Gathering Info for 7A-FE Rebuild, Need advice on parts etc Options

[msk59]

Box thanks. It appears to be that everything is lining up now. See I replaced the rings, honed the cylinder. Head work was done by a shop. The dealer short changed me on three different gaskits so I have to call them today to get those replaced.

In regards to the timing, all the marks are lining up at this time, so I will see if it fires up.

Any advice on which oil to use to break in?

[Smaay]

use plain 10W30 oil. do NOT use synthetic!

[msk59]

Smaay. Do I need to add zinc in it? someone at the local shop suggested it.

[Special_Edy]

You can buy break in oil.

Run the motor at 2000rpm for twenty minutes upon initial start up, then change the oil. Some people have suggestions for breaking in the rings, usually its either baby it for 500-1000 miles or run it real hard a few times to seat the rings.
Put moly lube(or "assembly lube") on on the moving parts when you put the motor back together, and some light oil on the cylinder walls. Just enough to film the bores with of motor oil or bar/chain oil if you have it.

This post has been edited by Special_Edy: Aug 11, 2014 - 1:20 PM

[Smaay]

You can buy break in oil.

Run the motor at 2000rpm for twenty minutes upon initial start up, then change the oil. Some people have suggestions for breaking in the rings, usually its either baby it for 500-1000 miles or run it real hard a few times to seat the rings.
Put moly lube(or "assembly lube") on on the moving parts when you put the motor back together, and some light oil on the cylinder walls. Just enough to film the bores with of motor oil or bar/chain oil if you have it.

no that is the worst thing to do. you drive it hard, hammer down till about 5000 RPM, then let off to about 2000, then hammer down till 5000 again. This will seat the rings good and properly.

when assembling do not use moly lube. use assembly lube.

[msk59]

Thank You very much Smaay. I did and am using assembly lube. Everything is going back as it should. New OEM Headbolts, all headwork done by local Head shop (they only do head work and have very good reputation). New OEM rings.

My main purpose of the rebuld was to bring it back to stock. So no major upgrades except I am thinking of adding an oil cooler.

[Box]

Oil cooler would be a great idea, and should reduce the chances of the 7A becoming an oil burner again.

[Special_Edy]

Does the 7AFE have a stock oil cooler? The 5SFE does. It's at the base of the oil filter and utilizes coolant(the coolant is ~50-100 degrees cooler than oil).

The 2000 rpm is to seat the bearings and valvetrain

This post has been edited by Special_Edy: Aug 11, 2014 - 4:06 PM

[Tort1llaboy]

Does the 7AFE have a stock oil cooler? The 5SFE does. It's at the base of the oil filter and utilizes coolant(the coolant is ~50-100 degrees cooler than oil).

The 2000 rpm is to seat the bearings and valvetrain

yea it deos have a stock oil cooler

[Box]

Strange, mine didn't have one and it was OE. Could be a regional or yearly thing.

[msk59]

No there is no oil cooler in this car and also there is no hole in the upper oil pan for recirculation either.

I am looking on line to see what type of oil cooler to get. there is an oil filter relocation kit available at Trans dapt Part # 1113 but no cooler application.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TRD-1113/?rtype=10

I had it book marked a tutorial on how to install one of these but the website does not populate. Should not be that difficult to figure out. My question is this: Is there enough space to put an oil cooler sandwich adapter in there between the AC and alternaor?

[Box]

I'd route the oil cooler out to the front of the car if at all possible, that way it's more effective.

[msk59]

agreed but the first challange is to find the right cooler, the sandwich adapter. I have selected a location in front of the radiator

[Box]

I think Mishimoto makes oil coolers and such.

[Special_Edy]

You dont need an upgraded oil cooler, it will do more harm than good. Your going to decrease the flow of oil. The pressure restriction will probably be offest by the higher viscosity at lower temperatures. But the oil pump is the highest horsepower consuming accessory on the motor. 10W-30 oil actually has a viscosity of several hundred at room temperature, its supposed to reach an operating temperature of 200-300 degrees F in non racing applications, up to 400-500 in a race engine. The thinner it gets the more HP you will have. Since your engine isnt producing enormous amounts of power you will not see any benefits of increased cooling.
If the oil doesnt get hot enough it wont burn off the fuel and water gases slipping past the rings. Your oil will turn to sludge and you will damage the engine.

