toomster

Hello all,
So I had my cousin out this past week and as a welcome I let him try to learn to drive a stick shift on my 4runner. He had driven motorcycles for the past 10 years so I didnt think it would be too tough for him to pick up driving a stick shift. Much to my dismay he getts in the truck and promptly redlines the truck to try to get it to go. That was the last time he drove the truck but then driving on my own I noticed that at idle it sounded really rough. I knew it was likely an issue but just wanted to get home so I could trouble shoot it. Going down the highway it overheated. I got the truck towed to a shop and they took one look inside the cylenders with a scope and said the head gasket was probably blown. I had just bought a new head and replaced the headgasket about 6 months ago so this is not what I wanted to hear. I went ahead and tore everything down and in doing some research and realized that me not getting the block milled last time I had it torn down may have been the reason the gasket went out soo soon. So I am now looking at doing a full rebuild. I am guessing the head is still good as it is brand new 6 months ago. I was looking at having a machine shop mill the head, mill the block, and bore the cylenders as well as check the crankshaft and all. I started calling around and found that it will cost a minimum of 250 to get the block milled and cylinders bored, or up to 500 if I need the connecting rods refinished and journals redone. I have never done a rebuild before but I have done 3 different head gaskets on various 22re now. So my actual question comes down to this. I can get a brand new short block with new pistons, new crankshaft and all for 1020 from www.japanengine.com, or I can get a $250 rebuild kit, hope that the engine only needs minimal machine shop work and risk my inexperience at getting everything reinstalled correctly for about $500. So my question is do you think it's worth trying to save the $500 bucks to rebuild it on my own, or should I just bite the bullet and get the new engine.

sb5walker

That really sucks. Nice cousin. But, I would investigate other options than japanengines, whose engines are apparently made in China. I would guess the metallurgy and machining tolerances would be terrible, leading to very poor engine life. Better to rebuild a quality Japanese-made block & head.

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/sh...41#post2898441

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toomster

good call sb5walker. I have talked with Mike down there at japanengine who seems to have his head on straight. I have bought two of their new heads (japan engine that is) and havent run into anything spooky yet. Like I say I think the reason this headgasket failed was becuase I didnt get the block milled, I do not think this one was caused by the head. I have attached some pictures here of the block. I was a bit concerned about the look of the headgasket. The cork that was inbetween the metal in the gasket had holes quite a bit smaller than the water jacket openings in the head and block. Is that normal?? See picture. Also has anyone out there had any experience with Japanengines new 22re, or Oregon engine rebuilders for that matter? Thanks

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Ted at engnbldr.com

2450paul

Usually the heads have to be milled. The block being iron isnt likely to get warped or out of spec. A good cleaning by carefully scraping as not to gouge or scratch the surface and cleaning with a degreaser is enough. Milling the block is an old hot rodders trick to raise compression but can open other cans of worms.

brian2sun

The shop said it was "probably" blown so have you diagnosed it for sure yet with a compression test, leak-down, etc.. Do you have chocolate milkshake in the block? White smoke or water coming out the tail pipe. Make sure it's a HG 1st because it would suck to rebuild the top end and the problem is the in the bottom end.