Pull the pin. It'll either run or not.
Pull the pin. It'll either run or not.
Do a compression test. If there's still a problem, it's worth finding out about it beforehand.
Couldn't wait. Compression #4 is 145psi.
I'm too dead tired to celebrate, but god that's a good feeling.
end day 11
In reply to Hungary Bill:
Sweet!
Are you going to check the other cylinders? I'm curious to see what just the valve lapping did. Great job so far. Good luck.
Ok Datsun, but only because you asked 
(drum roll please?)
Old Compression (w/ cyl #4 wet) 150-120-90-50
New compression (dry, no valve adjustments from last test) 160-160-160-145
I'm calling 145psi good for a freshly honed cylinder, with new rings 
So day 12...
We start today with a compression check. Actually this was a great way to make sure the oil pump was primed. I was worried about over working the starter and killing it, so I ran a duty cycle of about 10-seconds on, then about 5-minutes off.
With that routine going, I simply changed plug holes between cranking sessions to do my compression check. Lets face it, this thing isn't going to start on its first try, and it'd be nice to eliminate this variable now.
To help prime the pump I had the pan mostly full, I filled the oil filter, dumped about a quart over the rockers, and pulled that little plug on the oil pump and dumped some in there.
It was probably the third cranking interval when I actually noticed the oil pressure "dummy light" was turning itself off, but it's very possible it was getting good oil pressure before that.
After that it was on to the ancillaries:
power steering pump still needs a belt, but other than that you're looking at a complete 22r engine!
We've filled all the fluids and noticed a small water leak at the intake manifold. (no gasket sealer on it, as it had a bulb seal around the ports I thought would hold). Tomorrow I'll take that back off and bolt it back up, but for today we just drained the water back out and decided to give it a shot!
Are you ready for this?
Lots of cranking, very little in the way of starting. 
We did get it to sputter a bit with some brake cleaner down the throat of the carb (it was all I had handy) but I can tell you a couple things:
We were running on borrowed time so I never checked the ignition timing (shot it by sight when I installed the dizzy), I also never checked spark at all the plugs. Tomorrow I plan to do both of those while I wait for the intake manifold sealant to dry.
I do have some questions about the carburetor though:
Installed is a Weber 32/36 but I dont see any actuation for the choke. I know these come with aqua, electric, and manual choke options but I don't see a cable, wire, or water inlets. I plan to make thread on this in the general discussion session. I'm cold cranking, and it'd be nice to know that all the cold start goodies in the carb were working as they should.
I'd dig the heck out of it if I could get this beast started before the weekend.
That white round piece of plastic there is your electric choke.
The terminal in the center is for switched 12V
The other one should be a ground.
To adjust it loosen the three screws and rotate it clockwise or counter depending on if it needs more or less enrichment.
Spark, timing, and WD-40 sprayed down the carb.
Shouldn't an 87 Toyota have fuel injection? I know they started with some of them in 84-85, so by 87 I would think they were all FI.
Mazdax605 wrote: Shouldn't an 87 Toyota have fuel injection? I know they started with some of them in 84-85, so by 87 I would think they were all FI.
Nope! 22R stock for this year (I think '88 as well). IFS too. So all the bad, none of the good. 
Jumper: You're the man. That looked like an electrical terminal in the center, but I wasnt sure. I spun it 360deg with my pinky finger and decided it probably wasn't manual. I did a search for aqua valves and found the same looking solenoid so I was getting really confused. Thanks!
Bg: Ha! I shot some wd40 in there before the brake cleaner. I think it was one of those "with our powers combined" moments that got it to sputter. I have the battery on the charger now, and hope to have a helper there with me tomorrow to time it.
Thanks everyone!
Get the timing set and she'll fire.
Also, I think if you leave that choke plugged into 12v and the ground connected, you should be able to watch it over a few minutes open those top butterflies. You can at least check its operation that way.
Hungary Bill wrote: Ok Datsun, but only because you asked
So much win! Pretty good results. Must be satisfying to see those numbers. Now get it running. Check your timing. Good luck.
For testing purposes, or full time if you don't care about cold driveabiltiy, you can just adjust the choke to stay open full time and pump the throttle to run the accelerator pump for enrichment.
Just got caught up on this thread. Yeah you can get away with not having a choke once it's warm outside, I'm actually thinking about removing the choke from my sammy's Aisin carb permanently since it's never below 20C around here.
Datsun: You aint kidding man. Especially as it was the first time I've ever attempted to lap a valve before. Seeing the numbers dead even across 1-3 was definitely motivating.
