- Thread starter
- #21
Well guys, its been a while and its time for an update!
Quite a few things have been happening on the home front and things have been moving a little slower than anticipated, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Probably the coolest thing to happen is a job change for myself. I've taken over the Auto Tech department at our local community college and moved the 40 up to the shop! I was working on it at a friend's home shop, but that was around an hour's drive from my house. The school's shop is about 5 minutes from my house, so working on it can happen a lot more often.
After I got it moved, I pulled the engine back down to clean and double check a few things. I've got the head off, and plan on polishing the ports a little bit. I had contemplated putting a Man A Fre cam in it, but decided against it. I like the power band with the factory cam just fine and don't really want to risk ruining a good thing. I'm building it to be a driver anyways, and it drove just fine with the factory cam before the teardown! So, we're likely just going to polish the head and intake a bit, just to get a little better airflow.
While I was organizing all of the piles of parts that I have (and I mean PILES), I had a thought. Well, it more like a few thoughts. Quite a few thoughts. Too many thoughts. Thoughts that have created more work to do and require more money to be spent.
It started with the ECM. The poor old 3FE ECM has about the computing power of a blade of grass, and absolutely no real tuning capabilities. On top of that, mine has seen far better days. So my brain starts doing its thing. The 2F is 4.2L and the 3FE is a 4.0. That alone was enough to start my descent into madness. The 3FE ECM just doesn't have the power to compensate properly for the engine size. Would it run? Yes. Is that good enough for me? Turns out, that's a no. I decided to start looking into standalone engine management. What a rabbit hole that is! To make a really, really, really, really, really long story short, I've committed to using a Haltech setup. This is going to let me do a lot (of ridiculousness). First and foremost, it will allow me to tune properly for the extra displacement. Yes, I'm gonna dyno tune it. It's going to be awesome. The second thing I realized (and a major reason I'm going Haltech) is that this will allow me to use a Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor, instead of the (very antiquated) flap style Mass Air Flow meter. In all actuality, I could also up-fit a more modern MAF, but with the access to a dyno for tuning and the use of wide band oxygen sensors, I don't see the point. Especially since the new ECM comes with an on board MAP. I'm making it complicated, but also trying to keep it simple. Then I started looking at the throttle body. As some of you already know, the 3FE had a cable operated throttle body and an Idle Air Control Valve. After working on these things for years, I've come to hate both cable operated throttle bodies AND idle air control valves. Well, it turns out that the new computer can run Fly by Wire. It also turns out that a 2GR-FE (3.5l V6 found in Avalon, Camry, Highlander, Sienna, etc.) throttle body is slightly larger in bore than the 3FE throttle body. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone? I think YES! (See the madness here?) Modern Toyotas no longer have IAC valves, they just modulate the throttle plate to set idle. I'll need to fit a fly by wire accelerator pedal, but that shouldn't be too difficult. I will also have to have a small spacer/adapter fabricated to allow the new throttle body to mount up, but that also shouldn't be too difficult. Also, while I was digging around I found a brand new set of fuel injectors from a 4Runner 1GR (4.0L V6) that the customer didn't want back when we installed a supercharger a while back. They have less than 5K on them if I remember correctly (I've slept since then.) The factory 3FE injectors are unavailable and they weren't that great to begin with. These 1GR babies are both readily available and the do their job very well. AND they are almost the exact same size in regards to the pintle and the fuel rail insert. I haven't spent much time on them yet, but they should be able to work with little to no real modification. We'll also be eliminating the return setup from the fuel system, and installing a fuel pressure sensor that feeds back to the ECM. While all of this sounds crazy, most of the parts I'm changing to will be available at almost any part store or Toyota dealership for many many years to come. And these are also items I have loads of experience with. They're re-li-a-ble.
While I've got her apart, I'm also doing some maintenance on the suspension and drivelines. The trans and transfer case will be getting a thorough cleaning and reseal, along with the front and rear axles. I'm also reverting back from the add on ASCO locking hubs on the front. I've always hated locking hubs. I'll be getting some brand knew hub flanges from Toyota, and going back factory there. I'll also be putting new leaf spring bushings and new shackles on. Nothing too crazy going on here. I'm already lifted where I want to be, and I'm not ready for the lockers yet.
Anywhoooooo, here are some updated pictures, and please please please, WISH ME LUCK!
Here she is in her new home
Here are some engine pics (its cleaning up nicely)
Its going to be Plum Crazy Purple, because why not.
