So my 430 has had its share of mods.. But now after hitting 189,500 miles the car just feels like it has lost power, and to be honest it runs like crap... Lately I've been having dreams of removing the motor (I'll literally be driving down the road thinking about it), changing all gaskets/seals, replacing any parts that need replacing, cleaning it up, etc... Just overall giving her some much needed TLC to show her that I still care... I just cant really think of any tools/equipment I would need other that an engine lift, and stand of some sort that will give me the capability of rotating the motor so I could work on it... and of course a good torque wrench.. Not saying I'm gonna do this overnight, but I am thinking about gathering tools/parts together so I could make this happen.. Anyone know what else it would take to accomplish this other than a lil motivation and some elbow grease? Any info would help.. Thanks -Jayson

 

You should get a subscription to All data diy and check it out. I was looking for valve cover gasket removal and it turns out they have instructions on how to pull the entire engine, step by step.

 

Do compression and leak down tests.
That will identify weaknesses in the motor.

My guess is that you'll only need fresh heads and keep the block as is if it checks good.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Like mentioned, do a compression test to see if you are good on all cylinders. If not, you may have bad piston rings. Good indicator is blue smoke when accelerating. This can cause a loss in power and oil consumption.

If that is the case and you feel comfortable with pull an engine, and have the technical knowledge then go for it. I'd grab a cradle to put the engine on once it's out, and you'll need a cherry picker to pull it out. You'll also need something for the cherry picker to attach to. For most cars, it's usually something that attaches to the lower intake manifold. For these? I have no idea.

If you have good compression, leave it in there. I wouldn't do anything with it with that high of miles. I'd sell and get something else. But if you want to, pull the heads, and send them in to a reputable shop. Have them checked to make sure they are flat when they mate to the head gaskets, check the water passages, and check for any exhaust leaks around the manifolds. Also have the heads gone through obviously.

One more thing, if you do need a complete short block rebuild, check to see the prices of a rebuilt one...probably cheaper in the long run, and less of a pain in the *** to replace the lower end instead of having to crack yours open unless you have money you don't know what to do with or if you like to tinker.

I've worked on numerous engines but nothing as complex as the Toyota V8. I don't even feel comfortable enough replacing the timing belt on my car. If you decide to do this, get a manual and follow it to a T.

 

Get an engine hoist and one of those engine leveler that you can crank to adjust the angle of the engine tranny combo for clearance as you guide it out of the engine bay. As for torque wrenches, I would suggest that you get 3. One for the really high torque, one medium, and one in inch/lb for those pesky little nuts and bolts. The inch/lb torque wrench is not to be underestimated as I have seen people tried to eyeball these nuts and bolt and then simply snaps them clean off.

If you've never taken that particular engine out before then take plenty of pictures of where all the hoses and vacuum lines goes. Put all loose nuts and bolts in ziplock bags and label them. I disassembled an entire swap this way and was able to put everything back without any problems by doing this.

Like others have said, before you do anything drastic, check compression, leak down and save yourself the pain of pulling the engine and tranny.

Lastly, have a daily driver. You'll be making trips to the dealership and autoparts stores. You'll make a lot of friends at the parts counter at the stealership too.

 

Truthfully McKrevice,

I believe the Toyota V8 is one of the easiest to work on especially if you compare it to a german engine.

 

If u need any info from tis toyota and lexus website on how to do a engine removal on it hit me up and ill email u the whole step by step on engine removal and installation

 

x2 or a US domestic.

I've been working on Toyota motors for 19 years...
They do made a very serviceable product.
Do it right and do not look for shortcuts.

 

Thanks for all the info guys, I've just been so bummed out lately due to the fact that my GS is runnin so rough... I'm confident that I can get it fixed up tho...

 

lots lotssof workkk