7/31/13
I got my MA70 speedo cable, clutch safety switch, and driver's side interior installed/put back together
right now my problem is this:
Snapped a bolt in the thermostat housing. I tried soaking it in PB
blaster, vicegrips, slotting it and using a screwdriver, and a bolt
extractor. The extractor bit snapped off inside the pilot hole in the
bolt. Whatever metal the extractor bit was made of is too hard for my
designed-for-drilling-metal drill bits to even scratch, so I can't even
drill it/tap it. I think getting another housing from either CelicaSupra
forums or junkyards is the only way forward.
8/1/13
Went to CAP (woodfin) and pulled the windshield trim (for Mitchell), both seats, and thermostat housing off of the MA60.
8/3/13
Supra seats don't fit, rails are wrong.
I finished my EGR removal today. Fabbed block-off plates and gaskets, blocked off vacuum lines, etc
I also made wiring for the clutch-activated neutral safety switch and
the reverse light switch. As soon as my new silicone couplers for the
intake piping come in (the stock ones were super split), the engine will
be ready to come off the stand, have the rear main seal replaced,
clutch/flywheel bolted up, trans bolted on, and put back in the car.
I'll be putting Redline MT-90 gear oil in the trans, and I'm going to
run wal-mart brand oil in the motor for a day or two, then change it out
for some Amsoil. The cooling system will also be getting Amsoil coolant
boost that I had left over. I still have to drop the rear axle and
change all the seals, but I'm not sure when that will happen.
8/4/13
Picked up the hoist from a friend's place and removed the motor from the stand.
New rear main seal
Installed pilot bearing and got the clutch disc ready to go
This is when I noticed that the flywheel's friction surface was a little
bigger than the clutch disc. No biggie, just weird. But when I went to
put on the pressure plate, the bolt holes/dowel pins on the flywheel
don't line up with the holes in the pressure plate. I googled 7MGE and
7MGTE flywheels and concluded that I have two 7MGE clutches (which is
what I need, so good) and a 7MGTE flywheel.
Awesome. Well I called the guy I bought the stuff from and he said he
knows he has for sure some more NA flywheels buried in his garage but it
will be some night this week before he can get to them. So I can't put
my motor in till I have this crap taken care of, and I'll still be out
the gas money to go get the parts from Fredericksburg AND the $55 I
spent resurfacing the one I have. I could seriously punch a baby right
now.
8/6/13
Starting to get parts in the pipeline for a brake system refresh.
It has hubbed front brakes and rear drums, so none of it will be easy or
simple to do. Here's a pic of how old school Toyota front hubs work
So it's rotor, seal, bearing, hub, bearing, claw washer, nut, castle
cap, cotter pin, axle cap. I ordered new seals, bearings, claw washers,
and cotter pins from Toyota. Pads, rotors, drums, shoes, and wheel
cylinders are being ordered from RockAuto. I don't think it needs
calipers or lines, but if it does I'll either rebuild or replace the
calipers and probably come up with some custom stainless lines.
8/9/13
I got reimbursed for my flywheel by the Fredericksburg dude, and have a
proper flywheel from a manual MX73 Cressida coming from from a yard in
King George on Tuesday. I also got all my front hub
bearings/seals/washers, as well as the rear drums.
8/13/13
Flywheel came in today, and it's in the machine shop. They said it would be done in a day or two.
I also got the rest of my brake stuff. Bearings, seals, pins, washers,
pads, rotors, shoes, drums, cylinders, axle seals, diff
seals.....everything is here and ready. I'm just waiting to have the
engine in before I do that stuff for some reason.
8/14/13
Made this while I've been waiting for the flywheel. I used parts from a
MX73 Cressida, Mitsubishi Sigma Wagon, and Volvo 240 wagon to make it.
LOTS of custom hand-clicked pixel by pixel.
8/15/13
Flywheel fits, clutch bolted on easy, transmission mated no problem
Drivetrain went in mostly painlessly
Now the issue is getting the transmission cross member to fit. The one
that came with the manual trans (from 1986.5 Supra NA) is not wide
enough so I have to use the Cressida auto one. I've tried every
combination of every orientation with the crossmember and both
transmission mounts from both gearboxes and I can't get the bolt holes
to line up with any of the bajillion threaded holes in the chassis, so I
have to go buy more roto-zip-style bits for my dremel so I can slot the
holes in the trans member. However, most electronics are connected,
power steering and alternator are hooked up, AC is connected but needs
to be tightened, there are a few fuel hoses that still need to be
routed, but it's going OK in the engine bay so far.
Also, the speedo cable drive is on the opposite side with this trans, so
the speedo cable will be RIGHT next to the exhaust. I may have to get
some heat wrap for the cable and/or wrap the exhaust there.
8/20/13
Last night I got the transmission bolted in (3 out of 4 bolts ain't
bad) and the interior is all back together except for the shifter,
which is waiting on the rear end rebuild before I can put the driveshaft
in to keep trans oil from coming out the back.
All the engine electrics are plugged in, radiator and fan are in, now I
just have to connect up one of the fuel lines, get a battery, connect
the exhaust, fill it up with fluids, and it should be good to start here
soon.
I really don't like how my intake is situated. I'll be buying a Rabid
Chimp intake pipe in a week or two. I think I may just go ahead and
replace the brake master cylinder, lines, and front calipers first. I
don't trust any brake system that has been neglected to the point of
housing an algae colony.
8/24/13
Went to the DMV today and got it all registered and titled and
whatnot. I then came home and fell asleep so I only worked on the car
for like an hour and a half today, but I did get one front hub all
disassembled.
While I was in there, I noticed that the hardline-to-softline brake
fitting is pretty much fused and will likely need to be cut off, which
mean I'll need to either re-flair the existing hardline with a new
fitting or replace the hardline altogether. I also noticed that the left
steering rack boot is torn, and I have one coming in on Monday from Bap
Geon. Monday at work I will need to order caliper pin boot things as
well since these are toast. Tomorrow I'm going to go by Wal-Mart and get
their cheap-o oil for the first start up, as well as stopping by
Advance Auto and grabbing a battery and some axle/bearing grease so I can reassemble
what I took apart today. Hopefully I can get both front hubs
rebuilt/rotors replaced tomorrow as well as make some progress on
re-sealing the rear axle/diff and replacing the rear brakes.