Day 13 (lucky 13?)
So I have to start today with that darn intake gasket that didn't seal up last night. I took it off, slathered it up with goop, and slapped it back on with no worries (pic for gigles)
You can see the "bead" I thought would make a tight seal, thus negating the need for additional sealant. I guess I was wrong.
While I waited for the sealant to cure I went ahead and opened a manifold vacuum port on the intake and ran it to the second vac advance canister. I figure Toyota installed two of them then Toyota probably wanted them both hooked up. I also took the opportunity to install the power steering pump belt (which meant a trip to O-vanced zone)
The belt didn't look right when I had it on though. I was pretty sure I had the right pulley as the Alternator/water pump was spot on, and this was the only pulley I had left, but it sure looked as if something was amiss. See that bend there (below)? To me that just has "chewed up belt" or "belt thrower" written all over it.
I still had some time so I went poking around the cab and bed of the truck for clues (read: a missing pulley). I found it in the passenger footwell:
At first I thought someone had pried on it to get it off, but after a closer inspection it seems something might have smacked it. Probably not the best balanced part of my rotating assembly, but back on it goes (which means a trip under the truck). Lucky for me it's just 4-bolts. One of which was in the crank pulley still, the other three were in a plastic bag (I'd complain, but you really have to count your blessings on that one!)
Hey! There she is! I did move the belt over, I just didn't get a picture of it.
Anyhoo, while down there, my eyes caught my disc dust covers:
I like the scoop and vent! that's pretty neat, but really in no way shape or form related to anything I was doing today.
I did have another trip down memory lane though. Back when I was living in Universal City, Texas a buddy and I were getting ready to head out for the day (day off) and we heard a strange noise when we started the truck. It definitely sounded like a pulley bearing of some sort, but we were pretty sure there were no pulleys... except the adjustable power steering pulley... Damn.
Turns out it was in the process of eating itself. But this is Texas in the summer and we don't even humor the idea of walking anywhere. We start digging through the truck looking for something so lube that baby up so it stops making noise that way we can get to the parts store to get another.
We find 1/2 a can of white lithium grease and a mostly full can of WD40.
We cake that pulley with white grease (being careful to avoid the belt) and set off. But there are a few things you need to know:
We start off and have to wait to make a left hand turn. Not wanting to tempt fate we shut off the engine and "Chinese fire drill" the pulley lube since we have a second. The light turns green and we make it about a block before we start hearing noise again. Lucky for us we hit another red light. Chinese fire drill! We have one shot left in that can of white lithium (or so it feels) so we run it a bit further, making it almost to the bank before we have to shoot more in.
While in line for the teller at the bank we have time to discuss our next trip (it'll be twice as long) with the can of WD40. We figure it's not going to last as long per shot in comparison to the white lithium (and we're right) and it'll probably wash any white lithium grease we have in there out of there after our first use (we were right about that too). With that in mind we leave the bank and wait till that pulley is starting to make some very "dry" protesting squeals before we pull into the next parking lot to start in with the WD40.
Even though we soak that puppy with the magic lube, it really just drips and washes right back out. We cant even make it a block before it sounds dry, and worse again. By the time we get to the parts store that baby is REALLy screaming for mercy!
You would think that we would pick up more grease while at the parts store, but sadly the thought never entered our mind. We did have the presence of mind to buy a power steering belt though, and that'll come in handy in a few minutes. I think the pulley ended up being $60 and after the tax it was about all we had. So really we were probably too poor to buy the grease anyways.
Anyhoo, the trip back to the apartment is much like the trip to the parts store. We cant stop fast enough, and the bearing sounds worse because of it. While I'm turning into the apartment parking lot the pulley seizes and the belt snaps not much after. Knowing this was coming I lined up my final shot at a parking spot straight ahead. It was almost like I knew what was going to happen.
Ah thems were the days 
I'm getting to be kind of a stickler for routing, and I still have time to kill before I feel comfortable putting any water or heat into that gasket so I take just a second to zip-tie the new vac hoses together. Looking around, I'll probably be spending a LOT of time cleaning up this engine bay...
Eventually enough time passes, or I just get anxious enough, that I can try another attempt at the start. I crank it, and get the usual wir-wir-wri-pop-pop-pop.
I adjust the distributor as retarded as the set timing slot will allow
(I should tell you I haven't hooked the header to the exhaust yet, and it exits right at the driver's door)
I adjust the distributor as advanced as the timing slot will allow
(I should also tell you I have no one here to crank the engine while I run my timing light)
I decide I'm a tooth off and advance the distributor one tooth advanced. but set the bolt dead center in the timing slot.
