While you’re in there…

[J4Crusher]

After 287k miles, sadly, I have to replace the entire engine in my 96. I’ts not a job I can do so I have a local shop doing the replacement(1fze rebuild).
I’m interested what y’all would take care of while the engine is out? I hope to get another 287k miles out of this truck. It’s my daily driver, hauls my wife and 3 kids. It dosent get much off-road time these days so I’m not really looking to upgrade or enhance its off-road capabilities, more so curious what common issues y’all have seen that would be easier( and more cost effective) to address while the engine is out?

Thank you for any wisdom you can impart.

 

[BILT4ME]

Per the wise @cruiserdan :

Remove the radiator cap and drive a new truck underneath the cap and reinstall.

 

[BILT4ME]

After 287k miles, sadly, I have to replace the entire engine in my 96. I’ts not a job I can do so I have a local shop doing the replacement(1fze rebuild).
I’m interested what y’all would take care of while the engine is out? I hope to get another 287k miles out of this truck. It’s my daily driver, hauls my wife and 3 kids. It dosent get much off-road time these days so I’m not really looking to upgrade or enhance its off-road capabilities, more so curious what common issues y’all have seen that would be easier( and more cost effective) to address while the engine is out?

Thank you for any wisdom you can impart.

There are a number of threads asking the same question.

In a nutshell:
Everything rubber under the hood. (All coolant hoses, all vacuum hoses)
Rear heater hard lines
Fuel filter
Heater valve
Engine mounts
Transmission Mount


I highly recommend if you must fully rebuild the engine (not just a head gasket replacement) that you consider buying a NEW Toyota short block to save cost and speed up the process (hopefully) depending on your location.

 

[J4Crusher]

There are a number of threads asking the same question.

In a nutshell:
Everything rubber under the hood. (All coolant hoses, all vacuum hoses)
Rear heater hard lines
Fuel filter
Heater valve
Engine mounts
Transmission Mount


I highly recommend if you must fully rebuild the engine (not just a head gasket replacement) that you consider buying a NEW Toyota short block to save cost and speed up the process (hopefully) depending on your location.

I’ll look into that. Thanks!

 

[J4Crusher]

Per the wise @cruiserdan :

Remove the radiator cap and drive a new truck underneath the cap and reinstall.

Yeah I hear ya. If I didn’t have so much emotional attachment to the vehicle I’d have done so already.

 

[mudgudgeon]

@BILT4ME nailed it

I'd also add, replace power steering rubber hoses high and low pressure while the engine is out

 

[mudgudgeon]

Per the wise @cruiserdan :

Remove the radiator cap and drive a new truck underneath the cap and reinstall.

I mean, I see the wisdom, but the radiator cap is a problem waiting to happen that is so often overlooked.
Best to throw the whole dealio out, and replace it all.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Also, if you do rebuild, and don't go for a short block, replace the harmonic balancer/ pulley too.

It's 25+ year old rubber, and it's days are numbered.

 

[Malleus]

Make sure that all your vacuum lines are replaced when they rebuild the engine. This isn't on the list for any shop I've ever talked to about engine rebuilds; they're only concerned with the internal parts.

Be prepared t replace the head sensors and two knock sensors which will break when the shop disconnects the harness. They are old and brittle. Tell them to be especially careful disconnecting the A/C cutoff switch - the harness side connector isn't available anymore. The sensor is, but not the harness connector. Same for the injectors. At least replace all the O-rings on the injectors when there are reassembled.

Also, now is the time to thoroughly clean the intake parts. And consider deleting the EGR valve/piping.

Take a good, hard look at your engine harness. If you need one, they're still available new. For now.

Replace your front shocks and as much of the front suspension rubber as you can afford. It's waaay easier to do with the engine out.

I second the power steering return and pressure lines as well as the harmonic balancer. I've had to do this on two of my three 80s. I have the parts waiting for the third.

I'm sure I forgot something, but that's from the top of my head when I rebuilt the head on one of my 80s this summer.

 

[manofthewoods]

Also, if you do rebuild, and don't go for a short block, replace the harmonic balancer/ pulley too.

It's 25+ year old rubber, and it's days are numbered.

Lots of good suggestions...
Perhaps consider replacing the brake booster; much easier w/o engine in there.

 

[dirtyboots]

Yeah the vacuum lines, o rings on the injectors, bits like that are killers. It would cause the build ($$) to be unsuccessful, or like I just spent hella cash and it's rough idle now, etc. While you're in there ensure the rubbers are all OEM or the exact right size ahead of time and be assertive about making sure injector o rings are actually replaced (ask for the old ones back, etc)
I would be super skeptical of any shop that claimed to take care of everything, because it's super labor intensive and not cost effective for a business to build stuff the right way. Best advice for engine performance that I've ever heard:
You can have all three of these things, but not two: 1) reliability 2) affordability 3) power
We don't care about hersepers so much (ish) but I would put power in with precision, or attention to detail for these rigs
The shop has gotta have their sh*t together be careful- if the shop is "affordable" and / or available any time- no joke I'd drive it or tow it far distances and wait before having an "import specialist" stab it in there, all of this sounds obvious but picking the right shop is the ultimate while you're in there-
Replacing the fuel injectors super important, if they're leaky it is havok and negates all the fresh machine work
Finally AAA used to do some long distance towing once a year, one way for free. I bought my 80 with a blown motor and got it towed pretty far for free by AAA so in your case maybe have it sent to a shop then drive it back if there's nothing in the Pittsburg area
good luck! HTH

 

[SucioP]

There are a number of threads asking the same question.

In a nutshell:
Everything rubber under the hood. (All coolant hoses, all vacuum hoses)
Rear heater hard lines
Fuel filter
Heater valve
Engine mounts
Transmission Mount


I highly recommend if you must fully rebuild the engine (not just a head gasket replacement) that you consider buying a NEW Toyota short block to save cost and speed up the process (hopefully) depending on your location.

From experience, this….

 

[J4Crusher]

Thanks crew- super helpful and convinced me to tow it to a specialist shop. I keep asking the guy in town if they have worked on these before and I just don’t get the feeling that they really know the ins and out of this vehicle. There is a guy in Dallas who I’ve reached out to and will follow up on that.

This group is a life(rig) saver.
🙏

 

[mudgudgeon]

picking the right shop is the ultimate while you're in there-

That's so true.

It amazes me how many times you see a thread from someone who's cruiser has been languishing in a shop for a year+, and no progress, poor communication, and no end date. And the owner questioning should they go get their car back. This question should happen at month 1, not month 12.

Then you see pics of the shop and it's a dirty, disheveled dogs breakfast.
The state of someone's workspace gives you a real good idea of how many fúcks they give IMO. A busy person who cares will still have a clean tidy space. There may be parts of a project all over a bench, but if the space isn't tidy and clean, seriously reconsider.