arevee87

OK you got my curiousity up enough that I went out with micrometer and thread gauge in hand, in the rain mind you, (oh life is rough) and measured my 1990 and yes you are correct 14mmx1.5 thread pitch. Sorry no cigar. It got wet in the rain. Hope this helps any way. Arevee87

As long as everything engine electrical, mechanical and smog equipmentwise is working Toyotas pass smog tests with flying colors. I was a smog tech for more years that I care to remember in the San Jose area and a mild cam like the RV cam would not even be detectible. Most RV's won't fit on the smog dynos in the enhanced areas so they get tested the old fashioned way with a two speed idle test. I remember testing a late 80's Sunrader with a 22RE, The owner told me that she really liked her new RV camshaft. It passed fine. Now my disclaimer is that I have been out of the game since 2006 and I haven't kept up with any changes since. Nowadays here in rural OR its more like smog? smog? seems to me that I've heard that somewhere before, hmm, may have to look that up in the dictionary. THANKS to everybody who replied to me. Arevee87

Hi ILIA I didn't do any before and after mileage comparisions, but I haven't noticed any change on trips from Oregon to central California. I still make it to the same town to refuel with about the same amount of gas in the tank. I mostly keep it at 55-60mph on the highway, but its nice to feel that extra little "kick in the pants" when taking off from a stop. Thanks for responding Arevee87

Thanks for the reply. I will contact northwestoffroad and see what they have. I have contacted engbldr.com and got a favorable response there too. Installing a 3.4L would pretty much require a donor vehicle as it has distributorless ignition and speed signals from the trans. and speedo head requiring the 3.4L harnesses and ECU. A tempting thought. With the head gasket and valve "tuliping" issues that the 3.0L has it's not one of my favorite Toyota engines, but with too many other projects waiting I need to button this one up. I'm hoping that MLS head gaskets, stainless valves, Downey headers and conservative driving will do the trick. Thanks again Arevee87

Thanks for the reply wickerman. Sorry I took so long to write this. I have been away for a while. I talked to Tod at engine builder. He said that they can regrind the stock cams and reharden them. Mine are pitted and unuseable. For now I decided to go with a new pair of cams from Japan Engine in San Leandro CA. I also just found a good used pair at a local dismantler and will get them as soon as the rain stops (Oregon) and have them reground. Thanks for the tip!!! Arevee87

I saw an ad claming to get 190hp out of a Toyota 3VZE 3.0L V6 with RV cams. Now I'm not necessarily sold on their claimed numbers, but an RV cam did increase bottom end torque on my 22RE and since I am rebuilding my 3VZE and installing headders I thought this would be a good time to put in some low end torque cams. I called the engine seller. It turned out to be a machine shop in the Portland OR area, and asked "do you sell the cams seperately?" Answer: "No". Do you make the cams on site? Answer: "No". Can you give me the name of the supplier? Answer: "No because they are a competitor." Huh? If you won't sell the product seperately how can they be a competitor? Answer: "Sorry". Sooo does anyone out there know of a supplier of say 260-268 duration and about .420"- .430" lift with around 40-43 overlap in other words RV cams for the 3VZE V6??? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Hi evereste I'm new to this too so I hope I'm doing this right. Sorry if I goof up. If your parking brake is too loose and no one has changed the adjustment on the cable you should adjust the brake shoes first. This will usually take care of the parking brake assuming all else is status quo. It is of course always a good idea to pull off the brake drums, wipe out any dust with a damp throw away rag or use brake cleaner while wearing a particulate mask, and check the thickness of your brake linings and for any lip on the inner edge of your brake drums. Toyota says if you are down to 1mm its time for turning the drums and new shoes. On the small trucks I've seen the rear shoes go anywhere from 60K to over 100K depending on braking habbits. On the motorhomes with all of that weight I don't know how far they will go, but I suspect its alot less. I just bought an '87 Dolphin with 52K and the previous owner had already replaced the rear brakes, so maybe you can use that for some comparison.To adjust the brake shoes you turn a star wheel at the bottom of the brake assembly. You can do this with your fingers while you have the brake drum off or you can turn with a special tool or a flat screwdriver through the backing plate slot after removing the oblong rubber plug. Keep testing the shoe to drum clearance as you adjust. If after all of this you still need to adjust the parking brake cable you will see a cable coming from each rear wheel. Follow the cables forward until they meet a threaded rod which is attatched to a lever and another cable going up front. With the parking brake cmpletely off run the nut on the threaded rod forward until the park brake handle pulls tight at about half travel (turn test turn test). The adjustment nut has a little hump built into it that will keep it from turning after you're done. Remember if someone has tightened the P/cable before without adjusting the shoes first you may actually have to loosen the cable after or as the shoes are being properly adjusted. Hope this helps AREVEE87

Yeah I will probably end up with 15" wheels and lower profile tires asumming that I can find anything at all that will work. By the way a correction to my previous post... my wheels are drilled out to a 185mm circle not 85mm as previously stated. Thanks to all for your inputs Arevee87

Thanks for the tip on the GM dually aloy wheels. Mine on the Toyota are actually drilled out in an 85mm (about 7.25") lug circle, but that gives me a starting point. Maybe I can redrill out a set to fit the Toy. Thats how I mounted a set of '81 Camaro SS wheels to my '91 2WD Toy truck. I will let you know what happens. Arevee87

Thanks for your input Bodybagger, but my intention wasn't to get talked out of the alloy wheels idea. I know what my toyota trucks felt like before and after alloy wheels. They accelrate faster and don't bounce as much over bumps due to the greater inertia of the heavier steel wheels jerking the suspension and therefore the whole vehicle up & down. You are right about the vehicle to wheel weight ratio, but ten or so extra pounds per wheel jerking around and tearing at the suspension components is still the same weather its a large or small truck. My wife's camry (with alloy wheels) rides over pot holes silky smooth, but that doesn't make the pot holes any smaller or the wear and tear on the suspension components any less. As for the radio antenna that and a whole lot more is going to be addressed over the next year as the dolphin has sustained a lot of water damage and will be getting a floor up rebuild including a more aerodynamic nose up top and a lighter more efficient interior. I'm really into this "light" thing. I guess it comes from riding bicycles and being the engine I can really feel the difference between pumping a light or heavy bike up a hill therefore I conclude that less mass equals less gas. AREVEE

Hi I'm new to this so sorry in advance for any screw-ups. I recently purchased an '87 Dolphin and thought that it would be really cool, not to mention reduced unsprung weight and rotating mass, if the heavy steel wheels could be replaced with lighter alloy wheels. Does anyone out there know of any manufacturer or supplier of daully wheels for the Toyota cab-chassis/motorhome? THANKS in advance for any info. AREVEE