A twist on Previa engine removal

The pickup project has taken a back seat since I suddenly found myself with a third Previa AllTrac that needs a new engine. I'm taking the JDM route and dove in. I used to work a lot on air-cooled VWs, so pulling an engine out from below is a concept I'm comfortable with. But those old VW engines are a lot lighter and easier to deal with than the Previa drivetrain.
Looking over other threads I saw the Harbor Freight lift table in use. Something similar is shown in the FSM, but in the context of a shop with a vehicle lift as well. I went to Harbor Freight and studied the two offerings along that line. One has a 500 lb rating, the other double that. Both are rather tall when collapsed, but the bigger one is REALLY tall, plus it's much more expensive. I figure the smaller of the two is more likely to be something that I could use during the 99.99% of my time that I'm NOT exchanging Previa engines.
Anyway, I pondered the height issue, and came up with a way to avoid having to hoist the car a foot higher than I'm comfortable with. I used the lift table inside to lift the engine from above. Here it is holding the engine up, extended near the upper end of its range with an old nylon tow strap wrapped over it, and under the engine below:
http://www.gizmowizard.com/Toyota/Pr...lift-table.jpg

The strap makes two loops around the engine. On the left, the strap goes down near the oil filler:
http://www.gizmowizard.com/Toyota/Pr...left-strap.jpg

You can see in the picture above that I removed the front two wheels and placed the table on a pair of 2x4 chunks to stabilize it onto the floor/carpet.

And on the right, I removed the header so that the strap wraps around the valve cover:
http://www.gizmowizard.com/Toyota/Pr...ight-strap.jpg

The strap goes above the oil tube:
http://www.gizmowizard.com/Toyota/Pr...nder-strap.jpg

And I put a chunk of 2x4 on top of the lift table to spread the lift points out so that the straps go essentially straight down:
http://www.gizmowizard.com/Toyota/Pr...over-strap.jpg

Next time, I'll take that rubber sheet off of the top, so that it's easier to knock the 2x4 fore and aft to shift lift.

I put my conventional floor jack under the transmission:
http://www.gizmowizard.com/Toyota/Pr...floor-jack.jpg

After hoisting the engine a bit with the lift table, and lowering the trans a ways, it was easy to pull the whole deal back to clear the front motor mounts:
http://www.gizmowizard.com/Toyota/Pr...ngine-back.jpg

I lowered the engine onto a sheet of plywood setting on a pair of maple dowels. The lift table has plenty of range:
http://www.gizmowizard.com/Toyota/Pr...ngine-down.jpg

I set the trans down on another collection of 2x4 chunks which I broke down to get the trans onto one that it could slide on. So then the whole business was easy to roll out on the dowels:

http://www.gizmowizard.com/Toyota/Pr...engine-out.jpg

This trick involves several dowels, of course, moving the ones that roll out to the other side as needed.

Once out in the open, I can manage the lump with a conventional hoist. I found that the engine and trans sit nicely on my ramps.
http://www.gizmowizard.com/Toyota/Pr...gine-trans.jpg

That was today's project. Putting it back in will be another adventure, I'm sure. Stay tuned.

So far the hardest part of this was finding and disconnecting of all of the hoses and wires and such that tie the engine/trans assembly to the body. Whew! Good thing I have another Previa on hand to use as a guide to get it all back together!

Good engineering! I think I need a Previa.
Where will your Jdm engine be from?

Good old back yard engineering! Great job. I love seeing threads like this. Thanks for sharing. Tim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by djshimon

Good engineering! I think I need a Previa.
Where will your Jdm engine be from?

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Of course you do!

I got it the JDM engine from Foreign Engines in Lynnwood. They're just a few miles from me and delivered it to my door for free. It came to $874, with tax.
There's a lot to swap from the two. The manifolds are different, so it's essentially a long block. I plan to change out the front and rear seal and several hoses.
The engine in the van was low in compression, but still ran OK. I'm going to tear it down for a post-mortem, and consider rebuilding it, because, after all, I'm pretty sure there are other Previas in my future!

