3TC engine refresh

The rod journals all measured 1.888 which is within spec. The tops of the rod bearings show some wear.

The main bearing journals all measured 2.283 which is within spec. The #1,2&4 main bearings did not show any wear to speak of. The #3 center main bearing which is also the thrust bearing showed some wear along the front edge. The #5 rear main bearing showed some wear along the back edge. I will replace all of the rod and main bearings.

The camshaft may have been reground. A little hard to measure the lobes. Spec from the bottom of the lobe to the top is 1.508 for intakes and 1.504 for exhaust. All of the intakes measured 1.531 using both a mic and a dial caliper. The exhaust lobes measured from 1.506 to 1.511. I was getting different measurements on each exhaust lobe with no consistency. I also measured the lift on the lobes. Put the cam between centers on the lathe. The exhaust lift was .254 and the intake was .247. Spec is .254 for both intake and exhaust. There was .001 run out on the center bearing which is within spec. No visible wear to speak of on the cam lobes or journals. I may replace the cam. Big expense. Been told that I can't buy a new cam from Toyota. Have to send my cam out to be reground.

Can only see the front cam bearing. It looks ok. Has a couple of scratches from whoever put the cam in last but no visible wear to speak of. Takes a special tool to install the cam bearings. I am going to leave the cam bearings. I seriously doubt that any of the bearings will wear out as long as I am able to drive this car.

I am going to replace the valve springs in the cylinder head. I don't have a spring compressor. I will have to get one. Have not checked anything on the head.

All in all I think that the engine was in pretty good shape with no major problems.
 
Just got off the phone with Brian at BRD racing. Great guy. In the 40 years that he has been working on these engines he has never seen one where the lifter hit the bottom of the cylinder head. Had no idea how that could have happened because of the distance from the top of the lifter at its highest point to the bottom of the head. Told me to get all my gaskets from O'Rielly's. That's where they get their gaskets. Can't get stock valve springs right now and advised against using heavy racing valve springs in a basic stock motor with stock push rods. Told me to check the push rods to see if they are straight. Even the one that is chewed up will still be strong enough in a stock motor as long as it is straight and not bent. My cam is a stock Toyota cam. The differences I found from stock are most likely just how the person at Toyota ground the cam because the lift is stock lift on the exhaust and .007 shorter on the intake won't effect the performance of the engine.

One thing that he told me I had to do was take the rocker arm assembly completely apart and clean it. The tolerances are so tight that even a small amount of grit will lock up a rocker arm. This afternoon's project.

I might have trouble finding bearings right now. Everybody is out of stock on bearings back in NC where his shop is.

Things are looking up.
 
That is good news!
 
Been searching all over for the parts. Ended up getting everything except for the gasket set on Ebay. Even found a new old stock set of valve springs. Got a full gasket set from Autozone. Still have to get a valve spring compressor and probably new seals for the valves. Won't know about the head until I get the valves out. The block should be all back together by the end of next week. I have some welding to do that I will get done while I am waiting for the engine parts to arrive.

Still lots to do before I can drive it. Getting the engine done is the big step and it will be down hill from there.
 
Need to get a Weber 32/36 carb About a $20 price difference between manual choke verses electric choke. I have no experience with these carbs. I am thinking about going with the manual choke. And then there is the original weber now made in Spain verses the Chinese copy.

Anybody have any experience with these carbs?
 
I had a Weber 32/36 on my VDdub. Went with electric choke because of the rear engine location precluded a manual choke.
 
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Tractor engines are not meant to be wound very tight, and that is basically what those, and most other early British sports car engines were. Valve springs are most likely shot also. Sounds like a complete top end build is in order. Cheers, Mike
 
David was your Weber the Chinese copy or the Weber made in Spain?

Mike the engine I am refreshing is a 1982 Toyota 3TC. The original British engine in my car was frozen solid with rust and was scrapped.
 
David was your Weber the Chinese copy or the Weber made in Spain?

Mike the engine I am refreshing is a 1982 Toyota 3TC. The original British engine in my car was frozen solid with rust and was scrapped.
It must have been Spanish if I recall correctly.
 
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