 Stef's 7A-FE Rebuild, up and running since 12/16/07 |
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 Oct 11, 2007 - 10:07 AM
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 Enthusiast  Joined May 22, '03 From NOVA Currently Offline Reputation: 16 (100%)  |
very nice steff..
if you want an extra fuel rail/alt/ps pump let me know i have them just sitting in my garage, so you don't have to piece apart the motor in ur car. i'm going to toss the motor soon ne-ways keep up the good work. |
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Oct 11, 2007 - 6:28 PM
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 Enthusiast Joined Mar 3, '04 From Portsmouth, RI Currently Offline Reputation: 33 (100%) |
QUOTE(97lestyousay @ Oct 10, 2007 - 8:07 PM) [snapback]603779[/snapback] QUOTE(hurley97 @ Oct 10, 2007 - 4:01 PM) [snapback]603776[/snapback] driver. now measure it with a micrometer like this... LOL thats not a micrometer, but a very nice set of dial calipers.( I have 2 pairs identical to that) Very good write up.  Please do mine now.haha... yeah yeah smartass...  I didn't know what else to call it, thanks for the correction thoughbring your car over here next time and I'll think about it  -------------------- |
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Oct 11, 2007 - 8:10 PM
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Enthusiast Joined Oct 27, '05 Currently Offline Reputation: 0 (0%) |
damn.... what a rebuilt. good job bro
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Oct 15, 2007 - 10:39 AM
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Enthusiast Joined Dec 14, '06 From MN, USA Currently Offline Reputation: 2 (100%) |
QUOTE(normality78 @ Oct 12, 2007 - 1:10 AM) [snapback]604122[/snapback] damn.... what a rebuilt. good job bro Bro? haha! Now do a 5sfe after your done!
This post has been edited by 99GT: Oct 15, 2007 - 10:40 AM |
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Oct 15, 2007 - 8:35 PM
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 Enthusiast Joined Sep 26, '07 From iowa Currently Offline Reputation: 1 (100%) |
QUOTE(hurley97 @ Sep 11, 2007 - 6:13 PM) [snapback]595228[/snapback] So obviously my oil problem is only getting worse, I decided it's finally time to do something about it. so I went and picked up Defgeph's old 7A... 177,000 miles and was begining to use some oil before he swapped and it sat in the garage for 2 years. but since I was getting it for free from a friend I decided to pick it up and hope for the best...  so I picked it up Fri (8/24) and the next day it came with me to work (I work at a Toyota dealer) where they unloaded it into the brake lathe room and it stayed hidden for a while. this past Saturday (9/8) me and one of the techs began tearing it apart. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is actually in incredibly good condition for its age... I will be spending close to $500 in parts replacing every bearing, seal, gasket, etc that we can think of. What I need from you guys are your suggestions as to what I can do to make this motor a little stronger and better flowing. I'm keeping the stock pistons and considering bigger cams and having the head machined. We work for about an hour each morning before customers start coming in. Between Sat, Mon, and Tues (today) we have everything pretty much apart (except for the valves since I haven't decided to send them to the machinist with the head or not yet). This is a huge learning process for me and happy to have the oppotunity to do it. I'll add more pics and info so maybe some of you can learn some things too. my question is were are you finding internals for the 7a? i look every and all i can find is stuff for the GT motor i would like to super charge my st and rebuild my motor and see if i can push 200 pony's out of the little guy. any advice would be great thanks! -------------------- -Boss III
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Oct 16, 2007 - 11:20 AM
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 Enthusiast Joined Aug 23, '05 From Princeton, Minnesota Currently Offline Reputation: 7 (100%) |
to build up the bottom end of a 7A you will need custom pistons and either custom rods or the rods that Pauter makes. 7aftes can make 200or so hp on stock internals if boosted and tuned properly but after that its hopes and dreams if you dont build up the bottom end (which gets pretty expensive).
-------------------- -Brian
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Oct 16, 2007 - 4:49 PM
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Enthusiast Joined Mar 3, '04 From Portsmouth, RI Currently Offline Reputation: 33 (100%) |
Yeah. so its pretty much done.
