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I've always leaned on yotatech and other forums for a huge amount of support over the years, so I thought i'd give back with a build up thread. I mean.. I'll also need a lot of advice through this process
The backstory
This beautiful 1990 22r 4runner was my first car, and I've spent countless hours bush bashing and camping in it. I got it over 10 years ago, for around 2500 USD and through pushing it to its limits it's earned a special place in my heart.
5 years ago I left Australia to go live in Germany for a while. I left my car, keeping it road registered in anticipation of my return. Dad used the opportunity to start driving it around, and it kind of reignited his love of camping and 4wding that he shared with me when I was a kid. Unfortunately he overheated it, and it was in bad shape. It would use water, but it was drivable. Then roughly 2 years ago it failed catastrophically and started pumping the white smoke of death out the back. That's when my dad decided to ditch it, and it's been sitting ever since.
So yes unfortunately it's been sitting with a blown head gasket for 2 years.
The build
The first step is to trailer the car to another property with a bigger garage. Unfortunately the clear coat has taken a bit hit over the years, and theres more spiders than there should be.
Dumping the fluids
Dumping the oil reveals a distinctly non-choco milkshake situation. Quite a few litres of radiator fluid drop out first, then the oil. I'm hoping this is a fairly good sign as it shows it hasnt been driven far.
Next steps are to start stripping it down and get a look inside.
Off comes the exhaust manifold
The intake manifold takes much longer due to the difficult to reach and impossible to see bottom bolts:
I wanted to clean up the mating surfaces as much as possible before removing the head (to avoid contamination). Eventually I removed the exhaust manifold because was too difficult to clean in there, in fact I think it might need to be resurfaced at the same time as the head. The difference between the gasket and the manifold has become blended:
Unfortunately with the rocker cover off, the situation is worse than anticipated there is significant rust to the rocker arm shafts:
Headbolts were all in different conditions. Some packed with oil, 1 rusted orange, this one severly pitted, some in great condition. Not sure what that means but I'll be replacing them all anyway.
Here are the plugs for cyl 1,2,3,4 (left to rigth). The fouling on plug 2 makes me suspect the leak into that cylinder:
With the rocker arms off we can see there is light surface rust on parts of the camshaft
They clean up pretty easy with some brake cleaner and a brass brush. I haven't spent a huge amount of time on the cam itself at this point, but I think there is light pitting. Better to replace, I guess?
With the head off we can see the leak was actually into cylinder 1, but I'm still not sure how the water got into the oil
The condition of the visible cylinder walls seems great, smooth and no rust. I cant see cylinder 1/2 though, so we are not home free yet.
Here is what the head looks like, note the fouling of the valve in cylinder 2, theories?
Obviously at this point the question is... what does the bottom end look like? If there's rust in the top end, it could be in the bottom end, and we dont want to start it up just to have rust fill the bottom end, because then we'd be rebuilding anyway.
I decided to invest in a $50 USB inspection camera, in hopes of justifying either ignoring it, or yanking the engine for a bottom end rebuild.
Here's what I saw through the sump hole... You can see the rod caps and crank shaft here and it looks pretty encouraging:
Unfortunately, towards the back we can see a crankshaft counter weight with significant rust on it.
Whats strange is that the other section of the crankshaft doesnt appear to have rust on it.
Anyway... not sure what I was expecting to find, but I feel a bit better about committing to yanking the engine now because I know it'll be worth it.
So that's where I am at this point. I need to buy an engine crank and stand, and start reading about a bottom end rebuild.
Please, if you have any advice or notice anything in the photos, let me know. I'm just a hobbiest, and this is the first time I've seen anything from the head downwards.
Ok, you completely lost me at the word "spiders". I've seen some of those Australian spiders. I want NOTHING to do with those buggers. Especially those HUGE spiders you all get.
As much as I love Toyotas, that one I would pour 5 gallons of gas into any open window or door, and light it off.
Seriously, after you get rid of the spiders, looks like it's going to be a great truck, once the engine gets it's required treatment, and a refreshed paint job. AFTER the spiders are all gone.
Detect a pattern to my post?
Haha thanks @2ToyGuy honestly I'd be lying if I said there weren't a few spiders found along the way, just the harmless types though
Anyway I cracked on with it and got myself an engine crane and stand.
