1990 Toyota 22RE 4x4 Engine Swap

[LukeWilson]

Update:
My engine and glow plug light now work. For anyone else that is trying to do this, the wires coming from the ECU that are for the CEL and glow plugs are the ground wires. To get them to work i needed to find a 12v power supply wire to tap into. Next is the battery charging light, the oil pressure light and the coolant gauge.

More updates tomorrow,

Luke

 

[LukeWilson]

When for a little longer drive today, i drove to the shop so that i could finally have a look at what codes were showing up. I drove it there in limp mode, but once the codes were cleared it really woke up. The only codes that kept coming back were for my glow plug light that i haven't officially hooked up (but i know it works) and a code for the needle lift sensor (i am looking for a new 3rd injector). I find that the first gear is really low, almost useless on the road, but i can't wait to see what 4-lo is like off-road.

I also hooked up the power steering tonight. E*clipse was right about the quickness of it, it has no resistance what so ever. The problem i am having is that the the pump or the steering box absolutely howls when i turn the wheel, its quiet when there is no movement. The next problem was that when i shut the truck off, the reservoir started puking fluid, probably about a cup or so. I topped it off when the truck was running and maybe i just overfilled it. So any ideas on the howling, i can't deal with having that noise all the time, it drives me crazy.

Pictures soon,

Luke

 

[Ski in NC]

If power steering system howls when under load, and pukes on shutdown, those are both symptoms of air being trapped in the high pressure side somewhere. With wheels on dirt or gravel (so not to grind your tires) do some lock-to-lock turns with truck stopped and engine held at say 3000 rpm. This will increase flow rate in ps system and may flush the air back to the reservoir. Cheap and easy to try.

 

[LukeWilson]

Great hopefully that is it, i'll try it when i get home.

Thanks,

Luke

 

[onlyn8v]

So, How is this truck working out for you?

 

[LukeWilson]

I have lots of pictures and updates to add, i'll try and get around to it soon, school has been busy. I should be starting to daily drive it again by the end of the week, i finally got my diesel emissions test done so i can get new tags. The engine is currently in stock form still and holy crap is it ssslllllooooowww. I complained about the thing being gutless with the 22re and 120hp, now subtract 30 hp. . . . My 216 injectors are being pop tested right now and i am looking into chips as well. I got some new rubber to put it on as well, they are supposed to be 31" but actually measure closer to 32.5". E*clipse is running 33" tires and 4.30 gears and found it ok, i am running 4.10 gears and almost 33" tires. I am hoping this combo should keep the revs down.

I will try and find a minute to update the build tonight,

Luke

 

[UFO]

Sounds like the revs should match up fairly well to the extra weight of the truck. Now you need more torque !

 

[LukeWilson]

I have been talking to Malone Tuning, once the injectors are in and all is good a chip will be ordered. I can't wait!

Luke

 

[LukeWilson]

Ok, here are the updates:

I'll start where i left off with the power steering. I cut my original Toyota reservoir up and made a much larger one, this seems to have ended the power steering puke-age. The new radiator i got has a circuit in it for an automatic transmission cooler, i am running the power steering through this right now because i got rid of the little one behind the grille.

It was my first TIG project, its certainly not the prettiest thing i have made but it will do. Its also stainless so i won't have to worry about rust.

The next issue was that my power steering would make terrible howling noises at full lock. This was because the pump was being stopped dead and the belt was just slipping on it. I decided it was somehow related to the pressure relief inside the pump and decided to have a little look. I came across a site showing how to modify a stock pump to get more pressure out of it, i figured i would try and do the exact opposite. I also noticed that the steering was much lighter feeling than the way it felt with the original engine. So here is what the pressure relief looks like apart:

Note: I have the relief valve order backwards here, the parts between the spring and the big nut with a red o-ring need to be flipped left to right. I will number the parts from left to right to avoid confusion.

There were 3 very tiny shims that went between the nut (2) and the relief valve body (6) originally. These are to set the pre-load on the spring and ball within the valve body. I guess the theory here is more shims or stiffer spring equals more pressure, i wanted the opposite. I rolled a penny flat with a rolling mill so that it was slightly thicker than the original 3 shims combined. I then cut it out so than it looked like one of the original shims. When i put it back together i added the new shim to the original 3 shims. My steering is now silent and noticeably heavier than it was without the extra shim, it feel like the stock Toyota set-up again.

