2.7L Engine Rebuild, New Clutch, 96 Tacoma

Started today with removing the worn 2.7L engine, and removing the old clutch and flywheel.

This old clutch has around 200,000 miles more or less,
and was needing replacing.


I thought of resurfacing, until I saw the damaged ring gear on flywheel.


Plans include new clutch kit with new flywheel.

Here's with the engine removed.

Will be taking the oil pan off and removing the heads tomorrow to check those out for wear and see how things look inside.
This will not be a rebuild thread.

 

1996, 3RZ with side distributor stamping from engine.


Any recommendation on some of the items needed below?
1. Oil Pumps
2. Flywheel
3. Clutch Kit
4. Timing Chain Kit
5. Engine Rebuild Kits

 

1. OEM or Aisin (which is OEM mfg)
2. I used a LUK in mine no issues
3. Aisin clutch kit
4. OEM or Aisin
5. Again, consider all OEM parts. I'd check LCE and yotashop but whatever you buy make sure the shits made in Japan if you want it to last

 

Marlin crawler sells a heavy duty clutch kit.The pressure plate and disk are supposedly a product of Aisin and marlin crawler working together to make something more beefy but non- fatiguing when clutching in the rocks.
I just ordered the kit a while back but only kept the plate and disk as the flywheel came with what i can only describe as ice-pick stab marks on the surface. They refunded me for the flywheel which was nothing special anyway compared to stock.
I then bought the Lce heavy flywheel from Lce and mated all those parts together..works pretty good and i can idle thru a lot of random grades without gas and take hills a little smoother cuz its heavy.Slow starts tho-

I doubt the flywheel is as good as stock but its nice.The clutch feels real nice and positive as well.
Everything else i say oem except for the engine rebuild stuff (maybe not all necessary) which i think someone said yotashop and id looks at LCE. Unless you are an eBay parts guy but that will only get you so many miles till the tears start.

 

I will be looking into those replacement parts. Thanks for posting.

Finally got around to checking my engine and taking it apart for inspection, opened and mostly to check the wear of the engine.
Close to 350,000 miles of wear on the engine. I could of taken more care of this engine as you can see below.

The heads were in bad shape.
After checking the valves, all the intake valves were leaking, some valves more than others.
The exhaust valves, two were leaking one more than the other.

Here's a looking down at the number one piston and head gasket, appears head gasket was bad.
No pitting on any of the pistons, just carbon build up.







Here's looking in the No. 1 cylinder, most of the cylinder wall look like this photo.


Oil pickup and oil strainer looking up into the engine.
Looks pretty clean here.



All the main cap and and rod caps look pretty good and similar as below.
Here's looking at #1 main cap and and crankshaft journal.
There wasn't anything showing any grooves or nail hangers grooves.




Timing chain, tensioners, and guides, were still looking pretty good but did have some wear.


Getting heads ready to take for head work sometime soon.

If you see something major I missed, or I can do, post Re:.

 

Checked original flywheel OEM weight, it weighs approximately 24.4 lbs.
Will be using this weight of flywheel for comparison shopping.

 

I got everything, all parts,loaded and ready.
Getting up early to make my engine delivery to machine shop for machine work.
Happy dreams

 

Awesome work! I did a break down last year when my 99 3rz had excessive knock and no oil pressure. Found flattened burnt rod bearings, broken timing chain tensioner causing loud rattle, and completely clogged oil pickup causing no oil pressure. I've been holding on to that factory 3rz 8 port like its gold in my garage haha! Good look man definitely following this!

 

Yea, a golden nugget waiting to be explored, gl.

Everything went smooth this morning, met with the owner of machine shop.
He said he's real busy, about a month out.
Discussed different options , and types of repair. About 20 minutes later, I'm backing my Edge to garage bay, he and machinist are helping me unload parts.
He also verified bottom end and short block look solid.
He also mentioned how he was going to work the valves, and will try to use old valve shims, I'm good with that, some $$ savings for parts needed.

I left feeling good, cause he knew all about this engine and explained in great detail what needed to be done to engine. Should be ready for pickup in a week.

 

How much is it for a rebuild? Is it better to just get someone to swap the engine instead of rebuilding it?

 

Working the old valves is a great option. They can grind them down to get the lash correct. This is more affordable than buying the new spacer pucks.

 

It came down to overall price and what wanted at the end overall project ( new rebuilt engine with quality parts, and new fly wheel and clutch). I searched here locally and most engines were high mileage. Japanese (JDM) oversea engines and can be a crap shoot, but can be good.
Most of those engines are for Automatic Transmission and have different ECM's.
For me, It would appear as more issues going that route with swapping parts out too.

My engine has the side distributor.
Not many of those engines around.
Looked at other business who sell these engines too.

For this build, made more sense using the savings and me doing the work, with extra savings going into Quality parts as described by @BarnBoy and @MountainPassing.
Leaving me more options to go with new parts to build.

Yes, it can be cheaper, if you get a good engine.
The side distributor and manual transmission used engines with low miles are hard to find, and is shipping cost are high.

Owner of machine shop will call me in a week or so, with more details on engine, once they have a chance to go thru my engine.
They're polishing the crank, checking the mains, and rebuild head, and all the other block and head checks needed.

Other factors, this engine is still good for rebuild.

 

Sounds good man, look forward to hearing how it turns out. You can never go wrong buying the absolute highest quality parts you can afford. You will not have to crack that engine open ever again.

 

That makes sense, thanks for the info.

 

I will be ordering new engine rebuild parts today.
Picked up the vat engine block, and below is the engine block showing the cylinder honed.
All look good so far. I will be replacing the counter balancing bearings and all other bearings
No oversize bearings will be needed for crankshaft and piston rods.

 

Old piston all cleaned up, measured all pistons with micrometer and measured all engine block cylinders.
Polished crankshaft, and Measured all crankshaft journals and rod journals.

Machinist mentioned standard rings only. I'm just double checking.



Engine Head rebuild completed, with head milled and all valve adjustments completed.

 

Big difference after the work is completed.
Here's a photo of the milled head, valve job works, and includes new valve seals, on engine head.





All looking good.

 

One of the bearing on the balance shaft had bad scuffing, and probably attributed to engine oil pressure loss.
Will be replacing those, all the balance shaft journal meet engine specs.

 

Looking good brother. Pay attention when you put it together to torque everything, use good lube and you'll be running in no time!! Gonna be good for another 300+ thousand miles!

 

Thank you brother.
I have both Snap On torque ratchets (ft/lbs, & in/lbs) and will be using those for this build.
I got all orders in, and now waiting for all parts to arrive.
Probably Over 85 % OEM Toyota Parts . New oil pump, oil pump cover, and water pumps, clutch, plate, bearings, engine overhaul gasket set (Toy Part
04111-75102), head bolts, flywheel bolts, thermostat, motor mounts (left and right) and some other parts.
Exceptions: LUK Flywheel, and LCE engineering Timing Kit (they said Safety Auto is Manufacture).
All rod, main, and thrust; bearings; with the CT-1 special coating, these appeared to be built to above OEM standards, and Hasting Street piston rings (STD) from LCE.