Excessively underpowered 1HZ + poor fuel economy

[gifu]

six months waiting on pistons for an M10? Brutal.

my luck was similar. I put a new IP in my 1HDFT, and after three attempts to time it right, I was in a hurry and failed to torque the camshaft timing belt gear; 50 miles later it fell off, the cam stopped, the pistons hit all the valves destroying the roller rockers (1HDFT is a 24-valve roller rocker head). Took me 363 days to get a used head, get it rebuilt, get it running. 6000 (amazing) miles later the harmonic balancer cracks and chews up my crank. I'm down but not out! Engines Aus is sending me a crank, bearings, balancer, unicorn blood, seals, etc.

And now it's been over a year since this debacle. I think it's time for you to get back in the saddle. get that sh*tsled rebuilt and start enjoying it!

 

[Leitrum3]

six months waiting on pistons for an M10? Brutal.

my luck was similar. I put a new IP in my 1HDFT, and after three attempts to time it right, I was in a hurry and failed to torque the camshaft timing belt gear; 50 miles later it fell off, the cam stopped, the pistons hit all the valves destroying the roller rockers (1HDFT is a 24-valve roller rocker head). Took me 363 days to get a used head, get it rebuilt, get it running. 6000 (amazing) miles later the harmonic balancer cracks and chews up my crank. I'm down but not out! Engines Aus is sending me a crank, bearings, balancer, unicorn blood, seals, etc.

And now it's been over a year since this debacle. I think it's time for you to get back in the saddle. get that sh*tsled rebuilt and start enjoying it!

Ha! Right you are. It took a little more time to get the 02 out of the garage and going correctly after this little "pep talk", but it was a big first step this weekend! [emoji28] Of course I picked the hottest F'ing weekend to do it in, but it was the first time in months I've had the time! Now that it's out, I should be able to chip away it at pretty quickly. Hoping I can skip any head work and IP work this time, which should save a lot of coin. We'll see once I dig in if the turbo needs to be looked at, lots of metal flying around that oil pan...


Take two, action!

 

[gifu]

Awesome!
Harness that motivation!!

To give you hope... I had complete success pulling the 1HDFT installing a new crankshaft and bearings. Have about 2500 miles into her and she runs like a top.
So get after it!

 

[Leitrum3]

So the one good thing about just having rebuilt everything- and really this is the only good thing right now- is that it comes apart really easy. Four hours took me from fully built, to this:

Inspecting things as I go, I'm realizing I'll probably need to have the head gone through or at least disassembled and cleaned. The oil deposits in the low spots have enough fine metal flakes that they'll stick to my finger. Sigh. Just need to keep going, doesn't mean anything more than that yet. The other thing I found- and this could be a fluke as I only had 150 miles on it, is the oil coating the #5 intake.

This is the one next to it for reference.

Tomorrow I'll know more since I plan to get it fully stripped down before dinner. And given how today went, I don't think that'll be a problem. The thing I keep wondering is if the best case happens and the Pistons didn't scuff the cylinder walls, the metal flakes didn't score any journals and 5 out of the 6 con rods are still useable-- can I actually get just one rod as a replacement? Or do they only come in a set? I still have my original rods as a fall back, but I really liked the idea of the 1hd-t rods. Then again, I know they got hot as some of the rod caps had some heat coloring, so really, I'll have to let my machinist tell me what's what most likely. On the up side, my new guy is great and is just as interested in teaching and talking about the work he does as actually doing it. Apparently you don't have to be crotchety to be a machinist like my last guy!

Crossing my fingers, stay tuned!

 

[gifu]

Pretty sure you can get just one con rod.
Cry interested to hear what went wrong. Obviously some strange oil clog prevented proper oiling... But just hard to imagine what.

 

[Gengis]

Sorry to be an old fart, but you want those injectors covered. tape is good, then swing by your IP shop and collect some nice red caps.

 

[BreckenridgeCruiser]

I didn't read back through, but which cylinder had the bad con rod?

