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My 100,000 Mi Inspection & Service

21K views 40 replies 9 participants last post by  Oneblueyedog 
#1 · (Edited)
My 'Goal' is to get 300,000 Mi out of this Powerplant, and then Go with A 'Fun' exchange. Like a 2zz.. Or K20.. Haven't Figured Yet.. But the First Part of my Plan is to keep the Car on the Road.. And I've been getting Nervous about the 'Rod Bearing Failures' that have been posted on this and other Sites on the 1zz Motor. Some of the Failures have Been Self Inflicted, and Some have been 'Out of the Blue'.. Not wanting to be 'Blind Sided' by any Rod Problems I figured I Drop the Pan and Take a Look-See.. I figured as Long as I was Working on it, I'd take Some Measurements for a 'Bench Mark Test' for others to refer to if they want to know how there motor stacks up to a Mostly Stock babied 100K Mi engine.
One thing that started me Worrying before I Opened it up, was I had a 3 Day weekend, where I did not drive the Spyder at All ( a Rarity ) and when I started it to go to Work, It 'Rattled' before the Oil Pressure Came Up!!.. Holly $heet!.. So that was some of my Motivation to get it Done SOON. I figured I'd be Replacing the Rod Bearings, and I did not Know what 'Number' the bearings Were, so I Purchased a Set Of all the Posable Sizes!.. Only 12 Bucks a Piece.. and 3 Posable Sizes, so that makes the project cost about $144.. still a Bargain!.. I also got some 'Plasti-Gauge' a Serpentine Belt, Pan Gaskett Gue, and Oil/Filter..

I put the car on stands in the 'Shop' and Dropped the Pan.. 1 and Four were already Down, so I worked on them.. I used the plastic-Gauge to check the Clearance of Rod #1.. It came out to 1.2 Thou.. Great, thats just where I wanted it to be.. I looked at the side of the Rod, and It had a #1 on it.. and I looked at the Shell of the Bearing, and It also had a #1 on it as well.. ( Factory Bearing Size ) So I took a Size #1 bearing out of the Box, and Put it in the Rod and Re-Checked the Clearance.. 2.0 Thou!.. What Tha!.?.. So I opened up a #2 bearing.. 1.5 Thou??.. So I installed a #3 Bearing, and it came back to 1.2 thou.. Great, all that work, just to get back where I started!.. But I have new Bearings!..
Went to #4 Rod ( it was Down ).. and Checked the Clearance on it before I did anything to it.. 2.0 Thou! OK this is my 'Slight Noise' before the Oil Came Up. I looked at the Side of the rod and On the shell of the Bearing, and it was also a #1 bearing set!.. So I bypassed the 1 and 2 Bearing set, and went straight to a #3 Insert Set, Installed it and Checked the Clearance.. 1.4 Thou.. Great I'll stop there..
Rotated the Engine so the 2-3 rod set was down.. I could not see anything on the side of the Rod ( it's kinda Tight in there ), so I droped the Shell out, and looked on the Side of It.. Nothing, No Numbers.. So I dropped the Top shell out.. Nothing.. I then took a #3 set of bearings ( everybody else has Liked them So far! ) and Inserted the in Rod #2 and Checked the Clearance on it.. 1.8 Thou.. $heet.. Too wide, and that is with the Factory 'tight' bearing set.. So I went to my Bag of Tricks, and Cut a Set of Shimms Out of Alluminum Foil.. (Pictures are enclosed..) I put a Shim Behind the Lower half of the #2 Rod Cap, and Checked the CLearance.. 1.6 Thou.. Hmmm Still too loose, So I added another Shim to the Set.. 1.4 Thou.. Got It stop there..
Next #3 Rod.. Ended up the same as #2.. No Numbers on the Bearing Shell.. SO I dropped in a #3 set, with One Shim.. Ended up at 1.4 Thou.. Great. put it back together!..

You can Just See the 'Plasti-Gauge' Mark On the Center of The Crank Journal..


Removed #4 Lower Half Insert


Insert With Shim, Before Installing into Rod Cap..


Installed the pan ( and Oil Pick-up ), and Installed new Oil and Filter.. Removed the Plugs, and Cranked the engine Till I got Oil pressure.. Then Cranked Some More for good Measure.. Installed the Plugs and Started it.. I let it Idle for about 45 minuted to allow the engine to get Comfortable with it's new bearings.. I took it easy on the engine for the Week.. Off to Work..

The Next Weekend, I did pressure Checks.. Compression and Exhaust/Cat pressures..

