mtdave2 Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 wow, this was an issue i was NOT expecting! I had every expectation to take my drive line with measurements to the drive line shop then pick it up in a day or two. HHAHA! you say. Here is the issue you face. First photo is the tail shaft of the Lexus trany. it is the odd doughnut pos fitting. NO drive line shop I called could get the fitting to weld to the shaft, then if they could, they had no way to mount it to their balance machine. took a few days of searching but there are a few options, the first is the rebuild the trany with new shaft. no. second is apparently you can convert the shaft, read that as cut off the extra pilot bit, and use a different tail housing. um...don't want to do that one. the trany is mounted in the RV\ I searched for an adapter, I could see what it would look like, but could not find a tail shaft adapter. I finally ran into a differential adapter. I was looking on the wrong end of the drive line! so, you mount this 1 inch metal disk to the tail shaft, then have the drive line shop make up a drive line with the standard rear fitting on the front. Then to the carrier. I am having them convert my rear shaft to the style they currently use on toyota, a rear shaft that has a slip join built into it. soooo im hoping this one works. man, i am tired of all these issues! i wana drive this bad boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 oh btw $150 part. ouch! but I was going tomorrow to a fab shop to have them make one, so i probably saved money this way. i need a metal lathe. I could do this. humm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Building a proto type is not a easy thing. If GM or Toyota was doing this, they would have hordes of engineers backed up with rooms full of computers to accomplish what you have. Over looking one little fixable glitch, no big deal. Jim SW FL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted June 5, 2015 Author Share Posted June 5, 2015 True Jjrbus, just getting worn out. this is one hell of a project. I could do another in 1/3 the time and cost, with out many head aches. the first go is always a learning curve. I have enjoyed the heck out of doing it, I just am out of time. Need to get this thing buttoned up! Drive line should be done tomorrow and if it is, Saturday will be a test drive. and perhaps I can get the exhaust put on? if not then, then next week. lots of little things to do, mostly wiring. only thing left that will requires fab work will be getting the hood to close all the way, im about 1/4 inch too tall on the radiator cap. so that should be an easy fix. im hoping i can start driving it to work next week! that will be cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 well, I am driving it. have my makeshift exhaust on that scrapes the ground on the slightest of uneven road. It lives! I drove it to the exhaust shop for a proper exhaust. They put it up on a lift and as i stood there looking up at all the work i did, I could not help but think Man i wish I had a lift. Bolts that I struggled with laying on my back in the drive way were all to easy to see and get to. I WILL have a lift, this year. I'm too old to be rolling around on the ground in the weather! so here is what is left. Waiting on an adapter for my fan sensor. Found a m20-1.5 to 3/8 npt adapter! will save lots of work. currently the fan is on a toggle switch. need to install the lexus fuel sender (and maybe pump, a new pump for sure) will have to drop the tank, so all the work that goes with that! any input on that part? im all ears. This will get my fuel gauge working speedo. probably the most difficult thing to do. I am trying to wrap my head around how it works. Apparently, the ABS./ trac control cpu sends the speed signal to the engine cpu. then the engine cpu sends it to the dash and runs the speedo. So. im not sure if i can wire up the abs cpu to work. so here is a question: Does a 95 dolphin have a speed sensor in any of the wheels or axle? That is what im looking into tonight. If it does, I am hoping I can hook it into all 4 inputs of the ABS cpu add power, and any other wires it may need to fool it into sending a signal to the engine cpu. There is a speed sensor, 2 actually, on the lexus trany but they are getting no power. I am guessing the cpu need input from the abs to turn on the sensor. ???? im just guessing, but I will figure this out! shoot me now. when the speed sensor is working, I am guessing the shifting will be better and the od will lock. other stuff, wires here and there, and reassemble the dash. The worst news, I think I may have a bad torque converter. major bummer. I have a strange noise now and then that sounds awfully a lot like a t converter. So i'm wraping my head around what I will have to do if that is the case. It is drive-able, and seems to shift ok just at the wrong times due to speed sensor. I really do not want to pull the motor again, but the lord knows i know how to do it quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 here is something very odd with the 1uzfe motor. The thermostat housing has a hose connected to it, not to the radiator but to a PRESSURIZED overflow tank. The lexus radiator does not have a radiator cap, it uses the overflow. so, one is faced with dealing with this! I thought this was a thermo vacuum switch at first, but soon found out it was not! the fix is to find a friend with a tig welder, yank the fitting out and weld that sob! all is well now, but wow talk about a curve ball .