Overheated due to leaking radiator, getting misfires after installing new radiator

[pclausen]

JDM motor just showed up. Had to go pick it up by the main road as he could not get his tractor trailer turned around down in my sub-division.

Here is how it arrived on the pallet:

And after removing the plastic wrap. It came with an old seat belt already wrapped around the intake.

And some shots of the engine after raising it up.

Valve covers are coming off for sure. Doesn't look like it has an oil cooler, so I'll need to transfer that over.

So what size bolts do I need for the bell housing flange to secure it to my stand? I couldn't find anything in my stash.

 

[pclausen]

Didn't have much time to mess with the engine after work today, but I did pick up some M12 x 1.25 bolts so that I could transfer the engine to the stand, and start pulling stuff off it.

The water pump had started to weep a bit.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll get it completely undressed. I was surprised to find that they never drained the oil. It was right at the full mark (still is).

 

[LittleCaesar]

Looks good. Envious of having a lift to work on everything.

 

[LookAtThatDog]

This thread has it all! opcorn:

 

[pclausen]

Pulled off the intake, tubes and wiring. Was a little concerned with how dirty the intakes look. My current engine with 196k is much cleaner looking than this.

Pulled the crank pulley and cover. Note how the thermostat jiggle valve is at 12 o'clock instead of 6 o'clock.

I pulled to valve covers next and was not pleased with what I found:

I'm like, this thing was sold to me with the understanding that it had less than 62k miles on it.

Here's what mine looks like with 196k:

My JDM engine had this "Autoland" oil filter on it. Probably not quite OEM quality....

One last shot of this "62k miles or less engine"

What should I do? Just clean the crud off the cam caps and surrounding areas and keep going, or?

I'm tempted to call JDM Engine Zone and point them to this thread and see if they will send me another one...

 

[nissanh]

You can send these pictures to the shop and see what they say. Show yours and ask them to compare 60 K vs 200K. Usually, Japanese engines are pretty clean even from outside.
I notice the engine was delivered to you almost upside down, perhaps, things at the oil pan ended there?

I'd clean that gunk and fix it to the truck. Will do an oil change in first 500 miles and again another at 1500 miles or so.

I've been watching this thread more closely. Everyone here loves your garage with the lift!

 

[badattitude]

Those wires are from 2011, probably installed in 2011.

 

[pclausen]

Wait what? Which wires? I have been looking all over the JDM engine to try to find a date code to see how old it is. No luck so far.

Yeah, I'll clean that gunk stuff off and move on I suppose. It was mentioned in another thread that the oil they use over there is way different and will often gunk up like that, even at low miles. Wish there was a way to do a compression test before putting the JDM back in the truck. I'll definitely do one before the new plugs go in.

 

[reelamin]

Yeah...does not look like a 60k motor at all. Looks like corrosion in the intake...I would find scope and look into those cylinders!! I would have expected more....but also seeing a lot of junk/flooded JDM engines. I would want them to replace it. Looks like the Tsunami engines are washing up on our shores.

 

[alumarine]

Looks like the thermostat has a 2002 date code.

You could do a compression test and/or a leak down on the stand.
It won't be as accurate as if it was warmed up but can provide some good info.

 

[pclausen]

So if it is a 2002 engine, how could it possibly only have 60k miles on it? I figured these were still current production engines in Japan, and that is how they are still available with low miles.

To do a compression test on the stand, just pour a little ATF in the cylinders and test them one at a time (after pouring ATF in all 6 cylinders to prevent scratching the walls)?

I scraped off the gunk and they look a little better now.

Underside of valve covers. JDM with "60k or less":

Mine with 196k:

I did call JDM Engine Zone and spoke to Jay. He said that they do indeed have less than 100,000 km on them, but often the sludge can build up from sitting. Hmm, ok... He suggested doing the ATF bit and turn it over with a ratchet although he warned that the readings will be about 20% less than when warmed up.

So it might indeed provide decent numbers, but I would think that an engine with 300k miles on it could as well.

Well, I guess the old saying you get what you pay for holds true... $850 delivered was not a bad deal. Hopefully it will hold up for at least 100k, assuming it starts and has decent compression.

 

[reelamin]

Another reality is If I had to replace a motor with very low miles no matter what....I'm not putting any money into it. I might change the oil every 20k or so.....sludge up sitting....I don't think so. I have seen other non JDM motors with that build up under the covers. My biggest concern would be the intake and what it looks like and could be like farther inside. Im sure you will keep us all posted up on who what where.

 

[badattitude]

Wait what? Which wires? I have been looking all over the JDM engine to try to find a date code to see how old it is. No luck so far.

The spark plug wires in your picture say "Sumitoto 2011", the same picture that shows where the wire insulation wore through. It's a manufacture date. The original wires on my 1999 said 1999. In 2012 I bought new Toyota spark plug wires and they said 2012 on them.

 

[baja1]

yours sure looks nice on the OUTSIDE! the junkyard swap engine I just did was a filthy, greasy, dirty god awful looking piece of crap!

 

[baja1]

Looks like the thermostat has a 2002 date code.

You could do a compression test and/or a leak down on the stand.
It won't be as accurate as if it was warmed up but can provide some good info.

are you talking about that dial stamp above the "toyota" stamp?

 

[kolelt]

I though usually sludge occurs from not changing your oil and abusing it. Not from sitting.

My JDM engine was clean. I went to the place. And just picked the cleanest one. Didn't even look at the sticker.

 

[StreetCreeper]

are you talking about that dial stamp above the "toyota" stamp?

OEM Toyota (at least the ones I've seen) are date stamped with the month and year.

In the pic below, I swapped out out the original t-stat for my 1997 LTD with a new Toyota one. Note the dates on the t-stats are 96 (my truck is a 97 model year but was made in 1996) and the new T-stat with a 16 stamp, since I bought and changed it last year.

 

[LittleCaesar]

I have never heard that sludge can form on the top end of an engine due to just sitting.

If I were to make a stab at the reason for the sludge it would be that the former owner never got the oil hot enough to burn off any moisture that may have been in the crankcase due to many short trips and not enough Italian tune ups with it. Or it could just be a bout of being lazy and not changing the oil frequently. Try a leak down test.

Interesting that the JDM engines don't have oil coolers....

 

[alumarine]

I don't think they sludge up from sitting.
My boat motor sits for 6 months every year. No sludge.
I let it sit for 3 years and it didn't sludge up.

As far as the compression test goes.

Rub your finger on the cam lobes.
Do they have a film of oil on them? I bet they do.
The cylinder walls will as well.

I'd pull the plugs and open the throttle body fully and jump the starter to do a compression test.

If you're worried squirt a small amount of oil in each cylinder but make sure you rotate the motor a few turns to blow out the oil.
And use the starter, not a ratchet.

 

[nissanh]

If you look at how the engine was delivered you'll see it is resting on the driver side valve cover. If there is sludge due to lack of maintenance, I'd expect it to be spread everywhere and evenly.
Japan is a small country and they have public transportation. They drive very little so most engines have few miles.

How is the throttle body after the butterfly valve?