The Compression Pressure, was almost Rock Solid at 218 PSI across the board.. 219-215-216-218.. Great.. Can't do Better.. The Exhaust Pressure was Not what I expected.. Usually a Good Cat Converter, will have Less than 2 PSI in the Exhaust, as Measured with a Pressure Gauge.. I ended up installing one of my 'Freon Service Gauges' in the Compression Tester, and Screwing that Into an O2 Sensor Hole, in the 'Pre-Cat Chamber'.. ( Che Header.. Not Pre-Cats ).. to take my reading..

Modified Compression Tester


I took off all of the O-Rings from the Compression Tester ( They'd melt Any-ways.. ) and Screwed it into an O2 Sensor Hole.. Went for a 1st and Second Gear Run WOT till Rev Limiter Hit ( The bearings now have 875 miles on them, so WOT is OK now )..and stopped and Checked to pressure gauge ( it has a Check Valve in it so it won't Drop Down in pressure ).. It was at 12 PSI!.. What Tha!.. So I returned Doing a 1st and Second Gear Pull to 5 K and Shifting.. 2 PSI.. Thats what It should be..
So, Either my Cat is Starting to Plug, or I need to Install a High Flow Cat!.. Anyone with a High Flow Cat ( Stock Exhaust ) Willing to Repeat this Test, to see if it's the Cat or the Exhaust that is 'Restrictive'.. Please Post your Results..
I hope this Bench Mark Test will be Usefull, as to the Exhaust pressure and Rod Bearing Clearances and Wear..

EDIT:.. The Car now has 213K Miles on it.. Still on the Same Spark Plugs.. Been Gapped a Few Times.. and Still Using the Shimmed Rod Bearings..

Just Ran Compression Numbers, and Re-Gapped the Plugs getting Ready for the Smog Inspection..

Plugs are Looking Really Good for 213 K Miles.. Here is a Shot..




The Compression Numbers look Good for a 200 K Mile Motor.. Bottom Line Numbers..




My Son and I Did a 'Fun Run' out to the In-laws House on a VERY Twisty Road.. He was following in the Mk1, and I was leading in the Mk3.. His Comments were '.. Hey Dad.. It's Death Pluming!..' Referring to the Smoke out the Tail Pipe, when Revving and Shifting..

Looks like it's LIKELY Intake Guide Seals.. as it will ONLY Smoke, after a Deceleration, then Acceleration.. and it will Only 'Plume'.. and not keep Smoking..


Comments Encouraged!

Cap
 
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#3 · (Edited)
It is a Common Problem.. and somewhat simple to fix.. ( if you are brave and like to get greasy ) .. I would not recommend the Shim Technique for the Novice.. It's really hard to get a feel for it.. I'd just toss bearings at it..

If it's 'Load Sensitive' Problem.. I'd say it's Likely..

Cap

EDIT.. Just turned 155 K Mi on the Car.. Still running strong.. I'm over half way there.. So far same Clutch and Brakes.. Not looking foreward to the Clutch job
 
#4 ·
Cap I like the way you solved the bearings problem on your car (interesting thing that 'plasti-gauge'!), but I have a question
I noticed that the half insert of the bearing has a hole for the oil to pass and lube around
well, the aluminium shim that you insert between doesn't obstruct the oil passage?
probably not, if your car is still running well, but I don't understand this thing :confused:
 
#5 ·
That Oil Hole is the Feed Hole for the Rod Bearing upper half, to Squirt Oil through a Similar Hole in the Top of the Rod, at the Lower Edge of the Piston.. For Cooling..

The Lower Rod Cap does not have a Similar hole, and the Bearing Halves are 'Identical' upper to lower.. both have holes.. only the top is used..

The Short answer is.. The oil has nowhere to go on the Lower half of the Bearing.. so it don't matter.. The Aluminum is not an issue..

On OTHER engines that I have shimmed the upper, and lower sides of the Rod Bearing, I punch out the Hole in the Foil..

I also do NOT do the upper half shimming in the Car, as there is not enough room to make Sure the Shim is PERFECTLY allinged in the Upper part of the Rod.. and things can go bad FAST..

Cap
 
#6 ·
This is probably a dumb question, but please explain again how you were measuring the clearance on the bearings. You are using what? plasti-gauge? I am unfamiliar. Please educate me.
 
#7 ·
Plastigauge is an 'Extruded Thin Spaghetti' made out of a Wax Like Material, that is of a known Diameter. When this Round Material is 'Assembled' in an area that has a VERY thin clearance, the Material will Squish down in Height, and Spread out in Width. The Width that the material will spread out to is directly related to the Thickness that is has been crushed to.

Here is a Picture I Stole from KingSpyder, on his Engine Build Project that he talks about in another Forum. Here is his thread. http://www.mr2spyder.net/spyderweb/index.php?/topic/1135-kingspyders-journey-for-elegance/


This is the Plastigauge ready to be assembled and Crushed in a new Engine Assembly.


And here is KingSpyder measuring the Clearance after Torquing up the Bearing to Crush the Plastigauge, then CAREFULLY dissembling the Bearing to check the Crushed Width.


