88 Blue Turbo restoration/upgrade story

[lithium14]

I actually haven't put her back together yet, I just read some BHG threads and realized I had the same symptons before I took her apart. But I always attributed the coolant overflow as me filling too much, because after that initial overflow, it wouldn't happen again. There might just be air in the system from back when I initially tried to get it flushed out. But no matter how much I flush it with cleaner, the coolant is always nasty brown. There's no oil in the coolant that's for sure. I don't think its a BLOWN head gasket so much as a LEAKING head gasket. Having said this, is it possible to just pull off the head, clean her up real good and torque up a new headgasket? To nip it in the bud so to speak, or am I just being a ridiculous newb... *sigh Because right now I can't afford another car, but if we can just swap in a new head gasket, I think I can do that, to keep her running until such time I can afford another car and begin the engine swap process in earnest.

---------- Post added at 10:00 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:55 AM ----------

As for the JDM tails, I told the seller my situation and instead of just ending the deal, he said he's actually going to hold the set he was gonna sell me until he runs out of jdm tails, just for me so I can buy them from him in the future. Talk about customer service!!! That is amazing!! So I basically have a set of near perfect JDM tails reserved for me LoL!!! I hope everything else can go this well....

 

[S.A. supra]

Remember I told you about my bhg it was leaking into the water jacket and would pressurized the system. Same thing your talking about. you could just throw in a felpro gasket and some arp head bolts and call it a day. Or you can do it all the way pull the engine and have it decked and your head shaved for a metal head gasket. My bro in law has some arp bolts he might sell. He's going with arp studs on his engine.

 

[lithium14]

I was thinking more along the lines of new headgasket, arp bolts and a day LoL. Been doing some more research (at them same alternating with polishing my valve covers cuz I already started on that... and wouldn't make sense to stop, perhaps I can add some value to the engine for when I sell it after the 2j swap LoL!!!), and should be able to do it in a weekend, pull the head off, clean it, new arp bolts, new headgasket (oem works fine when torqued properly), and put it all back together. Now I'm trying to find out what all needs to happen for a headgasket swap... do I need to pull the manifolds as well? etc etc.

 

[S.A. supra]

Not really if you have a engine hoist. I Have pulled it off both ways. The head will be a lot heavier with both manifolds on. let me know if you want those arp bolts because I'm going down to san Antonio today I can bring them back with me.

 

[lithium14]

OH wows... ok so yes, I do need to pull both manifolds.. oh boy... as I'm reading through the tsrm... HOLY SHIT... gotta pull the turbo too!!! ZOMG

---------- Post added at 10:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:49 AM ----------

er no?... LoL yeah if you can get the arp bolts that 'd be great... how much? >_< ok so if we don't have to pull the manifolds... sholdnt need those gaskets, what about the water neck? (the tsrm has everything coming off lmao...)

 

[RazoE]

The only modifications needed to fit 89+ taillights, is you have to drill 1 small hole (talking a quarter of an inch hole) on each side, and that's it. The trim won't match, so you can swap over to 89+ trim (which you should anyway), or you can glue on your pre 89 trim, but it'll pop out a bit...

you can also run a 2JZ on 7MGTE electronics, nearly everything is plug and play, and it's already pre-wired for boost, since you're using 7MGTE everything..

 

[lithium14]

Thanks!! I've heard good and bad about gluing old pre89 trim to the 89+ center garnish... >_< we wil see. As for the 2JZ swap, I think I may have to do more research, haven't read anything on keeping 7mgte stuff.

On a side note, I have ordered all the gaskets needed for my headgasket job, both intake mani gaskets, the HG and the thread tap for cleaning the block threads. hopefully they'll be here early next week.

 

[boostcraver]

AND yesterday was my birthday so it's like... my belated gift to myself!! hahaha and this is the 23rd page of my thread and I just turned 23.. so LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!!!!!

Happy Belated B-day man. We both got a year older on the same day. It was my 31st.

 

[lithium14]

Happy Belated B-day man. We both got a year older on the same day. It was my 31st.

Thanks!! Happy belated to you too as well!!!