We took some off the intake things back off just to paint them since they looked like crap compared to the valve cover. we also took the cast part of the oil pan back off to get drilled and tapped for my oil return line. then when thats done I'll just plug up the hole and we'll put the oil pan back on and put oil in it and it'll be ready to go in. Having asked many different opinions I've decided to go with this plan for now unless persuaded otherwise... Swap in the engine, no turbo setup. run it for 500 miles on regular oil then drain, change the filter and re-fill with Mobil 1 full synthetic. 3,000 miles later change the oil and filter and install the turbo setup. change the oil every 5,000 miles thereafter. -------------------- |
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Oct 16, 2007 - 6:06 PM
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Enthusiast Joined May 22, '03 From NOVA Currently Offline Reputation: 16 (100%) |
sounds like a good plan, though i wouldn't see any issue putting the turbo on now, and running low boost levels
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Oct 20, 2007 - 4:24 PM
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Enthusiast Joined Mar 3, '04 From Portsmouth, RI Currently Offline Reputation: 33 (100%) |
well 8 out of 10 people tell me to break it in without the turbo first and the rest say it really doesn't matter either way. The main reason I brought up doing it all at once was so I wouldn't have to take up Manny's garage for two separate weekends but he says its ok and I should break it in non-turbo so I'll go with that.
The final parts bill is paid !! The oil filter and spark plugs I already had. I still want to get a fuel filter, maybe spark plug wires too. I'm also going to get fluids from work; Oil, Toyota Long Life Coolant, I think thats all I'm going to have to remove. Synchromesh from Autozone, I'm told its better than the OEM stuff. Total came to $527.62    -------------------- |
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Oct 20, 2007 - 8:26 PM
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 Enthusiast Joined Aug 31, '02 From Philadelphia, PA Currently Offline Reputation: 8 (100%) |
^baller!
-------------------- 15PSI - 30MPG - Megasquirt Tuned
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Oct 21, 2007 - 8:20 PM
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Enthusiast Joined Aug 23, '05 From Princeton, Minnesota Currently Offline Reputation: 7 (100%) |
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $110 list price on piston rings? i paid that much for new pistons and rings. (granted they werent marked as toyota)
Lookin good so far Steff 
-------------------- -Brian
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Nov 1, 2007 - 6:18 PM
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Enthusiast Joined Mar 3, '04 From Portsmouth, RI Currently Offline Reputation: 33 (100%) |
Thats all for the rebuild itself. Anything else that will be done to this motor will be for the turbo setup so it'll be in my 7AFTE Tech/Project thread.
Right now I'm at about 193,520 miles on my original engine. I'm going to try and push it to 200,000 before putting in the "new" rebuilt engine. I'll eventually put up some pictures of the install and final product after we get it in. -------------------- |
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Nov 3, 2007 - 11:02 PM
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 Enthusiast Joined Feb 25, '04 From Fairfield, CA Currently Offline Reputation: 0 (0%) |
Hi Stef, I noticed that you said you're planning on using synchromesh in your post. I used it in mine with no improvement. I was having trouble shifting into first, and it turned out it was the clutch. When I had the clutch replaced by my new mechanic, he mentioned that I should never use synchromesh in this transmission. I know this can be a polarizing issue, but he said that it's not meant for the brass synchros that are used in Toyota trannies. He said it sometimes helps a tranny that's on it's last legs, but it's designed for use in a different vehicle. Instead he swears by Redline MT90 75W90. I'm inclined to believe the guys since he only works on MR2s and Celicas, but so do the guys you work with. Anyways, just thought I'd share that.
