Engine rebuild? (1 Viewer)

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Everywhere I look for Shell Rotella 15w-40 it is described as "heavy duty diesel engine oil". Is this the stuff or is there a gas engine version I need to find?
You can use it in a gas engine. It has added zinc. Your engine will appreciate it.
 
You can use it in a gas engine. It has added zinc. Your engine will appreciate it.
Yes, awhile ago Shell dropped the API SM/SN (spark engine) designation from the Rotella line except T6 5w-30. The oil stayed the same and everybody is still using it. It is high in zinc and phosphorous. Zinc is good for all engines and phosphorous is good for diesels. The API has placed a limit on the amount of phosphorous that S_ oils can contain because it might damage some catalytic converters, so Shell has had to drop the S_ designation.
 
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Not dripping oil on your driveway doesn’t mean a thing engine wise. It does usually indicate your knuckles are leaking.

Look at your track and sway bars as well as on top of the stone guard. Wouldn’t be surprised if you had a nice coating of caked on oily grime.
 
Update - I have replaced the oil with Shell Rotella 15-40 and a Purolator Boss filter. In the 1100 miles since the oil change I have needed to add 2 quarts to keep the level in the safe zone. Yesterday I took it to a Toyota dealer and had them do a leak down test. It is indeed leaking past the rings. I now have a couple choices. Rebuild quotes are consistently $11,000-$12,000. Robbie Antonson said he hasn't found a trustworthy place to try and buy a rebuild from. Torfab Cruisers in Seattle said the same and came in around $12,000 to rebuild. Do you guys have any further suggestions? Is there somewhere to buy a used engine from a wrecked Cruiser or does anyone have a quality used engine for sale?
 
I don't think I saw how many miles are on this engine? Not that mileage is conclusive but it could shed some light on this discussion.

You may well need full replacement/rebuild but while there is no doubt it is consuming a lot of oil I'd still want more information before I jumped into a full rebuild/replacement. My experience with these engines has been that the valve stem seals can contribute a lot to oil consumption and if they haven't been replaced then at this point in the game it's safe to assume that they are contributing towards oil consumption. There have also been reports of odd issues like the windage tray drains in the valve cover getting blocked (as I understood it) which lead to high oil consumption through the intake. etc.

I'm not trying to complicate your position and there is no way for me to know if you need a full rebuild or not but if I were in your shoes I'd be looking to carve out some time to do more research here on mud and under the hood on my truck, myself, to see if I could shed any light on this. With the leakdown test results, if you trust them, you may need a full rebuild/replacement before you can really have piece of mind with this engine or if the miles are relatively low, it runs strong and you can find other causes for the oil consumption you may get by with only some head work or similar. I'd be looking into checking how the spark plugs look in each cylinder, perhaps inspecting cylinder walls with a borescope (particularly if one cylinder is contributing more to the oil burn) and consider a test period with an oil catch can on the pcv line, etc. to see if you can learn anything more before diving into a rebuild. Reading on mud will likely yield more and better ideas beyond these. As a point of reference, my '97 with 240k miles after valve stem seal replacement has yet to need oil between oil changes which I perform at 6k or 7k mile intervals. 2 qts per 1k miles is a lot, as you've observed.

I imagine that you don't want to risk spending 2k on a head reseal and run the risk of still having oil consumption issues or you may be past all of the digging and just ready to get a new engine. If you are looking to save a few bucks there are always used engines available from forum members. Check out the classifieds and consider putting out a want-ad. Shipping could add a lot to cost so you'll want to try to find a source nearer to you. With any engine of this age, even if it doesn't need bearings/rings it will need to be resealed and generally inspected. I'd plan to have the head gasket replaced and the head serviced/inspected as well, etc.

Also, at least up until recently and possibly still you could/can get new shortblocks for 1FZFE engines so that's another potential.

Good luck getting it sorted out!
 

Rebuild your head. Swap all other parts over to it.
Short Block Assy.jpg
 

Rebuild your head. Swap all other parts over to it. View attachment 2155096
Good to know that a brand new bottom end is available. What is the advantage of using this and swapping my rebuilt top end vs paying $4,000.00 to CruiserParts for a complete reman motor ?