 

[boostcraver]

Thanks!! Happy belated to you too as well!!!

Thank you, too. Hadn't checked in on this thread for a while...looks like it's coming along nicely. Holler at me when you wanna get those int. parts.

 

[lithium14]

Thank you, too. Hadn't checked in on this thread for a while...looks like it's coming along nicely. Holler at me when you wanna get those int. parts.

Sweet thanks!!! Hopefully soon after I get my headgasket swapped did you already pull the seatbelt stuff?

Good news!!! Got my tracking numbers from Driftmotion today!!! 4 packages =O and that's not all either!! hehehe

 

[boostcraver]

Sweet thanks!!! Hopefully soon after I get my headgasket swapped did you already pull the seatbelt stuff?

Not yet, but I'm gonna be working on that this coming Saturday. Pulled the dash and some of the forward trim and plastic tonight, so getting close! Sending you a PM on that topic after I finish this reply.

 

[lithium14]

Ok... updates.. had a ton of help from SA Supra, thanks man!!! we got the head off today


Old pics: I painted the Apex'i adapter and sanded the letters so they shine through the paint

And the valve covers after 80 grit

 

[mobes]

Good work. That filter adapter is pretty sharp.

 

[boostcraver]

Good work. That filter adapter is pretty sharp.

+2 to that. The Apexi logo IS going to be visible when installed, right? It would be a shame if you were the only one who knew it was like that after all that work.

 

[lithium14]

LoL thanks... thats not all was uploading pics... (btw that adapter got.... banged up... during my IC piping install >_< but it's not too noticeable so...)

OK!!! more pics now and some sidetracked photos too

Was playing around with my camera while watching Top Gear (best show ever)

ants found a dead bee

How to end fly problem: take off flip flop, smack fly, deposit dead or unconscious fly in the path of foraging ants, enjoy fly freedom

Bird poo....

Right after I took this photo... a scorpion casually strolled by my foot. Later as I picked up my 3k to polish, guess what jumped out of it... yep same spider, freaked me out to say the least

Ugh things making homes in my car... mud daubers tried to make a nest in my AC venting... good thing I noticed them scouting my car out

3 in grasshopper... locust... whatever it was big

OK productive stuff now

after 220 grit

tried to polish the heat shield... but... the steel was different hardness due to HEAT LoL... it was like polishing my katanas... soft at some places and hard as hell at others

Gifts from UPS and Driftmotion

HI lil guy!1

Yep everything is bigger in texas

Finished my piping

hacksaw work... LoL

more custom fabbing with provided pipes

left the toyota badge off... =/

found it dead the next morning... nfi why

Starting to strip for HG job

OK now for pics of the block after San Supra helped me pull the head

1 and 2

3 and 4

5 and 6

This is where bolt number 14 was... bolt 14 was corroded... not sure why, if anyone can see something we didn't please say so

Top of HG

Bottom of HG

1 and 2 HG off

3 and 4 HG off

5 and 6 HG off

Bolt 14 with another one that was fine like all the others

where we think there may have been a leak allowing air into the coolant passages

Good seal

Potentially bad one??

As she stands now

If anyone has feedback feel free to post... I now have the task of cleaning the bejeebers out of my engine parts and prepping for the installation of new OEM HG

 

[D.J.T.]

That was the Intercooler kit from DM?

 

[lithium14]

Yes and no... It wasn't the actual 7mgte kit. I got the spearco replica IC with the 2.5 inch universal piping kit. Also note that I took driftmotion's idea of cutting off the narrow end of the 3k pipe so I can run 2.5 all the way through (except the turbo at 2in...) LoL Boostcraver yeah... I mamaged to set it up so I could rotate the adapter so the logo shows...

 

[IBoughtASupra]

Very nice work. Let me know if you need any 7M parts, I am getting rid of a lot of them.

Nice work on the valve covers.

 

[lithium14]

Thanks man!! hopefully I won't need anymore parts >_< this car is draining all my money sooo fast LoL. I think ya'll will like what i have in mind for the engine bay... lotsa hard work coming up