Builds Lexus 450 rebuild (1 Viewer)

[sandcruiser80]

Before and after painting the block, waiting on 2 o rings and then I can put the timing cover on and then the head and get this thing started!

 

[sandcruiser80]

Put the oil cooler back on, I like to put paint on torqued bolts in case they decide to move.
12ft lbs for the 4 in the middle holding the actual cooler assembly and 15lbs for the outside ones. I had a stud come loose and locktiteed it in

 

[eastoak]

Good progress.

 

[sandcruiser80]

Got a decent amount done today. I have to wait on my 2 o rings that go behind the timing cover before I can really make any serious progress.

Does anyone else have issues with the oil pressure sensor stying on? The black connector does not want to stay on so iv zip tied it on

Painted the block and it looks pretty good

So the extra head I got looks amazing and when I took it apart I could hold my finger on the valve seals and the valve would not fall out but I’m gonna be replacing them anyway.

But....

It’s got some scratches on it that I’m worried about?
What do y’all think about them? Only in this area. The rest of the deck looks pretty good.

 

[sandcruiser80]

So I flushed both heater cores out a couple days ago and really got nothing when flushing with CLR and Prestone flush and cleaner mixed with a gallon of distilled water but I did not re flush with just water till today and man... I got a ton of crud!!

This is from both cores. Flushed and back flushed once. Gonna flush again with RED Toyota coolant for the final flush.

Oh yeah I finished up the heat shields around the rear heater lines. By no means are they perfect but I think it will reflect the heat away from them and keep the cats hotter... idk it works in my head.

I had to cut the material so it would lay flat on the surfaces. I have some gold tape I may do some touch up work but not sure yet.

 

[sandcruiser80]

Parts are slowing showing up and one thing I really wanted was new heat shields because mine had started to rust and get weird. So I’m gold wrapping the bottom of them.

I broke down and yes, new OEM Radiator.
Everything should be showing up in the next 2 days and I have to work everyday so assembly will start next week sometime.

 

[sandcruiser80]

So since most of my parts came in. I started assembling. I put the timing cover on, with the tensioner bracket
New chain
New upper and lower chain gears
New idler pulley
New chain guides
And all done with Toyota sealer.
Torqued to spec except the crankshaft, I’m gonna do that later.

I put the lower oil pans on, I was rotating the motor and it felt very sketchy so I have my stand attached to it also and I’m gonna get a 2k stand with 2 legs before I go any further. It would suck to tip it over.

So this is the head that came on the motor that I have. Pretty sure I’m gonna take this to Apples Machine Shop in Yorktown and have them check it, clean it and do any work it needs. Anyone have luck with them?? Or can recommend a good shop in the Chesapeake, VB, Hampton area? Or at least close.

 

[amgraham]

Yeah, that is a lot of motor for a one leg stand. I have a BMW S54 on a stand like that in my shop right now and even it is a little sketchy to roll.

I hit up a buddy of mine in Chesapeake that builds a bunch of stuff and knows everyone for a recommendation on a machine shop. He said he'd get back to me shortly so I let you know as soon as I hear something.

On another note I'm heading to Avon on Saturday in the 80 so if you see me sitting in traffic wave haha.

 

[sandcruiser80]

Yeah, that is a lot of motor for a one leg stand. I have a BMW S54 on a stand like that in my shop right now and even it is a little sketchy to roll.

I hit up a buddy of mine in Chesapeake that builds a bunch of stuff and knows everyone for a recommendation on a machine shop. He said he'd get back to me shortly so I let you know as soon as I hear something.

On another note I'm heading to Avon on Saturday in the 80 so if you see me sitting in traffic wave haha.

Thank you! Yeah I guess I don’t really need the stand but I’d rather put the head back on before it goes back in the truck and I just don’t trust the stand with any more weight on it. It held the stripped block just fine. It’s getting big and awkward now.
Let me know what your buddy says! I have a buddy that lives in Hampton and had his drift car motor (not sure what motor exactly, Nissan RB I believe) serviced at apples and he said they did exactly what he wanted for a good deal.
If you wanna know some smaller local roads to beat the traffic, hit me up!

 

[OffRoadScott]

Update : My head gasket kit is on order and no ETA yet.
Ordered more tools and parts today.
Both guides, sprockets for the top and bottom and a brand new chain and tensor plus the small o rings that go behind the timing cover.
Timing cover issues. I have 2 and both are pissing me off. On one I seam to have broken the ear off where the chain rides, you can see in pic but I have the oil pump screws loose and it looks a lot nicer then my other one that has a very stripped screw that I have to figure out. Not sure what I’m gonna do yet. View attachment 2041222View attachment 2041223

On another note, pretty sure I’m done doing all the big expensive orders, once everything arrives I can start assembling. I prob won’t go back over for at least a few days so if you have any input for the timing covers.... lemme know.

Btw I don’t have a welder to weld to the screw to get it out. Is that ear being broken off THAT big of a deal??

Try tapping a torq T handle into the screw hole before you screw up your oil pump.

