Maiden voyage - what a disaster

[KeithP]

(Just had engine rebuilt, added R154, 1 piece ds, Spec 2+ clutch, upgraded ct26, cleaned all engine parts) Well, it could have been worse, but I never thought I would have this much trouble. Started out with two coolant leaks, but no oil leaks, which made me happy. The engine started right up, but did not run well. I cranked it several times to check for leaks and it seemed that only the coolant had issues. After cranking and letting it run for probably 10 times and 10 minutes, the oil return from the turbo to the oil pan starts leaking under the turbo. I'm NOT looking forward to taking that off. (I probably should have gotten the gasket set from Toyota).

I decided to take it up the street to check out the tranny and driveshaft. Clutch sounds like ball bearings are rolling around in there. Well, I start backing out of the basement and hear something fall out under the car. A wrench maybe? No, the oil filter has blown off along with two quarts of oil (nipple issue, long story). The remote oil filter faces the engine, so there went my clean engine. Ever part had at least a drop or two of oil on it.

Go down to the store and buy 2 more quarts of oil. Come back, clean the engine off, put on the filter crank it again, rev it a few times and the oil filter blows off again!

Go to the store and by 3 quarts of oil. It works this time. Clean up engine again.

With the engine running rough, after checking spark plug wires, timing, CPS location, etc. I remove a few spark plugs and notice raw gas and carbon spatter in the cylinders, so I figure it's just running rich and can adjust on the safc. Put it back together, crank it again and it runs fine without a single adjustment! (I'm not holding my breath that it will stay that way).

With the front end all off, I decided that painting the nose with a can of spray paint would have to look better than the sand blasted rock chipped front I have now. WRONG! What a mess. Oh, and did I mention that one of my headlight retractor motors no longer works since I put it back together?

I have been trying frantically to have this finished by the Supra meet at Steele. I woun't be able to race but I am still working hard to get the car driveable. I have an new intercooler that I wanted to have installed also, but looks like that will not happen by the meet either.

Five more days to the meet. Hope everyone will come!

[scorpmatt]

So... you kept blowing the oil filter off???? Please tell me, how do you do this?

[KeithP]

To make a long story short, I had rearrange and modify a nipple to get my remote oil filter to work. I cut one a little short and had to use it on my filter. The first time, I didn't screw it into the filter enough. Vise versa the second time. I have been doing this for 5 years without a problem. This is the first (and second) time it's ever happened. You can't buy a replacement nipple, and I wasn't about to spend $35 for a new remote oil filter just to get the nipple.

[SlapFunkWarrior]

amazing how much trouble it would have saved for 35 bucks?

[williamb82]

thats why they say do it right the first time or youll be redoing it alot.

[Supra_Newfie]

and 5 quarts of oil isn't exactly cheap either.

I hope you get the issues straightened out....I guess I was lucky that only my diff (so far) has decided to leak. I'll know more tomorrow after I get the oil seal replaced and drive it some more.

Grant

[KeithP]

Finally some sympathy. Spend 4 grand on an engine rebuild, balance and upgrades and get nothing but sarcasm.

Hope you get your diff fixed. I replaced my seal also, but if the diff is old, a lot of times the gears get worn and it causes the oil to foam up and escape through the vent on the top. Good luck!

[williamb82]

um, you can have brand new gears or old worn ones and the diff oil will still foam up to some degree. its an effect of the gears meshing together and turning the oil. most likely he overfilled the diff slightly and once it got to full operating temp the excess fluid bled off. id just clean the diff and drive around the block a couple times to see if it is one of the 3 seals leaking, if not, forget about it.


also, when spending that much on a full rebuild why skimp on a $35 part that could possible cause total engine failure? what happens if the filter pops off again and your on the highway? chances are you wont notice the oil pressure drop imediatly and will likely hear the engine knocking or itll sieze before you realize it.

[Supra_Newfie]

I actually think my vent may have been clogged. Checking it in the morning when the seal is replaced. The diff was just rebuilt with good 3.73 gears and all new seals and bearings. So I was super pissed that it leaked!! BAH!! So it was either a bad (yet new) seal or the vent was clogged. I'm guessing the vent. We shall see....

Grant

[Supra_Newfie]

And Will, it is definitely the seal. You can see it all over the side flange and the rest of the diff is clean. I barely put 10 kms on it. And it was measured and filled. I know, because I overfilled it before!! heh heh....

Sorry for going OT!