Oh boy, valve knock? Video inside

How-to's and repair secrets for your 4WD can be found here. Have a question? Ask it in here!
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Oh boy, valve knock? Video inside

Post by Petros »

did you find oversized pistons? usually the pistons with a matching ring set are in the same piston kit.

that kit shows rings included. you choose the oversize you need when ordering it. you get 3 choices: standard, +.020", or +.040" . I would go with the 0.020" over sized so if you get 100k plus miles on it, you can go one more oversize to .040" on a future rebuild. but going with the larger oversize will give you a small amount more displacement, and slightly more HP. not much, but it will be larger displacement.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
User avatar
Neu
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1191
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:59 am
My tercel:: 1985 SR5 No Mods
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon, USA
Contact:

Re: Oh boy, valve knock? Video inside

Post by Neu »

I'm going .020 oversized so I can do another rebuild later on if needed.

So I actually didn't get the pistons from the kit supplier. I misunderstood on the phone so I'll have to find a set of those, which I think I did.
Last edited by Neu on Tue Jun 14, 2022 8:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Neu
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1191
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:59 am
My tercel:: 1985 SR5 No Mods
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon, USA
Contact:

Re: Oh boy, valve knock? Video inside

Post by Neu »

Okay, so, correction. They did send me the pistons but they were shipped separately and took a few extra days. So I believe I have everything that I'll need. Finding a local machine shop with decent recommendations was somewhat of a pain but I think I found one. I should be all set to get underway on this.
Last edited by Neu on Tue Jun 14, 2022 9:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
NWMO
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1615
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 1:08 pm

Re: Oh boy, valve knock? Video inside

Post by NWMO »

Good luck Neu! I rebuilt a 4a for the Rusty Frog in a similar fashion. I can be a bit of a “nervous Nellie” on these types of projects, but things typically work out well.

Chris
Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart"

In remembrance of my friend ARCHINSTL:

T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
User avatar
Neu
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1191
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:59 am
My tercel:: 1985 SR5 No Mods
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon, USA
Contact:

Re: Oh boy, valve knock? Video inside

Post by Neu »

The goal now is to find a machine shop that can do it. Apparently all of em around here are booked up pretty solid(racing season) so I'm having to rely on friends of friends. It'll get done though.
User avatar
Neu
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1191
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:59 am
My tercel:: 1985 SR5 No Mods
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon, USA
Contact:

Re: Oh boy, valve knock? Video inside

Post by Neu »

and an update! https://photos.app.goo.gl/NrwnNFeSY7HZNV667

Finally found a decent machine shop that had the time/willingness to do it. The cylinders are all over bored a bit, the head was compression tested and the valves were ground. Everything should be just about ready to go.

I'm waiting on a new oil pump and water pump(might as well). This is turning into a complete rebuild when I really just wanted to get it back on the road.

Oh well!

For anyone interested, they charged me a total of $465 to cleanup the block/remove material from the cylinders, rebuild the head, and press the connecting rods and piston heads.
User avatar
Mattel
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1788
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2004 12:11 am
My tercel:: 1988 Corolla 4wd Wagon (AKA Corolla All-trac) 5speed, AC, Power Sunroof, Windows, Mirrors, Steering, Locking, Diff Lock, 14" Corolla SX Alloys with Silica Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, 210,000kms
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Oh boy, valve knock? Video inside

Post by Mattel »

Good to see you're on the way to getting back on the road Chad.
Previous: 83 Tercel SR5 4wd, 84 Tercel SR5 4wd
88 Corolla 4wd Wagon 5speed, All power options, Fact Sunroof, Diff Lock, 14" SX Alloys, Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, Tow Bar, 210,000kms
User avatar
Nordical25
Top Notch Member
Posts: 307
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2022 11:49 pm
My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
Location: Finland

Re: Oh boy, valve knock? Video inside

Post by Nordical25 »

Great job on rebuilding the engine. How are the valves and valve seals? It is worth of checking them once you are that far in engine rebuild.
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Oh boy, valve knock? Video inside

Post by Petros »

I highly recommend install only new exhaust valves. New ones do not cost much, I have seen too many exhaust valves disintegrate with time, often trashing the engine when the come apart.

Well worth getting new exhaust valves when you redo the valves seats. intakes are safe to regrind and reuse if not worn out of tolerance. GET only new exhaust valves! do not trust old used ones.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
User avatar
Neu
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1191
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:59 am
My tercel:: 1985 SR5 No Mods
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon, USA
Contact:

Re: Oh boy, valve knock? Video inside

Post by Neu »

All the valves were taken out of the head, cleaned, inspected, ground and compression tested. They're all alright.
User avatar
Neu
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1191
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:59 am
My tercel:: 1985 SR5 No Mods
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon, USA
Contact:

Re: Oh boy, valve knock? Video inside

Post by Neu »

It's still gonna take me a lil while to get this going. I was just involved in an accident in my other car(2017 fiesta RIP) and i'm pretty beat up from that so I can't really lift or wrench too hard. New oil/water pumps are ordered tho so once they arrive I'll spend a couple days doing nothing but this.
Post Reply