I advance it a bit....
and...
(you know where this is going, don't you)
....
She fires up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The truck wont stay running long, and it wont idle. I have all my electrical working kits out, but I'm way too short on time to be bothered with anything like choke wiring at a time like this!
You'll notice a remote start switch in the "floor of goodies". Yeah, turns out Toyota uses a square spade connector on the starter and the jumpers wouldn't fit in the slot. So no holding the remote start switch in one hand and a timing light in the other for me It did remind me that I once parked the truck on inclines for about 3-months because of a loose starter connection though. Back then that starter just looked so damn difficult I'd rather inconvenience myself every time I parked rather than take a day to remove, test, and reinstall the starter. It was actually a friend that got tired enough of it to look and find the loose connection.
Anyhoo!
I keep adjusting the idle up until it stays alive by itself and set the timing. Adjust the idle, then realize I set the timing with the vac advance hooked up. Disconnect the vac advance only to have the truck die. Adjust the idle BACK up until it's running again and hook up my timing light only to find that it's decided now is the right time to quit working. I shut everything down and go looking for my Grandpa's old timing light.
We're talking metal chrome, still has the wire attached to the spring that goes into your distributor cap type of timing light here. This thing's been working longer than I have!
Thank you Gramps! They don't make them like they used to.
I get the timing set and decide that 15-minutes before work is PROBABLY enough time to hop in the shower. So I do. Which is good because not only will I not stink at work, but the time away from the truck makes me realize I haven't checked the oil level after I primed the pump.
I did all of the above (probably about 10 minutes of cranking and running in all, with a lot of running around for parts and tools) about a quart and a half low. I overcompensate by accidentally adding in 2 quarts...
meh, I'll get to that later.
I go "full speed navy shower" and I'm back out in the garage in 5-minutes. I'm going to concentrate on 2-things.
1) I've got a small leak at a heater core hose.
Not bad!
It's just a hose clamp, and I'm on to the second thing I was worried aobut:
Congrats, man!!!
Nothing like that feeling in the world when you get something to fire up for the first time...or the first time in a LONG time.
Keep up the good work!
There's a lot of crank venting coming from the forward crank vent on my valve cover
Can you see it?
It actually started a lot smokier when I first started my truck, and is now just clear vapor venting.
This was the vent that was plugged with the bolt. I'm thinking I can see how a chipped ring and this vent being blocked could blow oil out of every seal in the truck.
I plug it with my finger. Aside from being hot, the PCV valve opens and starts venting. Pressure never seems to build under my finger, but I can feel there is positive pressure there. I'm going to leave it at "I'm worried about nothing. I'll block this port, hook up the PCV valve to my intake and all will be fine. If oil DOES start working its way out of gaskets then I'll open it back up and go from there."
But seriously. This baby's starting every time, and idles like a champ. You should hear this open header! Car guys driving by were slowing to look in my garage while giving me that "smile head nod" (not even making that up).
I'll wire up that choke tomorrow (no really, I swear!), for now...
It's time to cue the VICTORY MUSIC!!!!!! (turn it up!)
Dude, im grinning just reading this. Im excited for you.
Targa and Duster: Thanks! Can't wait till after work when I can kick my legs up and grab a beer in celebration (I'll drink one for you too as well)
Tomorrow I hope to get the tires aired up, hood back on, and the choke wired up. Then a full system's check.
I will not drive the truck around the block with the hood still off...
I will not drive the truck around the block with the hood still off...
I will not drive the truck around the block with the hood still off...
I will not drive the truck around the block with the hood still off...
I will not drive the truck around the block with the hood still off...
I will not drive the truck around the block with the hood still off...
I will not drive the truck around the block with the hood still off...
I will not drive the truck around the block with the hood still off...
I will not drive the truck around the block with the hood still off...
I will not drive the truck around the block with the hood still off...
I will not drive the truck around the block with the hood still off...
Pretty sure there is a rule somewhere requiring you to drive around the block with the hood off.
Hungary Bill wrote: I will not drive the truck around the block with the hood still off...
Driving with the hood off on the maiden voyage is the proper scientific procedure. How else will you know the engine is still there and working?
Awesome, congrats! I would definitely drive it around the block with the hood off.
Also you must leave the exhaust off, for all the "car guys" in your neighborhood. Plus this is the only way your wife will be proud of your accomplishment.
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