Locked up engine swap (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Aug 17, 2022
Threads
10
Messages
73
Location
Tacoma, WA
Well I might as well turn this project into a thread. I picked this thing up with a locked engine. PO forgot to refill it after a change. I attempted to free it so I could drive into the shop but that didn't work.

I sourced a used engine on eBay but unfortunately I was hasty and it came from Minnesota. All the fastener are corroded to s***. If I lived in the rust belt I probably wouldn't wrench. What a mess.

Today I started unhooking all the harness and hoses. Holy s***, Toyota has no regard for serviceability. I come from the Euro crowd. I've got an Alfa Romeo GTV6 that I have extensively overhauled, built a BMW V8 swapped E30 and have spent countless hours keeping old Fiat Spiders and X1/9s running, not to mention upkeep on my dailys. Whoever came up with the idea that Italian and German cars are difficult needs to work on a 100 series. This is the most user unfriendly thing to wrench on.... Wires and vacuum hoses going everywhere.

Not too mention bolts that won't even clear. Spent at least an hour on the AC compressor. I want to be responsible and not vent the freon so I'm attempting to remove the compressor from the block. Hopeful that when I pick the engine up I can side this bolt out and free they compressor but I hate putting my hands under an engine on the hoist.

Had to make dinner so I came inside and cleaned up. Went back out and labeled all the vacuum lines and started stripping the replacement engine. Some of the coils had cracked tubes on them. Not sure how common that is. Spark plugs were really tight, doesn't look like any anti seize was used. Is that recommended on these? Plugs came out of my locked engine very easily so maybe it was just more rust belt action. Bathed the replacement engine in more penetrating oil. I might need to get it on the stand so I can get the exhaust studs vertical and soaking.

More fun to come. I plan on replacing the starter preventatively, it's very crusty, and doing injector seals as well as valve covers. Lucky, the replacement engine has a documented 1 year old timing belt job and it all looks pristine so I'm going to leave that alone.

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If you're looking for a running and not rusty 2uz engine in the Seattle area let me know.
 
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When you install the replacement engine, note the black bolt on the flex plate goes first.

 
The bolts for the AC compresssor should be able to be removed with the engine in place. Once the bolt are out there is enough play in the flex connections to hang the compressor where the battery tray is so the engine can be pulled out.

If you need any parts for the engine let me know. I posted some items in the classifieds and I also have some others that I haven't posted yet (spark plug tube gaskets, head gaskets, injector gaskets, etc.). These were all extras from when I swapped and rebuilt my engine in March.
 
I don't know man, I've worked on ALOT of European cars; bmw, mercedes, volvo, etc... and with the exception of an e30 my lx has been much easier to work on than any of them. Mine isn't rusty though. Most of what you described are older cars though which should be pretty straight forward. I assure you the more modern stuff is considerably more difficult.
 
Sent you a PM.

I generally agree with the relative non-service-mindedness of the UZJ100. Start studying the chassis/driveline/body clearances and it becomes apparent that the truck was designed with manufacturing processes ranked higher than serviceability.

However, like most cruisers, the driveline comes out as a unit relatively easily. Pull the front tires, drop the nose, pull the fascia off, and it all slides out.
 
I left the compressor in the truck and all hooked up when I swapped my last two 100's. The ac was cold and I didn't have equipment to recover/recharge where I was doing the swap. I don't recall what I did with that bolt but don't recall it being difficult. I will say that 100's have a lot of costly required maintenance. Along with the starter it would be wise to do the steering rack while the engine is out. They seem to all leak unless they have been replaced. Just a byproduct of the age and miles. I'd probably do the alternator, coil packs, and rear main seal. Along with the standard valve cover gaskets (and tube seals), heater t's and probably radiator (unless it's been replaced). I know you said the timing belt is recent but did they do the front crank seal, cam seals, idlers, tensioner, drive belt, t-stat? Also the fan bracket should be done when the water pump is replaced. Did we cover CV axles, worn tie rods, master cylinders, and worn rear control arms?


 
Easy now, Roma lol. Gonna make the poor guy regret starting this job!
 
CVs look good, not cracked or leaking at least. Rig has been sitting a year before I got it so first priority is getting it running. Is the steering rack an engine out job?

Rear suspension is sitting on the bumps so I know the springs are in need of replacement. I hear the AHC pump working when I hooked up the jump box but nothing ever raised. I'm 100% keeping AHC, it's the reason I got an LX and not a LC.

Everything rubber is getting replaced. Can't tell if they replaced the front crank seal on the donor engine but it's not leaking. Still planning on leaving all that stuff alone though. Transmission pan gasket and filter will get done. Someone did some recent transfer case work, it's very clean and I can see new seals so happy there. Radiator is brand new, but the guy who owned it beat the hell out of it putting it in and ruined a bunch of new hoses over tightening some perforated clamps.
 
The steering rack is a half day job. With engine out it might be an hour just because of easier access. I wouldn't replace it unless the bushings are shot or its leaking.
 
