Ernie Leimkuhler wrote:

I tried posting this over at the Toyota truck newsgroup and got no
help, so back to RCM is it.

3 weeks ago my 85 Toyota 1-ton blew it's rod bearing.
Instead of replacing the engine again, I opted for another truck.
I got a 86 extra-cab, longbed (yes it has both and is really long) in
excellent condition.

Now I don't want to get rid of my 1-ton because it is really rare and
since I do metal fab, that 1-ton suspension has been really useful.
I spent a lot of time and money over the last year replacing a lot of
parts on the truck.
What I want to do is bring the truck back to life.
I have to choose how to do that.
It currently has the Fuel Injected 22REC engine.
A good rebuilt one is around $1500-$1600.
A junkyard pulled engine is like $400-$700 as far as I can find.

There is the option of a Buick or Chevy small-block V-6, but it just
looks like too much trouble.

I am thinking about rebuilding the engine myself.
I have a metal fab shop, and since I have the '86 to drive for now there
is no immediate hurry.

On the '85 I have done everything except the engine itself,
I have been leery of actually getting inside the engine without
training, or at least supervision.

I can buy a rebuild kit for around $400, but is it better to rebuild
the engine in the truck or on a bench?
The tranny was last done about 150,000 miles ago, but can't be tested
until I get a working engine on it.
The truck has 265,000 on it.
The factory engine died at 185,000, and I got about 80,000 out of the
rebuilt one I bought 7 years ago.
I have had this truck since 89, and it has been cared for, but also
USED a lot.

I love this truck.
There is some question whether the block is worth rebuilding since it
might be too damaged.
I figure I could get a pulled block from a local junkyard, and just
rebuild the engine on a bench.

Thoughts?

Also what is the best book on rebuilding a 22R?

I am also planning on converting the 1-ton to a flatbed.
It won't have the duallies, but that is fine.
I have wanted a flatbed really bad over the last 2 years, since I
started building a lot of heavy steel staircases.
Having one truck with an overhead rack and one with a flatbed is a
dream of mine.
I am going to add some booster springs to my 86 to take it to a 3/4 ton
suspension.

Based (loosely) on 398 000 kilometers on my Mazda B2000...

Pull the engine. You can only get half assed acsess to anything with
the engine in the truck.

Did the rod blow up or just eat a bearing? If the rod did not blow,
there should be no damage to the block.

Decide how cheap you want to be. I'm cheap. I buy my parts at the
U-pick wreckers, and I know pretty much what models I can pillage to
make my truck run for the basics.

Get a Haynes Manual or Chilton's Guide for your trucks. Some of the
info is lame or not very useful, but lots of good info in either. I
prefer Haynes, YMMV. CHEAP!

Is the price quoted before or after the core charge or exchange on your
block? Or is it a cash and carry price? Depending on the core value, it
may be a no-brainer.

Con rod bearings are a relatively cheap fix. Likely just a grind on the
crank and new bearings. The (babbit?) layer on the rod bearing gets
eaten, the shell usually keeps the rod from taking a serious beating.
When I did mine, I was able to get the crank ground, purchase the
bearings, and a head gasket for well under $400 CDN. Some judicious
cleanup while it was apart was done, but no real heavy dissassembly and
it now has about 100,000 km since the last blowup. The job can be done
without removing the head, if you want to be real cheap.
Count on the amount of time spent hauling your parts to and from the
machine shops if you want the whole engine done, and factor that into
costing it out, as well as your time rebuilding the rest of it. In my
experience, automotive machine shops are one of those places that do not
seem to charge near what they are worth. If you can be earning more
money than you are saving by doing the work yourself, you may be biting
yourself on the arse there.
My experience has been that bore wear after 250,000 kilometers was
negligible. YMMV. Inspect and measure while the crank is being ground.
Use the day or two that the crank is out, to clean up the head, decarbon
the ring grooves, and whatever else seems to need to be done. Have a
good look at the head for cracks between the plug and valves. If you
removed the head, that is.

Fear nothing! It's a mechanical device fercryinoutloud! It's not Brain
Science, it's rocket surgery!

I would be calling every number in the phone book as relates to enginge
rebuilders or automotive machine shops and checking prices. Here in
Edmonton I can get a warranteed 350 chev for a lot less than I could
rebuild it for. All I have to do is bring my engine in for exchange, pay
the man, and drive home to start the install. Same price with a wait if
I want my own engine done top to bottom.