The 'Gauge' that he is comparing to, is actually the ' Shipping Sleeve' that the Plastigauge is purchased in.. You can see the Graduations that this material will range in. The next wider range stuff will go from about .002 to .006 inch .. That is REALLY WIDE and not for normal automotive use.. Normally we use the 'Green Plastigauge'..

It can get to be a little difficult < Note Sarcasm .. Really Difficult > to lay on your back.. while the engine is dripping oil on your face, and then work in VERY Cramped Spaces, trying to get the 'Dental Floss' to stick to the bearing surface, and not your oily fingers.. then get Rod Cap Reassembled, and torqued up to Spec all while NOT MOVING the engine AT ALL or it will tear the Material.. then get it back apart.. and get the Gauge Sleeve up on the Crank Journal ( if that is the Side that the Dental Floss Stayed ) and read it for thickness..

And did I mention all while the Engine is Dripping oil on you?..

As yo can tell.. Gandhi might get pissed off.. so be prepared.. and get the car UP IN THE AIR.. and have a clean place to work..

Thanks for the Pictures Chris..

Cap
 
#8 ·
I think I may pay for this repair. But thank you very much for the information. I know my bearing(s) are bad because I ran the engine when it had 2 quarts of oil. I had no idea my spyder consumed that much oil between changes. (Probably due to the stupid precats...well I solved that by installing the che header myself.) And it sounds like just #4 (on the passenger side) that is bad. The others may be okay.

Is it recommended that all bearings are replaced if one is replaced?
 
#9 ·
#4 is on the Drivers side..

Yes I'd replace all the ROD bearings.. not hard to do..

But you can't get to the Main Bearings.. so they will stay..

Cap
 
#11 ·
im at 125k of flawless miles only have ate two batteries since 2005 hoping for 200-250k but i got a 2005 26k motor on a stand in the garage awaiting doomsday 1zz forever :lol:
 
#12 · (Edited)
A few more questions...when you said you "rotated the engine" pardon my ignorance, but how did you rotate the engine to get to the other two bearings?
Secondly, do you have the toyota part #s for those bearings?

Thanks in advance.
 
#13 ·
I do not Remember how I turned it.. I think I grabbed the Front Serpentine Belt, and Pulled it a Little at a time..

No I do not have the Toy number.. I just walked in to the Service Dept, and Said I wanted all three sizes for all four rods of a 2001 Toyota Spyder.. Came back the next day and got my 12 bearings..

Cap
 
#14 · (Edited)
#16 ·
Yes #26 is the Rod Bearings..

But as you see, there are three of them listed.. Mark 1, Mark2, Mark3..

1's are the loose bearings.. and 3's are the tight ones.. I just ordered ALL of them.. and used the Plastigauge ( and Shims ) to get the correct ones in..

Cap
 
#18 ·
"Rod Cap Reassembled, and torqued up to Spec"

can you tell me what the torque spec is for the rod cap?


I can not find the spec anywhere. It would be much appreciated. :)
 
#20 ·
You are the man, Cap! Thanks so much for all of your wonderful help. I am awaiting my bearings in the mail. I already have the plastiguage and toyota oil pan sealer. ;)
 
#21 · (Edited)
Okay Cap...engine oil pan and feed line are off, and lower rod cap is off of my first rod. How do I get to the top of the rod to replace the top bearing as well??? Please help as I am stuck at this point. Many many thanks. One more am I supposed to oil the rod bearings before I install them? Replacing the lower bearings is going great. I just need to know if I can replace the upper as well.
 
#22 ·
You have to replace the Upper.. as it is the One that takes the Push of the Piston..

When you take the Rod Cap off, the Crank Journal must be down.. and slightly to one Side Helps..

After the Cap is off, then Push the Rod / piston combo, back up inside the Engine a LITTLE.. this will give you access to the Upper half of the Bearing..

Yes it's tight.. Yes you must oil the Bearing Half.. Where it turns on the Crank.. Yes it must be Clean.. Yes it's a REAL PAIN IN THE ASS to do..

When you put the upper half into the Rod, it MUST be placed SQUARE back into the Rod Half.. and the Tab must be in the Grove.. I have used a Screwdriver to do this.. but I'm VERY careful when doing it.. DO NOT SCRATCH ANYTHING..

Did I mention it's a real Pain?.. Yes it can be Done.. And no I do not Small hands..

Cap
 
#26 ·
This is a great post Cap. Thank you for your write up.

Full disclosure: if I had not had previous dealings with you, AND, you had not done ~150k miles on your aluminum foil shims, I would have dismissed your work around as a hot rod trick that would not work on a super tight clearance Japanese motor. But I have learned something. Thank you for your wisdom!
 
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