bad head gasket, fix or motor swap, want to keep manual trans - Page 2 - Toyota 4Runner Forum

rexassian · 12-17-2019, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reinout

If you have to ask this then I'd say "yes" you're bat-$hit crazy ☺

I sure as hell couldn't do it! I'd have to tell me wife that we're not going to be use Cliff (we named it) for a few months ☺

well yes, I generally agree with you, I am quite crazy at times.

But in this case, I do have a friend with a shop and a two post lift, engine hoist, stands, ect. What else about the swap would be crazy?

Joelzy · 12-17-2019, 06:05 PM

i would make a thorough list of things to replace while doing it. rear main, ~~trans~~ oil cooler seal, motor mounts, etc to make sure you have everything ready beforehand. The biggest time suck on mine was not realizing i needed things, ordering them and waiting before going further.

I would probably do knock sensors and intake man gaskets because why not, valve cover gaskets, timing/WP, PCV and one i blew off until it started leaking was the dipstick seal.

rexassian · 12-17-2019, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joelzy

i would make a thorough list of things to replace while doing it. rear main, trans cooler seal, motor mounts, etc to make sure you have everything ready beforehand. The biggest time suck on mine was not realizing i needed things, ordering them and waiting before going further.

I would probably do knock sensors and intake man gaskets because why not and one i blew off until it started leaking was the dipstick seal .

great points. But what's the trans cooler seal? Is that for automatics or manual trans as well?

Joelzy · 12-17-2019, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rexassian

great points. But what's the trans cooler seal? Is that for automatics or manual trans as well?

sorry i meant oil cooler seal, its right behind the oil filter on the driver side of the block

STI_MECE · 12-17-2019, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joelzy

i would make a thorough list of things to replace while doing it. rear main, trans cooler seal, motor mounts, etc to make sure you have everything ready beforehand. The biggest time suck on mine was not realizing i needed things, ordering them and waiting before going further.

I would probably do knock sensors and intake man gaskets because why not, valve cover gaskets, timing/WP, PCV and one i blew off until it started leaking was the dipstick seal.

sounds like someone likes to hunt for work

lol

there is zero need to go into a healthy block and replace that knock sensor. that is literally asking for more work. and hardly a challenge to go back and replace if you had to.

Reinout · 12-17-2019, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rexassian

well yes, I generally agree with you, I am quite crazy at times.

But in this case, I do have a friend with a shop and a two post lift, engine hoist, stands, ect. What else about the swap would be crazy?

☺ It's inevitable that you will find SOMETHING during the swap that you didn't account for. At least that's how anything works for me. But to be honest I have not done an engine swap so I can't say if that'll happen to you. You could very well be 100% solid with a weekend's worth of work and never have a problem with it.

@Joelzy mentions some good things to look at while you're doing it too.

Joelzy · 12-17-2019, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reinout

☺ It's inevitable that you will find SOMETHING during the swap that you didn't account for.

100%

Quote:

Originally Posted by STI_MECE

sounds like someone likes to hunt for work

lol

there is zero need to go into a healthy block and replace that knock sensor. that is literally asking for more work. and hardly a challenge to go back and replace if you had to.

lol i figured someone might say that but i'd rather do it all at once if i have the time. not saying he will need to do the VCGs but if so, and the intake is coming off, might as well, IMO.
Mine had 140k on it and the sensors looked ok but the harness was toast and the insulation disintegrated in my hand. after reassembly i chased a vac leak through my intake man and pulling all that crap apart got old quick.

STI_MECE · 12-17-2019, 06:50 PM

get good freinds with your local toyota dealership and get employee pricing....AND next day delivery. If I make an order before 4PM, it will be delivered the next day by 8AM. And that is on 90% of the stuff i needed other than obscure shit the POS got rid of.

Then you problem disappears when you need pats you didn't account for.

But the better thing to account for is screwing up good parts you already have that you ruin while installing them on the new engine.

I accidentally picked up a new seal to drive in a new seal.....dont ask me. my wife distracted me lol luckily a camshaft seal was in stock at local dealership. cost me 9 bucks with discount.

phattyduck · 12-17-2019, 07:08 PM

With a lift and a helper and skill, a 1 for 1 engine swap in a weekend would be fairly easy - assuming no rusted fasteners.

Get all the maintenance work done on the new motor beforehand, of course... And have fluids, etc. ready.