The 3FE throttle body (bore is 2.739")
Heres the 2GR (bore is 2.750")
Quite a few things have been happening on the home front and things have been moving a little slower than anticipated, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Probably the coolest thing to happen is a job change for myself. I've taken over the Auto Tech department at our local community college and moved the 40 up to the shop! I was working on it at a friend's home shop, but that was around an hour's drive from my house. The school's shop is about 5 minutes from my house, so working on it can happen a lot more often.
After I got it moved, I pulled the engine back down to clean and double check a few things. I've got the head off, and plan on polishing the ports a little bit. I had contemplated putting a Man A Fre cam in it, but decided against it. I like the power band with the factory cam just fine and don't really want to risk ruining a good thing. I'm building it to be a driver anyways, and it drove just fine with the factory cam before the teardown! So, we're likely just going to polish the head and intake a bit, just to get a little better airflow.
While I was organizing all of the piles of parts that I have (and I mean PILES), I had a thought. Well, it more like a few thoughts. Quite a few thoughts. Too many thoughts. Thoughts that have created more work to do and require more money to be spent.
It started with the ECM. The poor old 3FE ECM has about the computing power of a blade of grass, and absolutely no real tuning capabilities. On top of that, mine has seen far better days. So my brain starts doing its thing. The 2F is 4.2L and the 3FE is a 4.0. That alone was enough to start my descent into madness. The 3FE ECM just doesn't have the power to compensate properly for the engine size. Would it run? Yes. Is that good enough for me? Turns out, that's a no. I decided to start looking into standalone engine management. What a rabbit hole that is! To make a really, really, really, really, really long story short, I've committed to using a Haltech setup. This is going to let me do a lot (of ridiculousness). First and foremost, it will allow me to tune properly for the extra displacement. Yes, I'm gonna dyno tune it. It's going to be awesome. The second thing I realized (and a major reason I'm going Haltech) is that this will allow me to use a Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor, instead of the (very antiquated) flap style Mass Air Flow meter. In all actuality, I could also up-fit a more modern MAF, but with the access to a dyno for tuning and the use of wide band oxygen sensors, I don't see the point. Especially since the new ECM comes with an on board MAP. I'm making it complicated, but also trying to keep it simple. Then I started looking at the throttle body. As some of you already know, the 3FE had a cable operated throttle body and an Idle Air Control Valve. After working on these things for years, I've come to hate both cable operated throttle bodies AND idle air control valves. Well, it turns out that the new computer can run Fly by Wire. It also turns out that a 2GR-FE (3.5l V6 found in Avalon, Camry, Highlander, Sienna, etc.) throttle body is slightly larger in bore than the 3FE throttle body. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone? I think YES! (See the madness here?) Modern Toyotas no longer have IAC valves, they just modulate the throttle plate to set idle. I'll need to fit a fly by wire accelerator pedal, but that shouldn't be too difficult. I will also have to have a small spacer/adapter fabricated to allow the new throttle body to mount up, but that also shouldn't be too difficult. Also, while I was digging around I found a brand new set of fuel injectors from a 4Runner 1GR (4.0L V6) that the customer didn't want back when we installed a supercharger a while back. They have less than 5K on them if I remember correctly (I've slept since then.) The factory 3FE injectors are unavailable and they weren't that great to begin with. These 1GR babies are both readily available and the do their job very well. AND they are almost the exact same size in regards to the pintle and the fuel rail insert. I haven't spent much time on them yet, but they should be able to work with little to no real modification. We'll also be eliminating the return setup from the fuel system, and installing a fuel pressure sensor that feeds back to the ECM. While all of this sounds crazy, most of the parts I'm changing to will be available at almost any part store or Toyota dealership for many many years to come. And these are also items I have loads of experience with. They're re-li-a-ble.
While I've got her apart, I'm also doing some maintenance on the suspension and drivelines. The trans and transfer case will be getting a thorough cleaning and reseal, along with the front and rear axles. I'm also reverting back from the add on ASCO locking hubs on the front. I've always hated locking hubs. I'll be getting some brand knew hub flanges from Toyota, and going back factory there. I'll also be putting new leaf spring bushings and new shackles on. Nothing too crazy going on here. I'm already lifted where I want to be, and I'm not ready for the lockers yet.
Anywhoooooo, here are some updated pictures, and please please please, WISH ME LUCK!
Here she is in her new home
Here are some engine pics (its cleaning up nicely)
Its going to be Plum Crazy Purple, because why not.
The 3FE throttle body (bore is 2.739")
Heres the 2GR (bore is 2.750")