Here you can see the extra thick shim and the stock ones.

 

[LukeWilson]

The next item to tackle was the exhaust. I was originally going to run it down the outside of the passenger side frame rail and dump it in front of the rear wheel. I decided against this idea as it seemed a little exposed and i did not want diesel fumes wafting into the cab in the summer. I decided to try and route it as close to stock as i could. The exhaust crosses back to the drivers side directly behind the transmission underneath the drive shaft. It is a very tight squeeze from the turbo until it crosses back over. I decided to wrap my down pipe with heat wrap because of its proximity to the starter and firewall. I built it all from 2.5" stainless steel with mandrel bends where i needed them.

Goes from the down pipe, crosses behind the transmission and then connects to the muffler section.

The muffler was some high flow thing a neighbor gave me for free. I was going to straight pipe it, but decided against it. It wasn't that it was particularly loud, i just found it drony and annoying after 5 minutes. This muffler has made the truck silent, i think it is quieter than the gas engine. I still need to put a 90 in and dump it behind the rear wheel.

I thought my TIG welding skills weren't too bad considering i have only ever used one for about an hour.

 

[Ski in NC]

I too bought a tig machine and discovered I CAN WELD!! Stainless welds can be pretty even with an idiot like me behind the torch. No training. But I'm sure some would help. Awesome machine. I still make a mess out of aluminum, though.

 

[LukeWilson]

Some of the other odds and ends:

Here are the tires i chose to run:

They are actually retreads from a company called TreadWright. They were about $125 a corner shipped. I got the ones with crushed walnut shell in the tire compound, apparently it makes a difference on ice. I think it is $10 less per tire for a regular rubber compound. They say they are supposed to be 31x10.5x15 but they actually measure closer to 32.5" in real life. I have yet to drive on them, but they sure look good. TreadWright was awesome to deal with and for the money, i don't think they can be beat.


The intercooler i got off ebay has worked out great. I had to trim one mounting tab on the grill and then it went together as stock. Looking straight on you can't even see that it is there.

The egt/boost gauge from auber instruments has worked out very nicely as well. My truck never had AC, so i made a spot for it where the AC buttons would usually go. I had to carve into the dash support a little bit but it fits nicely now.

I have yet to hook up the boost function for it. It is designed to work with a MAP sensor, i was debating trying to hook into the one on the ECU. I decided to just buy another MAP sensor rather than risk frying things. I put the thermocouple in the adapter i made to go from the manifold to the turbo and used the auber thermocouple. It reacts instantly and seems to be accurate. The most i could get it to read with my foot to the floor on a hill was 1200 F. The engine is stock other than the turbo though so we will see...

I was planning on somehow using a VW airbox and stock air filter. This did not work at all, i tried a couple of the more common ones and the shape was all wrong. I ended up using a rubber elbow from the Toyota 22re to go between the turbo and MAF as it fit perfectly. I scored a freebie cone filter that will have to do for now. Other than the random wires and fuel lines it looks pretty good.

That is pretty much all for now. I bought another set of injectors to put big nozzles in because i was getting a dreaded needle lift fault, they are being pop tested and hopefully i will have them back for the weekend. Once they are installed and all is good, i will order the chip from Mark at Malone Tuning. I went for a fairly long drive tonight and so far everything seems good. The vibration is minimal and only ever at idle and the exhaust is much better now that there is a muffler in it. Other than being pretty slow, it is awesome. I am sure it will be even better with the new tires and performance upgrades. Please feel free to ask any questions or make suggestions.



Luke

 

[e*clipse]

Thanks for the tips on the PS pump!

That'll be a huge help in reducing the vague steering feel.

 

[Kriesel]

Here are the tires i chose to run:

They are actually retreads from a company called TreadWright. They were about $125 a corner shipped. I got the ones with crushed walnut shell in the tire compound, apparently it makes a difference on ice. I think it is $10 less per tire for a regular rubber compound. They say they are supposed to be 31x10.5x15 but they actually measure closer to 32.5" in real life. I have yet to drive on them, but they sure look good. TreadWright was awesome to deal with and for the money, i don't think they can be beat.