I've got the engine back in the van now, and started it up last night. I'll start another post soon about my JDM experience.
The reverse of the removal process, with the lift table inside the van, worked OK. It wasn't easy though, and without a friend to help guide me while I lifted the front and rear it would have taken a lot longer. Next time (I hope it's not soon) I'll devise a better way of varying the lift from the left side of the engine to the right, as the lift table/2x4/strap method is lacking in this respect. A better way of lifting and supporting the rear would be nice, too.
All's well that ends well, though. I've just about completed my first Previa engine exchange.

I wrapped up my transplant yesterday and now have a Previa that runs like new again. The engine I removed still ran OK, but was down to 100 psi on one cylinder. The JDM replacement cost me $870, delivered to my door.
I had to swap a lot from my old engine to the new. The manifolds are different (intake, exhaust, and water). The right-hand motor mount bracket, the breather tube, and even the oil filter mount is different (my old one had a relief valve in it, the JDM unit did not). So right off the bat there were several gaskets I needed.
The distributor on the JDM engine was damaged, so I used my old one, with a new O-ring. I replaced both front and rear crankshaft seals, and since the FSM insists that the flex plate bolts be replaced, I did so (10 x $5 each). This seems a little extravagant, but I didn't feel like taking chances here.
Essentially I replaced every rubber part I could, with priority on those that are difficult or impossible to replace when the engine is in the car. I wanted to replace the big O-ring behind the oil pump, but was intimidated by the pattern of big Philips screws that held it on. If I buggered one....
The water pump on my old engine was leaking badly, but it wasn't the pump itself. It was corrosion around the O-rings that seal the pump to the timing cover.
The PVC bits on the JDM engine were brittle as usual, so I replaced them as well even though they are pretty easy any time. I bought a water pump on ebay, and a thermostat from a local parts house, but bought the rest online from from an OEM source. The total for the list below comes to about $190.
12261-76010 PCV hose
12204-15022 PVC valve
90480-18001 PCV Grommet
17173-76010 Exhaust manifold gasket
17177-76011 intake manifold gasket
16341-76010 Water manifold gasket
90099-14091 Distributor O-ring
90311-88003 Rear Seal
90105-10276 flex plate bolts (BOLT, WASHER BASED H)
90311-48014 Front seal
12255-76010 Oil breather gasket
15692-76010 Oil filter housing gasket (a little "8" shaped O-ring kinda thing)
90917-06039 exhaust header port rings (two of 'em)
16101-76030 water pump (cam with the three O-ring seals it needs)
thermostat and seal

In keeping with my distrust of old rubber parts, I replaced all of the little water hoses that feed the EGR and IAC gizmos. The heater hose that connects to the engine was pretty dodgy, too, so I replace that as well. The total here came to $51:
16261-76030 HOSE, WATER BY-PASS
16264-76011 HOSE, WATER BY-PASS, NO.2 was 16264-76010
16267-76010 HOSE, WATER BY-PASS, NO.3
16281-76010 HOSE, WATER BY-PASS, NO.4
99555-10100 HOSE, WATER BY-PASS, NO.6
87245-95D31 hose, water (heater)
90460-28001 Heater hose clamp

One of the rear mounts that that the transmission hangs from was sheared completely through. I figured that the other wasn't far behind, and bit the bullet and replaced the front mounts as well. Each one is around $55, so this was a big chunk.
I bashed the coolant temperature sensor while maneuvering the engine into place. Oops! Lesson learned: Leave this one off until l the engine is in. This was the only part I drove to my local Toyota dealer to get, and this goof cost me $70. Altogether, the following list of whatthell and ohs@#t parts came to another $300.

12371-76041 INSULATOR, ENGINE MOUNTING, REAR NO.1
12372-76011 INSULATOR, ENGINE MOUNTING, REAR NO.2
12361-76042 right motor mount
12362-76012 left motor mount
89422-20010 Engine coolant temperature sensor

So my costs beyond the engine itself came to around $580. With the engine, the grand total is around $1450.
Compression measurements of the new engine: 180 - 190 - 190 - 190. Purrs like a kitten, so I'm happy.