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 just cuz. here is the first move under its own power. you can hear the rattle when i start it, that is one of the noises that have me thinking torque converter issues. but hey it moves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 one more. I am guessing you all are wondering about power? keep in mind it is not running at it's top yet. no rear o2 sensors, messed up exhaust, and a few other factors. that said, I am already happy with what I have seen. There is a hill next to my house and I drove up it yesterday, put my foot in it a bit half way up and the sucker accelerated up hill. With the v6 when I did that, the motor said "huh"? and did nothing. so that is a win. In the drive way i was trying to diagnose the noise issue so I was power breaking it with the brake pedal to the floor. It slid the locked front wheels forward until i eased up on the gas, I almost thought the rear wheels spun! will be awesome to see what this does after i get a few more things taken care of. my measure of success, 65 mph up the pass on i70 west of Denver. It is looking like it will do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted June 27, 2015 Author Share Posted June 27, 2015 got the bumper powdercoated and mounted. looks good i think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaFred Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 Looks Awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted June 27, 2015 Author Share Posted June 27, 2015 I ended up removing the fuel sending unit out of the lexus and put it into the toyota tank. that did require welding on the tank. ugh. did not like it but I took all sorts of percussion and welded the thing full of water. turned out well. While I had the tank out i figured why no do all the maintenance i could. so, it got a new lexus pump, that removes my concern of the old pump keeping up. I also coated the inside of the tank to prevent rust. all new hoses and some paint too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 So if you subtract the time you spent on self inflicted problems, instrument panel and such, how long would it take to install the next Lexus in another Toy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted June 27, 2015 Author Share Posted June 27, 2015 well, ill try and figure it giving a bit of cushion. take old motor out, and motor out of lexus (2 days) Prep engine bay( run braided fuel line, move bits here and there, relocate battery, replace freaking heater hoses while its easy! (2 days) engine prep. modify pan, exhaust manifolds, egr pipe, remove ac, remote oil filter! weld thermostat housing (4 days) motor mounts and trany mount. (1 day) put motor and trany in and bolt down (1 day) connect all the mechanical stuff in engine bay and install radiator/fan (I need to find a cheap stock radiator out of something the fits) (3 days) wiring, if it the same year range as mine and I can use my master sheet, no dash stuff, (4 days?) drive line and cable speedo conversion, (if i had this figured out already, (1 day) exhaust have it done, 2 days it took the guy fixing little stuff (3 days) so what is that 3 weeks? that is if all the parts where there and time was spent actually working! so, in weekends and after work time that would be 2 or 3 months? I would like to do this again, but Id like to try one with a 5 speed in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Lets see 3 weeks 5.5 days a week = 16.5 days x 8 hr a day = 132 hr x $50 hourly shop rate(really cheap) = $6,600. hum maybe going a mountain grade at 24mph has its merits. Good luck with all the fiddly stuff left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 lol true, One guy i found that would do the swap wanted 8k to do it, now looking at it that was probably a good deal! I did learn all sorts of cool stuff, became a decent electrician, and I now know every single wire and bolt in my RV from the dash forward! I also fell in love with lexus motors, these things are just awesome. I am sure I will put one in something else, hopefully something with a bigger engine bay. still glad I did it, if i can just get this speedo issue worked out. I think i may have shorted my dash, I have check and rechecked, there is no reason I should have voltage in the spdm wire! so i have ordered another dash, here is hoping it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Well no one has ever accused Hot Rod owners or Toyota MH owners of being practical. You have got a foot in each world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 well after weeks of rechecking my work, and checking again, and staring at the wiring diagrams i finally figured out why my speedo didn't work. one of the wires from the speed sensor (one I had measured 3 times with an ohms meter and was ok) had a break someplace. didn't find where, I just ran new wires and boom, speedo worked. nothing harder to find that something that is sorta broke, sometimes, kinda, but enough to make the component not work. ugh good news, i am now THOROUGHLY familiar with the speedo circuit on a ls400 next issue, why the fuel gauge doesn't work. and t-converter. think it is toast. out comes the engine again I fear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 well have the thing drivable enough to take it out and step on it a bit, even drove it up Floyd hill west of Denver. It did rather well going up power wise, it will do 65 up the hill in 3rd gear! coming down was more impressive to me, 3rd gear would hold the speed at 65 and in many steep place even slow it down! supper happy with that. now all this was unloaded with 1/2 tank of fresh water. down side, I have a heat problem as i was fearing. Above 35 or so with the motor working hard the temp climbs. When I pull over it drops back to normal in a minute or so. if i work the motor below 35 it is fine. so i have an air flow problem. That big behind motor plugs all the area for the air to pass though and out. I did make some shims and prop the back of the hood up 1-1/2 or so. was a little better but same prob. Tomorrow i plan on removing the hood and trying again. I taped little pieces of string all over the hood, windows and other places so I will see how the air is flowing, I will take a video, should be interesting. more bad news, the trany that i took a chance on isn't going to work. I had a noise that i suspected was the T-converter, not totally sure. I got a fault code saying one of my shift solenoids has a electrical issue. usually means metal has shorted the thing. i pulled off the filter that i have for the trans and dumped it in a clean tub, sure enough some large meal flakes. sigh. So im looking for a good trany again. ugh. my luck with autos has always sucked. thinking i shoulda put i 5 speed in it. there are several little things that I want to address and it will be much easier with the motor out, so i will take advantage of the opportunity. Ill have all the parts and things ready, so when I do it Im thinking it will go fast. knowing my luck I built the conversion with ease of pulling everything out in mind. so yeah for me .... Dear automotive mechanic God, please give me a break, amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Heat and airflow.......... A trick I use on tightly cowled airplane engines. Make a spoiler that fits right under the radiator and is full width. Make it about 4-6" deep. What your trying to do is make a big low pressure area just behind the radiator. It will help more air go through the radiator without going around the engine. Make sure that the radiator is completely sealed to the support. You want all the air coming into the grill to go through the radiator and not leak around the radiator . