runs but I need a 4x4 for the next 10 plus years - so I figured easiest and least expensive was the new rebuilt swap- rebuilding mine would cost too much.

I just figured I would keep the old engine for any part that might have a problem way later on. It's not a big deal to keep it or sell parts.

I figured the rebuilt engine would last 10+ years no problem. That shop that rebuilds them in Washington state seems to b rebuild properly and said on the forum he gets a direct line to to the oem parts.

From my mechanics quote it was less time and money to install a rebuilt motor from the business I mentioned. The quote was more to rebuild my engine and all the parts ordering etc.

Maybe I'm missing something. I'd be saving about 2000 just getting the rebuilt engine shipped to me.

Is there nobody in the forums with a rebuilt engine from either of these businesses?

 

[80Toyota]

And is 25 hrs @ 80hr- for the swap a fair estimate?

 

[80Toyota]

Oh , and I don't want to buy another cruiser because I bought his one pretty inexpensive knowing I might have to do an engine swap in 1 or two years.

If I get a new cruiser I'll lose much more money , and potentially have to rebuild the engine in the "new" one.

 

[half k cruiser]

Where do you live ?

 

[80Toyota]

I'm in Oklahoma. Those engine sites seem to have good feedback- am I missing something about the engines ?

3000 for a rebuilt with zero miles seems like the best route but I keep hearing no, I'm a bit confused why