What year is your LC and what year is the replacement engine from? When I did my swap I learned that they changed a plug on the transmission and the whole harness had to get swapped out because of it.

Here is my thread with my lessons learned

 
CVs look good, not cracked or leaking at least. Rig has been sitting a year before I got it so first priority is getting it running. Is the steering rack an engine out job?

Rear suspension is sitting on the bumps so I know the springs are in need of replacement. I hear the AHC pump working when I hooked up the jump box but nothing ever raised. I'm 100% keeping AHC, it's the reason I got an LX and not a LC.

Everything rubber is getting replaced. Can't tell if they replaced the front crank seal on the donor engine but it's not leaking. Still planning on leaving all that stuff alone though. Transmission pan gasket and filter will get done. Someone did some recent transfer case work, it's very clean and I can see new seals so happy there. Radiator is brand new, but the guy who owned it beat the hell out of it putting it in and ruined a bunch of new hoses over tightening some perforated clamps.
Mounts have to come loose and engine raised up to do the rack. With engine out its literally a 15 min job.
 
What year is your LC and what year is the replacement engine from? When I did my swap I learned that they changed a plug on the transmission and the whole harness had to get swapped out because of it.

Here is my thread with my lessons learned

Truck is a 98, engine is out of a 99 I believe. I'm just using the long block from the donor, putting all my old stuff on it, or replacing with new.
 
Replied on the wrong thread last night. Spent today replacing gaskets and hoses on the new engine, finished disconnecting everything on the old one to yank it. Pulled a cam cap off the seized engine. Some light scoring but nothing terrible. I think I'll be able to sell these heads.

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More progress today. We were supposed to go hiking today but my wife's hip was bothering her so I set about to remove the engine. I had a few minor odds and ends to disconnect and then it was motor mounts and bellhousing. Again, tons of crap in the way. Catalytic converters removed, power steering drained. Bellhousing bolts were a little tedious but the deep offset wrench worked best here. Right side motor mount was easy, left side was a bastard. Rear bolt was easy enough but that front one on the captured nut required an extremely long extension and a 2nd set of hands. No way I could have gotten it alone. Toyotas lack of provisions for accessing things is really starting to irritate me. Got the engine coming out OK but missed the trans cooler lines attached to the block up near the front. Bent then a little and loosened the tee that has the sensor on the transmission. I'm hoping that just needs snugged back down and that I didn't break a boss or the fitting.

I would have started the harness swap but I broke the starter solenoid clip and then replacement is taking forever to get here. Also waiting on injector seals. Not sure how I'm going to tackle the torque converter yet. Bad engine is still locked solid. Can't put it on the stand because of the TC. probably going to have to lay it on its side and get the rod caps loose so I can spin the crank and get all the TC bolts. Hope to have this running by Thanksgiving.

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I had a busy week of work and did some traveling this weekend so not much LX action besides ordering more parts and some light prep.

I decided after bathing the good engine's exhaust hardware in penetrating oil it was time to give it a go. I had to cut off the heat shield on the left side as the fasteners had turned into lumps of iron oxide. After that I took the 6 point and the breaker bar to each manifold nut. One by one each came loose until the second to the last which spun very easy. Behold however that in every case the stud backed out of the head except that second to last one the nut came off. Miracle, no broken studs. At the advice of others here I ordered a new steering rack and tie rods. I went with a new SKF unit, they're an OEM for plenty of manufacturers and I couldn't justify the $500 price difference with a Toyota unit. Plus half the Denso stuff I have bought so far is all made in China anyways.

I don't plan on using Toyota lock nuts either on the manifold, that's a weird design and I can't think of a compelling reason not to use traditional hardware unless someone wants to volunteer some info? $250 for exhaust hardware seems absurd. I did get new Toyota studs.

Also on the power steering, does that banjo use copper washers? I swear it had then on there and now I cannot find them anywhere in the shop. I always anneal and reuse copper washers.

Last, this is what I had to resort to in order to get the damn wheels off to do the tie rods. All of my jacks are super low profile for all my euro stuff. Don't worry there's a jack stand on the frame under the passenger compartment.

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On the power steering banjo, some years use two copper washers and the others use a single silver washer assembly piece that covers both sides. It looks like you have the silver assembly installed in the last picture.
 
My $.02 on the exhaust hardware: buy the Toyota stuff. The "weird design" is a pretty good prevailing torque feature. The nuts themselves are made from some pretty good stainless. One of the UZ problems is exhaust leaks - I can't help but think this weird hardware was implemented to help resolve this. You've made mention about hard-to-get-to hardware; some of these nuts are truly maddening, so why open yourself up to a tick-tick-tick out of saving a few bucks?

If you go the non-OE route, make sure you get flanged stainless hardware.
 
Thanks for the info on the banjo fitting, yes it has the single dual sided silver piece.

On the exhaust, that's good to know. I guess I'll get the Toyota units since there is zero room to access the manifolds in situ, I want to try and avoid issues there. I'll definitely make sure to clean up the heads and manifolds well too. I got this thing cheap enough what's another $100. Only said that about 8 times so far on this project 😂
 

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