Those tires are crazy! Goodyear MTR tread with BF-Goodrich Sidewall.... hahaha

I use the Goodyear MTR's in the winter, they work great in the snow... They are a mud tire, but at the same time, not a mud tire... haha

 

[LukeWilson]

Here is the link to treadwright:

http://www.treadwright.com/Default.aspx

They sell a whole bunch of sizes and treads, most of it is around $100 a corner. They also have a 26,000 mile warranty to cover any defects. I'm am not trying to sound like a salesman, i am just very happy with the product and customer service.

 

[onlyn8v]

I had that old tread pattern MTR and the wore like crap and were extremely loud.

 

[cumminsfromthecold]

Subscribed

Subscribed! Great thread, Luke. It takes a lot of time to add photo and written documentation to all the detailed work you're doing. You're making it easier for amateurs like me to try this swap. Many thanks!

 

[cumminsfromthecold]

http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/vanagon/TDI/tdi-technik-eng.pdf

Luke, you posted this gem of a link: thanks!
http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/vanagon/TDI/tdi-technik-eng.pdf

This is for the AFD motor, I believe. How transferable is the information to, say an ALH or an AHU?

 

[LukeWilson]

Don't thank me for the link, thank G60ing for posting it in the TDI conversions sticky.

I have found that the wiring diagram itself is very accurate, some of the wire colors are not though. I thought that is was for an AHU engine, but there is a copy of the Bentley shop manual one in the sticky for the 1Z engine. I have found it much harder to follow because it is on multiple pages and in black and white. I usually start with the colored one and if wires are not matching up, i will check with the Bentley.

Are you going to be swapping the TDI into the '84 Yota? I am guessing that you will not have any front diff/oil pan clearance issues with the solid axle. I think the only modification i still want to do to my truck is a solid axle swap, but it will have to wait till the spring at least.

Luke

 

[Rockwell]

With the solid front axle you would also have the option of swapping in some higher gears to bring the highway rpm's down. You can get some 3.07 or 3.56(?) gears for them

 

[LukeWilson]

Update:

It took me 8 hours to remove the old injectors because they were so badly seized, but they are now out. I swapped in the 216's in different injector bodies that had just been cleaned and pop tested. The difference was huge. I think i might have been in limp mode before because of the G80 needle lift sensor fault. With the new injectors and no more code, i can actually say it feels faster than the 22re. The turbo spools a little slow but comes on pretty hard now.

I am a little concerned about the EGT's though, i am maxing out at 1250 F pre-turbo. Anything i can do to drop them or are those numbers ok? Still have to chip it, i might wait another week or two to make sure all is good.

I also mounted my tires the other day. We also got some freezing rain and snow, so i was able to test them a little bit. I am pretty impressed with the traction, especially on ice. I found it pretty hard to break them loose unless i was in deeper slush. They are pretty noisy though, but i knew that was to be expected. All in all, i am very happy with them so far.

Luke

 

[LukeWilson]

Anybody know anything about the blower fan in a Toyota truck? None of my heater controls are working and i cannot seem to figure it out. The heater relay clicks when i turn the fan on but nothing happens. The blower fan itself works when it is powered up with a battery and the resistor checks out alright. There is no back lighting for the heater controls either. There are no fuses blown, and no damaged wiring. I think it has to be the power going to the relay and blower, but i have yet to determine why i have none.

Luke

 

[cumminsfromthecold]

Don't thank me for the link, thank G60ing for posting it in the TDI conversions sticky.

I have found that the wiring diagram itself is very accurate, some of the wire colors are not though. I thought that is was for an AHU engine, but there is a copy of the Bentley shop manual one in the sticky for the 1Z engine. I have found it much harder to follow because it is on multiple pages and in black and white. I usually start with the colored one and if wires are not matching up, i will check with the Bentley.

Are you going to be swapping the TDI into the '84 Yota? I am guessing that you will not have any front diff/oil pan clearance issues with the solid axle. I think the only modification i still want to do to my truck is a solid axle swap, but it will have to wait till the spring at least.