Someday I hope to tear down the engine I removed and decide if it's salvageable. If so, I'll rebuild it and compare the overall cost of doing so to that $870 JDM unit.
I'm confident that the JDM engine has a lot of life in it, but it isn't new. And the ports and valves are black and rather crusty looking, as if it ran rich all the time or something. I've heard that it's typical for cars in Japan to spend most of their running time sitting in traffic, where a mile produces much more wear an tear than on an American highway. The JDM route is the most expedient way to get a van back on the road, but I wonder if it's really the best way to go if you have the time and resources to do a rebuild.

Great Job man !! I am setting here buying some things to restore my previa ,so I needed the inspiration . I sold my Sienna this week and the guy asked me why I was keeping the older van ......I just said "I like em " .You did ALOT of work to your ride but think of all the people out there paying a huge car note every month .I am sure this list of what you did will help us all in the future as well . I am at 165k miles on my engine and feel good about it for now.
I fixed a muffler leak, the valve cover gasket and distributor O ring and will probably do the brakes ,rotors , shocks & struts next.

Good work and thanks for the details :clap::yes:

Thank you for posting. This is a great resource for anybody else contemplating this job. At one point I had ordered an engine & transmission for my All-Trac Previa that was going to cost a little over $1,200. After waiting 6 months I ended up investing money/time in my existing engine (that solved the immediate problem). I still have a vibration in my torque converter, but it's mild & doesn't seem to be getting worse. The Japanese engine place eventually called me saying everything was in. It surprised me actually as I figured they had blown me off. I asked if I was still obligated to follow through they said no. At some point I may look into this again, but for now I'm going to try and get more miles out of my existing set-up. I have a little over 180k hard miles on mine. Tim

PS: I merged your threads as I thought it was better to keep the swap and your summery together (easier to find both this way).

I will be attempting this soon. I was wondering if you think its possible to do it without the lifting table and perhaps a good floor jack inside the van as you did it. or even a chain hoist to lower it down from the inside. it seems safer and easier to have the engine weight hanging from something opposed to balanced on top of something. i think im going to try it with a big floor jack lowering it down from the inside and a jack under the trans. ive never done a previa engine and honestly it scares me right now.

Your comment about "hanging" instead of "balancing" is the essence of my thinking leading up to what I did. It's easy to get the seats out, and there's a lot of room to work with inside the van.
I suppose that had I had two floor jacks I might have tried that instead of investing in the lift table. I didn't, so instead of buying a second floor jack I bought something I didn't already have. I have yet to use that lift table for something else, or stash it where it isn't in my way.
Whatever you use needs to have a decent range of motion. Of course, you could lower the engine onto a stack of blocks, readjust your jack/straps and go again to get it to the ground. Clearly there are any number of ways to skin this cat.
As I described, getting the engine in was more difficult than getting it out. Next time I'll devise a better way of bringing up the right more than the left, or vice versa. So you need to keep that in mind as you contrive whatever contraption you can to do the job.
Don't be scared! Just don't get into a hurry. Rushing is likely to cause damage to your van or -much worse- yourself.
And if you are contemplating this project, I guess you have a dead van. You can't do it much damage!

When I did mine I lifted it high and then used a chunk of wood (2 X 12 I think) under the engine/transmission assy. I ran a couple of adjustable straps across the bottom of the board (one front and one back) and attached them to both sides under the Previa. Then I used my Jack under the board and adjusted straps/jack in small increments until I met my objective. It was a bit time consuming but very manageable. The straps would hold it in place while I adjusted jack positions. The straps were also insurance in case things got unstable. I removed and installed engine/transmission using this technique.

