90 GTS Main bearings

[90gtsindenver]

Can they be replaced without disassembling the engine? If so, how hard is that to do? I'm pretty certain I have some worn main bearings, and I'm thinking I can get at them from the underside of the car, but I want some pointers, and hints.

About how long a job is it? I don't want to start in the afternoon and have to leave it overnight or anything like that. (I don't have a garage to work in, so it'll have to be a one day job.

If it can be done, someone give me a bit of a "heads up" on the procedure, so I know just what I'm getting myself into.

This is the 5SFE engine. (its an automatic if that matters)

Thanks

[Vip09]

Originally Posted by 90gtsindenver

Can they be replaced without disassembling the engine? If so, how hard is that to do? I'm pretty certain I have some worn main bearings, and I'm thinking I can get at them from the underside of the car, but I want some pointers, and hints.

About how long a job is it? I don't want to start in the afternoon and have to leave it overnight or anything like that. (I don't have a garage to work in, so it'll have to be a one day job.

If it can be done, someone give me a bit of a "heads up" on the procedure, so I know just what I'm getting myself into.

This is the 5SFE engine. (its an automatic if that matters)

Thanks

This won't be a one day thing. If you are going to replace the bearings, I would recommend pulling the engine. Go ahead and do a gasket overhaul while you are in there. Definitely plan a good two weeks to get this done. You never know what you will find once you get in there. The crankshaft could be damaged, then you would have to take it to a machine shop.. etc. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

By the way, what is the car doing to make you think the main bearings are going?

[Pineapple]

Crank won't come out until you disconnect it from the tranny. All cross member will need to come out leaving only one engine mount on the engine. Unless you bolt the tranny back on. Oh to get timimg belt out you need to remove the only mount holding the engine anyway.

It'll be much easier the get the engine out and properly rebuild the whole thing.

[90gtsindenver]

Its got a pretty bad vibration. No mechanic has been able to put a finger on. Its definately the engine doing it though. We've had mechanics all over this thing, and aside from the obvious things (leaks and etc) they can't find anything wrong with it. Toyota says it sounds like the bearings are going. Its vibrated like this though since I bought it 3 years ago, hasn't gotten any worse, and doesn't seem to affect the car in any way.

I'm thinking of rebuilding the whole thing, or just swapping out the motor for a rebuilt or used one. Its got a host of issues that I'm just not happy about.

Wife loves the thing though, so I can't talk her out of it. Whats a good price on a full rebuild? (seeing as I don't have the space to do that myself.) We're looking around now for a replacement motor before she burns out MY car too. I see it as car cost vs. time we've had it, is way over even. We paid 1k for the car, 3 years ago, we've put 30k on her, and taken her cross country and alot of other things. I figure if she's served her time and is ready to move on. I agree with her on the loving the car part though. She gets up and hauls butt...much quicker than my big ol v6, and gets better mileage while doing it. We haven't had any OTHER issues with her, just normal maintnance. Oil changes, tune ups, tires, brakes etc. This one though, has got us baffled and ready to rebuild or replace. We've got an oil light that comes on intermittantly, the vibration, and we're returning oil to the earth at an alarming rate. I'm at about 2qt's every 3k miles or so, she's leaking everywhere, even places that shouldn't even have oil to leak out of! (ok, not really, but the oil just runs all over!)

Maybe I'll start looking around for another 90 Celica GTS......to replace MY car with....hehe.