Luke

Luke,
Yes, the TDI's going in the '84 Toyota. It's got a 3" suspension lift already and so no, no oil pan clearance issues expected. Rockwell, the gears will come later. I just want to get the engine in and running first, as my budget is dwindling (--shocker--).

Luke, got pics?

 

[LukeWilson]

I can try and get some pics of the (almost) finished project in the next day or two.

I ran into an old friend who owns a performance car shop with a dyno, once i have completely finished the truck and cranked the boost/fuel a little more he told me to bring it by. I made a boost bleeder last night and and bought some resistors to do the evry mod. I would prefer to get an actual chip, but i am going to start with these mods and see what happens. I have put just under a quarter tank through it and have driven about a 100 miles, that works out to about 11.2kms/liter. I have also been driving the piss out of it, so i am hoping it will increase a bit once the fun wears off.

Luke

 

[Mywife'sbettlebug]

Luke, Thanks for taking the time to do this thread. I find it very interesting. Because I have a 1986 Toyota 4x4 pickup truck, and would love to do this swap. I have a 22r carbed engine, and I find it gut less pulling a 10% grade for 5 miles to work everyday. On your question for the blower motor in the cab. Their is a fuse under the heater controls, in the center column under the radio. At least their was one for mine their. I had the same problem, I could power up the blower with outside source, and the fuses and relay tested good, But I couldn't power up blower. I had to replace the blower motor, because the bushing where going and blowing the fuse at center console. I hope this help.

Randy

 

[imtryin]

Hey i have been following your thread and you're doing awesome work. I am in the process of getting all the components necessary together to do the exact same swap, i have followed every thread out there on this conversion and am finally getting serious about it. anyways i was wondering where you got your new injectors from and also gonna see if you could post a link to the intercooler kit you bought. thanks!

 

[keaton]

And the last one for now is my IC piping, i just need to weld a couple of the joints so i won't have quite as many silicone couplers. I am going to try and wedge the stock VW airbox into the bottom left corner of the picture, it was where the battery originally was.

you should reroute your IC piping, you can shorten it 1.5-2.0ft. revers the direction that it goes now. so straight off the turbo to the left side then from the right side straight shot to the intake manifold. cut and re-weld your elbow on the intake manifold to point to the driver side tire

 

[john.jackson9213]

Anybody know anything about the blower fan in a Toyota truck? None of my heater controls are working and i cannot seem to figure it out. The heater relay clicks when i turn the fan on but nothing happens. The blower fan itself works when it is powered up with a battery and the resistor checks out alright. There is no back lighting for the heater controls either. There are no fuses blown, and no damaged wiring. I think it has to be the power going to the relay and blower, but i have yet to determine why i have none.

Luke

Luke, my dad's 86 Camry has a fan that only works on 2 of the 4 speeds. Think the problem is in the resistors used to control the fan speed. Could your speed control be dead and not allowing any voltage to pass???

I got the Camry when my mom passes and gave the car to my son 3 or 4 years ago. It runs great. Has about 140K miles on a 2.5 ltr. V6. Even still looks good. Had a note on the car from a wiling buyer last week.

 

[LukeWilson]

I figured it out, but thanks for the suggestion the resistors are a common problem in older Toyota's. I never connected the power wire going to the fan, so the relay was clicking and working as it should but there wasn't any power to the relay. Only problem i still have is for the backlighting of the heater controls, i am guessing it is a similar problem though.


As for the intercooler piping, i am going to leave it for now i might be playing with other turbos and i don't want to change things more than necessary. I do agree it can be shortened though.

Other updates:

We finally have some snow here in Ottawa and it is starting to get cold. I was wondering why the truck was taking forever to start when it was only -12 C out. Well it was because 3 of 4 glow plugs were cooked, got a new set from a friend and wow what a difference. Not only does it fire right up, but there is no thick cloud of smoke i was starting to get worried about.

I keep finding leaks in my coolant and oil systems. The coolant stuff is usually easy to solve but i am pretty disappointed with the oil relocator. I think someone mentioned before that they are a pain and leak and that seems to be the case. Even with the heavy duty high temp oil lines i had made it leaks at both the filter and engine seals. I found a VW fox in the junkyard the other day so i think i may go that route.

I have exams the next two weeks, so there won't be much progress until the holidays.

Luke

 

[cumminsfromthecold]

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