Hello. This is a great site. I just now joined because I was given this truck recently. It hasn't run for probably 20 years and has 98k miles. My original plan was to convert it to electric since I already have most of the parts and the experience. Then I decided to find out why the engine doesn't run. I removed the timing cover and found that both chains seem loose. The tensioners have to move quite a ways before they tighten the chain and I suspect the chain would or has slipped before the oil pressure could tighten it when starting the engine. My problem is I don't know how to align the timing marks on this setup. I should get a manual but I don't want to put much into this engine. Can anyone tell me how to check the marks to see if it has actually jumped time? Thank you. Norm

 

ill give ya the short and sweet. You should have the keyway on the crank facing straight up, and the timing mark on the cam facing straight up..the timing mark is below the teeth on the face of the cam gear.

there is going to be a little slack, but if you spin the motor and the teeth still line up you got no worries.. If you spin the motor and the chain can jump get yourself a new timing chain and gear set.

Personally i would just replace it all anyways since its been sitting so long but its up to you.

edit: the pics are from an 82, but same thing basically

 

yep. what he said. my book says the same for 8/18/20/22R motors. all the same theory.

 

Thankyou for the help! I assume the distributor is driven by the auxillary or whatever you call it shaft that has the middle sprocket. Is there a proper way to align a mark on it or do I just move the plug wires on the distributor? Thank you again. Norm

 

dont touch the distributor until you set the timing on the marks. Then pull the cap and look where the rotor is. If you want you can mark the body of the distributor to the head to try to help get it back on the spot. Then you can pull the distributor. When you are done messing with everything, try to put the distributor so the rotor is in the same spot where you pulled it...this should help get your timing pretty close to where it was.

 

Hmm. I think I missed my guess on that one since the timing marks line up fine. I can't make the chain slip so maybe it is good enough. Since I have no idea what was supposed to be wrong with the engine in the first place, it has no plugs or wires so I haven't tried to start it. I did a little checking and the number 2 exhaust valve has zero clearance so if they ran it that way I image the valve is burned. I think next time I go out to the Hilux I will loosen the exhaust valve, take a battery so I can crank it over, and check the compression. Any thoughts on what it should be? I'm still tempted to convert it to electric since it has no radiator and no doubt the gas tank, lines and carb are full of sludge and rust. On the other had it would be nice to take it up in the woods and electric wouldn't have the range. Thank you. Norm

 

So the compression on 1 and 3 is 90+ and 2 and 4 is close to 0. The good news is it was pumping oil and gas when I cranked it over. Do I need to break the chain to get the head off or should I be able to remove the cam pulley? I removed the bolts and pried on it a little but it didn't move. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Norm

 

You'll need a puller. You shouldn't need to break the chain to get it off. In fact the pulley on the cam should slide off with no issue, the Crank one will need a puller.
From what it sounds like your best bet is to pull the whole motor and have it gone thru, it's never going to run with 0 compression on two cylinders!

there are tons of old motors out there that can be swapped in, I'd look for a runner on Craigslist and swap it in.

 

Your probably right. There is a 4.3 Chev and auto trans on Craigslist. I wonder if that would be overkill

 

HA! I saw that one myself (or one like it) and thought about it. They make swap kits but I'm not sure if it would fit an early Hilux. I think they start at '79 but I'm not sure.

Would be an easy swap if it does... plus a lot more torque. Plus they bolt up to the stock 5-speed with an adapter. With all the engine problems I've had, I seriously considered it... but it's too much money.

 

Yeah, I wonder if the transmission would even fit in the tunnel. I once got all excited about putting a vg30et into a 69 Datsun Roadster until I actually tried it. There was no way to I could shoehorn the transmission in so I don't want to go thru that again. My wife doesn't want me to go thru that again. I guess electric would be blasphemy

 

I know it's a dumb question but do any other cylinder heads fit this 71 block?

 

Not a dumb question when it is proven that a 20R head fits to a 22R block and a 3K head fits onto a 4K block... but as for yours, I'm not sure myself...

 

tunnel shmunnel....cut that bitch up. Then after you make it fit just re-sheet metal around it

I think a ford 289 is smaller then the 4.3 though size wise and you can get them for about the same price.


edit: if you are running an 18R i have on here that i was useing until I got pissed at it and swapped a 22r into mine. Its just laying here in the shop, you can have it. Complete motor from oil pan to carb, water pump to clutch. Even has the exhaust manifold everyone is looking for.