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 tell me more wme please. not totally following you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 here is the video of air flow. was a cool experiment. got some funny looks. so help me translate this, the areas where the strings are not moving is a high pressure area and when they are moving all over is low correct? I didn't film it, but the strings on the side windows were facing forward! speed reads 80 but i'm really going 65. I had some blocks placed under the rear of the hood making a gap, notice the strings are pulled INTO the engine bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 First air flow...... The strings that are not moving are in dead air. There is a high pressure area in front of the windshield . That is why most racers turn the intake around and draw air from the cab fresh air intake. Your strings are telling you that your windshield pressure is higher than the pressure at the rear of the engine. So your adding pressure to the engine bay Think Corvette, Ferrari, Trans Am they all have the engine air outlets on the side. Other post 2 projects First seal the radiator edges to the support so that the air coming into the grill MUST go through the radiator. Use the thick foam strips that you use around window ACs at home If you look at stock bodied racers you will see that most of them have a spoiler mounted on the front valance or the bumper. The idea is to prevent air from getting under the car and causing drag. Side benefit is there is LOW pressure under the car and that is what your after. High pressure in front of the radiator because its now sealed and low pressure behind the radiator. Natural air flow high to low http://www.myrideisme.com/Blog/bonneville-speed-week-2010-first-look/ In the picture Big spoiler and a reversed hood scoop, not to let air out but to get cold air from the base of the windshield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 still working on stuff. fuel gauge, and speedo fixed, almost done with new front brakes and rotors, new front windshield (thank you insurance company). gearing up for a trany swap soon, started my parts pile lol, what a money pit.! Good news is i have been driving the heck out of it and I am very pleased with the performance, I can actually take an on ramp to the highway and be going 65 when I merge! shifts nice and smooth, all my gauges are working. sounds awesome, turn some head when i have my foot in it. been rather cool. working through the first measured tank of gas with working gauge and calibrated speedo, will find out soon what mpg im getting. Drivers seat did short out someplace, no idea what happened with it, so I have my original one back in while im looking for another lexus one, crazy crap that just happens to me, but guess i should be used to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Thanks for the update, wondered what happened to you. While you are reinventing the wheel, I am trying to get the cooling system flushed. Jim SW FL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 well, out she comes again.. not happy about it. =( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 I wonder how involved installing a 22RET turbo would be into an rv that had the 22re...maybe that would be a better swap time wise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 I curse this V6 as I try to work in all those tiny little inaccessible places. I cannot imagine putting a V8 in there! Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted August 22, 2015 Author Share Posted August 22, 2015 well i finally got the trany issue sorted i hope, that was a story on its own only took a month. but i now have a freshly rebuilt trany bolted up to the motor with new t-converter to boot. So, now all I have to do is put the thing in. well, that and the steering gear i took out to rebuild cuz it was leaking but i like abuse. see what happens this weekend, I could have it running, who knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted August 24, 2015 Author Share Posted August 24, 2015 yep, it is running now. will find out in a few days if it still over heats. one year ago i started this shyt lol.. man im ready to go camping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Congratulations Dave, hey it kept you out of trouble for a year! I see over on the Yahoo forum some guys talking about putting in a GM? engine. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 well. you all are not going to believe it but you may from reading this whole story, but motor and trans have to come out again! $@#%#$^#$^#$ I swear i have the worst luck of any poor bastard on the fn planet. had a bad vibration, the rolling type with rpm. happens in park too. I spun the torque converter a couple times, still there. unbolt it an push the converter back and the vibration is gone. so, that means bad converter. yeah i checked the bolts and washers, checked about everything i can think of. what really makes me mad is how far out of the way i had to go to get this t converter from the trans shop. driving across town a few times, checking with them asking if this is a quality lexus rebuilt ect. after all of that, still bad. ugh. well. there goes yet another weekend and a few hundred dollars. I so wish i could just drop the trans, just no room. here we go again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Before that try clocking the converter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 buy clocking do you mean spinning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Sorry for the weird post my tablet went off. Clocking... most converters are mounted to the flex plate with 3 or 4 bolts. Unless your converter is keyed to the flex plate by an offset bolt pattern, just un bolt it and rotate it to the next bolt hole. IE turn the converter 120 or 90 dgrees in relationship to the crankshaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtdave2 Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 yeah i did do that, a few times. no change. waiting to talk to the trany place so I worked on other stuff. like adding getting rid of the carpet and installing wood floor. that went well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.