Engine Trouble caused by driving without oil

[TFRnoob]

Things I have learned from pulling my engine so far:

When you don't know what you are doing, estimate the amount of time you think it will take to do something and multiply that by about 10.

Unexpected roadblocks happen more often than you think.

Easy ways to remove rounded bolts are usually gimmicks and a waste of money.

Pulling an engine is a little bit like a puzzle, a very messy frustrating puzzle... and I don't like puzzles much.

:violin:

That is all.

 

[TFRnoob]

The one on the right is your A340h bell housing, that's got your bolt holes.

Easier than a jack is a ratchet strap. Loop it around the frame rails and under the trans right behind the bell housing, then ratchet it tight. That'll let you move the truck around the driveway.

No special tools, but there's a couple tricks to getting at those top bolts. You can unbolt the trans/tcase at the crossmember and jack it up, tilting the engine forward. You could also remove the engine mounts from the frame and the motor and then lower the motor onto the frame, which will also pull it down and away from the firewall. Sometimes you can get at those bolts with an ungodly assortment of extensions and wobbles through the shifter opening in the trans tunnel. Most of the time though, it's easiest just to sit on top of the motor and reach down there with a box end and turn those bolts a 1/4 inch at a time until they're free.

To tilt the engine forward, do I need to unbolt the engine from the mounts or will simply jacking the transmission up do the job?

 

[cashmoney]

I always loosen the engine mounts when tilting engines. Less risk of damaging them, easier to move, and more range of movement.

 

[TFRnoob]

I finally got the last bolt from the pipe that goes from the cat to the exhaust manifold area!

I bought three different round bolt removers, the first two (the left two) didn't quite do the job as the bolt was really seized and really rounded. I bought the last one and as I was trying to remove it I felt like it also may not work but then, POP and it came undone. I am so glad that problem is solved for the most part.

I am now having some problems with some stubborn wiring clips. I think I will get those undone next.

 

[TFRnoob]

I am seeing so many awesome engine swaps for diesel engines. That would be an awesome future project for me I think.

 

[cashmoney]

How about you finish this first before tackling an engine swap. I've been spinning wrenches for 15 years and I'm not confident enough to do a diesel swap.

 

[TFRnoob]

How about you finish this first before tackling an engine swap. I've been spinning wrenches for 15 years and I'm not confident enough to do a diesel swap.

Yeah, there is no way this would be happening any time soon. Its pretty cool that people can do it though.

Toyota needs to sell diesels in USA!

Anyway, I am starting to get frustrated separating the transmission from the block with the engine in the truck. Is there any particular reason why I shouldn't take the transmission out with the block. It seems like it might be an awkward removal at the engine hoist step but at least the bolts are easily accessible. Just curious. Thanks all.

 

[jeremyc74]

Is there any particular reason why I shouldn't take the transmission out with the block..

Any reason other than the fact that you have no idea what you're doing? Nope, can't think of any. :beer:

 

[TheDurk]

The one on the right is your A340h bell housing, that's got your bolt holes.

Easier than a jack is a ratchet strap. Loop it around the frame rails and under the trans right behind the bell housing, then ratchet it tight. That'll let you move the truck around the driveway.

No special tools, but there's a couple tricks to getting at those top bolts. You can unbolt the trans/tcase at the crossmember and jack it up, tilting the engine forward. You could also remove the engine mounts from the frame and the motor and then lower the motor onto the frame, which will also pull it down and away from the firewall. Sometimes you can get at those bolts with an ungodly assortment of extensions and wobbles through the shifter opening in the trans tunnel. Most of the time though, it's easiest just to sit on top of the motor and reach down there with a box end and turn those bolts a 1/4 inch at a time until they're free.

Well, having recently pulled my trans to do my clutch this seems weird. Tilting the engine forward would have made it harder to do those top bolts. Letting the rear of the trans drop and tilting the engine backwards lets you attack those bolts from the rear with about three or four feet of wobble extensions, and allow you 40° or 50° of ratchet swing. I think I was even able to use my T-Bar for a full 360° turn once I had them started. They come out pretty fast that way. Don't forget the starter bolts also hold the trans to the engine and that small lower flywheel cover has to be unbolted from the front or it will keep the flywheel attached to the trans.

 

[cashmoney]

Not sure how the Toyota works but it's a common practice to pull the engine and trans as one unit.

 

[TFRnoob]

Any reason other than the fact that you have no idea what you're doing? Nope, can't think of any. :beer:

Thanks for the advice, cool guy. I will keep that in mind. :flipoff:

 

[TFRnoob]

Not sure how the Toyota works but it's a common practice to pull the engine and trans as one unit.

Yeah, I have seen it done both ways with the T4Rs and as much as I would prefer to leave the trans in etc I am getting frustrated at the small amount of room I have to access the bolts holding the trans to the rest of the engine.

