Whew!!! Just saved myself a new motor- 80 series

[bullerdeano]

Hi, a few weeks ago I joined this forum to ask questions about the big end bearings in my 80 series 1991 cruiser.
After searching this site and asking advice as well as UK & American sites and also asking Westport Toyota, Greymouth Toyota, CHCH Toyota, Lineside in Rangiora and every other place I could think of I was left totally confused with vastly differing opinions. The general consensus (of those who had heard of it,but many hadn't) was that "yes" the 90-94 cruisers were prone to bearing failure, but that if I now had 260,000km on my truck then it was either done under warranty in Japan or mine wasn't the sort that was prone. Even the "Dog & Lemon Guide" supported this.
Going on a gut feeling and that I love my wagon muchly (always serviced) and that I intend to keep it for as long as possible (its our business work vehicle) I purchased the bearings, 3 part gasket goo, oil & filter and took it to my mechanic. He even rung me and said " please remind me again why I am about to pull apart your perfectly good truck with the best oil pressure I have ever seen in one of these"
So I said humour me please.
Sure enough the bearings were absolutely stuffed with huge areas of metal flaking off and being forced out the sides etc etc. He couldn't believe they hadn't gone by now and said basically "anytime" The journals were good.
I have to pat myself on the back for following through, despite being told not to worry, but mostly for the regular maintenance I do on my truck religously. The wife actually understands why I have been so fussy about it now. So if you have a 1HD-T motor and havent done the bearings?????

[tweake]

nice save !

[Dirtydog]

gee your bloody lucky there mate, sometimes gut feelings are right eh?

[DaveM]

I would always do BE bearings in one of these motors, unless you had proof they had been done. Just goes to show you can't always go off opinions.

[mudlva]

good stuff and i was 1 of those that said dont worry

glad you didnt listen to me ah

although if the gut is saying do something and the brain/wallet is saying something different, there is generally a reason on why the gut mentioned it in the first place

glad ya sorted it keep the shinny side up

[hosehustler]

I've just bought an 80 series with a big end that had failed, got it for the right price so wasn't worried
It's done 235,000ks The big end failed on number 3, number 1 and 2 weren't far away.
You've probably saved yourself thousands, the chap I got mine off was quoted 6 grand minimum to fix properly, because of this reason....
If a big end lets go it almost always damages the crankshaft and a conrod, also possibly a couple of valves due to very tight tolerances, then possibly scoring in the bore due to bits from the bearing.
To grind the crank you have to pull out the engine, to get out the conrod you have to pull off the head, once you have all that out the way you may as well hone and re-ring, once you have the head off it pays to rebuild that as well.....
So there's your money and how much you saved by doing the bearings
I have the engine out of mine, will be a crank grind, mains, bigends, rings, hone, (minimum), head will be, seals, guides, valve (faces and seats), crack/pressure test surface, gaskets, Radiator flush, new hoses and a few more bits and bobs before it's even mobile
Nice save

[DDAN]

Was reading this on the subject interesting
http://www.lcool.org/technical/80_serie ... rings.html

[jear bear]

Cheers for this, My 80 series had done 320,000 and I too had been told if they werent noisy now then they proberly had been done already, but I am taking all this onboard and have booked it in for tomorrow to have them replaced as just not worth the risk!

Thanks

[Maxfab]

Recently did a 1hdt from a coaster bus that failed #5 bigend,
Actually had no bearing left at all, not even welded to the crank but completely gone, worst ive ever seen, (13 years as heavy diesel tech)

Sourced 3 cranks before we found one that didnt need machining,
They were either undersize or bent and required grinding

[hosehustler]

MPL (in wairakei rd) do it for less than $500 drive in drive out(i'm told)
i'd get a quote off them before you spend too much

[jear bear]

Cheers for that, had heard that as well, Got a good mechanic mate that said he could do it for under $500 as long as no issues so fingers crossed they are all good. Ive heard this story about them for a while and soo many different ideas on whether they should be done or not, I guess its just a matter of safe insurance in the end, I will post up what they were like once I get the truck back

[Danjr]

Mine were done at 230,000km's and i'm about to redo (411,000). I've had a look around regarding doing the rod bolts at the same time and there seems to be a few opinions with the general consensus being you should replace them but you can get away with reusing them once or twice.

The reason i ask is the bearings are relatively cheap (aftermarket) but I've been quoted $23+GST per bolt for the rod bolts! There only seems to be OEM available - I've tried heaps of places and ARP don't produce one. Still cheaper than an engine rebuild I nkow but haivng other $ priorities at the moment they just seem a bit pricey. Particularly when you look on the web and see them way cheaper in the US and OZ. Might have to import some. Seems dumb for a bolt!

[DaveM]

MPL (in wairakei rd) do it for less than $500 drive in drive out(i'm told)
i'd get a quote off them before you spend too much

Shite, thats a good price. I paid the local Toyota dealer $1300 (although the genuine bearings were about $400 more than ACL ones).

They tried talking me out of doing them, as there "has never been an issue with the B/E bearings on these motors"

[zephyrheaven]

Been there done that
Lucky save!

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/ ... 22&t=28544

[suzolla]

Hi,
If you want some rod bolts I have got some new genuine toyota ones for about half that price.
PM me if interested
Cheers
Tim