KRAKER Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 I've been lurking here a while now. Just thought it may not be a bad idea to catalog the progression of my 720. The back story. A neighbor of mine had received the truck in lieu of payment and asked if I were willing to take a look at it and wanted an estimate to have it fixed. I came to the conclusion that the truck had a blown head gasket. Which I later found out it's pretty common issue with these motors. So I gave him an estimate on what it would run to fix it as a side job. The truck ended up sitting till winter time when my neighbor approached me about buying the truck, it was Christmas time 2010. It wasn't really an opportune time and I had 300 bucks I could drop on the truck. So I offered it up and he took it. i figured if the motor was smoked I'd probably get the money back in scrap. So I pushed the truck across the street tore down the motor and boom! burned between 3 and 4. I threw in a new gasket. fired her up and she smoked something aweful for about an hour or so. The truck ran ok enough to go to work and back. It did so for about 3 months till the clutch slave cylinder went out on me. A week after that the master went out. The week after that the carb needed rebuilding. A week after that it needed a fuel pump. It also had a hard start problem that was a mother to get started sometimes. Before I found out (thanks to ratsun) it's cause by not enough grounds to the block, the truck caught fire as I was getting ready to go to a weekend full of Rock Crawling and camping with friends. Boy was that conveinient. Then for whatever freakish reason the truck started eating coils. Randomly. Sometimes they'll last weeks sometimes they's last seconds. Sometimes the coils come back to life. This was so frustrating. The truck has been sitting since last June. Since then I have been looking over what to do with the truck. I have decided to go with a KA24E and a td04 turbo out of a WRX. Which is where I am today with this pig. Hopefully this engine build turns out how I hope it will or we might just load the thing up with tannerite and mushroom cloud the damn thing. Future plans are a above average mild wheeler. KA24E-T Stock trans Zuk 6.5:1 low Rear Rodeo Dana 44 lunchbox locker Early Waggy Front Dana 44 Spool 4.56:1 gears in the axles Toyota rear leafs up front Chevy 63's put back with double shackles Probably 37" military tires with recentered H1's Bobbed bed *above is subject to change So I plan to catalog the progress on the truck here. Now on with the pics. Quote Link to comment
KRAKER Posted March 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 So after finding a 240sx KA24E. I tore the motor down and sent it to PB Machine in Cave Creek, Arizona for dipping. Once I got the block back I mic'd it out and I probably could have gotten away with honing the cyliner and running the same pistons. I chose to not risk it and punch the motor 0.020 over. Now the block is back over ot PB machine getting the bore and hone done. I should have it back any day now. I can't wait to get the shortblock together. I picked up a couple things as well td04 out of a WRX Tsuda down pipe for the td04. I think/looks like it will work with a custom manifold I plan to build custom ex manifold. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 Well getting an oil pan for that will be interesting. Maybe cut the bottom from a Hardbody 4X4 KA and weld to the S13 pan. You may have noticed the crank has a girdle and the Hardbody pan doesn't clear it. Get the Hardbody oil pick-up tube also. Quote Link to comment
KRAKER Posted March 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 Well getting an oil pan for that will be interesting. Maybe cut the bottom from a Hardbody 4X4 KA and weld to the S13 pan. You may have noticed the crank has a girdle and the Hardbody pan doesn't clear it. Get the Hardbody oil pick-up tube also. I have read that many times and I see where the sump is in the way of center link, my plans are to cut all of the ifs out and either throw in the garbage or sell it, and sas the truck. I might even make a custom pan and pickup tube. Quote Link to comment
KRAKER Posted April 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 I have a couple updates. Bottom end is together Made a couple saftey upgrades Started working on the head Picked up a set of these for the manifold. I ported the head myself and now it's sent out for a vavle job. Once it's back I'll bolt it up and take the long block over to my buddys fab shop and get the oil pan and manifold fabbed up. Quote Link to comment
KRAKER Posted April 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2013 got some stuff in. I'm going to assemble the jimstim and megasquirt an hour per day till its ready to go. I ordered a WRX top mount intercooler and going to see if i can get it to work as side mount intercooler. Tim permitting the motor will be going to the fab shop for the manifold an oil pan Quote Link to comment
inzel Posted April 19, 2013 Report Share Posted April 19, 2013 Cool... Looking forward to the results on this build Quote Link to comment
KRAKER Posted April 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2013 Me too. lol I got my 440cc Deatschworks injectors in yesterday. As soon as the head gets back it's fab time, so it will be a while before any updates. A friend of mine decided it was time to upgrade his transfercase. So I should be picking a zuk case with 6.5:1 and upgraded outputs soon. Quote Link to comment
KRAKER Posted April 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 Before I cut out and throw it all away. Does anyone have any interest in any of the following? 83 720 complete front suspension, front drivetrain, torsion bars, torsion keys, rims, and steering box. All of it works fine. Possibly the bed as well. Everything is Arizona rust free and functions as it's supposed to. Disclaimer: I did wheel this truck once and did hear an audible "pop" fromt the front end. It was loud anough to sound like an axle shaft snaping. Everything ran fine after that. If you want me to ship you're gonna have to make it worth my time. I'd also like to get rid of it all in one shot. No warranty expressed or implied as is sales no returns or refunds. Here are some pics. Quote Link to comment
KRAKER Posted May 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 The Megasquirt 1 pcb 3 is coming along. 1 Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 Sounds like a great plan so far :thumbup: Quote Link to comment
KRAKER Posted May 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 Sounds like a great plan so far :thumbup: I hope it is. I do have a question for those more 720 savvy than me. Is it possible to remove the front drivetrain parts e.g. front driveline, diff, axles, hubs, and still be able to drive the truck as if it was 2wd? I need to start driving this truck as soon as the motor is done and I really don't want to make an oil pan twice. Quote Link to comment
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