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Nov 8, 2007 - 11:02 AM
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 Enthusiast Joined Feb 19, '04 From austin tx Currently Offline Reputation: 1 (100%) |
QUOTE(94GT @ Nov 3, 2007 - 11:02 PM) [snapback]610954[/snapback] I know this can be a polarizing issue haha, yeah (maybe making it more so) Nice rebuild you have goin on.. I replaced my gear oil with synchromesh and my shifting got noticeably easier. This is off pennzoil's website "[...] compatibility with yellow metals, such as bronze, brass and copper components found in manual transaxles and transmissions." I've always heard that the synchromesh was meant for those yellow metals, but of course that just what i heard --------------------  |
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Nov 13, 2007 - 4:14 AM
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 Enthusiast Joined Aug 8, '07 From United States Currently Offline Reputation: 4 (100%) |
QUOTE(94GT @ Nov 4, 2007 - 1:02 AM) [snapback]610954[/snapback] Hi Stef, I noticed that you said you're planning on using synchromesh in your post. I used it in mine with no improvement. I was having trouble shifting into first, and it turned out it was the clutch. When I had the clutch replaced by my new mechanic, he mentioned that I should never use synchromesh in this transmission. I know this can be a polarizing issue, but he said that it's not meant for the brass synchros that are used in Toyota trannies. He said it sometimes helps a tranny that's on it's last legs, but it's designed for use in a different vehicle. Instead he swears by Redline MT90 75W90. I'm inclined to believe the guys since he only works on MR2s and Celicas, but so do the guys you work with. Anyways, just thought I'd share that. Well, C-52 transmissions are notorious for having bad 2nd and 3rd gear synchros. The later year models have better synchros in them. This is the problem most people run across. They just keep changing the gear oil to cover it up. -------------------- |
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Nov 28, 2007 - 7:43 PM
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Enthusiast Joined Mar 3, '04 From Portsmouth, RI Currently Offline Reputation: 33 (100%) |
Some things to add to the parts list:
Spark plug wires Distributor cap/rotor Axle seals Fuel filter Drive belts Starter (only since I don't think mine has ever been changed) Radiator (still debating. it is also the original radiator and getting stress cracks) Toyota Long Life Coolant Synchromech transmission fluid 5w-30 Regular Castrol Motor Oil (for brake-in period only. then switch to Mobil1 Full Synthetic) -------------------- |
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Nov 28, 2007 - 7:57 PM
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Enthusiast Joined Mar 3, '04 From Portsmouth, RI Currently Offline Reputation: 33 (100%) |
UPDATE: my current engine (at 195,300) isn't going to make it much longer without major surgery. It's almost time to put in the new one.
- Its getting very expensive/useless/annoying having to put in 3-4 qts of oil every 7-10 days. - My oil pressure is going crazy and making no sense. It's very high and doesn't get low when the oil is low, it actually goes higher. Its a little scary when the max pressure is 71 and mine goes up to about 80 when there's only like 1qt left. - I think its leaking from the seals behind the timing cover and my timing belt is swimming in oil. - There are too many problems and when I try to band-aid one I worsen the others. Ex. I started using 20w-50 to lessen the massive oil burning but [in Dustin's theory] it clogged everything causing the higher oil pressure and probably causing some parts of the engine to not receive oil at all. However, if I put a thinner oil in it'll just leak out and burn off the cylinders and smoke like crazy. I just can't win. It's getting very discouraging and I am very tired of it at this point. This post has been edited by hurley97: Nov 28, 2007 - 8:00 PM -------------------- |
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Nov 28, 2007 - 10:31 PM
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Enthusiast Joined May 3, '06 From New Hampshire Currently Offline Reputation: 2 (100%) |
Stop stressing steph and throw that new engine in!!!
--------------------  Darin H. |
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Nov 30, 2007 - 6:32 PM
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Enthusiast Joined Mar 3, '04 From Portsmouth, RI Currently Offline Reputation: 33 (100%) |
In preparation for the swap I bought a few more things. I mentioned some above... fuel filter, axle seals, drive belts, coolant, dist cap, rotor, wires, the power steering line crush washer in case we need to disconnect it, and a remanufactured starter. I also bought a new (aftermarket) radiator for $134 from 1800Radiator and had it delivered to work the same day.
This post has been edited by hurley97: Nov 30, 2007 - 6:33 PM -------------------- |
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Nov 30, 2007 - 6:41 PM
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 Moderator Joined Oct 1, '02 From fall river, ma Currently Offline Reputation: 13 (100%) |
good job steff!
we'll get that thing in and get the break in process over so we can BOOOST it!!! -------------------- Former Team 5SFTE pro member ;)
 13.6@108MPH, 5SFTE Powered |
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