The limiting factor with my method is equipment. You will need a big jack and some pretty large jack stands to hold the van this high.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/timsrv/23.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/timsrv/22.jpg

If you don't have a big jack, here's an alternate way to lift :LOL2:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps0487781d.jpg

It looks bad but I put some thought into it. What you can't see are brackets I bolted to the tractor bucket that contact the frame right behind the tie down loops. No Previas were harmed in the filming of this job :roflmao:.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...pse5dc2bb3.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psa2d6fd6c.jpg

I bet you the JDM motor you got is a 2TZ-FZE... the intake and exhaust manifolds are completely different, as are various other parts.... after looking through the JDM and USDM Toyota parts catalogs, I confirmed that the intake and exhaust manifolds of the 2TZ-FE are the same between markets, and the 2TZ-FZE intake and exhaust manifolds are the same for both markets respectively... so I really think you have the wrong engine in your van, but other than lower compression and different cams, you do have a stronger engine

I have seen shops do the JDM motor replacement on Previas before and never have I heard/seen of any intake and exhaust manifold differences

so if i get my previa that high in the air and i get a jdm engine, what parts should i change out while i have the oppourtunity.

That will depend on condition of things. When the SADS is separated from the engine you should check the rubber bushings and replace the flex couplers if needed. Also check the engine mounts & replace if separated or torn. You will need an exhaust gasket & if the JDM engine comes without intake manifold you'll need an intake gasket too. Plan on all the basic tune-up stuff like plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor. Might as well throw a valve cover gasket on it while you're there.

There will likely be other things to do but I'd wait until you get it on stands to determine what it needs. Tim

also just a general rule of thumb for any used engine for any car... if you see rust in the water outlets of the engine.... walk away... engine is going to be full of rust and gunk inside... if you ended up with the engine because you bought it without seeing it first, then you may want to flush the engine and replace the water pump, thermostat, and perhaps even the freeze plugs.... it is very hard to replace many of the freeze plugs of the previa's engine... I've seen one leak once on someone's 95... it wasn't pretty

Great info!! thanks OP

Quote:

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If you don't have a big jack, here's an alternate way to lift :LOL2:

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lol Tim

Man-
Nope, it's a 2TZ-FE. The exhaust header had no heat shield, and the intake manifold was lacking a few ports for sensors and such. I imagine it's from a country where pollution regs differ.
There was nothing wrong with the manifolds on my old engine, so I renewed the gaskets and was ready to roll.
The engine still runs smooth, gets the mileage would expect, works with the computer and other hardware that were mated to the old engine, etc.

perhaps the engine came from the narrow bodied emina/lucida? Just skimming through the major components I looked at, the manifolds were the same part numbers between the estima and previa

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TheMAN

perhaps the engine came from the narrow bodied emina/lucida? Just skimming through the major components I looked at, the manifolds were the same part numbers between the estima and previa

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I'm starting my swap out this week, purchased my engine from Matko engines in CA for 700 shipped to my house. It looks barely used, dipstick and oil cap show signs of low mileage and no burn't oil smell.
Question
I have the same heavy duty jack stands but did you happen to measure how high you lifted the car? I'm not sure my garage is tall enough. :)
thanks Donny

I had my jack stands on the tallest setting (30"). Of course if you do that you'll need a way to get the van that high. Depending on your equipment this can be a bit risky. pdgizwiz's way would be safer. Tim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by timsrv

If you don't have a big jack, here's an alternate way to lift

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That is brilliant!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by timsrv

I had my jack stands on the tallest setting (30"). Of course if you do that you'll need a way to get the van that high. Depending on your equipment this can be a bit risky. pdgizwiz's way would be safer. Tim

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Thanks!
ill back up the stands with blocks and house jacks for sure. I've got a neighbor with a tranny jack I can use as well. I'm looking forward to turning this baby over once it's in.

Donny

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pdgizwiz

Of course you do!

I got it the JDM engine from Foreign Engines in Lynnwood. They're just a few miles from me and delivered it to my door for free. It came to $874, with tax.
There's a lot to swap from the two. The manifolds are different, so it's essentially a long block. I plan to change out the front and rear seal and several hoses.
The engine in the van was low in compression, but still ran OK. I'm going to tear it down for a post-mortem, and consider rebuilding it, because, after all, I'm pretty sure there are other Previas in my future!

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Hey...fabulous post! This trick/procedure helped me immensely! The only thing I did differently was use a pair of ratcheting cargo/tiedown straps instead which made for a little better micro-adjusting. I also had to take the manual shifter out from between the front seats.