If it wasn't number 5 then you might have more than one cylinder to worry about. The only way oil would get that far up the intake, is with some pretty bad scoring on the wall. It would take quite a bit of oil at pressure to push that far up the intake against a turbo.

 

[Leitrum3]

Pretty sure you can get just one con rod.
Cry interested to hear what went wrong. Obviously some strange oil clog prevented proper oiling... But just hard to imagine what.

I'm 99% sure I learned the hard way about the importance of being damn sure you prime the oil system adequately before initial start after a rebuild as well as the importance of accurate oil pressure metering. If it wasn't that, then who knows.

Sorry to be an old fart, but you want those injectors covered. tape is good, then swing by your IP shop and collect some nice red caps.

Right you are. Covered, removed and bagged. I still had most of the caps so that was easy.

I didn't read back through, but which cylinder had the bad con rod?

If it wasn't number 5 then you might have more than one cylinder to worry about. The only way oil would get that far up the intake, is with some pretty bad scoring on the wall. It would take quite a bit of oil at pressure to push that far up the intake against a turbo.

The bad bearing was actually on #6 but there was definitely something going on with number 5. Take a look at the discoloration on this injector. Probably need to have them all checked out now, but hopefully not rebuilt.

First up is the head. And the cam. They're both dead so far as I can tell. I'm sure I can salvage the valves, springs, etc. but that's about all. I won't post all the images here, it's pretty much like driving by a car wreck. You want to see, but you really don't.

And now for part 2. Hopefully the consensus is this is salvageable, but I really won't know til it's at the machine shop. Some vertical marks in all cylinders, but the only one I can feel with my fingernail is number 6. Not sure if that means I'm into new pistons again or if I'm actually better off getting a core block and head since I need machine work again anyway. I suppose I could even have the core machined to fit these pistons...


#6

#5

The rest look mostly like this. Can't feel those marks, for what that's worth

So, does anyone have a spare head and cam laying around they don't need that's possibly stateside?? New is a bit pricey considering all of this, but I guess it depends on the condition and how much machining is required. Will try to get all this to my shop in the next week or two just to get the info.

Feeling surprisingly calm about all this, but maybe because I just haven't seen the theoretical bill yet! Whatever the case may be, gotta figure out a way forward so I'm all ears if anyone has suggestions.

Thanks for watching this slow train wreck, friends!
Leit

For those that are gluttons for punishment: http://imgur.com/a/y1HDf#4JWSRXd

 

[Gengis]

I am not big into blasphemy but your post could make me change my mind.
A few questions, and I'm not having a go at you.
When your parts came back from the machine shop, did you re- clean them, or assume that this had been done for you by them??
Did you give the head and block a proper cleaning where every oil line was blown out and checked and recleaned.
You mentioned a crotchety machinist , any suspicion of any malice from their side?

To me it looks like a bit more than oil starvation

But, on the bright side, you are back in the saddle and full of beans by the look of it.

All the best and keep us posted.
G

 

[Leitrum3]

I am not big into blasphemy but your post could make me change my mind.
A few questions, and I'm not having a go at you.
G

Questions are good - they often show the truth of things. And I deserve to have a go at me, this foul up is most definitely on me.

When your parts came back from the machine shop, did you re- clean them, or assume that this had been done for you by them??
Did you give the head and block a proper cleaning where every oil line was blown out and checked and recleaned.
G

I cleaned everything meticulously on re-assembly and used the supplied white grease from the rebuild kit on everything. In retrospect, I could've used more grease and just let it get pushed out of tight areas as it needed to.

As for blowing out the oil lines, I honestly don't really remember anymore. I feel like I might've done a cursory cleaning of the galleys - but not what it was due.

You mentioned a crotchety machinist , any suspicion of any malice from their side?
G

"crotchety" might be too strong a term. Not friendly, not helpful, just cold and professional. Not really a shop for someone who is trying to learn and needs that little bit of extra help. No malice suspected in the least. Doesn't mean the root cause of this isn't something they did, I only have speculation as it is.

To me it looks like a bit more than oil starvation

But, on the bright side, you are back in the saddle and full of beans by the look of it.

