Need Rebuilding info for 84--Seeking machine shop that specializes around Los Angeles

[themk5]

Hi Guys,

Been researching and looking up info on this site for the better part of the day.

BACkGrOUND --
Have a 1984 P-Type that is cosmetically very good, clean, and all original and working. Engine has 330k miles, and is going out slowly. Mechanic said engine will need to be replaced, and will not pass Smog test. It's a 'normal' daily driver, and only want to keep it that way (No Fast & Furious for me). Just looking to fix it for someone like me (not a weekend tinkerer).

Wondering if someone could answer a couple of questions:

USED engine - N/A
Researched a number of websites (including RabidChimp, SOKO, and Nippon-Motors) all of which do not have a 5MG or 6MG available.
Though was wondering if a 84- 86 Cressida engine can fit without any modification other than an original engine would need?

REBUILD -- I'm not a mechanic by any means (except knowing where to put the fluids and keep it up).
Can anyone recommend a machine shop around Los Angeles or the San Fernando Valley that may specialize in Toyota or Japanese engines?
What is a 'reasonable' price of a 'normal' rebuild?(meaning no modifications to hype it up, just get it back to the original functioning engine)
What should I look for in a machine shop, or someone who rebuilds engines?

Anything anyone can tell me, I would very much appreciate.

Thanks.

Mark

[Tech26]

I've bought 6MGE engines from Rabid Chimp before. A quick check of his website shows that he still sells them:

http://rabidchimp.com/toyota-vehicle...bfb223f78304a9

The 6M swap is pretty easy. Just transfer your intake plenum, throttle body, oil pan, oil pickup tube, wire harness, and EGR equpiment from your 5M over to the new 6M.

Machine work gets expensive quickly. To bring back an engine that has 330,000 miles on it you're probably looking at $2,500 or more in parts and lobor (assuming you get a standard overbore of 0.5mm with new pistons and you remove the engine from the car yourself) However, you will know that the engine is back to basically zero mileage. The 6M engines supposedly have 50k-60k miles on them, but we don't really know for sure. I don't know where they get those numbers.

The 6M is the lower cost option to get the car back on the road. It bumps up the power and displacement slightly as well.

Since you're not a mechanic, and it sounds like someone else is going to be doing the labor, the 6M becomes even more cost effective. The extra labor to tear down the 5M before the parts get sent to the machine shop are not required with the 6M transplant.

If you're really lucky you might be able to find a forum member near you that has done this swap before and has a garage with all the tools. You would still pay them of course, but at half the price of a normal shop.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!

[Rich64N]

I've bought 6MGE engines from Rabid Chimp before. A quick check of his website shows that he still sells them:

Unfortunately there is a waiting list for the few that are coming in from Japan, I don't think there have been any 6MGEs available in at least 3 months. However, last I heard 5MGEs are still available - you can get a lower mileage motor that will be better than 330K. Ditto 7MGEs (non-turbo)but that entails lots of rewiring.

[Bruce Johnson]

Has anyone tried Perfect Engine?
http://www.perfectengine.com/rebuilt_engines_s/61.htm
From their web site, they sound like just what you are looking for. They will rebuild your engine, and they specifically list the 5mge. If you want to have a local shop do the removal/installation, they will pick up and drop off the engine, they say within a week. Or, they will do the whole job at their own shop. That all sounds pretty good. Does anyone on here have any actual experience with them?

The 5mge in my '84 is also going to need rebuilding eventually, and I'm also in the Los Angeles area.

[rabidchimp.com]

Unfortunately there is a waiting list for the few that are coming in from Japan, I don't think there have been any 6MGEs available in at least 3 months. However, last I heard 5MGEs are still available - you can get a lower mileage motor that will be better than 330K. Ditto 7MGEs (non-turbo)but that entails lots of rewiring.

Rich has the wrong info. I have NONE coming in from Japan now, and have not been able to get my hands on a 6m in over a year.

Dave, I've changed the availability info on the 6mge on my site. Too bad I can't get my hands on them. Lots of people want them!
-Aaron

[4SFED]

Like Dave says above, you're going to pay a lot for rebuilding if you're paying someone else, so a replacement engine is probably your best bet instead of rebuilding. Another 5mge would be cheaper and probably easier to find for a 'normal daily driver' than a 6mge. 6mge engines are getting scarce as they were not original equipment in US cars but have been imported from Japan as they get 'retired' there. EnginesUs had a 6mge available last week 888.419.5495.
BTW, don't post the same question in different forum sections. Once will work.

[Bruce Johnson]

Mark;

A friend of mine who owns two '86 Supras recommended this place:

Japanese Car Specialties
300 Giant Oak Ave
Ste C
Newbury Park, CA 91320
(805) 499-6178

He said that they are the most knowledgeable guys around the San Fernando Valley, for working on MkII Supras. I haven't tried them myself.

[Tech26]

Well then... I guess the 6M is an even more rare engine in the US than it used to be! I wonder why there would still be low mileage 5M engines available from Japan but not the 6M which is a newer M series engine...

[Supradad]

Get the Cressida engine and you'll only need to use the block with the head attached.
Everything else from your original engine will be needed to be put on it.
That way you will pass smog.
I put an '87 Cressida engine in my '84 Supra.

[Bruce Johnson]

Going back to Mark's original post, that whole statement where the mechanic said that it won't pass the smog test, so therefore the whole engine needs to be replaced, well, that just smells funny. Like, he doesn't want to touch it. I mean, it's possible that your engine badly needs to be totally rebuilt. But, there are all kinds of small things in the accessory systems that can cause a car to fail smog. Those things can be fixed for far less money than rebuilding the engine. If the engine basically runs okay, and isn't blowing quarts of oil out the exhaust, then I'd first look at getting it tuned properly. It might need some ignition setup, the fuel injectors rebuilt, the EGR system cleaned out, etc. These are relatively minor things. Get someone who knows what they are doing to check those things out first, before you go shopping for engines.

The first thing I would do is take your Supra to some other place (like Japanese Car Specialties) that's actually familiar with these cars, and get their opinion on what it needs to pass the smog test.