Vvti Engine Replacement

[RAV-ING MAD]

Hi All,

Really impressed with the site and quality of posts, Hopefully as a newbie i'm posting this in the right place and not letting the side down!

I've been looking at Ravs for a while now after driving LR Discoveries for some years and getting fed up with the constant need to feed it parts and metal!!

Anyway i've just managed to pick up what i think is a bargain - '04 2.0vvti petrol XT3

One small problem though, the engines knackered!, i've done a bit of research on the net and it seems that what i need is a 1az engine the likes of which as i'm sure most of you are aware can be found in '01/02 onwards Ravs,Avensis's and Corolla's

My question is does anyone know whether any other models blocks are identical? as there seems to be a few Avensis 1az engines out there for sale.

I'd be grateful of any help, advice here.

By the way if theres anyone local to me that needs something welding i'd be happy to help, just message.

[Davrav]

Welcome to the club. With a name like that you'll fit in well here.

Them as best able to advise will be along shortly...........

[RAV-ING MAD]

Davrav,

Thanks for the welcome,

Cant wait to get her on and off the road, even tempted to go the Flintstones route trouble is me legs are a little bit too short!!

[Davrav]

Out of interest, what are the symptoms of the knackered engine?

[Aycee]

Hello and welcome, sorry I can't be of any help but I'm in Hampshire too!

[RAV-ING MAD]

Hello Aycee, good to know theres some local members

Davav,

The story from the previous owner is that:

- waterpump bearing failed,

- caused the engine to overheat,

- W/pump bearing seized and threw the camchain off

- Valves smashed & head damaged (However i cant see any evidence of valve damage to the piston crowns)

The car was then taken to the local Halfrauds garage for diagnosis where they persuaded the owner to buy a recon head (£550) attempted to refit the head and the headbolts were stripping the threads in the block, then they tried to Helicoil the threads which were pulling out on torquing the headbolts, apparantely due to the block 'softening' from the overheating - (i have a Halfords engineers report for the repair work)

Personally i don't have a great deal of faith in Halfords, which may be unfair since i dont have any experience of blocks 'softening' either. but i do have all the parts including a re-con head and given the cost of Rav engines may have a go at Helicoiling/ Threadsert'ing (or similar) getting the block face checked for warpage (unlikely i think) and trying to rescue the existing lump.

I've rebuilt failed engines in the past with some success but have noticed Avensis 2.0vvti engines seem to be available for around half the cost. Hence my question - They seem on paper to be the same, but are they??

[anchorman]

I wouldn't be confident enough without studying them. I would look around the bell housing and crank case as manufacturers often make subtle changesto help accomodate them in different applications. I don't know if its fair to ask Kingo.

This outfit sells them on ebay;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/toyota-rav4-petrol-engine-/181028542680?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2a262458d8

[RAV-ING MAD]

Thanks Anchorman,

I've seen these listed on eBay, & also an Avensis 1az engine for 1/2 the price, which is why i ask, but like you say it only takes a subtle change in the block casting to really spoil my day! and make an expensive mistake.

Maybe i should just bite the bullet and Shell out for an engine i know is going to fit but cant help thinking that with the same code it should all work out.

Maybe a trawl round the breakers at the weekend is the next step or maybe i can find a friendly parts man at the Toyota dealers, come to think of it i wonder what Toyota would charge me for a replacement!!

[shcm]

Well, I'm by no means suggesting this is particularly practical or easy, but just a thought:

You've got your RAV VIN? You could put it into:

http://www.toyodiy.com

and note part numbers for the major engine parts.

Then get a VIN or even description from an expected equivalent other vehicle and do the same, then compare part numbers.

Not easy. The actual Toyota Electronic Parts catalogue (from which toyodiy is derrived) makes it slightly easier with pictures, which toyodiy doesn't appear to have.

As I said, probably impractical - but...............

[RAV-ING MAD]

shcm,

not a bad suggestion that.

It's helped me to highlight the differences between the 1az-fe & 1az-fse engines, and although i dont have vin numbers for any other cars i can see that in the case of the Avensis, the 1az-fe (which is in my Rav) is only listed for certain years.

Still don't have a definitive answer to whether there are differences in the block casting/mountings but becoming more enlightened by the day! and www.toyodiy.com is now saved in my favourites list - a useful site, Thanks