I needed a new project

IBallEngineer

IBallEngineer

New member
No I didn't! But I couldn't pass this up!

99 3.4 4WD SR5 with a bad engine, piston is shot due to spark plug heli-coil dropping in to the cylinder, or so I was told.

It runs but makes horrific noises.

Now I'll have to learn about ABS and J shifters and stuff from [MENTION=10169]TheDurk[/MENTION]

I paid $1250 as is, I'll buy a used motor and swap it. I really, really, don't need a project.

a>~original


a>~original


:trophy:
 
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MONTYMTB said:
She looks to be in good shape otherwise - how many miles, and how's the interior?
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Interior is pretty good, driver's seat is a little rough but not ripped up, just looks dirty. The carpet has the usual discoloration. One of the backs of the rear seats has some broken clips, that's the worst thing. The cargo cover is complete and works, the center console cover is better than mine!

275K on the clock, but hard to tell by just the aesthetics. That's 70K more than my 3RZ, which would have gotten there in another 2 years or so if I kept driving it. Now I guess I'll try to get this one to the half million mile mark some day.
 
This should be an interesting project. Truck looks good but the motor is gone and everything has 275K on it. If I recall your posts correctly you are particular about your work so I'm guessing the restoration is going to be $pendy.

How much do you think you'll have to do to get it to 500K miles?

At what point does it become Paul Bunyan's ax - 3 new handles and two new heads and still good as new? :)
 
GangsterOfLove said:
This should be an interesting project. Truck looks good but the motor is gone and everything has 275K on it. If I recall your posts correctly you are particular about your work so I'm guessing the restoration is going to be $pendy.

How much do you think you'll have to do to get it to 500K miles?

At what point does it become Paul Bunyan's ax - 3 new handles and two new heads and still good as new? :)
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Well you are probably correct. I certainly don't think I'll put the motor in it and never have to spend anymore. TBU will follow I'm sure, then tires, maybe wheels too. The miles don't scare me, although I could imagine the transmission being a failure point. I'll eliminate the pink milkshake possibility when I have the engine out. At some point I'll re-gear it if I go bigger on the tires. But that's not restoration, that's building. Once I get the opportunity to see how well it was maintained I'll have a better idea where this will end up. But I'd rather put a couple hundred away every month to drive this, then $600 a month on a payment for something newer.
 
IBallEngineer said:
Well you are probably correct. I certainly don't think I'll put the motor in it and never have to spend anymore. TBU will follow I'm sure, then tires, maybe wheels too. The miles don't scare me, although I could imagine the transmission being a failure point. I'll eliminate the pink milkshake possibility when I have the engine out. At some point I'll re-gear it if I go bigger on the tires. But that's not restoration, that's building. Once I get the opportunity to see how well it was maintained I'll have a better idea where this will end up. But I'd rather put a couple hundred away every month to drive this, then $600 a month on a payment for something newer.
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With mine at some 200K I've been thinking about this a lot. I'm nowhere near the cost of payments on a new ( or newer) T4R but there are repairs looming on the horizon. Everyone stresses on the radiator but that's no big deal - $100 and 2 hours and you're good to go. The front end seems to be the biggest issue, although at 275K surely yours has some new parts. Bearings, seals, heavy mechanical things we never had to deal with before we had trucks that will clear 200K.

I'm not set up to do that kind of work - maybe you are. I don't suppose it would take much to get the tools and learn how - these are basic mechanical skills. It would be fun to learn - satisfying. Intimidating though - there are 1000 ways to get it wrong. Paying others to do front end work adds up so I may decide to take on a new hobby.

Has anyone just jumped in and replaced every wear item in the front end
All at once? Every bushing joint and seal? Have to include springs here - at 275K they're toast. Never mind building - what does it cost to establish a base line? $3K? More? Surely more if you hire it out- I'm at $1,500 with much more to do.

OTOH you're working against some $40K for a new one that is not as much fun to drive as a 3rd Gen. You can do a whole lot of work for $40K. New leather, carpet, trans, the works. A brand new 3rd Gen. There really isn't anything like one out there.

I'm not far from you - let me know if you'd like some help. I'd welcome the opportunity to learn.
 
GangsterOfLove said:
I'm not set up to do that kind of work - maybe you are. I don't suppose it would take much to get the tools and learn how - these are basic mechanical skills. It would be fun to learn - satisfying. Intimidating though - there are 1000 ways to get it wrong. Paying others to do front end work adds up so I may decide to take on a new hobby.



I'm not far from you - let me know if you'd like some help. I'd welcome the opportunity to learn.
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Yes I am somewhat set up for it. One of my good friends owns a shop near me, and let's me do thing there. Although I don't abuse that, so I end up doing things at home too. I am a previous shop owner too, so I can usually do most things, I just don't have a lift at home. We can talk about getting you help from me or paying him to do some work. He isn't against you supplying parts for that sort of thing. In the old days, 30 years ago, it wasn't uncommon to replace upper and lower bushings, ball joints and tie rod ends all at once. There is economy of scale in doing so, and you only need ONE alignment. Are you lifted or stock height? Those UCAs get asspensive!
 
Lucky? Or What

So it goes, unbelievable because I'm just not this lucky. As stated I bought this 99 with 275K that had been diagnosed with a bad motor. Cylinder 5 had previously had a helicoil installed for the spark plug. Heli-coil blew out the spark plug and broke the coil pack. PO took it to her mechanic, who took a look inside the cylinder with a boroscope and said the piston was broken. Fast forward and I bought it expecting to buy a used engine.

My friend who owns the shop where I had it towed initially told me I should pull the head and see how bad it really is before committing to an engine, I agreed figuring a couple hours would be no big deal. Well today I showed up and he said, " are you sure the piston is broken?". Of course I was not sure, I took the word of the mechanic who diagnosed it. So we decided to look for ourselves!

Sure enough, there is the helicoil, somewhat stuck to the top of the piston. But we can't see any actual damage to the piston, although the helicoil looked like mushed up aluminum at first. After several tries I maneuvered the camera to where I could see no damage, and a messed up heli coil. So we took some TIG rod and bent the end to create a hook, we got the heli coil to move but couldn't pull it out. So we used compressed air and managed to get chunks to fly out. Then we cranked the engine and more stuff came out. Nothing you could take a picture of, but definitely stuff. So now we re inserted the camera and could find no sign of the helicoil. Off I go to buy a time-sert type insert which is larger OD than the normal spark plug insert. My friend had a tap and a socket that he had previously modified for this type of repair and tapped the hole, then installed the new thread insert.

$65 for a Denso coil pack.
Used dual ground spark plug, for free.
$8 thread insert.
Some WD-40 and a lot of air to remove debris.

Hearing the thing start up and purr...priceless.
:lock1:
I drove it around, about 5 miles, a/c blows cold suspension feels tight and everything works!

So the valve covers are leaking like crazy, I tightened them up for now. It needs tires and I'll end up doing TBU and Timing belt, probably radiator and hoses too. All in all though, I think I got incredibly lucky!

:reddance:
 
sweet. now do the right thing and sell it back to the PO chick for $100 more than you bought it from her and be honored as a local hero.

SIKE! :)

happy for you [MENTION=102597]IBallEngineer[/MENTION]
 
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