With the head already being off, here wasn't much to bolt to, to take the block out. I opted to use the head bolt holes, but my local hardware store didn't have any M12 x 1.25 (fine thread) bolts, so I rigged up some spacers for the original headbolts, to keep the forces as vertical as possible and impart as little sideways force as I could on the bolts.
it was a fairly straight forward disconnect, but took about an hour to pry the surfaces apart. Even with the head off I had some trouble getting enough force on the two top transmission bolts, should have picked up one of those giant extensions all the 22r threads talk about and gone at it from the rear
Clearance was okay in the garage, but I'm glad I shortened the top chain a bit. Putting it back in might be a challenge
Had to get the clutch and flywheel out to fit the engine stand bracket
rear main seal, not sure if this is typical of the amount of grime you'd see around it?
So the block is up on the stand now. Over the next few days I'll strip it down and have a look.
Lots of rust on the crank, and some run on the block too.
What do you guys thing, is it salvageable?
I've seen a 22R for sale locally, thinking of just picking that up as to get this running id be looking at a rebuild kit, head leak checked, surfaced, new rocker cam (pitted due to rust), new crank (?), chem bath for the block etc.
Had some trouble getting the crank shaft bolt off, so its soaking in penetrant overnight. I guess we need to see the journals and the cylinder walls too.
I am NOT, by any stretch, a bottom end kinda guy (no comments from the peanut gallery on that, please ), but I would guess you'll either have to take the crank to a machine shop to get the rust removed, if they can, or replace it. It looks like that much rust would throw the balance off pretty badly, once removed, and crankshafts are very sensitive to weight and balance. If they CAN get the rust off, it looks, LOOKS, I say, like they would have to completely rebalance it. If they can. I would think it's probably quicker by far just to replace it with a new, or remanned, crank.
Since you'll need to completely remove the crank, you may as well take a good look at the pistons, their rings, the cylinder walls, all that good stuff. If the cylinder walls are pitted, or anything like that, deeply enough, well, time for a new block.
Just bear in mind that any junker you get to pull parts off of, may well be in the same, or worse, shape. I would guess that a "new" engine would be in order, if you get a junker, and it's not in any better shape.
I've seen 22R's for $1200.00 and up, with core. I, personally, try to estimate what it would cost to repair any part I need. If it would be 70% of the cost of a new part, or more, I just get the new part. That's how the military did things when I was in, long ago, and I figured it was a reasonable way. It's served me well so far
From the looks of the rust, I would guess a new engine is in order, but I may well be way wrong. A good machine shop could take a look, fix the crank up in an hour, for $200.00, and away you go. That's just a WAG, from a guy that knows nothing of cranks, and stuff, remember. I would also guess new bearings are in order, along with all the other fun stuff needs done. Rust is insidious, and gets into places you'd never expect. Alternatively, it might all be a thin, surface layer, and once it's removed, everything is fine.
The rear main seal is cruddy, but it doesn't look all that bad. A good clean, and replacement of the seal would do the trick. Not really all that expensive. The seal is quite reasonable, if it needs replacement.
A lot of people mount the transmission to the engine, THEN put the pair into the truck. I believe that's how the FSM specifies it be done, so there's something to it. Remove the radiator, and it slides right on in at an angle, then straightens up. At least with an adequate hoist, which it looks like you certainly have.
I'll shut up now. I said a lot, for a guy that knows nothing about this part of the engine, didn't I?
I wish you the best of luck!
Pat☺
I am NOT, by any stretch, a bottom end kinda guy (no comments from the peanut gallery on that, please ), but I would guess you'll either have to take the crank to a machine shop to get the rust removed, if they can, or replace it. It looks like that much rust would throw the balance off pretty badly, once removed, and crankshafts are very sensitive to weight and balance. If they CAN get the rust off, it looks, LOOKS, I say, like they would have to completely rebalance it. If they can. I would think it's probably quicker by far just to replace it with a new, or remanned, crank.
Since you'll need to completely remove the crank, you may as well take a good look at the pistons, their rings, the cylinder walls, all that good stuff. If the cylinder walls are pitted, or anything like that, deeply enough, well, time for a new block.
Just bear in mind that any junker you get to pull parts off of, may well be in the same, or worse, shape. I would guess that a "new" engine would be in order, if you get a junker, and it's not in any better shape.
