Noob rebuilding 1FZ-FE (1 Viewer)

[Edlobos5]

Long story short, I purchased a non locked ‘93 LC 80series for unbelievably cheap, might as well have been free cheap. The body looks great, surface rust on undercarriage/ axles.

The previous owner said that the engine with 300k+ miles and headgasket blew 12 years ago and has been parked since. He began using the truck as a donor to his new truck so the interior is taken apart. But not a big deal as my crashed locked 80 of the same year will be the donor for this one. To include my engine with 214k miles and locked front and rear axles.

I’ve never taken an engine out nor have I ever rebuilt one. Should I use this blown engine with 300k+ miles to rebuild to gain experience…. Or should I just rebuild and replace the headgasket on my crashed truck motor with 214k miles and stick that on this truck.

For anyone in the Southern California Area that would be interested in taking my soon to be crashed parts truck with blown motor in trade for helping me rebuild my engine.

I’m in Temecula, Ca and can be found on instagram at wolfden_lc80.

 

[Fj80oregon]

First off good for you wanting to rebuild something you have no experience in! I rebuild 1fzfe’s for a side hustle and have some experience. The motor with a blown HG that has been sitting I would not touch. With coolant sitting on all your bearings and mixed through out your motor it is likely shoot. Pull the motor out of your wrecked 80 and rebuild it. Lots of threads on rebuilds on here and some good videos on YouTube. If you don’t have a Toyota FSM download one for free in the resources section and get a parts list from the build threads on here. It’s not that expensive for a head rebuild from a good machine shop. It can get ex if you start replacing everything in the engine bay. Ask questions and the MUD community will help out. But don’t be lazy and ask questions if you have not searched for easily found answers. If you search google with your questions and IH8MUD in the search it will bring up lots of answers.

 

[BILT4ME]

If you have an engine with a blown HG that has sat for 12 years, odds are, the cylinder walls are junk due to corrosion. You will need a new short block and then have the existing head rebuilt.

If you have a good engine with 214K that does NOT have a blown HG, I would just pull that one, freshen up seals, and install it (don't do the HG) unless you really want to while it's out of the truck and it's a lot easier.

 

[Fj80oregon]

Also if your motor with 214k is blown drain that oil ASAP and refill with fresh oil. Drain the coolant and run the motor to get that fresh oil throughout the engine and get the coolant of your components.

 

[Brindleboxer]

Engine aside, is your plan to have the original frame straightened (pic shows frame damage) or are you envisioning a frame swap from the newly acquired 93? The core support also looks to need some love as well.

 

[Edlobos5]

First off good for you wanting to rebuild something you have no experience in! I rebuild 1fzfe’s for a side hustle and have some experience. The motor with a blown HG that has been sitting I would not touch. With coolant sitting on all your bearings and mixed through out your motor it is likely shoot. Pull the motor out of your wrecked 80 and rebuild it. Lots of threads on rebuilds on here and some good videos on YouTube. If you don’t have a Toyota FSM download one for free in the resources section and get a parts list from the build threads on here. It’s not that expensive for a head rebuild from a good machine shop. It can get ex if you start replacing everything in the engine bay. Ask questions and the MUD community will help out. But don’t be lazy and ask questions if you have not searched for easily found answers. If you search google with your questions and IH8MUD in the search it will bring up lots of answers.

Thank you, this was the exact guidance I was hoping to get. Especially with not having the know how to see if it was really difficult. I am ok with doing the labor and the work. I am ok with learning but don’t want to risk messing my good engine up if it really is that difficult!

Thank you again for the advice.

 

[sbman]

Be happy to help you out, I'm relatively local. I've rebuilt a number of engines, including my own 1FZ-FE. I would pull the old blown motor and open it up to see what kind of shape it's in before assuming it can't be rebuilt. I got mine with a blown head gasket and 220K miles, it had been sitting for a year or two. The cylinder walls were fine, but it turned out the head was too warped and had to be replaced.

