87 4Runner 1UZ swap, get comfy

[84pickup1uz]

Yes the custom one would be more expensive normally but a guy at work made it for me and I only had to pay for the chunk of hose and two sleeves. Total was 17.50 Canadian.

Shipping and exchange is nuts for us canucks at the moment. I have to pay 1.40 Canadian for a US dollar plus cross boarder shipping. Your $40 line would be $85 by the time it landed at my door. Local parts had to order it from the US as it’s not in stock eta was unknown.

I may still switch mine out now that I see how well yours as worked out

 

[numbchux]

It's actually bolted to the frame. No wood blocks involved.

Frame-side motor mount brackets built. These sit right onto the tabs on the stock pads on the frame, I put the 2 tabs at different angles to improve access to the rear mounting bolt (between the 2 tabs). Don't judge my ugly flux core welds, they'll hold.

20200530_095553 by Numbchux, on Flickr

and installed


20200530_113119 by Numbchux, on Flickr


20200530_113128 by Numbchux, on Flickr

Then I moved to the transfer case mount.

At a glance, it looked like the T100 mount would bolt to my crossmember. So close....but no

20200530_123416 by Numbchux, on Flickr

Little tickle with the dremel, and I got those to tighten down adequately. Then carefully drilled 4 holes to catch the rear factory captive nuts through the meat of the crossmember, since it's moved back ~3".

2020-06-01_09-26-13 by Numbchux, on Flickr

I think I'm going to try drilling and tapping into the frame through the existing 2 holes in the crossmember that overlap the frame so I'll be back to 4 bolts on either side.


No pictures, but after over a week of soaking the inside of the gas tank in Metal Ready (in various positions) I thoroughly rinsed and dried it, vacuumed out the debris, and coated the inside with POR15 fuel tank sealer.

I went to test fit the front driveshaft, so I could plot out my exhaust routing, only to find out the front output bolt pattern on the T100 tcase is 61.5x70mm, and my old shaft was 60.1x68.3. DOH. Adapter ordered....

 

[numbchux]

My plan has always been to use a stock A340F floor shifter, I pulled one from a '98 4Runner in the junkyard with linkage. I bought a new shift shaft for the transmission to move the linkage to the other side of the trans. It was immediately apparent that the tcase shifter between the 4Runner and T100 (column shift) was shaped considerably different, so I grabbed that too. It didn't take me long once I got everything home to realize that the T100 tcase was forward shift, and the 4Runner was top shift. So some more modification was going to be necessary, but I was going to wait until it was all positioned to make the decision there. Well...it's time.

For positioning in the cab, I definitely wanted to keep the tcase forward shift. But I needed the offset shifter from the 4runner to sit correctly with the floor shifter for the transmission.

20200607_133249 by Numbchux, on Flickr

But, the bolt pattern for the base is different, so I pulled the snap ring from each, and swapped the 4runner lever into the T100 base.

20200607_133447 by Numbchux, on Flickr


20200607_133708 by Numbchux, on Flickr

I then placed the shifter assembly based on the location of the tcase lever, and drilled holes and installed rivnuts under the holes that had metal under them. I'm going to have to add some metal to use them all, so I'll take some more pictures when I do that.

I'm also going to have to shorten the transmission shifter linkage, about the same distance.


Started building a transmission cooler line, with a fitting to put a temperature sensor in it.

 

[numbchux]

Finished the transmission cooler lines, I think I'm going to change the RH exhaust manifold to go almost straight down, and cross under the oil pan. There's more room there, and it'll get the heat away from the cooler lines more quickly.

I also built my fuel lines this weekend. Going to cross over from the tank straight to the LH side, and then run up to the front between the body and frame. That's a factory-replacement fuel filter for a 1UZ car (I don't remember exactly what application I used). Made it all in NiCopp hard line. Did a full double flare on the pressure line, with flare-to-barb adapters to get a nice clean barb fitting. Just used the flaring tool to put a mild bubble on the return side.