I've seen 22R's for $1200.00 and up, with core. I, personally, try to estimate what it would cost to repair any part I need. If it would be 70% of the cost of a new part, or more, I just get the new part. That's how the military did things when I was in, long ago, and I figured it was a reasonable way. It's served me well so far
From the looks of the rust, I would guess a new engine is in order, but I may well be way wrong. A good machine shop could take a look, fix the crank up in an hour, for $200.00, and away you go. That's just a WAG, from a guy that knows nothing of cranks, and stuff, remember. I would also guess new bearings are in order, along with all the other fun stuff needs done. Rust is insidious, and gets into places you'd never expect. Alternatively, it might all be a thin, surface layer, and once it's removed, everything is fine.
The rear main seal is cruddy, but it doesn't look all that bad. A good clean, and replacement of the seal would do the trick. Not really all that expensive. The seal is quite reasonable, if it needs replacement.
A lot of people mount the transmission to the engine, THEN put the pair into the truck. I believe that's how the FSM specifies it be done, so there's something to it. Remove the radiator, and it slides right on in at an angle, then straightens up. At least with an adequate hoist, which it looks like you certainly have.
I'll shut up now. I said a lot, for a guy that knows nothing about this part of the engine, didn't I?
I wish you the best of luck!
Pat☺
Thanks a lot for the info mate really appreciate it.
I was prepared to put a full rebuild kit on it so planned to rip it all apart anywa, but the rust on the crankshaft and block have made me pretty weary about continuing with this engine.
I managed to get the crank pully bolt off today with the help of a new cheater bar, and go the pistons and crank out.
All the rod journals look good, but one of the main journals has some rust creeping on it, I presume this is not where the bushing was sitting, but still not good news I guess.
Cylinder 1 has quite some rust on the bottom, but I believe it is below where the rings travel. It didn't come away easy with a rag and wd, and it also looks like it protrudes from the surface rather than pits into it:
You make a good point about the junker engine. The story is that its recently rebuild (10,000km ago) and his friend totalled the car, so he got the engine and wanted to put it in a project but never got around to it. Of course we don't know how true the story is...I think I'm going to go check it out on Tuesday, because without this engine I'm in it for: new camshaft (pitted due to rust), probably new rocker arm holders due to rust, refurb head - surfaced and crack checked, new or machined crank, chem clean of the block, potential boring due to cyl 1, full rebuild kit, shipping from US
Difficult to judge the condition of an engine on the floor, I guess I can pull the plugs and turn it over, check that its not seized, maybe check there's no milkshake in the oil too.
Rust that sticks out from the surface it's on, also goes down INTO the surface. I would be concerned about that #1 cylinder. I don't know how deep the rust goes, obviously, but...
Might be a good idea to take a brass wire wheel, and see how far down into the surface that rust goes. Brass, because it will damage the surface less than a steel one would. Hopefully, it would only take the rust off, without damaging the surface it's on. It will give you an idea how bad it is, anyway.
In the second picture above, there's rust on that journal's surface. Those don't have a whole lot of depth available for cleaning rust off. You can't take much off them before the bearings just won't fit any more. Pitting, even very minor, caused by the rust is a huge problem. Something to watch.
If the seller's story RE the "junker" engine is true, great. It would save you a lot of parts, and work. Problem is, it's hard to look INTO it and see what condition it's in. The head, cam shaft and valves, timing chain, and so forth, sure. Right out in the open and easy to see. Not so much for the bottom end.
A borescope would help a lot, but failing that, a good look into the plug holes, and check the oil for milkshake, and/or slivers of metal stuck to the drain plug, if it has a magnet in it, can tell you a lot about the bottom end's condition. If there's not a magnet, just taking a strong magnet and swishing it around the removed oil will grab any slivers that might be there. If the oil is pretty, nice, and clean, be wary that the seller may have changed it just for the sale, so you need to watch that.
Keep HIS price as low as possible, by pointing out every, minor little problem with it. It may not be the nice way to treat the seller, but heck, it's your wallet
06-29-2021, 07:51 AM
weety's 1990 restore
there is significant rust to the rocker arm shafts:
), but I would guess you'll either have to take the crank to a machine shop to get the rust removed, if they can, or replace it. It looks like that much rust would throw the balance off pretty badly, once removed, and crankshafts are very sensitive to weight and balance. If they CAN get the rust off, it looks, LOOKS, I say, like they would have to completely rebalance it. If they can. I would think it's probably quicker by far just to replace it with a new, or remanned, crank.