It's not an inexpensive journey to rebuild a 1FZ. I spent north of $7K on mine and still had some more to do after that, but that included refresh of many systems beyond just the motor, I wanted like-new reliability not having nit picky issues later after doing just the basics. So I rebuilt the P/S pump, replaced ALL rubber hoses and seals, replaced VSV valves, vacuum tubing, replaced A/C compresser, new water pump. I also did the Landtank oil pump bushing replacement, alternator 'upgrade' bracket, brand new OEM pistons, etc... There is a guy down here in east county San Diego that is the only place I'd trust to do a head job locally. Don't do like I did and have to do the head twice! I also went MLS head gasket which you can only do if you are having the block machined because it needs to be decked to a certain finish level.

I've got a detailed thread.

 

[Edlobos5]

If you have an engine with a blown HG that has sat for 12 years, odds are, the cylinder walls are junk due to corrosion. You will need a new short block and then have the existing head rebuilt.

If you have a good engine with 214K that does NOT have a blown HG, I would just pull that one, freshen up seals, and install it (don't do the HG) unless you really want to while it's out of the truck and it's a lot easier.

The only reason I want to do the head gasket is so that it’s something I wouldn’t have to worry about again so a long while.


But yea, you’re 100% right, might as well just scrap that engine and just use my 214k engine.

As far as the interior, I’ve head really horrible experience with people doing whole center console dash swaps.

Would it be better to just engine swap and body swap?

 

[sbman]

The only reason I want to do the head gasket is so that it’s something I wouldn’t have to worry about again so a long while.


But yea, you’re 100% right, might as well just scrap that engine and just use my 214k engine.

As far as the interior, I’ve head really horrible experience with people doing whole center console dash swaps.

Would it be better to just engine swap and body swap?

As much as people like to say these engines last forever, at 200K+ the valve springs are tired, exhaust guides are probably worn and the rings are tired. I'm sure it could use some refreshing, but it would probably also plod along until 300K+ before it demands attention.

 

[jsloden]

OTRAMM has an entire video series on youtube on how to do a head gasket on an 80. It is extremely detailed. That's how I did mine a couple of years ago. Like others have said though, if the 214k engine has a good head gasket I'd leave it alone. I did mine in the vehicle, and while it was somewhat more difficult, it wasn't too bad. I would just do the seals, make sure your cooling system is in good shape, and call it a day.

 

[CharlieS]

The only reason I want to do the head gasket is so that it’s something I wouldn’t have to worry about again so a long while.


But yea, you’re 100% right, might as well just scrap that engine and just use my 214k engine.

As far as the interior, I’ve head really horrible experience with people doing whole center console dash swaps.

Would it be better to just engine swap and body swap?

The interiors on these are stupid simple bolt on affairs. I wouldn't hesitate to swap it all out if the other one is better. I ripped my whole interior out to start fresh on my trail build.

 

[BILT4ME]

The only reason I want to do the head gasket is so that it’s something I wouldn’t have to worry about again so a long while.


But yea, you’re 100% right, might as well just scrap that engine and just use my 214k engine.

As far as the interior, I’ve head really horrible experience with people doing whole center console dash swaps.

Would it be better to just engine swap and body swap?

The only giant PITA item in that year truck is the headliner.

Those are all clip and bow headliner on the 91-94 years.

Everything else is stupid simple.

On the body swap, depends on frame condition, etc. Up to you if one is better than another.

if you look at it as Body Swap VS engine swap? Body swap is easier. A lot less to take apart, you just NEED a lift to do it effectively.

There's one family here that removed the entire body on a lift to rebuild the engine in frame.

 

[Edlobos5]

Also if your motor with 214k is blown drain that oil ASAP and refill with fresh oil. Drain the coolant and run the motor to get that fresh oil throughout the engine and get the coolant of your components.