All the best and keep us posted.
G

In theory, if the oil system wasn't primed at all - which for the #6 bearing it seems like it would be true - and the amount of build grease was too light, isn't it possible for things to heat up quickly and cause a bearing to spall? Once it loses a little bit, it seems like it would be down hill quickly after that. And unfortunately in my case, I couldn't hear the engine due to exhaust not being hooked up and also not having good oil pressure metering so any trouble is much harder to catch. But, your guess is as good as mine in this case. All I can do is have everything checked out.


On another note, has anyone ever had grooves filled/welded and re-bored, like I have in the head photos above? I recall my machinist doing some weld repairs to another head in his shop while I was there for the bimmer this winter. There's no oil galleys there so it seems doable, just trying to think outside the box. Doesn't seem like the caps are a readily available part though so that makes it trickier...

 

[Wheelingnoob]

Unfortunately the cam caps are only sold with the head. They are a machined pair.

It looks like you had more than a lack of oil in the head that is some serious damage on that cam and journal. Almost looks like some metal or something went through.

I know first hand how hard doing stuff like this over can be.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Sorry to see all that carnage Leitrum3! I feel for you; all that work/$$ and then this happens.

What does surprise me looking at your pictures is that Toyota did not use bearing shells at every camshaft journal; instead they used aluminum cam caps? Bearing shells probably would have saved your head and maybe the cam shaft. If there was a little more material to work with there, you could almost have all the journals bored out, and fit bearing shells in there. Although I suspect the machine work could quickly become as expensive as a new head.

Edit, I just looked up the 1HZ and 2LTE camshaft journal diameters, and funny enough, they are basically identical. 1HZ Camshaft Journal Diameters: 1: 34.969-34.985 2-7: 27.986-27.998. 2LTE Camshaft Journal Diameters: 1: 34.969-34.985 2-5: 27.969-27.985. I wonder if the steel cam caps from the 2LTE would fit on the 1HZ? Probably too big... I can measure them if you want, as I do have a spare head sitting here.

Here is how the bearing shells are fitted to the 2LTE head (the 1HZ/2LTE heads share the same basic technology).

 

[Wheelingnoob]

That's the first Toyota head I have seen with replacable cam bearings.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

That's the first Toyota head I have seen with replaceable cam bearings.

Interesting. All the aluminum Toyota heads I've seen don't have replaceable cam bearings, but here I was assuming that most of the steel heads did have replaceable bearings (as steel on steel is not a good bearing arrangement). But of course my only experience with steel heads is the 2LTE, so it was a big assumption. Toyota got tricky knowing that all the pressure is up on a cam shaft, so they could get away with an aluminum cap I guess.

I measured the steel 2LTE cam bearing caps, and the bolt pitch is ~44.2mm. Probably wider than the 1HZ from the look of things.

 

[BC40]

Leitrum, those photos are painful. Agree it looks like machining shavings or maybe chunks of casting debris got circulated to embed in the center of the bearing surface of the cam journal.
Used parts may be available depending what all you need. I was able to get one rod and a crank locally. Been over a year now but he'd possibly still have some 1hdt parts around (G&S cruiser parts).

Interesting. All the aluminum Toyota heads I've seen don't have replaceable cam bearings, but here I was assuming that most of the steel heads did have replaceable bearings (as steel on steel is not a good bearing arrangement). ...

There is one replaceable bearing, the others just rely on the oil pressure keeping oil film between the iron casting and the cam. There should never actually be steel on steel contact. Not that uncommon of a design. retrofitting bearing into the existing head would be a fair bit of machining. Probably best to see how the valvetrain fared (and the bottom end too) and then make a decision on best approach.

 

[Leitrum3]

Sorry to see all that carnage Leitrum3! I feel for you; all that work/$$ and then this happens.

What does surprise me looking at your pictures is that Toyota did not use bearing shells at every camshaft journal; instead they used aluminum cam caps? Bearing shells probably would have saved your head and maybe the cam shaft. If there was a little more material to work with there, you could almost have all the journals bored out, and fit bearing shells in there. Although I suspect the machine work could quickly become as expensive as a new head.

