Imported engine swap 5S-FE Options

[gts4]

Found out my water pump and head gasket are bad. I was quoted less to buy an engine than to take my chances on the repairs, $700 + $300 labour. I'm going to replace the engine with an imported one at (hopefully) around 70k. Any tips on ensuring the longevity of this one? I put on 50k per year.

Thanks!










This post has been edited by gts4: Jun 26, 2012 - 4:06 PM

[199celica]

you don't have to move the alternator i just performed this last month because mine was leaking, make sure the car is cold and has no pressure in the system on the very bottom of the radiator is going to be a white little plug you turn that counter clock wise make sure to have a bucket or something that you could use to dispose of the coolant, wait for it to drain for a little while i just did a coolant flush while i was doing this but if you don't want to then just do it enough to fill the bottom of a nice sized bucket take off the hose clamps which i believe richee3 was speaking of you will spill a little bit of coolant but if it keeps spewing out drain a little more out of the bottom use a long extension and a swivel head socket its a pain to get these nuts off because of there position and becareful not to strip them because if you do its a pain to get vice grips in there, once you pull the thermostat housing off it sits in the block pull it out put your new one in, make sure you have the rubber gasket that goes around the new one my retarded friend said i didn't need it and the coolant leaked everywhere once you have it back in i suggest a little bit of fipg around the mating area of the thermostat housing and the block but don't use to much just a little film, put it all back together in backwards steps close everything back up fill the radiator back up leave the radiator cap off start the car let it get warm and wait for it to burp the little air bubbles add coolant as needed and then put the radiator cap back on and enjoy your new thermostat. sorry if it was lengthy just trying to help.

[gts4]

you don't have to move the alternator i just performed this last month because mine was leaking, make sure the car is cold and has no pressure in the system on the very bottom of the radiator is going to be a white little plug you turn that counter clock wise make sure to have a bucket or something that you could use to dispose of the coolant, wait for it to drain for a little while i just did a coolant flush while i was doing this but if you don't want to then just do it enough to fill the bottom of a nice sized bucket take off the hose clamps which i believe richee3 was speaking of you will spill a little bit of coolant but if it keeps spewing out drain a little more out of the bottom use a long extension and a swivel head socket its a pain to get these nuts off because of there position and becareful not to strip them because if you do its a pain to get vice grips in there, once you pull the thermostat housing off it sits in the block pull it out put your new one in, make sure you have the rubber gasket that goes around the new one my retarded friend said i didn't need it and the coolant leaked everywhere once you have it back in i suggest a little bit of fipg around the mating area of the thermostat housing and the block but don't use to much just a little film, put it all back together in backwards steps close everything back up fill the radiator back up leave the radiator cap off start the car let it get warm and wait for it to burp the little air bubbles add coolant as needed and then put the radiator cap back on and enjoy your new thermostat. sorry if it was lengthy just trying to help.

This is good, thanks. I only got around to changing it today. I was wondering about using a sealant between the thermo gasket and thermo housing (metal part with two bolts). My old gasket looked sealed - what should I use? I cleaned all the old sealant with a flathead screwdriver but I'm not sure what I should apply on it now. Ideas? I don't have FIPG, I wanted to know if you know of a replacement I can use. Thanks.

This post has been edited by gts4: Jun 24, 2012 - 10:40 AM