Engine rebuild.

How would one go about doing an engine rebuild? I want the best and most reliable way. Would I take the whole thing to someone and let them do it, or only send it off to get resurfaced and what not, then with my service manual do it myself? I also have read that the best 5vz engines are those left untouched, I do agree with that, but also there just has to be a way that it can get completely rebuilt to spec/OEM. Also if it takes me a year to build I,ll do it I just want a engine to last me many years to come, I have 400k on the clock and just want some peace of mind when I'm a thousand miles away from my house. Any advice is helpful.
Thanks,

 

Humm, this is a hard one. Are you having any trouble other than piece of mind. The 5vz is pretty good piece of mind already lol.

Some would say if it's running fine, let it. The 5vz is pretty good that way. Or, you could just get a motor from a junk yard with lower miles and replace when needed or build it while it's out and turn it into a monster with a supercharger and built to the right compression specs ect.

I'm kinda in that boat. Either leave it and just source a good used motor or build the used motor while you continue to love your baby. Either way, it is a damn fine motor.

 

Facts, can the 5vz internals hold a slight boost? Also since you brought up turbos, if I threw on a small and reliable turbo would that boost milage or maybe fuel economy maybe, if I installed a custom pressure vale I could in theory turn off and on the turbo. I'm not looking to make this a drag car or anything just something reliable that can handle off roading and being driven as a daily.

 

Toyota used to sell superchargers through the dealer for the 5vz...maybe still do. So the engine can handle more. But more stress equates to a potentially shorter life.

My opinion is to check compression and do a leak down test. If all is good...don't touch it. I haven't heard anyone throwing a rod or breaking a crank with these yet, so I'm thinking you will get some warning when the engine requires a rebuild. Then you would need to tear it down and determine if the cylinders in the block are worn to the point you need to have them bored. Crank would need to be checked/turned, etc. If you're lucky, replace piston rings and crank bearings and put it all back together.

Way way easier to locate a lower mileage engine and set aside for swapping in. If you find a 150k mile engine...I wouldn't even rebuild it as long as she has good compression.

 

Magnuson still makes the super charger for the 5vz. FACT they were the OEM manufacturer for both gens the TRD supercharger for the 5vz. Like i stated, it's only an option if you want. As my post stated, if you build a motor and decide to do do a supercharger, u can build it to spec. In FACT the original superchargers were made for the stock 5vz.

Again, just an option. Don't gotta do it

 

If I do that and the test comes back bad like I have a leak or something, what is the next steps or parts to get?

 

So, if you're not getting codes, your engine is probably still within spec. However, those tests may give you an idea on how close you are to falling out of spec.

If you haven't rebuilt an engine before, it takes a bit of skill and a good chunk of equipment. You ready to buy an engine hoist? Engine stand?

IMHO, go watch a bunch of youtube videos on rebuilding engines and see what you're getting into.

For parts, you'll need all the gaskets, piston rings, crank bearings, seals, oil pump, head gaskets etc...I don't know the full list. You may as well rebuild the heads too while you're at it.

This also depends on which kind of rebuild you plan to do. There is what I call the backyard (shade tree) rebuild and a semi-pro rebuild.

Backyard rebuild: Disassemble. Replace all of the internal wearable parts. Reuse block/crank/pistons as is. Bolt it back together.

Semi-pro rebuild: Take crank and block to a machine shop/engine rebuilder. Have the block evaluated for cracks and if the bores are out-of-round. If so, then get block bored out. This will require new larger pistons. Get crank checked. If any issues (like bearings are not worn evenly), it will need to be "turned" which will require correct size bearings...or get it replaced. A replacement will probably come from another used engine and will need to be checked and turned as well.

For me, again, I would just locate a low mileage engine to set aside for a swap in. But if you forced me to do a rebuild, I'd probably do the backyard one. Reason being, you're starting with a perfectly good running engine with no known issues. That means the crank and block are most likely perfectly fine. Pretty sure piston rings today (vs 1970's) are softer metal and they really don't score/wear the block at all much. Back in the day, we would just do a ring job on an old Ford v8 that was burning a bunch of oil and that would take care of that issue and run for years.

My $0.02 for what it's worth.

 

Perfect this is what I was looking for, I guess I'll source a low milage engine from somewhere and maybe with a rebuild in the future after I do more research and have abetter understanding.

 

Just purchased a 99 with 270k on the clock. Leaking coolant, likely head issues. The engine is stripped less the heads and I am taking everything as a learning experience. I am fortunate to have the time and resources to tinker. If you're like me, pull it apart. If the vehicle is for daily driving then have a shop do everything.

Worse Than Chiggers (Youtube) makes an awesome breakdown of the 5vzfe. You would be limited to removing up to the heads but a Haynes Guide or the TSM should get you the rest of the way! Whichever way you choose, good luck!

 

270K on the clock is music to my ears, my 400K 99 is running fine I just finished swapping out the steering rack and all PS lines, guess that solved my PS leak. I threw in new sway bar bushings, tie end rods, and rack and pinion bushings over the weekend and she is less noisy on the road and tracks fantastic, did a half ass alignment and fixed the wheel alignment and camber. Next up is timing belt and water pump, I just got a ITM timing belt components kit with a Aisin water pump and new radiator hoses all from RockAuto.

I think after doing upper ball joints Im expecting this to last the longest out of the 4runners, its a daily driver and on average I drive 50-100 miles a day for work, so within the year I,ll put over 100k on her..... so that's over 500K on the clock and very soon, I not the richest guy either so if something breaks when I'm driving, more then likely I'm really screwed unless I'm working on it over the weekend. I need this car to be reliable and I'll do anything to make it happen, appreciate the input on the new engine!