At this point is looks like I have several options; all of which have pros and cons.

 

[cashmoney]

Welcome to automotive work.

 

[Diezel]

Not sure how the Toyota works but it's a common practice to pull the engine and trans as one unit.

In the 4wd world, Pulling an Engine With trans means:

Pulling Engine**, Trans, Transfer case, Front Drive shaft, Rear Drive shaft, Trans cooling lines, linkages, sensors connections.... Absolute utter Insanity.

**Unplug sensors from engine, pull hoses, cables, remove starter, drop exhaust, remove bell housing bolts, remove torque convertor bolts, engine mount bolts, Yank engine. I can pull one in about 1.5 hours (without breaking anything).

I recently did a 6.0L GTO engine in a friends garage, R&R in about 4 hours with no power tools.

 

[KidVermicious]

Well, having recently pulled my trans to do my clutch this seems weird. Tilting the engine forward would have made it harder to do those top bolts. Letting the rear of the trans drop and tilting the engine backwards lets you attack those bolts from the rear with about three or four feet of wobble extensions, and allow you 40° or 50° of ratchet swing. I think I was even able to use my T-Bar for a full 360° turn once I had them started. They come out pretty fast that way. Don't forget the starter bolts also hold the trans to the engine and that small lower flywheel cover has to be unbolted from the front or it will keep the flywheel attached to the trans.

Good to know. I haven't done a 5VZE yet but I've done a couple other motors, I've always come at those top bolts from above with a ratcheting box end. Depending on how snug they are to the firewall, tilting the motor forward and down gets you easier access to them.

Four feet of extensions and wobbles seems like a good way to make me swear a lot, but maybe I'll try it next time.

 

[KidVermicious]

Yeah, I have seen it done both ways with the T4Rs and as much as I would prefer to leave the trans in etc I am getting frustrated at the small amount of room I have to access the bolts holding the trans to the rest of the engine.

At this point is looks like I have several options; all of which have pros and cons.

It's a mess for sure, and when you haven't done it before it seems like a huge task. Once you've done it once or twice and know what tricks work for you it'll be a breeze.

Problems with pulling the engine and trans as one:
1) it's tricker. That's a lot of unbalanced weight hanging off that engine hoist, maneuvering that weight out of the engine bay and then back in can be tricky.
2) it's more work. As noted above, you've got extra harness connections and driveshafts and trans cooler lines and all sorts of associated garbage. And then you still have to separate the trans from the engine block, and that's a lot harder to do when neither is bolted to something heavy like a truck. Putting them back together outside the truck can be even harder if you don't know what you're doing.

Most professional mechanics would probably pull it as one unit, because it's quicker when you have the right tools and experience. I don't even qualify for amateur mechanic status, and I like to just pull the motor when I have a choice. I would keep going like you are, and accept that you're going to get roadblocked and frustrated and learn when to just sit down and have a beer and stare at it for a bit. You can do this.

 

[Diezel]

Most professional mechanics would probably pull it as one unit, because it's quicker when you have the right tools and experience. I don't even qualify for amateur mechanic status,

You pointed out, where you would be incorrect. I'm retired as a journeyman level mechanic. You would never find a "flat rate" mechanic, nor sane mechanic pulling the entire running gear out, to R&R the engine. Especially in a 4wd application.

 

[KidVermicious]

You pointed out, where you would be incorrect. I'm retired as a journeyman level mechanic. You would never find a "flat rate" mechanic, nor sane mechanic pulling the entire running gear out, to R&R the engine. Especially in a 4wd application.

Fair enough. I don't think I've ever seen an FSM that didn't have you pull the entire drivetrain, and it seems like the guys I've known that worked for dealerships always preferred to yank the whole thing, but maybe I've just known weirdos.

 

[cashmoney]

In the 4wd world, Pulling an Engine With trans means:

Pulling Engine**, Trans, Transfer case, Front Drive shaft, Rear Drive shaft, Trans cooling lines, linkages, sensors connections.... Absolute utter Insanity.

**Unplug sensors from engine, pull hoses, cables, remove starter, drop exhaust, remove bell housing bolts, remove torque convertor bolts, engine mount bolts, Yank engine. I can pull one in about 1.5 hours (without breaking anything).

I recently did a 6.0L GTO engine in a friends garage, R&R in about 4 hours with no power tools.

It's not THAT dramatic. Yes it's more work but doesn't take away from the fact that it happens across the world on a daily basis and is a proven method of removal.

 

[jeremyc74]

I recently did a 6.0L GTO engine in a friends garage, R&R in about 4 hours with no power tools.

Off topic, but I owned a GTO. Those things were a pleasure to work on. The only modern performance car I've ever owned that would could actually get to all the spark plugs without any problem.:tongue: