Scored 2007 Unicorn. The holy grail of 100 series.

[2001LC]

Engine tear down and assembly.

This was necessary as I'm not using a 100 series 2UZ-fe VVti drop in. Instead I scored a low mile GX470 Lexus engine from WI. To recap; it was the best engine I could find. It was in a Lexus Dealership every 5K to 6K for fluids +, was only recently salvages with minor impact to RH side, front end was intacted so engine stayed protected from elements (water).

Before receiving replacement engine I began my tear down of my overheated blown engine. I needed to tear down to a near bare long block to get parts I'll need. Also this gave me the opportunity to see what damage was done to it from overheating.

Main wiring harness to ECU was first up.

 

[2001LC]

With compressor out of the way, I snaked out the oil pressure unit, crank sensor and AC compressor wire housing from behind fan bracket, disconnect all wire housing, hangers, rear 10mm bolts and pulled the main wire harness. Followed be removing frame to block ground cable, engine mounts along with cooler hose from block to oil cooler.

 

[2001LC]

Exhaust heat shields and manifolds came off next along with oil dipstick on LH side. Then moved around to RH side. Then intake manifold

 

[2001LC]

Intake had melted. It was like one of the elements in the plastic liquified as others stayed intact. Now I could get at stater/battery wire along with A.I pump wire housing. Pulling water by-passes with #2#3 A.I. switches , A.I pump & switch assembly along with starter.

Toyota Dealer replaced A.I. pump (blower) and switch about 40k earlier. At which time mechanic elected to tie down wire housing he'd broken undoubtedly. This was first of many wire housing blocks I replaced. I salvaged wire housing blocks I needed, from the GX wire housing in most cases. Most all wire house blocks are available from Toyota parts department. Buying new replacements is a great way to go. As you can then see how to disassemble, a real time saver.

 

[2001LC]

Did you notice the VVT cam sensor located in sides of head. RH was melted. Some plastic had to be chop out to remove bolt so I could take it out. This was necessary so I could remove the intake manifold that was being blocked by it. The RH knock sensor was also melted. Notices also the color of the cast iron of block in the valley. It had and unusual orange glow. This engine was hot!

Knock sensor RH side

 

[2001LC]

Head gasket showed separation at cylinders 4&6 and 3&5. Cylinder #6 was one of the worst to be scored.

 

[2001LC]

Video of cylinder#6 walls with borescope ($30 endoscope hooked to iphone), hone marks gone. Also some stills of other cylinders.

 

[2001LC]

I've skipped over lot of small parts that were removed, some will be seen during assembly.

Next I show oil cooler and filter bracket.

First of multiple cleanings of oil cooler and bracket, as it is a part I'll need. I actually soaked in degreasing solvent 24hr first, then wash in my water based solvent with rust inhibitors. This soaking, washing and blowing out with high pressure air was repeated again and again over days and days.

 

[2001LC]

Pulled cover off timing belt to get a peak, pulled fan bracket and drive belt tensioner. Then rolled over to pull oil pans, baffle and pickup tube.

Tough call on fan bracket any leak or sound during rotation, play and replace. I also had one coming off replacement engine with only 98K on it to choose from.

With pan off I could see #6 position color was off (cooked) others looked good. The hole lower end look somewhat discolored and smell was off.

#3

 

[2001LC]

Enough of old, it's on to new. Which I now had to inspect and then tear down to make the long block suitable for a Land Cruiser with all the difference bolt ons.

Once I received the GX470 w98K from WI, I unpacked and mounted to stand.
Here is what the GX470 looked like just before engine removed by recycler and engine just before shipping.
Note: I studied Lexus service history and carfax before before buying.

They washed engine just before shipping, I was pissed.

I had three requirement, I beat into recycler head to the point of being annoying, and put in writing as a requirement with picture before shipping.
1) Must not be weathered (stored indoors).
2) Intake manifold must not be removed (they drop dirt into intake head port and cylinders to often)
3) They must not wash as it removes signs of leaks and most importantly risk getting water in engine.