I'm deciding between purchasing complete rebuild and having motor shop transplant. I thought that would be better option than having the shop do the rebuild since this is an older model motor.

Just trying to determine the best option for cost and quality ....... (self repair is not an option for me due to time)
 
Good to know that a brand new bottom end is available. What is the advantage of using this and swapping my rebuilt top end vs paying $4,000.00 to CruiserParts for a complete reman motor ?

I'm deciding between purchasing complete rebuild and having motor shop transplant. I thought that would be better option than having the shop do the rebuild since this is an older model motor.

Just trying to determine the best option for cost and quality ....... (self repair is not an option for me due to time)
Because it's CruiserParts. Do a search for reviews on that business.
 

Rebuild your head. Swap all other parts over to it. View attachment 2155096

none of the online parts dealers will ship the short block due to weight (don't ask me how I know :rolleyes:) - you will have to get it from your local dealer, and they tend to charge a bit more, unfortunately (> $4000 in my case :frown:), but they may drop ship it free to your local shop of choice . . .

getting a brand new short block and having the head rebuilt by a machine shop (came to $550) is how the engine in my LX was rebuilt after it blew - don't forget to include all the other parts (all new coolant hoses, gaskets, engine wiring harness, and several other doodads adding up . . . )

and then add the cost of labor . . .
 
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Because it's CruiserParts. Do a search for reviews on that business.

/this\ - my experience with cruiserparts has been dismal; fortunately, it was just on cosmetic items, not crucial mechanical parts
 
Good to know that a brand new bottom end is available. What is the advantage of using this and swapping my rebuilt top end vs paying $4,000.00 to CruiserParts for a complete reman motor ?

I'm deciding between purchasing complete rebuild and having motor shop transplant. I thought that would be better option than having the shop do the rebuild since this is an older model motor.

Just trying to determine the best option for cost and quality ....... (self repair is not an option for me due to time)
If you want to do this once and right, get a short block built by Mr Yota, the head refurbed by someone compentent and know that it's done the right way.
 
I'd not judge until run 5000-10000+ miles and seen consistency in adding. valve guides smoke on startup- idling long periods, especially when hot after sitting a while. look at leaks. Guaranteed to have leaks. I run an old DD 275k just add about 1 qt every 1k .
 
My engine was rebuilt by Robbie Antonson. I had a blown HG and bunch of leaks. Robbie gave me several options but the one I opted for was a complete rebuilt. I can't tell you in words how amazing Robbie's work. Never had a problem with anything he touched, always fair pricing and always honest opinions and thoughts based on his years of experience. He's told me to worry about some things and then totally stop worrying about other things. He's been right every time.

If you want to rebuild, and you can get on Robbie's schedule.... its a no brainer to go with Robbie. I was fortunate to get my parts from Beno when he was in the business. Between those two, I knew I was in good hands.
 
I thought I'd throw a question in here too. I have a 95 Land Cruiser with the 1FZ FE engine (4.5L 6-cylinder-Inline). She has 270k miles, runs good, but leaking a lot of oil. I've looked at a few videos and replacing the gaskets looks very doable. I'm considering getting the full engine gasket set kit, pulling the engine and replacing all the gaskets/seals. Unfortunately, I don't have the time so wondering if anyone knows a good shop in CT (or New England) that can do the job? Also, what else should I do while I'm opening up the engine?
 
none of the online parts dealers will ship the short block due to weight (don't ask me how I know :rolleyes:) - you will have to get it from your local dealer, and they tend to charge a bit more, unfortunately (> $4000 in my case :frown:), but they may drop ship it free to your local shop of choice . . .
Good insight.

For the LA-based 80 series owners who want the option to pick up, hit me up if you want competitive factory parts pricing with a local Toyota dealership I've built up a relationship with; esp for heavy iron items like a short block, drive shaft, etc. I'll see if I can help you out.
 
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