1MZ FE Overhaul or Replace??

[StupidFastWagon]

Hey guys (and girls...?),

So straight to the point, my lady has done over 250,000k's and i think it's safe to say she is finally broken in.

The reason i am considering this level of work is i would like to start doing some performance mods, though probably not the best idea in her condition so...
The leak that appears to be coming from the rocker covers has evolved from a baby seep into a torrential 2 drops a day!
She runs fine... in fact she runs REALLY well, but she is getting along in her years so my question to TN is, before i start upgrading her with performance parts, should i:

a) Have a complete engine overhaul done.
-Buy an overhaul kit from Ebay and dive into the engine compartment with tool box in toe.
-Pay some workshop to do it (i don't have allot of faith in other people when cars are involved)

b) Buy a reconditioned engine.
-I found one with apparently less than 100,000K's on the clock for $1.5K

OR

c) Buy a Factory Remanufactured Engine which legally allows me to return the clock to 0!
-.....except it's $3.5K... $3k if i send them my block in return... not including shipping.... to australia.... from the US... so probably not a good idea
-Unless i can find an australian company that can remanufacture my original engine.... hmmmm...

My total Funds for Mods and Re-work is just under $6K so i have a tight budget here and i'm thinking about eventually supercharging so that plays a big factor in this decision also...

What would be the best option for keeping her going for as long as i can but at the same time being cost affective and practical... and cool ... in a wagon ... i love my baby and i think being a camry forum i don't need to justify that to anyone lol.

Cheers
SFW

[carsrus]

250km is now where near a lot on the engine. Fix the oil leak and keep on going.

The most practical thing would be to supercharge the engine and do all your external mods and run it till it dies. Then replace the engine. Dropping in a reman would be stupid since the car is not worth the money.

If your gonna upgrade you might as well do it on your engine and have it bored/whatever since the machine work is gonna be needed on the next engine. Toyota and jap engines in general aren't the best for heavy modding like this.

[projektvertx]

250K KMs is a joke for these engines if it's been well maintained. What mods do you intend to do that justify an engine swap or rebuild? How do you know your engine is bad?

[Chris Crash]

Run it till the pistons explode. Literally.

[StupidFastWagon]

Well super charging was going to become an option later on down the track but I'm still undecided.
The mods I was planning on doing after the overhaul are just going to be bolt-ons as I don't want to start changing the ecu at this point.
So before the SAFC2, mods include but are not limited to:
-Complete highflow exhaust system (headers,cat,etc.)
-Custom intake (maybe not CAI until after SAFC2 installation)
-Stiffer springs/camber correction kit
-Performance calipers rotors and pads
-Aluminum flywheel and pulley
-Possibly a port and polish if I can find someone cheap enough
-Maybe throw in some NGK Laser Platinums just because

After SAFC2 mods include but are not limited to:
-Short Ram with CAI
-Performance fuel lines and injectors
-Performance fuel pump
-Bore the cylinders
-More Aggresive cams
-and MAYBE a supercharger if I can be bothered moving the brake fluid reservoir (RHD Aus)

As you can see none of these mods require a reman but it was just a suggestion for piece of mind lol, I'm guessing just an overhaul would suffice for what I need.
I got her at 220,000 and I have changed fluids and filters myself every 10,000 but I have no way of knowing how she was treated before that so I'd like to know that I'm putting money on an engine that won't have to be RnR'd in 6 months down the track.

Edit:
I forgot to mention I intend to keep her as a daily driver for a very long time so what I'm shooting for is an overall improvement and balance between Performance, fuel-economy and reliability.
So with that in mind, what are your thoughts on my situation and plans?

[carsrus]

Originally Posted by StupidFastWagon

Well super charging was going to become an option later on down the track but I'm still undecided.
The mods I was planning on doing after the overhaul are just going to be bolt-ons as I don't want to start changing the ecu at this point.
So before the SAFC2, mods include but are not limited to:
-Complete highflow exhaust system (headers,cat,etc.)
-Custom intake (maybe not CAI until after SAFC2 installation)
-Stiffer springs/camber correction kit
-Performance calipers rotors and pads
-Aluminum flywheel and pulley
-Possibly a port and polish if I can find someone cheap enough
-Maybe throw in some NGK Laser Platinums just because


Edit:
I forgot to mention I intend to keep her as a daily driver for a very long time so what I'm shooting for is an overall improvement and balance between Performance, fuel-economy and reliability.
So with that in mind, what are your thoughts on my situation and plans?

That first list of mods will give you basically no added power. Youll probally lose mpg b/c of the exhaust.

Your basically describing what the 1mz is stock. Good mpg decent power and reliable. You cant milk this engine. If you wanna step up to the newer series of engines (3.3,3.5) then do it but itll require a donor car.

IMO drive it untill it grenades and then buy a car you enjoy and has much more potential then a camry.

[StupidFastWagon]

Well it looks like the general consensus is too leave it well alone haha but yeah I think it's safe to say an overhaul would be a good idea for the long run. I would like to get 500k's out of her as I'm doing an average of 90k's per day for work. Something tells me that with regular service intervals I won't have many issues if any at all reaching this figure and could probably well exceed it.
So point taken: engine mods are a waste of time as far as bolt ons go.