They washed (%^$#) it as can be seen by wetness of cast iron block. But I felt I could save if any water got into intake ports of head.

Water getting into engine is issues I found with some VVt intake gaskets leaking, or fuel injector insulator leaking.

I accepted as I didn't want to lose a low mile with sure good history. If any water did get in I'd have two weeks or so the remove, dry and take measures. But longer than that, I'd likely have a smoker.

 

[krice118]

@2001LC Thanks for doing your thing and documenting these so well!

 

[2001LC]

So once mounted on stand I scope it within hours of receiving. I did so first runthrough without turn crank, so if any containment I not spread them. I was very happy it should no signs of water entry, so I moved on to turning crank so I could inspect each cylinder top to bottom, It looked great. I was very happy!

Some stills.

Next was getting pan off to take a look at lower end. This actual was done last, as I now had to strip down to a bare long block in prep for assemble as a 100 series engine.

It looked and smelt sweet on lower end as well. Now I'm in business, the fun was to begin.

 

[2001LC]

@2001LC Thanks for doing your thing and documenting these so well!

Your more than welcome.

It took a lot of homework and time to find this engine and detirm what parts I'd need, not only to swap but order. I've spent about 277 hours since last July to date. This includes acquisitions and daily time I spend looking for projects like this, and what work I've done to date on the Unicorn and I'll be posting. Cleaning parts and reconditioning is just as time consuming as part acquisition. I'll not show all recondition or cleaning but some will be posted from time to time.

I'll continue with posting assembly of engine.

 

[2001LC]

Assembling 4.7L 2UZ-fe VVt engine from near bare long block to conform to a 100 series, is time consuming.

I started with oil pickup tube, baffle and oil pans:
Cleaning is always first step and very import. Great care must also be taken to keep area inside clean. Area needs close inspection once cleaned.

Before applying FIPG Toyota 103, I use a chemicals to clean & degrease as final step. Any oils and FIPG will not stick.

New gasket for oil pickup tube.

 

[2001LC]

 

[2001LC]

I'll be filling with 6 qts of synthetic oil and a can of BG EPR engine flush. It must be drian off after warm-up to operating temp and running about 15 minutes a speed. So I held off torquing oil plug bolt to 29ft-lbf for now, to save gasket/washer. The EPR will insure I've got a clean and engine for the finial 7 qts of 5W-30 M1 synthetic and a can of BG MOA. A BG rep call this combo liquid gold! cleans and condition deep into rings.

 

[2001LC]

Oil filter bracket, oil cooler and cooler block to oil cooler hose. All are different on the 100 series so we need to swap them out.

Cleaning cleaning cleaning of oil cooler.

Interesting Toyota doesn't require replacing this washer.

 

[2001LC]

I'll use this dented up oil filter that had only 600 miles on it as a throw away, after flushing oil with EPR.

Next was new cooler hose which also needed to be swap.
This is one hose we rarely replace. Old hoses do well until pulled, but once pulled off it's a good idea to replace. It's also very difficult to get at with engine in.

Block to ground cable was next, which also had to be swap. Threads in block never being used and exposed to elements needed some lovin/cleaning.
So got out my thread repair kit and made quick work of it.

Oh yeah, all the wet oily look of block was PB blaster I sprayed after cleaning up a bit. Figured it would condition the metal some and look better in the end.

I like to clean contacts, bolts and whatever I can with wire brush, then adding grease like dialectic to protect against corrosion.

 

[2001LC]

@Njck22 @dace voit We decided to go ahead and install new engine mounts, so I'll be pulling these back off. Again threads unused in the GX470 needed condition for our engine mounts swap.

 

[Njck22]

Were pretty much all the sensors different between the gx470 and LC? Did you order new ones or swap over from the burnt up engine?