Engine Replacement

[mjrsfj40]

Radiator blew (literally a chunk blew out) in my daughters 2003 GX 470, resulting in blown head gaskets and scored cylinder walls, necessitating replacement of the engine. New to me engine on the way (135,000 miles), which will receive new timing belt and water pump prior to install. Oh, and a new Denso radiator plus hoses, thermostat, etc.

Here is my question - factory service manual indicates the transmission is to be removed prior to engine removal. Has anyone replaced the engine in a GX in their garage and did you remove the transmission? Any other hints would be appreciated.

Will post details of the autopsy on the engine later along with photos. Original engine had 179,000 miles and all maintenance completed on time. Postmortem to come.

PS: The GX in the avatar is mine and the motor is still strong at 240,000 miles.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Wow! And you are installing the engine yourself? Double wow.

 

[JRGreeson]

I have pulled the 2UZFE from my 2006 GX470. You dont have to take transmission out. I did lower it to access the top mounting bolts on the engine to transmision. Using a jack for support of transmission you can unbolt the cross bar supports and lower several inches to reach top bolts. (unbolt exahust and transmission fluid lines - double check for anything that you might have that does not want to tilt down) I did this in a standard home garage with a Harbor Freight Engine hoist and motor stand. I did alot of taking air out of tires etc to adjust the height of the GX when removing when at the pull out stage. Want the truck as low as you can get when pulling engine.

Advice, pay the money for the TIS Technical Manuals online. Not expensive, will save you more than you spend in time and money.
Also, there is another post on this site for a kid and his dad in MS that pulled a hydro locked engine for rebuild. I agree with almost all of what they did accept they removed some suspension items. I removed no suspension. It was all about how I used the hoist to its fullest potential to clear the front of the engine compartment. Be careful with that part of the process. I used properly rated chains etc. Take your time.

The harness was my most time consuming item. Mine had 292,000 miles in high heat. Be careful with connectors. I broke a couple and had to wire back in replacements.

Plan to replace your O2 sensors when the engine is out. You will thank me. You dont have to, but it is so much easier.

I also recommend taking the time to double check your engine. I would check the valve clearances when I recieved the engine. (See TIN not hard) requires pulling the valve covers and using feeler gauges... nothing to difficult. Intake and Exhaust range of tolerance are very important. If they measure out they will have to be brought into tolerance. Also, I might go ahead and check compression of all cylinders at the time of receipt of the engine. Dont have to but later if you have a problem, it is really on you at that point.

While the engine is out, it is a good time to either rebuild or replace the alternator. Minor pain to replace later. $128 on RockAuto.

I replaced all my hoses and my vacum hose lines.

YouTube has several helpful videos of 4Runner and Tacoma rebuilds. Almost the same for this 2UZFE Engine.

Good luck - Nothing to diffult. Just a bunch wrench time.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

While you are in there (lol), replace the starter. I heard it’s a hard to get to item!

 

[mjrsfj40]

While you are in there (lol), replace the starter. I heard it’s a hard to get to item!

Starter replaced along with timing belt, water pump, thermostat, hoses, radiator,etc. Completed connections tonight and fired up for the first time the “new to me“ motor. Turned on the key, allowed the fuel injection to come up to pressure, fired up on the first try with no lights flashing on the dash. Hood is back on and a couple minor tweaks (reinstalling the skid plates).

What an adventure of a project in a small garage! Felt like I was disassembling the whole car, but learned a lot! Glad to be finished! Not a project for the faint of heart or impatient!

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Wow, congrats!

 

[mjrsfj40]

I have pulled the 2UZFE from my 2006 GX470. You dont have to take transmission out. I did lower it to access the top mounting bolts on the engine to transmision. Using a jack for support of transmission you can unbolt the cross bar supports and lower several inches to reach top bolts. (unbolt exahust and transmission fluid lines - double check for anything that you might have that does not want to tilt down) I did this in a standard home garage with a Harbor Freight Engine hoist and motor stand. I did alot of taking air out of tires etc to adjust the height of the GX when removing when at the pull out stage. Want the truck as low as you can get when pulling engine.

Advice, pay the money for the TIS Technical Manuals online. Not expensive, will save you more than you spend in time and money.
Also, there is another post on this site for a kid and his dad in MS that pulled a hydro locked engine for rebuild. I agree with almost all of what they did accept they removed some suspension items. I removed no suspension. It was all about how I used the hoist to its fullest potential to clear the front of the engine compartment. Be careful with that part of the process. I used properly rated chains etc. Take your time.

The harness was my most time consuming item. Mine had 292,000 miles in high heat. Be careful with connectors. I broke a couple and had to wire back in replacements.

Plan to replace your O2 sensors when the engine is out. You will thank me. You dont have to, but it is so much easier.

I also recommend taking the time to double check your engine. I would check the valve clearances when I recieved the engine. (See TIN not hard) requires pulling the valve covers and using feeler gauges... nothing to difficult. Intake and Exhaust range of tolerance are very important. If they measure out they will have to be brought into tolerance. Also, I might go ahead and check compression of all cylinders at the time of receipt of the engine. Dont have to but later if you have a problem, it is really on you at that point.

While the engine is out, it is a good time to either rebuild or replace the alternator. Minor pain to replace later. $128 on RockAuto.

I replaced all my hoses and my vacum hose lines.

YouTube has several helpful videos of 4Runner and Tacoma rebuilds. Almost the same for this 2UZFE Engine.

Good luck - Nothing to diffult. Just a bunch wrench time.

Appreciate the advice. Dropped the trans with my Harbor Freight transmission jack and rolled it back - left it under the rig and rolled back into place once the replacement engine was installed. Lexus could have made a better plan for the torque converter bolts - what a pain! Engine went back in on Saturday and fired up tonight. Lots of new parts and it runs smooth! Just need to button up the skid plates and ready to drive.

Fortunately, the O2 sensors had been replaced recently so I skipped that step; however, hoses were replaced.

For the harness, the replacement engine came with the complete harness, thus it was easy to unplug the original from the car and install the replacement. As I had pulled the heads with the hopes of replacing head gaskets, the harness was the biggest pain. Could Lexus have used any more electrical connectors on the transmission! And no one connector was the same!

Rock Auto has been my go to for parts on other projects and was used heavily for this project.

Downloaded the factory service manual prior to the project - good investment! You are spot on with a bunch of wrench time! Took patience and a full tool box! Time to look for a new project!

 

[JRGreeson]

While you are in there (lol), replace the starter. I heard it’s a hard to get to item!

Good point about the starter. Can be done later but why not go ahead.

 

[mjrsfj40]

Update: Drove the GX from So Cal back to my daughter outside Carson City, NV today via hwy 395 (beautiful scenery and several steep passes to climb). Now 500 + miles into the replacement and nary a problem. The daughter is ecstatic to have her GX back and I will be bringing home my 2013 Sequoia for mods. At this point, I will be disassembling the old 4.7 and evaluating for rebuild in the event my GX needs a motor at some point. Fun times ahead!