 

[sandcruiser80]

Try tapping a torq T handle into the screw hole before you screw up your oil pump.

I got it out, that’s a good idea tho!!

 

[sandcruiser80]

I got the engine off the stand and attached to the transmission! Super pain because one of my alignment studs was bent (that’s how I got it) so I had to deal with that but I got it and laid it down on a pallet with jack stands under the engine mounts and it’s solid. I like it like this,

I’m on to picking a head, I have 3 lol. One that came off the original motor that is most likely warped but not confirmed. The head that came off the “new engine” looks awful and has some serious pitting on the exhaust side. And a head that came with the engine I got that has some scratches on it..

what do you y’all think about these scratches?!? I’m worried about that one that goes from the top right intake to the water jacket. It’s small but still.. I either use this one or I’m gonna take both to the machine shop 2 hours away and have them clean and get both right. Herd of the JB weld trick? Let me knowwwww

 

[voorland80]

Also wondering about the scratches -anyone?

 

[sandcruiser80]

I took the original head from the “new” motor and took it to “The Head Shop” in Chesapeake and had it cleaned, pressure test, decked, shave the re seal the valve seals and valves and adjust the shims for 550$. Felt like that was a good deal to me, took it up there Wednesday and picked it up Friday afternoon. It’s very clean and the people were cool and straight forward.

So I have the 2JZ ARP studs that are suppose to work with our trucks and when I installed them I used blue lock tight and tightened them all the way down and then backed them out 1 full turn just to make sure I could get the nuts to seat all the way. It left 3 1/4 in of stud out.

I don’t have any pics of just the studs as I was to excited to just get the head on finally! My injectors are still out being cleaned and flow tested and hopefully have those next week and maybe... just maybe shoot for a running truck next week.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

I took the original head from the “new” motor and took it to “The Head Shop” in Chesapeake and had it cleaned, pressure test, decked, shave the re seal the valve seals and valves and adjust the shims for 550$. Felt like that was a good deal to me, took it up there Wednesday and picked it up Friday afternoon. It’s very clean and the people were cool and straight forward. View attachment 2065631

So I have the 2JZ ARP studs that are suppose to work with our trucks and when I installed them I used blue lock tight and tightened them all the way down and then backed them out 1 full turn just to make sure I could get the nuts to seat all the way. It left 3 1/4 in of stud out. View attachment 2065632
View attachment 2065634
I don’t have any pics of just the studs as I was to excited to just get the head on finally! My injectors are still out being cleaned and flow tested and hopefully have those next week and maybe... just maybe shoot for a running truck next week.

View attachment 2065633

Awesome! Dude i totally forgot to mention the head shop thats where my buddy Richard Miggete he builds the engines for the monster trucks mudbog race trucks at tge digger shop told me to take my head for my little Tacoma to and 80 head haven't gotten around to taking either apart yet been busy with an lsswap good to know they treated you well and had quick turn around i may do the head studs instead of bolts on the 80 haven't ordered any parts for it yet have everything for the 4banger taco.

 

[sandcruiser80]

I got my injector test results back and the first test came back at 5.2% and was told that’s normal for old injectors (they have 300k on them) so that’s expected and the spray test was perfect and then after a few cleanings or whatever he does they care down to a 2.6% and i was told that between 1-3 % is what he would recommend as “ready to go” and I’m pretty happy with that. Hopefully they come in as fast as possible so I can start this thing.

The pics are before and after test.

 

[sandcruiser80]

So iv kinda just starting assembling and forgot to take detailed pics because I’m just to damn excited to get this this running (never herd this thing run or drive before so fingers crossed) but I’d got it all assembled except the injectors witch are still in the mail and then I can put the upper intake on and plop this thing back in and start it. Belts adjusted and everything torqued. Having a FSM is KEY!!
Wrapped the harness and water pipe.

 

[sandcruiser80]

Well she in.... what a PITA solo but I did it. My cumalongs ripped apart my EGR valve thing and bent a tab in the EGR but I think it’ll be fine and I 1 wire was a victim but I’ll splice and fix that. Other then that, she’ll be running very soon!

 

[sandcruiser80]

Awesome! Dude i totally forgot to mention the head shop thats where my buddy Richard Miggete he builds the engines for the monster trucks mudbog race trucks at tge digger shop told me to take my head for my little Tacoma to and 80 head haven't gotten around to taking either apart yet been busy with an lsswap good to know they treated you well and had quick turn around i may do the head studs instead of bolts on the 80 haven't ordered any parts for it yet have everything for the 4banger taco.

Great guys up there!!

 

[sandcruiser80]

Well I got the motor running! Thanks to Tommy @tmxmotorsports for letting me grab a TPS and get my truck running. All is looking good and I can actually finish putting everything together after this hurricane blows over. ONLY PROBLEM.... is the rear main seal is dripping fluid. Not 1 or 2 drips. Steady drips about every 30sec while running. So... tranny is gonna come back out.

Anyone have any advice for just moving the tranny just enough to get to the seal?

Will I need to lift the truck to get the tranny moved enough to get at the seal?

Who’s done it and can give me advice for doing it?