Edit, I just looked up the 1HZ and 2LTE camshaft journal diameters, and funny enough, they are basically identical. 1HZ Camshaft Journal Diameters: 1: 34.969-34.985 2-7: 27.986-27.998. 2LTE Camshaft Journal Diameters: 1: 34.969-34.985 2-5: 27.969-27.985. I wonder if the steel cam caps from the 2LTE would fit on the 1HZ? Probably too big... I can measure them if you want, as I do have a spare head sitting here.

Here is how the bearing shells are fitted to the 2LTE head (the 1HZ/2LTE heads share the same basic technology).

Hmm, that is interesting that 2LTE has bearings...Sure wish the 1HZ shared that already. Unfortunately, I don't think it's worth measuring right at the moment as my trouble is running deeper...Just read on! Thanks for looking into this, the information and camaraderie is appreciated right now!

Leitrum, those photos are painful. Agree it looks like machining shavings or maybe chunks of casting debris got circulated to embed in the center of the bearing surface of the cam journal.
Used parts may be available depending what all you need. I was able to get one rod and a crank locally. Been over a year now but he'd possibly still have some 1hdt parts around (G&S cruiser parts).

There is one replaceable bearing, the others just rely on the oil pressure keeping oil film between the iron casting and the cam. There should never actually be steel on steel contact. Not that uncommon of a design. retrofitting bearing into the existing head would be a fair bit of machining. Probably best to see how the valvetrain fared (and the bottom end too) and then make a decision on best approach.

So I've been reaching out to various folks to get some info and it seems much has changed in the last year and a half. Beno is gone, G&S are not really into 1HZ's much anymore and I'm not sure how active Akella is anymore since his number has changed and his website is down...

All of this is disappointing as I'm starting to come to grips with the idea that I may need a whole new core. Pulled the pistons today and here's how they looked. Still need to get them mic'ed of course, but definitely some scuffing or scoring on a few.


#1

#2

#3

#4

#5 (cylinder with the oil in the intake)

#6 (cylinder with the problem rod)

Oh yeah, and every once in a while there's some discoloration like this, mostly on the rear two pistons. Good times.

So, maybe not atrocious, but some of those scores I can feel with a fingernail. Next up I got some clearer images of the bores. I won't post all of them as there isn't much point. I'm already bored to O/S 0.50 and there is no way I can imagine getting by with just a hone.

Given all of the above, the condition of the head, cam, pistons, rods, crank (I do already have a replacement for that at least thanks to @ClemsonCruiser), cylinder walls and the already over bored condition...It sure seems to me like I may need to find a different engine to move forward with. All that, and I still haven't checked the state of the brand new Grunter turbo I put on.

If anyone thinks this is salvageable, by all means don't be shy. Otherwise, I guess I'm on the hunt. The last core I could find with a quick search had Crushers selling a few seized and unseized engines last year. Not sure what is left of those and if it's worth the money/risk, or if I'm really just better off trying to source something that runs from Australia. Those seem to hover between 2k AUD and 5k AUD plus shipping, which I hear is anywhere from 500-1000. Honestly, at this point I'm guessing that to replicate my previous work (assuming a useable core for 1500 at my door) would put me around 4500-5000 with machining and parts. Seems like a replacement could be the better deal...

 

[BCR4619]

Yan is on Vacation, his website has been down for as long as I can remember now... Onur is on his own now but runs his own parts business.

 

[Wheelingnoob]

Swap in a 1hd-t put the grunter on it bolt the engine in and go.

 

[IanB]

Agreed with above, if your block is toast, and you need a new head, you're no longer married to the 1HZ. Find a 1HD-T, slam it in there with the G-turbo, and get back to enjoying your truck.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Leitrum3: Keep your eye out for a 1HDT donor truck from Canada. With our super low dollar now, an $8000CAD donor truck will be $6000USD for you. And you can part out the rest to recover some of that money (like axles, old turbo etc.). I'm sure you could recover some money out of your 1HZ still in parts also. At the end of the day the direct injection motor is more efficient and robust than it's IDI brother anyhow.