-Charlie

mtbtim · 12-17-2019, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mesooohoppy

i think it depends if the powerplant got hot enough to warp the block/head. if you catch it early enough im sure you can get away with it, although if it were me and i managed to not overheat it, i would still check for flat-ness. everything is already apart and out. what is one more small thing to do? hell, if you dont do it and the mating surfaces are not flat you will end up doing it over and over until you get them flat.

was your subaru an open deck head? if so, they seem go to through headgaskets fairly quickly. how do i know? i have an 02 WRX apart in our shop right now.

i have seen a lot of folks use a feeler gauge and a straight edge. you should be able to do the heads off the car no issue and the block in the car without issue.

Dont' know what kind of heads my 99 Subaru had. All I know is those boxer engines were notorious for blowing head gaskets.

And in response to the others who commented on my question, I would agree if the engine was overheated, the chance of warping is fairly high. If the engine wasn't overheated, than why would you assume your heads or block are most likely going to need resurfacing? And yeah, definitely check the head and block surfaces to be sure, but I just didn't understand the comment that it's almost a certainty that you're going to need to do some resurfacing as part of a head gasket job.

brillo_76 · 12-17-2019, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reinout

If you have to ask this then I'd say "yes" you're bat-$hit crazy

bad head gasket, fix or motor swap, want to keep manual trans

I sure as hell couldn't do it! I'd have to tell me wife that we're not going to be use Cliff (we named it) for a few months

Love the name if the runner Cliff. I have a few of mine named.

Tetanus 1 and Tetanus 2. I need a better name for my 97 5 speed but I think of one when its completed.

It would take me a while to swap an engine due to time I have allocated for garage.

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

brillo_76 · 12-17-2019, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rexassian

well yes, I generally agree with you, I am quite crazy at times.

But in this case, I do have a friend with a shop and a two post lift, engine hoist, stands, ect. What else about the swap would be crazy?

Let's face it we are all crazy. You can get it done in a weekend.

People say I am crazy for fixing frames but I don't ask anyone to help me and it's my thing.

I probably have the only 2001 sport 4 runner in PA. That every bolt underneath can come out.

That was neglected by PO and spent its life here.

Do your thing @rexassian . That's what I do and I honestly don't care what others think.

. I never did and I am not going to start at 43 years old.

Good luck with your switch and keep us posted.

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

rexassian · 12-17-2019, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brillo_76

Let's face it we are all crazy. You can get it done in a weekend.

People say I am crazy for fixing frames but I don't ask anyone to help me and it's my thing.

I probably have the only 2001 sport 4 runner in PA. That every bolt underneath can come out.

That was neglected by PO and spent its life here.

Do your thing @rexassian . That's what I do and I honestly don't care what others think.

. I never did and I am not going to start at 43 years old.

Good luck with your switch and keep us posted.

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

Thanks! will definitely update.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtbtim

Dont' know what kind of heads my 99 Subaru had. All I know is those boxer engines were notorious for blowing head gaskets.

Yea, I played with a couple subarus before getting into the 4runner, all blocks except for STI are open deck or semi-open deck. But the fault in early subarus were the gaskets themselves IIRC. Also, they are much easier to work on just due to being smaller and lighter IMHO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joelzy

sorry i meant oil cooler seal, its right behind the oil filter on the driver side of the block

Ahh, gotcha, thanks, I was wondering what that was in your build thread.

Dieselchessy · 12-18-2019, 03:22 AM

If either motor is dirty, you’ll loose time cleaning.
I’d replace the oil pan gasket sealer before putting the engine in.

I’d also do the intake gasket and knock sensor harness. Every time I pull one of these apart the gasket area around the water channels between the intake and the heads is corroded and crumbling.
It’s only a few nuts and maybe 8 bolts more work then you’ll already have done to get the wire harness off.

If you got 2 guys that can both work and not stand around watching each other you could do it in a weekend.

Replacing all the stuff the gentleman above suggested would be a good idea.

Reinout · 12-18-2019, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brillo_76

Love the name if the runner Cliff. I have a few of mine named.

Tetanus 1 and Tetanus 2. I need a better name for my 97 5 speed but I think of one when its completed.

It would take me a while to swap an engine due to time I have allocated for garage.

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

Bit of a post-highjacking but: My wife named our 97 Cliff because the color and the edges we tend to drive on in the PNW.

Our 2011 VW got the name Gunther cuz it's german

Then our 2007 4runner we tossed around a few names: Forest (I Hated that one), CLiff Jr (stupid), and I'm a bit of an anti-automatic person and this of-course is an Auto. So Otto (albeit a German sounding name) came to be.

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