"refressing" a used 1uz...

[S-M-R-T]

I am looking at picking up a 1uzfe to swap but the pickings seem to be a little slim up in BC. One I have found at a decent price so far has about 100,000 miles on it. All I know is that the yard says that it ran fine and has compression of 175-210. Is a 35psi variance enough to worry about?

I am planning on taking it a part a bit to get to the starter anyway. Guess I should probably pull the heads just to check things out. If I am going to invest the time I want to be sure that it will last and be reliable for a while. Is there anything else I should upgrade/replace while I am at it. If I pull the heads are OEM gaskets OK or is there an upgrade to look at? Timing belt, starter brushes. What else?

 

[Lextreme II]

Water pump.....

 

[Zuffen]

If it runs well don't open it up.

Lots of work for little or no gain.

As David said water pump, tensioners, ccam belt and a good clean up.

 

[S-M-R-T]

---double post due to forum lag issues---

 

[S-M-R-T]

yah I was assuming the water pump and timing belt kind of stuff. I was more thinking along the line of an engine that I can't see running first. What is a good compression for this engine? Is there anything I can do to tell the general health of an engine other then a simple compression/leak down? Do they have any headgasket or other issues that I might want to preventively look at?

 

[capn]

all I can say is that if you can turn the engine over with a socket then dont even think about opening it up. take out the plugs and spray a little oil in and then open the TB and spray some fogging oil so no rust will rear its ugly little head.

 

[S-M-R-T]

Only in a Toyota do you get advice to not even look at it. Sure is nice to not have the hassle if I don't need too. How much of a pain is it to pull the intake to look at the starter or should I wait until I actually need to on that as well. I will still be doing the water pump and cam belt. The intake doesn't need to come off for that on this engine does it? My 3vze is a PITA to get to the timing belt. Mine is way over do and I am just hoping that I can get a swap together before it goes on me.

 

[capn]

Only in a Toyota do you get advice to not even look at it. Sure is nice to not have the hassle if I don't need too. How much of a pain is it to pull the intake to look at the starter or should I wait until I actually need to on that as well. I will still be doing the water pump and cam belt. The intake doesn't need to come off for that on this engine does it? My 3vze is a PITA to get to the timing belt. Mine is way over do and I am just hoping that I can get a swap together before it goes on me.

Its pretty easy, if you have the motor on a stand with the wiring exposed then you can just basically bench test the starter. But the intake is easy, just make sure not to drop anything inside.

 

[mtd2198]

compresion should be withen 10% from loest to highest

 

[MWP]

The 1UZ i just bought was up around 180psi on all cyls after a 5min run in the halfcut.
Later inspection showed it wasnt in the best shape though with lots of burnt on oil in the innards.

So itll be interesting to see how mine goes considering the good comp test but bad burnt oil.

 

[mtd2198]

I allways say do a leak down test when buying a car.
you can get the tool at harbor freat.
what it does is, it pumps air into the cylinder from that you can tell if the rings ar bad the head gasket or valves are bad.
in the 1970's when cars burned oil it was mostly the valve seals that caused it. new seals no smoke as the valves where allways sloppy.

 

[Peewee]

Its almost pointless doing any kind of static tests on a motor that has been laying dorment for more than a few months.

A quick compression test to make sure there aren't any holes in the pistons is about all you can do.

Only take the results seriously if then engine has been run up to temperature some time in the last month. Same goes for the leakdown test.

Apart from what is mentioned I'd highly suggest pulling the starter motor and giving it a clean up (internally). Mine worked fine for about the first month then started playing up. Opened it up, cleaned the contacts, regreased, and its been fine since (over 4 years).

 

[willhickey]

do a wet test hes right it should be within 10psi cylinder to cylinder. what you do is run a wet test and if the reading goes up more than likely it will be the piston rings (happened on my car thats what i did and now i got more money than i expected in rebuilding the engine hopefully well worth it though) if so its going to be expensive!!!!!!!!!

 

[willhickey]

mine was RELIABLE even with bad rings in the back right cylinder. cant wait to get my heads back from the machine shop so i can put it back togethor and drive it

 

[Peewee]

do a wet test hes right it should be within 10psi cylinder to cylinder. what you do is run a wet test and if the reading goes up more than likely it will be the piston rings (happened on my car thats what i did and now i got more money than i expected in rebuilding the engine hopefully well worth it though) if so its going to be expensive!!!!!!!!!

I've had some cylinders read almost 0psi because one of the valves was unable to fully close because of a slight rust build up (assumed).

Once the motor was installed and running, a few heat cycles and some hard revs later, a compression test was redone and all was fine.

A compression test on a motor thats been out of a car for a few years is pointless. Unless of course you can use it to bargain in your favour (if the other guy doesn't know anything)

 

[Zuffen]

The engines we get in Australia are out of wrecks or cars wrecked due to age.

I would say a goodly percentage have not been serviced too well in their older age.

I've seen baked on gunk 20mm thick in the cam covers of an engine I had that still ran.

Give the engine a run on some flushing oil if your worried.

They're basicaly bullet proof so do the obvious, as stated above, put it in the car and drive it.

 

[stevechumo]

A good running engine should have the compression of 185 psi. 175 psi is ok, but 210 psi could have been a problem.