The stock oil cooler is what the oil filter screws onto. It is connected to the water pump and the two coolant lines running under the exhaust.

This post has been edited by Special_Edy: Aug 11, 2014 - 11:05 PM

[Bitter]

5S applications have an oil cooler because it combated sludge and varnish issues, 7A's seem to have those issues as well. A factory style oil cooler isn't going to be detrimental in a street application, it's less restrictive than the oil filter itself! The oil flows pretty much straight through it anyway, it jogs side to side some along the way but it's incredibly non restrictive. The stock cooler is a misnomer, it's a temperature regulator. It helps keep the oil temp relative to coolant temp, same as the automatic transmission heat exchanger in the radiator does. Heat flows from hot to cold always, so if the coolant heats faster than the oil (and it does) then the coolant is heating the oil till they're equal temp, then as the oil temp rises above coolant temp the reverse happens, the oil is regulated to always be at least coolant temp or higher. It helps stop spikes in oil temp from heavy load and brings those temps back down faster than no cooler at all which is good for the engine and the oil life. You can't over cool the oil with a stock style heat exchanger.


Disregard part numbers, they are for the 5S-FE as is that particular oil cooler. I'm not sure what OEM Toyota oil cooler would fit or work on a 7A-FE. Possibly a 5S one would from a Camry, but I have no idea how to tell.

This post has been edited by Bitter: Aug 11, 2014 - 11:25 PM

[msk59]

Thank You all for this valuable information. I am definetely inclined towards installing a factory oil cooler if I can find one here in North America. The second option would be (as suggested by Bitter) to use one from 5SFE engine. Those should be common.

Tort1llaboy's thread in this section shows a picture of his oil cooler on the engine block. He is sending me a closeup picture.

Question 1: Has anyone installed a factory oil cooler in their 7AFE engines? If so would you care to show me some pictures?

Question 2: Has anyone installed one from an 5SFE engine? If so, Can I see how it is done?

Those that have an OEM oil cooler/temperature regulator in their cars, can I see some additional pictures?

Many thanks in advance.

Thank You Special Edy/Bitter/Smaay and Tort1llaboy for providing your valueable input

This post has been edited by msk59: Aug 12, 2014 - 8:09 AM

[Smaay]

I dont think the 5S oil cooler will work. first off you need the hard water lines from the water pump, those are on the other side of the block on the 7A.

This is the oil filter mount on the 7A, look at the differences on the 5S





its hard to tell but it looks like you could use that small bolt hole at 1 o'clock to help mount the cooler. but you will also be adding about 2" to the height of your filter, I dont think that will clear the header.
And the hole in the block needs to be the same threads as the 5S. I dont think it is.

If you have your heart set on getting an oil cooler, then I suggest a relocation kit, move the filter to a mount on the frame and have the cooler mounted to the front like I did here in my All-Trac.

[msk59]

Thanks Smaay: I see the differences and the clearence issues. It seems that some of the 7As came with the cooler (Please see Tort1llaboy picture on page 6 of his thread). If I can get that oil cooler then that would solve the problem. I will see what the local dealer has to say.

Relocation Kit is a possibility but wouldn't it put stress on the oil pump? If I understood Special Edy's comment above!

Unfortunately, there aren't any cars in my neighborhood salvage yard that I can venture into and see for myself. LKQ guys are rude at best. The others mostly cater to domestic.

[Special_Edy]

Do what Bitter alluded to. If you have a 5spd and a radiator with the ports to cool the auto transmission utilize that. Its just a straight piece of pipe inside the lower radiator tank. Its significantly cooler in the radiator then the lines from the waterpump which feed the stock oil cooler, but it would be hotter than running a stand alone oil cooler.

If you arent in a hot environment(it gets pretty hot here in Texas) than you might not want to even bother.

Do what Bitter alluded to. If you have a 5spd and a radiator with the ports to cool the auto transmission utilize that. Its just a straight piece of pipe inside the lower radiator tank. Its significantly cooler in the radiator then the lines from the waterpump which feed the stock oil cooler, but it would be hotter than running a stand alone oil cooler.

If you arent in a hot environment(it gets pretty hot here in Texas) than you might not want to even bother.