I had originally bought some nice stainless mounting clamps for the pair of 5/16 hard line, but as I began to mock things up, I realized this would be metal-on-metal-on-metal....no thanks. So I got on McMaster and ordered these little nylon mounting clamps that use an M6 mounting bolt. So I'll install some rivnuts and use them. For mockup, I just ran a ziptie through them. I made the pressure line in 2 pieces (filter in the middle), and then assembled them and made the return line to match. The transfer case crossmember has to come off again anyway, so I'll install the lines then.


2020-06-22_08-49-00 by Numbchux, on Flickr

 

[numbchux]

I bought an elocker axle the other night. Came with a few extra parts...


2020-07-01_11-29-42 by Numbchux, on Flickr

 

[numbchux]

Finished editing some video that I took last week, showing how it all fits in there.

Stayed up late last night and got a bunch of work done. Gas tank is back in, gas hard lines are snaked into place, although not fastened at all. I took the transfer case crossmember off again to clearance it some more.


2020-07-15_08-03-08 by Numbchux, on Flickr

Then I put the front driveshaft on (I really didn't want to try to line up the adapter with the crossmember in the way). Pentadapter worked great.


2020-07-15_08-02-36 by Numbchux, on Flickr


So close to being able to fire it. Unfortunately, as soon as it runs at all, I have to move it out of the garage and get caught up on some other projects.

 

[numbchux]

So, I stripped the wiring down to a standalone engine management harness more than a year ago. Ran it for awhile, then replaced ECU caps and a few other things. And ran it several more times as I modified the transmission, and tested the exhaust coating. Ran great every time.

I was tinkering on it yesterday, and I'm getting really close to starting it up in the truck. Since I had the oil pan/pump off since the last time I ran it, I wanted to prime the oil system. I'd already installed the 4Runner sensor for the gauge, but I had an old Subaru switch nearby, so I installed that and wired it to a test light. Used a jump pack to boost the voltage and spin it over faster, and it didn't take long to build pressure.

2020-07-29_09-10-27 by Numbchux, on Flickr


Next up was to pressurize the fuel system. I jumped power to the pump and it came on and built pressure, and immediately found the flare nut on the fitting that I'd left loose to install the lines....whoops. Tightened that down and tried again, good to go. Screw in the damper rose up, no leaks.

I desperately need to get this thing out of the garage for awhile, so I decided I'm going to run it on the temporary wiring (inline fuse holders, loose relays, rocker switch to simulate an ignition switch, etc. Only thing wired to the truck beyond the battery is the fuel pump). Had to reconnect the ground wires to the relays, then I flipped the switch and both relays powered up (EFI relay is wired correctly, ECU controlling it, passes Kelvin's test for the most common mistake), CEL comes on.

I cycled the "key" a few times, and the relays all work as they should.

Then I hooked up the wire between the fuel pump controller and the pump, turned the "key" on, and no pump. I have power to the controller, pump works when jumped 12v, but it doesn't want to prime. I disconnected the battery for a few minutes, in case it wasn't priming anymore since I had cycled the "key" a few times without the pump connected.

So, something has likely come disconnected or damaged during install. I'm not sure how much diagnostic the ECU does before priming the pump, in my experience (usually with Subarus...), if they have good powers and grounds, they'll prime the pump. I had the harness on the front of the motor apart since the last time it ran, but that looked decent, and no connectors broke. Obviously problems could be hiding, and I'm assuming I'll have to remake that harness at some point, but it doesn't seem to fit my symptom.

Next time I get a few minutes, I'll bring the laptop and multimeter (it was in my wife's car yesterday), and do some more testing, and check for DTCs. Might try to turn it over...

 

[numbchux]

Yesterday I learned....the stock ECU/Fuel pump controller does not prime (at least, not always). Several times, after leaving the ECU disconnected, the fuel pump would not prime.

Turned it over, and it came right on. Bolted down the ignitor, and it fired right up. Didn't take long under full pressure to see that it looks like the front main seal is leaking, must have damaged it when I did the oil pump....suck.

So I finished the linkage. Here's the '98 4runner shifter assembly, located based on the forward-shift transfer case shifter:

20200730_222413 by Numbchux, on Flickr

And my linkage, shortened by about 2"

20200730_222309 by Numbchux, on Flickr


Going to move some stuff from around and under the truck, and hopefully pull it out of the garage tonight.

