Project Corona - 1990 ST185 Gen4 Swap

[daveryan]

So I've owned my Alltrac for 20 years now, but it has been sitting in the garage for the last 7 with a head gasket or some other terminal issue. Anyway, since I'll be working from home for the foreseeable future, I decided to get it running with a gen4. I'll be cleaning and freshening as I go, and deleting the ABS an A/C as well. Wiregap is doing the harness.

Tired old engine gen2 out!

No, this isn't black paint

After 10 cleanings. Only 10 more to go!

First coat of etching primer. I went back and forth on painting this, but after all that cleaning I wanted to try and preserve my efforts.

Sprayed the gearbox with 4 coats of VHT cast aluminum paint, or was it 6? Two whole cans at least. Will do clear after this cures.

Unloading the gen4

ABS delete and other parts from a GT-S. $32 total at the pick-a-part

Stripping engine bay for cleaning and paint

Once the gearbox paint has cured I can get the gen4 on the stand and start freshening that.

 

[grip-addict]

that is the cleanest 3s transmission i've ever seen. that looks like a ton of work... but so nice.
Good luck with the swap! keep the build thread going as you do stuff

 

[GT4times2]

Looking very good. Great job on the gearbox. Super clean. And good move on the Gen 4. They're getting harder to find these days.

 

[transneptunian]

Looking good. I see you had an ample amount of Toyota’s patent rust proof coating.

 

[daveryan]

After a grueling few weeks of prepping and painting virtually everything in front of the firewall, I've got a break while I await the harness and powder coating.

Engine bay painted and then 2K cleared

Non-ABS brake lines and new steering rack installed. Body electrical harness re-wrapped with Tesa. New headlight plugs as the old ones were disintegrating.

Obligatory parts haul pic

First peek inside the Gen4

Gen4 timing belt, seals, water pump, and idler pulleys replaced


I really need to decide on what clutch to use. Leaning towards the CM FX300

 

[simple]

I was going to ask how you got the crankshaft pulley off but then I saw the impact gun.

 

[daveryan]

Small update since I'm still waiting on a clutch disc before I can put it all all back together. Finished my clocking bracket, powder coating is done. I did find a stripped exhaust stud, so I had to remove the turbo and helicoil that :shoots:

More info on the bracket

 

[daveryan]

After hibernating all winter, here is what I've done so far this spring:

FMIC and rad fan is done. Working on a trans cooler setup now. Originally I wasn't going to run one, but then I remembered how old the transmission is, and I have room for it. I daily drove with this battery setup for years, so I'm just keeping it as-is

FMIC. 2.25" hot side, 2.5" cold side. All done with off-the-shelf parts. Two tubing pieces needed to be cut shorter, so I might get those welded later.

Intercooler has rubber mounts top and bottom

This large Spal fan should be plenty, but the bracket can accommodate a second one - if the wiring can handle it. I was warned that mounting it to the rad with those plastic threaded rods can cause radiator leaks over time, so this is mounted to the frame. I only drilled one M6 hole for all of this. The rest is riv-nuts in existing holes.

Headlight restoration. Four headlight assemblies were used to make two good ones. Prepped and painted, new stainless hardware where possible, especially the M5s

Old #5. This was all working fine, but since I'm putting in a Supra pump for the gen4, some restoration can (and must) be done. Thanks to Tippo for posting his experience with this.

The fuel send pipe gave up when I tried to disconnect it, so it was only a matter or time...

Not shown: ECU and tach adapter is installed, and I gutted the interior to make that easier. (was going to get gutted and restored eventually)

 

[daveryan]

Wow, I didn't realize in my prior post, the engine was still on the stand. Continuity error

Obligatory engine install pics, and bonus pics:

I sleeved most of the Wiregap harness. The alternator main was a bit long so I shortened it and re-terminated

My "classic" battery mount

 

[abeans]

Looks great.

Does that guy making the harnesses use all new connectors? Looks like no.

 

[simple]

Nice update. The intake tubes look great! Yeah wiregap uses the connections supplied with the harnesses. Nothing new. Would cost a lot more if they did.

 

[user 14735]

Great work so far!
Thanks for the picture of the abs delete kit.... I've been wanting to do that but never really knew what to look for.
Now I also want to clean up and paint my trans ha ha ha

 

[Tippo]

Amazing job! Definitely doing something similar when my gen2 grenades.

 

[daveryan]

Looks great.

Does that guy making the harnesses use all new connectors? Looks like no.

Generally no, but he might have converted/replaced one or two. You do get and new OBD port of course. I myself replaced some connectors - the ones I damaged when sleeving it

 

[daveryan]

I was going to wait until I got it started, but since that might not happen until spring, here is an update to prove I'm not dead:

Fuel tank restored. Supra TT pump, ST205 pump hanger, crazy $$$ donor fill tube, and modified 6th gen fuel straps (Spectra ST194). I also added a new 10awg pump feed with relay in the trunk.

Welded these tabs on to hold riv-nuts

This is happening. I mean, the fuel tank was out already right?

Lit the fires. Actually I didn't burn them for long. The rubber wasn't really the issue...

Needed a montage get these out

After all that, I still needed to grind the remaining bushing sleeve material off with a carbide burr

Scored some very nice GT-S seats from the pull-a-part. These are way better than mine. $58 for both. Swapped these cushions to the ST185 seats

Commence the dippin

Zinc plated and cad coated all this while waiting on powder coat

Color is anthracite. Same price as black, so why not?

Added some bush

New bearings, seals and paint on all this. Also a new Whiteline bar

Next steps: get a battery and some gas and test fire it - maybe if I get one more warm weekend

 

[Roreri]

That is some amazing work. Respect.

That Anthracite looks beautiful.

Very nice score on those GT-S seats.

 

[underscore]

Hot damn that looks good.

 

[grip-addict]

I think you just won alltrac.net
Nice work. That looks amazing. You should come to KC and lend me some of your work ethic

 

[Tippo]

I knew there was a reason why I subscribe to this thread. Absolutely beautiful job. 58 bucks for the pair of front seats is insane in those condition. Amazing pull!!! Can't wait to see how the install goes once the prep work is done. Any plans on getting the rear seats? They're very hard to find so I would suggest going back and pulling them out if you could.

 

[simple]

The rear seat bottom is specific to the Alltrac for those that don't know.