Last November Tab's son bought a new engine for the Frontier I gave him. It made it to 350,000 miles before one of the lifter journals failed and the rings on the same cylinder either stuck or broke. Between the rattling and oil usage, it was time for a new engine. He gave me the money to get a JDM from Japan. I think it was out of a small van or something. It was a vg33e, but everything was different on the peripherals. Even the front pulley was different along with an adapter for the torque converter. Had to pull the TQ adapter to install the clutch pilot bushing.

I waited for the weather to cool down and Tab's condition to stabilize before taking this on. I told him this is my last engine. I can't do any more.

It took a total of four weekends to complete and I feel it in every last bone in my body.

New engine last November.


Michael and SC prepping the removal.


Dragging the toad out of the hole.


And it's out.


Goodbye old faithful engine.


New Toad goes in the hole.




Success!

Damn, Marzy, I was hoping to see you levering a 454 crate motor or an LS swap into the nose of the 'Vette!

I feel your pain. Some years back, I offered to do an engine swap of a 4.3 V6 in a full-size Chevy for my grandson.

I got as far as getting the hood off and starting on the MAZE of wiring and realized I wasn't up for it. Paid to have a pro do it.

I was thinking of the days of a carbureted 350 when you could yank an engine in half a day. That ship has sailed, along with my tolerance for crawling around on my belly like a snake...

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:
Damn, Marzy, I was hoping to see you levering a 454 crate motor or an LS swap into the nose of the 'Vette!

The 'Vette is gettin an upgrade soon!

SC has a big secret in the works.

There was absolutely nothing I liked about working on the VG engine. A number of times I would see them with a miss on cylinder 6. Five brand new spark plugs, but #6 had never been changed (it can only be done by feel, and it is better to remove the intake plenum, another headache) and was completely worn away. Dirt likes to settle in the plug cavities in the head. This must be cleaned before removing the plugs or the shit will fall in the cylinders.

Used engines (any) are always a crapshoot, unless you know their provenance, i.e., you personally observed the car it came out of and watched it run, but of course you can't. This one turned out OK, but the oil needs to be checked often until established it isn't a burner.

I have a specific tool for #6 and a mirror to get it.

This was a guaranteed 50,000 mile JDM from Japan. Everything had to be swapped over. Even the temp sensor was in the wrong place and it had a totally different knock sensor.

The intakes were squeaky clean.

Bravo! That's a skill set that very few have. Well done!

I miss my Frontier. Tough little truck!