I have a 92 Altrac with 5 speed manual and developed a cracked head complete with blowing white smoke. I ignorantly followed the Haynes shop manual in my attempt to remove the head hoping it would be a relatively simple procedure only to have almost completely disassembled the entire engine. I was also hoping it was just a cracked head casket.....but NO! After learning there was a major short cut to removing the head I decided I was only a few bolts away from just rebuilding the engine. I have a few questions if you don't mind:cnfsd:

First, do you have any pix or other info as to your JDM reinstall utilizing the scissors lift, etc? I'm guessing it's better to reattach the tranny and transfer case outside the vehicle rather than after the engine is reinstalled? Did you eventually rebuild the engine you replaced with the JDM motor? If so, what tech data did you all use? Do you know of any u-tube or similar videos pertaining to rebuilding this particular engine? What do you feel is the best shop manual for rebuilding such as the official Toyota or Chiltons manuals? Or maybe other possible references with tips?

If you can share any other advise it would be greatly appreciated! Thanx a million and happy Previa motoring!

John in the Rockies

John in the Rockies
I'm glad that my post helped you out!
I've done several swaps at this point and yes, I rebuilt the engine I removed from the van that got the JDM engine. The only manual I have is the Toyota service manual. I have had Chiltons and Haynes manuals for other cars and with the Toyota FSM I've never seen the need for another. The FSM isn't perfect - some details are glossed over and I've encountered a few outright errors, but overall, I find it indispensable.
I've revised my removal replacement process since I wrote this post. For one thing, I built a simple 2x4 structure to set the lift table on.
Attachment 3155
Basically it's three four-foot chunks of 2x4 that were laying around tied to each other with a pair of old door hinges. Blocking the ends up provides a stable platform for the lift to sit on.
I have also tried pulling the transmission first before dropping the engine. I use a cheap and simple transmission jack I got from HF. The main advantage to this approach is that the engine has to be tilted back to remove/install it, and without the trans attached you don't need as much overall lift on the van itself.
The "micro-adjust" feature you describe is critical, too! I admit I haven't mastered an approach to this that I like well enough to share, and have taken out more temperature sensors than I want to remember!
I've rebuilt other engines, from air-cooled VWs to BMW, and at some level they're all the same. You need enough in the way of tools to assess wear, and you need to be able to source new parts to replace the worn-out ones. I farm out machine work to a competent auto machine shop - they have equipment I'll never have.
The first engine Previa engine I went through wound up having a warped head. I swapped it with another, which otherwise only needed cleaning, facing, and new guide seals. All that I let the shop do.
Of the three Previa engines I've had apart thus far, only one had enough cylinder wear to needed boring. The other two just needed a quick honing, new rings, and a thorough cleaning of the pistons. I think I described that in another post.
As to the lower end, I have yet to find an un-usable crank or connecting rod. Every crank has measured within spec. I don't use bearing shells supplied in a set, but instead get OEM shells with codes to match what the engine was built with, using the codes marked on the rods and block as described in the FSM. This costs a fair amount more, and may be entirely unnecessary, but it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.
I also have yet to find a worn-out camshaft. Good thing, because I expect I'd need to find a used head to get a replacement economically. If the valves need to be ground, you must go through the shimming routine, whereas otherwise it's just a good idea.
I have yet to come across any of the metal timing parts that are worn to the point of needing replacement. The plastic guides always do, though. The aftermarket guides I purchased off Ebay the first two times were fine, but the third time they were so wonky I ponied up and bought OEM. More money, more confidence.

Your method is really a clever way to do this. Much better than the scary looking balancing acts I've Seen others try. I intend to swap my engine when my financials are in better shape. I have been thinking about ways to do this job for a while now, and I have decided based my current tools I am going to go with the FSM method with a slight twist. Once the engine is ready to be dropped, I am going to lower the VAN to the tires, and place the jack, or whatever equipment I will have then, under the Motor. I will then lift the van until the engine can clear the van. I think this method will work best for me since I don't have to go through as much stress lowering the engine from a raised vehicle, but raise the van instead, which I have done plenty of times. I will take plenty of pictures and post here later.

