Squeaky Penguin's (Trip Reports) Build Thread

Everybody knows castrol edge is the way to go

 

Felpro for the rear cam plugs. I just put back in the old valve cover gaskets. I replaced those a few years ago, think they were also felpro.

Whatever. I've run probably every brand of oil aside from the high-end ones. Mostly conventional, but I've used full syn or syn blends a few times too.

LCE pro.

 

Not the pro comp?

 

You mean the dual compound? No.

 

I must have the names wrong. Thought the procomp was the half n half one

 

Sweet, I went with felpro for the GX I was happy with the quality.

Dang it, guess I need to stop spending the big bucks on the fancy oil and start getting the Walmart special synthetic oil.

 

Saw this, so started the day with a rear main seal replacement.



Red gives me more power, right?



Sprayed a can of undercoating on the firewall and trans tunnel cause why not.



And got the engine and trans in. Alignment isn't perfect. Going to mess with it tomorrow and see if I can make it work.

 

Going to call this good enough.



Engine is a touch low, and the clearance to the diff is a little tight.



Don't think it would have presented a problem due to the new solid mounts, but went ahead and added some washers to the diff mounts to drop it slightly.

 

Dude, you forgot to rebuild your radiator support.

 

I guess in the three weeks it took me to get this project done it slipped my mind.

 

Since the diff doesn't really move all that much and you have the solid motor mounts now, I don't think it should cause a problem for you being a little low. The washers aren't a bad idea tho, just in case.

 

Didn't think it would've presented an issue either. I even put a jack under the diff to see if I could move it up at all and couldn't. I'm sure the new bushings are helping with that as well. More just frustrated at myself that I did all that work and it still wasn't quite right.


To be honest though, I didn't look closely at how much clearance there was to the diff to begin with. Need to compare to a stock setup.

I figure worst case I'll just ditch the shorter TG mounts and be fine.

 

Might be able to add a 1/4" thick plate between the welded mount and the mount bolted to the motor? Might help a little.

 

Huh well its a good thing you didn't slap those perches in as low as you had them to begin with haha

I still find it odd your TG mounts where shorter. I didn't measure mine but it lifted my motor up higher. Was a royal PITA to get them in.

 

I don't think that will work well due to the face of those mounts being angled.

FWIW, I just looked and there's a different part number for the motor mounts for my '01 vs the older ones. Not sure if that's what's causing the difference though.

 

Wouldn't put it past Toyota to change them like they did everything else all the time. Could be as simple as different rubber compound though too.

 

I'd try and raise it up closer to stock location if possible.
Your drive line angle will be different, might produce some vibrations. Then again, it might not.
Does the fan shroud still clear the fan?
Would really suck if a rock, dropped bolt, etc... got between the oil pan and diff and wore hole in the pan.

 

FWIW, that pic was before the little diff drop, so there's a bit more clearance now.

A quick inspection on the tcase flanges makes it look like there won't be an issue. Trans is a little higher at the rear , but I'm also going from a shot OEM trans mounts to a new, solid one. Not too concerned on vibrations.

Can't tell on the fan shroud since there's nothing to mount the radiator to currently.

Really, I need to figure out an easy measurement to compare the height mine is at compared to factory.

 

seems finding a place to measure at the diff and the possible the fire wall would do it. Then others could measure in the same spot. Long as its within .125-.0625'' should be okay I'd think

 

Old Brett had me thinking last night, and just confirmed the engine's an inch low. Anyone want to buy a nicely built 1st gen with the exception of the engine being in the wrong spot?


I'm usually fine with good enough, but need to make this one right. Got a plan to fix it, so we'll see how that goes. Can't possibly make it any worse.

Trying to head to Utah in a couple weeks, we'll see if I can wrap this all up.