[tzenrick]

I think I may be creeping up on rebuild time for my engine (Pushing 198k miles right now) It's been burning oil since I got the car 8 months ago. Recently though it's developed a new symptom. When the engine is cold, runs great. One the car warms up though, you can hear it start missing on one of the cylinders.

The car has had a minor oil seepage problem on the valve cover gaskets since I got it, so those gaskets already needed replaced. It has a service sticker saying that the timing belt was replaced about 21k miles ago.

I'm thinking new rings (maybe sleeves, pistons, rods, crankshaft depending on necessity), gaskets, belts, and hoses (already had to replace a heater hose for a pinhole in March)

Anyone think any of this is unnecessary or possibly anything I should add?
Or would it be cheaper to swap in a rebuilt?

1985 Cressida, 5mge 197k Miles

 

[stepho]

If you don't want to go to a JZ engine, consider a low mileage Japanese import 6M-GE.
3000cc and it's a direct drop-in replacement of the 5M-GE.
Uses the same gearbox, mounts, exhaust, computer, wiring harness, etc.

But I have no idea how much that would cost in your part of the world.

- Stepho

 

[kamesama980]

If you don't want to go to a JZ engine, consider a low mileage Japanese import 6M-GE.
3000cc and it's a direct drop-in replacement of the 5M-GE.
Uses the same gearbox, mounts, exhaust, computer, wiring harness, etc.

But I have no idea how much that would cost in your part of the world.

- Stepho

and you do have to do some electrical/ecm work or it'll lean out over 4k. I'm of the "6m isn't worth it for the gains" camp. and who knows the mileage. sure they SAY 60k but who knows.

Before you go off on a rebuild or new engine for thousands of dollars, find out where you're leaking oil. more than likely it's not the rings but the valve stem seals. a full gasket set is under US$300 for a good quality one. and you can do most of the work yourself with a basic tool set.

unless you really want to spend money, I'd just do an on-car regasket. If the oil pan gasket or rear main are leaking, you'll be better off pulling the engine out but otherwise, you can do it in the car. pull everything off the head: everything short of actually pulling the head bolts out and doing a head gasket (unless you suspect it's leaking). you can replace the stem seals with the head on the block (I did one 2 different engines).

also pull the front timing covers and do the 4 front seals and gaskets. make sure all the surfaces are clean and use gaskets (not RTV) to seal them all. The TSRM says you have to pull the oil pan but you don't. just kind of finesse it off and back on again.

course if you're gonna have a mechanic do it for you, you might as well just have them do a whole rebuild.

 

[tzenrick]

What's the general opinion on sleeves, rings, and maybe pistons?

 

[kamesama980]

What's the general opinion on sleeves, rings, and maybe pistons?

What about them? they're all normal parts of rebuilds....except sleeves. if you have to bore out an M past .060 (1.5mm, which is the limit) just get a new block. they're cheap enough and unless you burned a piston in half and gouged the crap out of the wall or the engine's been rebuilt and bored out 2 or 3 times it shouldn't need it.

 

[tzenrick]

Got it, pistons and rings should do the trick. If it needs bored, get a new block.

Blaaaaargggg... This is gonna be seriously time consuming.


Now, moving this on, is this wonderful conglomeration of parts readily available at NAPA or O'Reilly/Shucks? I'm in Central Alaska, and somewhat limited on parts availability.

Anyone? It's OK, I can wait. It's about to get too cold to work here, I'll just source parts until spring.

 

[kamesama980]

bore=perfectly fine (up to .060"/1.5mm) but measure, rough bore, buy pistons, measure pistons, bore/fine hone to fit new pistons.
sleeves=get a new block

www.rockauto.com

FYI from experience I can tell you that oil pump/aux shaft bearings and piston wrist pin bushings will not fit....from anywhere INCLUDING TOYOTA. I did my 7mge and a buddy's 5mge(t) and had to custom hone those bushings. NOT a good idea but i was already into my engine eyeballs deep as was my buddy. I tried all 4 spare engines worth of parts I had

 

[tzenrick]

See, that last paragraph makes me wanna just swap the engine instead. I've seen what options I have for shops in my area. The ones that are in my budget don't produce the kind of quality I want for my engine parts. The ones that produce the quality are WAAAAAY outside my budget.

I might actually start looking around for another engine that fits.

It's just a daily driver, and I usually max out at 35mph over 2.5 miles, so, I'm not in a hurry.

Stock or even slightly less than stock would be fine, but I'll probably end up taking the first thing that fits, and is in my budget.

So, what fits in and 85 MX73 and bolts up to the stock tranny?

 

[kamesama980]

See, that last paragraph makes me wanna just swap the engine instead. I've seen what options I have for shops in my area. The ones that are in my budget don't produce the kind of quality I want for my engine parts. The ones that produce the quality are WAAAAAY outside my budget.

I might actually start looking around for another engine that fits.

It's just a daily driver, and I usually max out at 35mph over 2.5 miles, so, I'm not in a hurry.

Stock or even slightly less than stock would be fine, but I'll probably end up taking the first thing that fits, and is in my budget.

So, what fits in and 85 MX73 and bolts up to the stock tranny?

what you have. 7mge isn't worth the effort (I've watched a stock 5M pass a stock 7M), 7mgte is a hole in your pocket because of the turbo, JZs are good but expensive (relatively)

I think I mentioned before your best bet is a regasket including stem seals. you can do it yourself with basic tools plus a $15 valve spring compressor and a bit of rope

 

[tzenrick]

Well, I guess I'm gonna go for the rebuild, and pray that the cylinders aren't in too bad shape.