Thanks, the engine with 214k miles is not blown fortunately

 

[Edlobos5]

Engine aside, is your plan to have the original frame straightened (pic shows frame damage) or are you envisioning a frame swap from the newly acquired 93? The core support also looks to need some love as well.

It all depends. I’m putting her back together to take her to get an alignment done.

Depending on the alignment and is the frame is all square then that will depend if the shop I took it to will repair the frame. Looks to only be damaged on the weld points and not farther back.

If she is too far gone then I have a tough decision to make. Either swap the body and engine into the good frame(make life easier on a wiring perspective) or just swap engine, axles and interior into this good body and frame.

Pros: the truck with good frame has a nicer body then my truc

Cons: interior is complete my f’d and I would have to swap everything over. I have no experience but would learn as I go and at that point will not be paying for labor or a shop to swap the body. Some estimates are upwards of 9k. Ughhhh

Last option is just part both trucks and be done with it lol

 

[Edlobos5]

Be happy to help you out, I'm relatively local. I've rebuilt a number of engines, including my own 1FZ-FE. I would pull the old blown motor and open it up to see what kind of shape it's in before assuming it can't be rebuilt. I got mine with a blown head gasket and 220K miles, it had been sitting for a year or two. The cylinder walls were fine, but it turned out the head was too warped and had to be replaced.

It's not an inexpensive journey to rebuild a 1FZ. I spent north of $7K on mine and still had some more to do after that, but that included refresh of many systems beyond just the motor, I wanted like-new reliability not having nit picky issues later after doing just the basics. So I rebuilt the P/S pump, replaced ALL rubber hoses and seals, replaced VSV valves, vacuum tubing, replaced A/C compresser, new water pump. I also did the Landtank oil pump bushing replacement, alternator 'upgrade' bracket, brand new OEM pistons, etc... There is a guy down here in east county San Diego that is the only place I'd trust to do a head job locally. Don't do like I did and have to do the head twice! I also went MLS head gasket which you can only do if you are having the block machined because it needs to be decked to a certain finish level.

I've got a detailed thread.

Thank you! Yea if you wouldn’t mind connecting over phone or social media. Would be a great connection to have!

 

[Edlobos5]

As much as people like to say these engines last forever, at 200K+ the valve springs are tired, exhaust guides are probably worn and the rings are tired. I'm sure it could use some refreshing, but it would probably also plod along until 300K+ before it demands attention.

Yea, unfortunately money is a thing and will have to consider cost vs worth at some point before my wife kills me lol.

 

[Edlobos5]

OTRAMM has an entire video series on youtube on how to do a head gasket on an 80. It is extremely detailed. That's how I did mine a couple of years ago. Like others have said though, if the 214k engine has a good head gasket I'd leave it alone. I did mine in the vehicle, and while it was somewhat more difficult, it wasn't too bad. I would just do the seals, make sure your cooling system is in good shape, and call it a day.

I totally forgot about his videos!!! Helped me do my front axle rebuild!

Had to replace my radiator from a hole from the accident and she ran great before so no issues with cooling.

 

[Edlobos5]

The interiors on these are stupid simple bolt on affairs. I wouldn't hesitate to swap it all out if the other one is better. I ripped my whole interior out to start fresh on my trail build.

No way really? Yea my dash is in pretty good shape so I wouldn’t mind just swapping it over if it is that easy. The wiring could potentially be the biggest issue

 

[Edlobos5]

The only giant PITA item in that year truck is the headliner.

Those are all clip and bow headliner on the 91-94 years.

Everything else is stupid simple.

On the body swap, depends on frame condition, etc. Up to you if one is better than another.

if you look at it as Body Swap VS engine swap? Body swap is easier. A lot less to take apart, you just NEED a lift to do it effectively.

There's one family here that removed the entire body on a lift to rebuild the engine in frame.

Thanks, yea would have to replace the engine and body from my crashed truck. Or just redo the entire interior. But I have time just not money so I may have to deal with it myself

 

[jdmfj80]

this guy has a great build series, u might find helpful