 

[numbchux]

Daylight, under it's own power!

20200801_073307 by Numbchux, on Flickr


20200801_073315 by Numbchux, on Flickr

Still a lot to be done before it can actually be driven....but engine runs, and sends power to the wheels!

 

[Zuffen]

Well done.

A great feeling when it can actually move under its own power.

 

[numbchux]

I had a few minutes on Saturday to do some wrenching, and I really wanted to put my mind to rest by proving that the oil leak from the front was something minor.

Well....no such luck.

2020-08-10_02-53-37 by Numbchux, on Flickr

Somehow the oring must have shifted while I was installing the pump, and is sticking out beyond the edge of the pump. Without the covers on, I started it for a moment, and it squirts oil out to the fender....

I'm going to try to drop the lower pan, and unbolt the oil pump with the upper pan in place. I'm hoping that I can tweak it out away from the block just enough to sneak in an oring and that the anaerobic gasket maker is still pliable enough to not require completely starting over (I'll add some more). There's a big part of me that thinks this effort is futile, and I'm going to have to pull the motor, but I have to try. I have 16 cars (4 are just for parts, but all the rest have a to-do list), and if I have to pull the motor on this, there is zero percent chance of making any headway this year.

 

[361UZ]

That's sad. Still, you are making great progress. As Zufen said, feels good when it starts AND drives!
Hopefully that O ring is an easy fix.

 

[numbchux]

A glimmer of good news.

Got this Tacoma center console trim with dual cupholders....nice. Needs a little gray paint, but no big deal.

2020-08-24_09-42-32 by Numbchux, on Flickr

I also plan to use the console from that '03 Tacoma parts truck, which has 2 cupholders of it's own. Drive thrus, here I come!

 

[Zuffen]

I've gotten the hang of cup holders.

I find my beer spills on corners!

 

[numbchux]

I'm going to try to drop the lower pan, and unbolt the oil pump with the upper pan in place. I'm hoping that I can tweak it out away from the block just enough to sneak in an oring and that the anaerobic gasket maker is still pliable enough to not require completely starting over (I'll add some more). There's a big part of me that thinks this effort is futile, and I'm going to have to pull the motor, but I have to try. I have 16 cars (4 are just for parts, but all the rest have a to-do list), and if I have to pull the motor on this, there is zero percent chance of making any headway this year.

Guess what? This didn't work. The old oring is cut, and with the stud for the pickup still in place, the oil pump doesn't come out enough to get my sausage fingers in there.

One of the mechanics at work thinks he has a 6mm stud remover, so I'm going to try to pull that stud and remove the pump entirely. At least I can do it where it sits, definitely not going to get it back into the garage before winter, so pulling the engine is not going to happen.

 

[gloverman]

Looking good

 

[numbchux]

6mm stud extractor socket made quick work of that pickup stud and the pump came off easily. Not ideal to reseal 2 surfaces at 90* to each other at the same time, but I think it'll work alright and saved me a huge amount of work.

Timing pulley bearings got wet during the degrease, and no longer spin smoothly at all. I ordered a Mitsuboshi belt and Koyo pullies to go back on. Should be back on track soon.


@gloverman, can you supply connectors/pins for the front harness for the crank and cam sensors? Or know of a source? Out in the daylight, the condition of that is making me a bit nervous. I'd like to build a new one.

 

[gloverman]

6mm stud extractor socket made quick work of that pickup stud and the pump came off easily. Not ideal to reseal 2 surfaces at 90* to each other at the same time, but I think it'll work alright and saved me a huge amount of work.

Timing pulley bearings got wet during the degrease, and no longer spin smoothly at all. I ordered a Mitsuboshi belt and Koyo pullies to go back on. Should be back on track soon.


@gloverman, can you supply connectors/pins for the front harness for the crank and cam sensors? Or know of a source? Out in the daylight, the condition of that is making me a bit nervous. I'd like to build a new one.

Yes, i have front crank loom connectors

 

[numbchux]

Yes, i have front crank loom connectors

Excellent. I'll take some inventory and get in touch.

 

[numbchux]

Haven't done any mechanical work on it since my last work. But managed some time on the computer and edited the time lapse videos of the old engine removal and new install.