Connecting rod replacement '89 corolla alltrac - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

andrew12159 · 10-15-2006, 04:42 PM

Is it possible to replace a connecting rod from the bottom end? I would like to aviod removing the head.Car has a nasty rod knock. got a new rod from toyota. motor makes 175 psi on all 4 cylinders. has about 98k on motor. How hard is it to remove the head? Do I have to remove the intake and exhaust? Anyone have a spare motor for this alltrac?Thanks

andrew12159 · 10-15-2006, 04:45 PM

I really do not want to junk this car as it is a SR5 model and is fully loaded. I have seen many of these but never with this many options so I would like to fix it. The body has only a little rust and the interior is like new.

94_Rolla_Guy · 10-15-2006, 06:02 PM

in all likeliness the crank shaft is most likely scoured up and will need machining. besides you cannot replace the rod from underneath.

Usually the rod doesn't need replacement cause its not the problem, best bet would be to remove the oil pan and drop the rod cap in question spin the crank and look for scours and then drop a few main caps and inspect the crank and bearings..

If everything looks good put some new bearings in and cross your fingers im at 15K on a bearing roll in on my 7afe

andrew12159 · 10-15-2006, 06:27 PM

I already replaced the con rod bearing. The old one was on the bottom of the oil pan in powder form. I put a new bearing but there is so much clearence that the rod moves. I did not see any scoring on the crank journal. I think the rod is shot from being pounded without a bearing after all its alum and the crank journal is hardened cast iron.

silkydraws · 10-15-2006, 07:10 PM

Aluminum rod? Hmmm. You sure? If the slots in the rod that hold the bearing in place look fine and the diameter is true then the excessive clearance is from the crank. Your really better off to pull head and fix right (and could do all four) but regardless the engine will have to come out for the crank to come out. Oh, I know you can possibly get one out with out pulling but you will wish you had. There is a circumferance oil seal housing in back and a housing in front also. (I could be wrong but most Toyo 4's do) I 'm beetting most of the problem if not all is the crank. Now I have sat under there with 600 800 1200 grit emory and repaired a journal in car then buffed to smooth, smooth finish with wool but man we're talking many man hours and you have to keep measures and rotate crank to keep round. You then would use a oversize bearing and really it's probaly still not something I'd drive cross country. Cross town maybe. Good luck but you'll be happist with the results if you just yank the engine and do a crank kit and new rod/ rings.

andrew12159 · 10-15-2006, 10:47 PM

i just thought about the rod. its not alum its steel. i really do not want to pull the motor but prob will.

silkydraws · 10-16-2006, 12:22 AM

I understand, believe me. I have always tried to save as much of a good as possible. Yours with 175 and low ,iles sounds healthy enough to warrant not wanting a new engine. Crank kits here are fairly inexpensive and really I've pulled spares from others and used them with no machine work. Sorry but I just cleaned out garage and threw away 3 or 4 cranks. Prob. all you need is the rod and crank since you rings sound like they are good. Don't even pull the other 3 and you won't lose the seal. Now gaskets are the sticky point. They can be found cheap (and they are built that way too) otherwise at parts store they are high. Pulling the head is'nt fun but not bad. Intake and exhaust? don't ness. have to come off but make it easier to handle head. Your biggest trouble is going to be the cams. Head bolts lie directly beneath and they have to come out before removing the head bolts. Study the manual carefully and understand how to lock the slave tensioner ring to the intake cam and rotate so as not to crack a cam boss. (bearing cap) going back is the same, they have to torque back a certain sequence to keep certain valves unloaded. The manuals cover this well. AUTOZONE.COM works if you have no manual. It's much easier putting in a crank with engone upside down on a stand than you bieng upside down trying to hand turn a crank journal. Tho you could give it a try. This would also depend completly on you rod bieng unhurt. You also would need a caliper to keep careful measure ment. They used to have a in car journal grinder but I hav'nt seen one in years. Might ask around at an old established shop if they had one around. It was a small adjustible cutter that bolted around the journal and was set to cut small amount around the crank journal by turning with a large crescent wrench.(kinda like a round dye nut) They were life savers but like I say I hav'nt seen one for years. Also required final polishing by hand anyway.

andrew12159 · 10-29-2006, 05:01 PM

Thanks for the info. I have been looking for a motor but no one has one for an alltrac.