Builds Spyduh's LX450 Build (Motor Rebuild + Wits End Turbo Kit) (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Oct 28, 2015
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A nudge from @NLXTACY encouraged me start start an official build thread.

Here's a little background of my build to date thus far:

Started off 5 years ago as a mostly bone stock 97 LX450 with 150k that I pretty much stole for dirt cheap. I bought it with the ARB bumper, OME 2.5 medium lift and 33s. I've added so much stuff to it in the 5 years I don't even know where to begin.

Current specs:

1997 LX450 @ 187k
I did a swap a few years ago and swapped factory axles with elockers from a salvaged 80.
SoCal Junkyard find rock sliders. Scored for $250
ARB Safari Snorkel (junk yard special $200)
Gobi Rack/Ladder
4x4Labs rear bump with tire swing and 3can/ladder/HiLift
4x4Labs Front bumper
ARB Deluxe bumper
Warn M8000
(just traded my buddy for a Zeon 10S)
DEPO quad headlight projector upgrade with OEM Lexus/Toyota ballasts
Lseat leaters with ceramic heated seats
Tuffy Console upgrade
Delta Shifter + Console
315 75 16 tires
DIY drawer build
Isolated Tmax dual battery with a 3000w inverter
CruiserBrothers LRA Aux 24 gallon Tank
Got rid of the OME Medium's because of all the weight. I replaced them with used J's springs and new shocks I found on Mud, Craigslist and Pacific Mountain Cruiser Swap Meet.
AIR LIFT 60755 1000 Series Rear Air Spring Kit
Air Lift 25870 WirelessONE airbag compressor
Nitro 4.88s front and rear gears.
Slee sway drop, Slee bump stop drop, Slee Caster Correction Plates, Slee Elocker armor, Slee Washer relocation bracket.
IronPig Offroad FJ80 Skid Plate (cross member)
Photoman Alternator bracket + used Sequoia 150amp alternator
Photoman 15% smaller Fan Pulley
Complete top and bottom end rebuild 190k + Wits End Turbo Installed
New Denso Power Steering Pump and New Denso AC Compressor

I probably missed a ton more crap I've done to it.

Here's a pic when i first bought it and here's the most recent pic at Surf and Turf with my Toyota Half Cut Trailer build out on its maiden voyage.

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I'm currently pulling the motor to do a Wits End Turbo Kit. I'm about halfway through my rebuild.

This is why I'm rebuilding it. It's consumes a lot of oil and is pretty leaky. Cyl 3 and 6 were swimming pools of oil!

Night 1:
Snapped my 1/2 breaker bar while using my 4 foot cheater bar. Could not break free the crankshaft bolt. Need to go to the store 2moro and buy a chain wrench and replace my breaker bar. As soon as I can get that damn crank bolt loose I can hookup the cherry picker and pull the motor out to start rebuilding

Night 2:
Me and my buddy took the past 2 nights to pull out my motor. Damn that was a lot of work. Now to tear off the head and rebuild the top end and rebuild the block. The 1k ton engine stand was not strong enough to support the weight of the 1fzfe. My buddy has my Miller at his house, so I had to pull out my Ready Welder and weld 2 support brackets. It looks like crap because its flux core, but it welded all the way through with 36v. It's strong and does hold the engine weight now. It was was leaning and bent the engine stand the 10 mins it supported the full weight.

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1/2 gun air and electric could not break the crank bolt free.

1/2 breaker bar with 4 foot cheater bar vs crank bolt. Guess who won? It wasn't the breaker bar. We were done for the night since my breaker broke.

I had to warranty my bar in the morning and my buddy got his BluePoint 24" chain wrench from his tool box at his house. Later that night he came by and this time we used a 3/4" breaker bar and strapped it to the frame. We then put the chain wrench on main pulley and use the floor jack to pump up on the chain wrench.

Floor jack + chain wrench + 3/4 breaker VS crank bolt = TOOLS win!

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Head day.
completed the 1fzfe head job. Decked the head, 3 way valve job on all the valve buckets, refaced the valves and cut the stems, installed new valve stem seals and reinstalled the camshafts. Next up is tearing apart the block to put in New piston rings and rod bearings.

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Tonight I pulled the oil pan and 2nd pan off the block. It's cleaned and ready to drill and weld the turbo oil bung.

I have welded aluminum before and completely suck at it. Welding steel is fun and easy
Aluminum has defeated me and has made me loose my cool. This is one thing I have to hire a professional welder to weld the oil bung.






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Nice, you'll really enjoy the turbo as it makes this a totally different rig!
 
Drilled a small pilot hole in my 2nd oil pan and then figured out I didn't have the right oil bung to weld to the pan. I stopped what I was doing and put that on hold till my part comes in. So I changed gears and worked on the block tonight. Stripped down the timing cover, chain, timing guides, power steering pump, water pump, front main seal and rear main seal and gave everything a good cleaning.

Half the things I'm doing I wasn't plan on doing. It's since i'm in it so deep might as well change it out. Now I'm looking for brand new timing chain guides even though mine aren't bad and in great condition. The rabbit hole gets deeper every time I tear something apart. Go big or go home I guess 🙅‍♂️

Tomorrow I'm painting the block with VHT high temp engine paint. What color do you think I should paint the block. Black, red, blue, orange or gold?

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Subscribed, looks like a great build!
 
decided to get a new timing chain even though mines not stretched and still good. It's like $35 more and I'm already in there. It'll be stupid if I didn't do it now and it goes bad in the near future. At least I know it'll be good for another 200k.

$118 shipped for new chain and 2 guides aint bad at all compared to the price at the stealership.

Partsouq is my best friend lately
 
decided to get a new timing chain even though mines not stretched and still good. It's like $35 more and I'm already in there. It'll be stupid if I didn't do it now and it goes bad in the near future. At least I know it'll be good for another 200k.

$118 shipped for new chain and 2 guides aint bad at all compared to the price at the stealership.

Partsouq is my best friend lately

I was lucky and Onur was still dealing parts when i did mine.
Since i've used partsouq a lot with good results.

I recommend doing anything that's difficult to do later. If you're already in there might as well do it all. I went down the same rabbit hole and ended up doing new rings, bearings all around, every rubber bit, and a new engine harness since it was $400 and mine was hardened from heat cycles. The peace of mind of a mostly new motor is worth the money and time you'll save down the road, if you can afford it. I think at the end of the day i spent $6k on my rebuild but i also did a new fan clutch, rad, etc.
 
I was lucky and Onur was still dealing parts when i did mine.
Since i've used partsouq a lot with good results.

I recommend doing anything that's difficult to do later. If you're already in there might as well do it all. I went down the same rabbit hole and ended up doing new rings, bearings all around, every rubber bit, and a new engine harness since it was $400 and mine was hardened from heat cycles. The peace of mind of a mostly new motor is worth the money and time you'll save down the road, if you can afford it. I think at the end of the day i spent $6k on my rebuild but i also did a new fan clutch, rad, etc.

I'm spending a ton of money at parts. Mostly trying to order amayama and partsouq if possible to try to save some money. I've spent well over $800 just at the local toyota dealership. Not to mention all the money I spent during black friday at Joey's website for maintenance items. Me and my buddy are doing the majority of the rebuild ourselves which is saving me a ton of money on labor. Parts are still not cheap tho =(
 

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