Building the 7A-FE, Lots of pics!!!!!!! Options

[Smaay]

Well i rebuilt Eryn's ST last weekend. I took as many pictures as I could

Here is the block, all pretty and blue




The underside of the block and where the main bearings are installed


These are the main bearings, old on the left and new on the right. make sure you use the same size and plastigauge to double check clearances




Main bearing installed




Plastigauge on the main journals, do this on every journal


Install Main caps in order, look at the number and arrow is pointing to #1 Torque to 44lbs






remove caps and check clearances. .0015" clearance is good!




Remove crank and clean off plastigauge, apply assembly lube generously






Lay crank back on bearings and apply more lube


More lube on main cap bearing, my daddy always says, you can never have too much lube


rod cap, make sure you line them up and install the correct cap on the rod


This is the wrong match you want an M not a goofy looking triangle like this


More lube on the rod bearing


Using a spring compressor, install the piston and rod assembly


make sure you install the correct piston according to the mark on the block. This is actually wrong. #1 piston in a #2 spot. you can see the marks on the block in the circle


Piston installed (wrong one...oops)




Take one of the old rings and break it, use this piece to clean the gunk out of the ring lands




Top of dirty piston, i didnt get a pic of it after i cleaned it




Marks on the block to identify piston size










Another shot of the wrong cap and rod together Do not do this!




Crap collected in ring lands, look at the oil ring, this is why you burn oil, the ring is too gunked up to expand


Cleaned out piston


Damaged bearings












Amazingly the crank was fine, look at the bearing!!!!!




New piston installed, the old one had some damage on it. Something bad happened in this engine




Head all cleaned up


Removing the keepers and retainers, I use a socket and smack it with a dead blow hammer.


Look at these exhaust valves, nastyness!




After a good cleaning on the wire wheel




These are the valve guide seals, most of them fell apart like this when removed. another reason for burnign oil and smoking


Intake valve, look at the awesomeness collected on there, think flow imporved after a good cleaning?


These are the marks on the crank to identify what main bearing to install




This is the new oil pump gasket






Oil pump installed


#1 oil pan after a good sand blasing




These numbers on the bottom of the block also identify what piston to install


These numbers match up with the numbers on the crank to identify what main bearing to install


Cleaned up rear main seal housing


Seal before pressed into housing


On an engine stand this area is a little tight, but you can get in there


New gasket for rear main seal


Rear main seal installed


Install #1 oil pan, originally these 2 bolts were hex bolts, PITA to get out so i replaced with regular bolts




Here you can see the hex bolts and regular bolts that are used to secure the oil pan










New oil pickup gasket


Install oil pickup


Install windage tray




Install #2 oil pan


Top view, pistons installed. Make sure assembly rotates


Install new head gasket




Install head on block, torque head bolts to 22 lbs in specific order, then turn each bolt 90 degrees, then turn each bolt another 90 degrees


Insert shimm and bucket assembly, I oopsed in this pic also, got them backwards


Right shimms installed, exhaust cam in position


Install new cam seal


Check timing marks, make sure the dots line up during the cam rotations


New water pump seal


New water pump


Install crank timing gear


You can barely see the indent on the gear that lines up with that small dot on the oil pump, these are timing marks


New idler pully


Tighten pully out of the way like so


Here you can see the timing marks


Once belt is installed, release tensioner and then re-tighten it






I lose my scribe so pics will be less detailed here are the timing covers installed and water pump pully


installed AC bracket and alternator bracket




Intake manifold is installed back on, clean surface of water sensor pipe


Apply FIPG on sensor pipe


Installed on head


this is the power steering pump bracket




Install wiring harness back on the engine




Install cover plate, sorry i dont have pics for flywheel and clutch install, then bolt tranny to block


Lowering assembly into engine bay.






Sorry i dont have any more pics. i lost my scribe and i was install mode. I didnt have time to take pics and write down details. Engine is running smoothly and has quite a bit of pep for a 7A-FE. Turbo install will be coming next in the near future.

phew, ill add detailed comments tomorrow

[Takumi-FujiWaraS...]

Did you also reuse the rod bolts? i read somewhere on here 94-95 you could, but 96+ was tq to yield. Is rod bolts a dealer only part if they have to be replaced, sure seem to be.