One of my mates that races entry level track cars recommends changing or cleaning the injectors and replacing the fuel filter to improve my declining MPG. They are both 12 years old so i'll be getting on to that along with the overhaul. (he also said "don't waste a single dollar trying to mod your car you idiot" lol so yeah I get the idea ok sheesh).
Shocks and springs are all originals so i think it would be a good idea to change those swell as the rears are sagging something awful. I was thinking a stiffer spring kit with new shocks? Help keep me on the road on those bends

Does this sound more realistic or is it still considered overkill...

[hodgoes2001]

Originally Posted by StupidFastWagon

Well super charging was going to become an option later on down the track but I'm still undecided.
The mods I was planning on doing after the overhaul are just going to be bolt-ons as I don't want to start changing the ecu at this point.
So before the SAFC2, mods include but are not limited to:
-Complete highflow exhaust system (headers,cat,etc.)
-Custom intake (maybe not CAI until after SAFC2 installation)
-Stiffer springs/camber correction kit
-Performance calipers rotors and pads
-Aluminum flywheel and pulley
-Possibly a port and polish if I can find someone cheap enough
-Maybe throw in some NGK Laser Platinums just because

After SAFC2 mods include but are not limited to:
-Short Ram with CAI
-Performance fuel lines and injectors
-Performance fuel pump
-Bore the cylinders
-More Aggresive cams
-and MAYBE a supercharger if I can be bothered moving the brake fluid reservoir (RHD Aus)

As you can see none of these mods require a reman but it was just a suggestion for piece of mind lol, I'm guessing just an overhaul would suffice for what I need.
I got her at 220,000 and I have changed fluids and filters myself every 10,000 but I have no way of knowing how she was treated before that so I'd like to know that I'm putting money on an engine that won't have to be RnR'd in 6 months down the track.

Edit:
I forgot to mention I intend to keep her as a daily driver for a very long time so what I'm shooting for is an overall improvement and balance between Performance, fuel-economy and reliability.
So with that in mind, what are your thoughts on my situation and plans?

Sounds like my camry :P

I have the Exhaust and the intake..

And it has made a difference and improved the fuel economy - 700-800Km from a tank of 95 Octane Fuel

I have also put a new set of coils and Wheels on it (big difference with handling)

Plans are in the works for the Big Brake Kit and TRD4Life's Supercharger

Originally Posted by carsrus

That first list of mods will give you basically no added power. Youll probally lose mpg b/c of the exhaust.

Your basically describing what the 1mz is stock. Good mpg decent power and reliable. You cant milk this engine. If you wanna step up to the newer series of engines (3.3,3.5) then do it but itll require a donor car.

IMO drive it untill it grenades and then buy a car you enjoy and has much more potential then a camry.

um.... then how come i managed to get more out of mine?

[projektvertx]

Originally Posted by Chris Crash

Run it till the pistons explode. Literally.

When does that happen on a 1MZ exactly?

If your goal is to have a reliable daily, supercharge it (TRD route), upgrade the fuel and call it a day. Tried, tested and true.

[StupidFastWagon]

Originally Posted by hodgoes2001

And it has made a difference and improved the fuel economy - 700-800Km from a tank of 95 Octane Fuel

What the FUDGE?!
Are you revving past 2000rpm at all?? man I just barley reach 480 on a 55L of 98oct and I can get 600 highway k's @ 110kph avrg.

Please explain how this is possible O_O

[hodgoes2001]

Originally Posted by StupidFastWagon

What the FUDGE?!
Are you revving past 2000rpm at all?? man I just barley reach 480 on a 55L of 98oct and I can get 600 highway k's @ 110kph avrg.

Please explain how this is possible O_O

I found the my camry doesn't like anything but 95 Octane Fuel

92 Octane = 600km / Tank

98 Octane = 620km / Tank

95 Octane = 700km / Tank

This is a av drive..

Highway at 110-120km = almost 800km / Tank

Mind U mine has had the Injectors done and Exhaust and Intake system done.

And I Offen find my RPM above 4000RPM let alone 2000RPM :P

before i did anything to my car i was getting about the same range from mine 630km / tank on 95 Octane Fuel..

Mind you my motor also has more HP then it should (220hp) so i might just have a fluke motor :P

Also my Fuel tank is a 63L tank.

But the most i fit in it is 60L :P

[StupidFastWagon]

Is that hp rating on a dyno? And was it before or after the mods..
My tank is 75L but the yellow warning light comes on after about 50L of use and that's normally when I fill.
I'm definatly replacing my injectors and fuel filter, that shit is ridiculous...

[Chris Crash]

Originally Posted by projektvertx

When does that happen on a 1MZ exactly?

If your goal is to have a reliable daily, supercharge it (TRD route), upgrade the fuel and call it a day. Tried, tested and true.

Well I don't know about the 1mz, but the 5sfe usually around 179k miles. So I still have another 160k on this engine!

[hodgoes2001]

Originally Posted by StupidFastWagon

Is that hp rating on a dyno? And was it before or after the mods..
My tank is 75L but the yellow warning light comes on after about 50L of use and that's normally when I fill.
I'm definatly replacing my injectors and fuel filter, that shit is ridiculous...

Yes with a Dyno..

After mods

Before it was 210hp

So all my mod have only added a extra 10hp...

but there is a extra 30% power in the lower RPM range

[matt1mzfe]

Going back to answer your first post about a reco engine - http://www.enginesplus.com.au/Toyota-Hino.htm these guys have them listed for $1495AU and I bet if you take more than the 3 seconds I took to search the net you could find one out of a low km crashed... one, or look on ebay - they come up fairly often - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/97-02-SK2...item3cc14647ba