My 1997 SR5 build and repair thread

[19963.4lsr5]

I can’t go any farther until I pull the dead engine block and retrieve the engine mounts

All that’s left on the rebuild is the engine mounts, AC compressor bracket, and installing the rear main seal and flex plate when I remove it from the engine stand with the cherry picker to install. We will see how much I get done on Saturday before I burn out.


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[19963.4lsr5]

I know I am not babying it breaking it in. I’ll do the ten 30mph to 60mph accelerations and then go up the mountain then dump the oil and change the filter back at the garage.


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[19963.4lsr5]

Dead engine is out. I really do not know what I’m going to do with it yet. The block needs a sleeve in cylinder 2 to be usable.


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[19963.4lsr5]

Engine is in.

Happiness is no gap between engine and trans.


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[19963.4lsr5]

Setting the engine by myself was the biggest pain in the arse because I couldn’t find a good place to attach my chain setup and not have the engine nose heavy

A close second was dealing with the Torque Converter bolts in that tiny space between the bellhousing and that Diff tube 2” in front of it. It done though.

Tomorrow is installing the starter, bolting the cat to the crossover pipe, and attaching the lower trans lines to the lower block, and then all other work is topside.

I had a full day off and worked on it from 12:30pm to 11:30pm before I was too cold and tired to deal with the torque converter bolts.


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[19963.4lsr5]

Starter is in, CAT is bolted to the crossover pipe and I’m working on the front trans cooler line support bracket. I accidentally bolted the AC compressor to it’s mount on the engine block before I realized that support bracket used the rear lower bolt of the compressor mount. I couldn’t get the bracket to line up without removing the cooler lines from it. So I managed to get the bracket bolted to the engine block without removing the compressor. But I can’t get the outer shell of the bracket around the coolers lines far enough to start that little bolt. I may end up removing the compressor from its mount and pull it forward to get more room. I remember this giving me problems putting the engine in two years ago I think.


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[19963.4lsr5]

Looking at my old posts I did this for one of the two cooler line brackets. It’s on post 66

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[19963.4lsr5]

Darn near just like last time to get the bolt in.

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[19963.4lsr5]

Accessories are on and I figured out which belt goes where. I installed the Alternator that I replaced the Diode assembly on to test its output.

I can’t work on it at all tomorrow before work. I must go in early.

I ordered heater core hoses and once those are on I’ll install the wire harness and intake plenum.


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[19963.4lsr5]

More minor progress. Harness is routed inside cabin also. Tomorrow I’ll plug it into the ECU and put the glovebox back together.

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[19963.4lsr5]

A little more progress. Interior glove box area is buttoned up also.

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[19963.4lsr5]

Before I can prelube it And then start it I need to get spark plugs, a small section of 1/4” fuel line for the return, tighten the belts, tighten the cooling fan bolts more and hook up the air box assembly.

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[19963.4lsr5]

Engine runs. Now to hook up the cooling system and put the hood on it. Then as far as I know it’s driving time.

I think I worried too much about the oil pressure light but I wanted to be careful. See my post about pre-lubing for the details.


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[19963.4lsr5]

For the record I put the 15a fuse in for the ECU and cycled the key 3 times to prime the fuel system and it started right up like I parked it yesterday.

It’s good to know my home cleaned and rebuilt injectors are A-OK. Beats sending them out for something so simple.


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[19963.4lsr5]

So today I buttoned up even more stuff, added coolant and fired up the toy. I had a liquid leak dripping from the AC compressor. I hope it was condensation from the exhaust manifold. It didn’t feel sticky like antifreeze. And my upper rad hose at engine dripped so my old spring clamp is not up to task.

Tomorrow I’ll take it for a drive and do some full throttle accelerations to seat the rings or I’ll drive up the mountain.


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[19963.4lsr5]

It’s on the road. I’m not happy with the top end noise and I’ll post a sound bite later of it. To me it sounds like cam noise.

I also have the system lean code. Ironically, it’s only at idle where the LTFT is at 29.7. Driving, it’s at 5% so I got to figure out what’s up at idle only. That’s my problem, figuring out what’s the difference.

Things to look at are the Pre-Cat O2 sensor since it’s been flooded with antifreeze. An exhaust leak causing air infiltration into the exhaust and making the preCat O2 sensor think it’s lean and it’s not. I’ll figure it out.


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[19963.4lsr5]

Driving down the road I’m running 3-8 LTFT. Idle is 29.7. I cleared the code to see if it comes back. I do not know if the P0171 system lean code monitors idle and driving or just driving.

I’ve cleaned the MAF, replaced the intake tube with a spare that wasn’t cracked in the joints.

I may be pulling the passenger side valve cover to look at the cams. Idle is nice and quiet but at rpm there is a noise.


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[19963.4lsr5]

I think my next step is a new fuel filter it sat with a dry fuel system since last September. It may not have liked it. Plus the fuel rail I used wasn’t from the working engine it was from the engine that I pulled out of the 4Runner when I first bought it so the fuel pressure regulator is suspect also.


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[19963.4lsr5]

YouTube

Here is the link to my noise.

It sounds like passenger side and I’m going to remove the valve cover and inspect things and recheck valve clearance. I did the valves by the book. I done this stuff many times. But unless I wiped a cam bearing I have no clue what it would be other than valve clearance. I don’t think a shim bucket goes bad.


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[19963.4lsr5]

My noise ended up being two exhaust valves on the passenger side with a clearance of 016”. I reshimmed them and it’s much quieter. I only did the passenger side because to me and a friend that was the side the noise was coming from. I should recheck the drivers side sometime.

My P0171 ended up being me not having the throttle body gasket installed correctly.

Brake cleaner wouldn’t effect the engine idle. Spraying carb cleaner at the same spot darn near stalled the engine.


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