EXCELLENT! Thanx for the info and tips.....I'm much more encouraged to take this rebuild project on by myself! Unfortunately I just recently had right shoulder cuff surgery from a skiing accident on Pike's Peak. So it'll be awhile before i can get to this project but in the meantime I'll be amassing all the parts, etc, et al, to include an official Toyota shop manual. It would be real nice if there was a U-tube vid or the like showing a step-by-step process...it would be like a paint by numbers picture. You get a nice looking pix by a non-artist :thmbup: Anyway, I guess I'll be shopping around online for a shop manual. I already got a rebuilt head from a place in Texas thru e-bay for a mere $297. including shipping. They wanted the cracked head back for parts I guess. I agree taking the block to a good local auto machine shop is a good call as I don't have all those precision tools either. Do you know of a great resource for a Toy shop manual? How about the timing chain and I think oil pump chain in the front end along with glide rails....should all those be replaced after 265K miles do you think?

It's great there's people like you that are out there to help and willing to do so! Next time you're in the Colo Spgs/Pike's Peak area I'll take you out for a steak dinner.

John in the Rockies

John-
Ebay's the place for your manual. Here's one.
None of the metal timing parts or oil pump I've dissected have shown any significant wear. The manual describes how to evaluate the chain and sprockets. Replacing them with OEM parts 'just because' would be crazy expensive, and with no-name aftermarkets crazy risky. I just clean them up and put them back in the engine where they came from. I think the lubrication systems on these engines are bulletproof. But twenty years and a quarter-million miles take a toll on anything made of recycled dinosaurs. Seals, O-rings, etc., all get replaced. And clean, clean, clean.
I drove up Pike's Peak once in my bug. I could hardly breathe up there but the bug did fine. I think I advanced the timing a bit part way up...
Attachment 3174

Thank you so much pdgizwiz, and everyone else, for posting your project and progress. My '95 SC overheated one too many times and "blew" the head gasket. I had a JDM delivered yesterday from Lynnwood. Seems their prices have lowered; mine was delivered for like $745 after taxes. I haven't decided which method to take for removal yet. Van is in garage ready to be lifted and attacked. I figure I'll try and squeeze a camera in and the engine to take pics to refer back to as to where some of hoses, sensors, etc are attached. One question I still have after reading the thread is whether the USDM manifolds are going to work with the JDM? It seems they do after reading the entire thread. I'm also curious which Toyota manual is best to have on hand? TIA.

I just spent $700 on Toyota Previa parts myself. I am going to replace the old engine with a JDM. I will take pictures and report here in a month or two. I plan to begin the project after New Years.

Hey Tim. I'm getting ready to swap my engine out also. My question is, what did you wrap the straps around on the Previa? The frame rails are not an option since they are coated with rubberized coating. I am not sure what to wrap the ties downs around front and back. Thanks

Good question. Too many years ago for me to remember. I did the job and made the original write-up on TVP (now defunct) back in 2009, then copy/pasted it here in 2014. All I can tell you now is there wasn't any issues finding easy spots to hook these up to. If it had been a PITA I'm sure I would recall that. Good luck. Tim

I am about to replace the motor in my 1995 S/C Alltrac it has 250,000 and just blew the head gasket. I have a motor from a donor van sitting in my garage with 141,000 miles and it ran real well. I am dreading this job but was wondering if it would be smart to replace the head gasket on the donor motor before I put it in or just put it in an run it. I am a little nervous about pulling head off but also don't want to do two motor swaps if there is a good chance this one is gonna go out in next 50k or so. Motor hasn't been run in about two years but was fogged.

Updates?

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Originally Posted by Vanyz

Updates?

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Finished van on Saturday. Ended up pulling head and all other gaskets inc valve stem seals. Runs good was a lot easier then I expected. Most things are actually quite easy to get to. Am kinda bummed also put the low mileage tranny and transfer case in. When I drained transfer case two small BB's came out. No other metal shavings and no abnormal sounds so just gonna drive it. Also gonna save my other tcase