Topic: What will work?

[Speed]

   Hi all;
   In the process of looking for a good used engine to put in my '81 truck to replace the 300K 22R. What year spread 22R series can work? I don't mind swapping the manifolds etc. to fit a later motor to my truck,but I need to know where in the time line this engine changed enough to not be a reasonable fit anymore. I have access to an '84 and a '91;comparable in condition,price and miles,and an '86 complete truck that's been on its right side,still runs and drives well,clear Title for $800.00. Can't afford that one,but waiting to hear if the seller's up for trades.
   Speed

[84Flatbed]

All years of 22r will fit, I think they stopped production here in 95, maybe earlier. Parts interchangeability is another story though.

[Snowtoy]

Do you have low compression(not fixable with valve adjustment), burning oil etc., 300k isn't that much for the 22r.

Depending on what your budget/time you can have the truck down, it might be better to rebuild your 22r.  A master rebuild kit from
Engine Builder runs $299, machine work for the crank(if needed) should be about $160, and inspection/resurfacing of the head should be under $100, and should be about the same to clean and inspect the block. 

Toyota changed some of the internal designs between the '84 and '85 years, but the block itself remained the same up until the Tacoma debuted in mid '95.  2wd and 4wd engines are the same, and the 22r was more common in 2wd's during the run of the 3rd gen trucks, at least here in CA they were.

Might also be time to consider a 22re conversion.

[Speed [OP]]

The 22RE idea crossed my mind,but what kind of work and parts are required to make it work? I'd consider rebuilding,but I'd be into the motor more than the truck's worth,(Been rolled and rusted,ya know)and I'm on a pretty tight budget. Going out today to look at an '86 (?) extra-cab minus TX/TC and wheels for possibly $20.00. SUPPOSED to have a good engine. Couple of other trucks to check out today too. My Bro. Dutch says,"Why not just stab a smallblock Chevy in your '81?"I told him,"Kinda defeats the whole purpose of getting this truck,dunnit?" Anyway,lotsa ground to cover today,better get rollin'. Thanks for all the info-now I know more about what I'm getting into.
   Speed

[84Flatbed]

$20 wtf, where are you from? If you can get rigs that cheap you could easily take the good parts, build a good rig and pay for anything by parting out the rest.

Efi would be nice, you would need the ecu, harness, complete intake, tank and some other misc. stuff.

[Speed [OP]]

Went to check the parts truck(s) out-they were both too new to do me any good except the engines,both were dusted,no manifolds,etc.,BADLY hammered,no radiators,interiors gone,glass gone,doors gone,axles stripped to just housings-the guy intends to scrap 'em,and it looks like that's about all they're worth. He thinks he can get a hundred each for 'em; I'll bet he won't het that much for both. If either one was close to the same vintage as mine I might go for it,but I figure with the engines full of dirt  they're pretty much worthless now. There's supposed to be 2 or 3 more possibilities around bit I don't know where they are,so I need to catch up with the woman who knows. What a circus!

[H8PVMNT]

Rebuild the 22r! 

[Speed [OP]]

   That's the game plan ,when time and money are less of a factor. As it stands,I'm working more toward a trade for a good running engine or a whole truck,just because of the small cash outlay and the time issue. I can do an engine swap in a weekend,but a rebuild will take longer and take more money than I can handle. This truck's my DD,so unless I can get the BroncWorth parts (couple hundred bucks),get it back together and registered again (more money),whatever I do on the Toyota's going to have to be a weekend job.
   When I DO rebuild the original,hopefully this Winter,I'll pull it apart,mike everything and get parts ordered,and work up a game plan. I think Toyota got the 22R right,from the beginning;anything I might modify could easily improve one area but weaken another,so I intend to get it as close as possible to stock. If there's anything that might improve on stock without any side-effects,please let me know.
  I AM going to consider a Weber carb,if I can find one that fits my needs. (Manual choke,set up for good mileage,good from about 4,000-10,000 feet altitude,I live at 5,100 feet.) I wouldn't mind being able to run a stock air filter,since I have 3 new elements.
  Comments welcome!
   Speed

[H8PVMNT]

I'm going to give a rebuilt and de-smoged stock aisan carb a chance on my 22r.  They are good off road and not as complicated as they seem.  I am going to run the HAC thing that adjusts for altitude and I have a bag full of various primary jets.  A few other tricks and it should be almost as good as EFI on angles and vertical inclines.

I might end up with a Weber in the end but stock carbs are cheap and plentiful.

[Speed [OP]]

   "I might end up with a Weber in the end but stock carbs are cheap and plentiful."

Here in Elko they're not. The only deal I've found is a used carb off an '84 for $100.00 on Craigslist SLC. Not cheap enough for me. So far,every engine I've looked at had no carb. I thought about rebuilding my stock carb,but it has some looseness in the throttle shaft I'm not sure I can resolve gracefully. It actually runs pretty good,I haven't had any trouble with inclines or angles,but the idle speed changes for no reason,from 1200 rpm to "won't idle at ALL". (BTW-When I got it,it didn't even try to idle;I found the idle adjuster screw and spring was GONE,so I "afro-engineered" one for it.)  I pulled it apart when I first got the truck and did what I could with it;replaced every gasket,seal and o-ring I could get to,sprayed carb cleaner through every hole I could find,put a new accelerator pump in,checked the float level,then discovered the worn out throttle shaft. (or base plate-I don't know which is softer on these.) It RAN a lot better,but still goes into fits of won't-idle-ness sometimes-not that bad puttering around in the hills,but a big nuisance in heavy traffic.
   I thought of another option for the truck last night;I'll throw all my effort into getting the BroncWorth back on the road,then pull the engine on the Toyota and work on just fixing the oil leak. Looking at it closer up last night,I see what's going on. Combination of the head gasket around the timing chain being all ravaged,and it LOOKS like the driver side of the timing cover never slipped down over the 2 alignment tubes sticking out of the block. Don't know if I smashed 'em down or what,but I think,with the engine on a stand,I might be able to get it sealed up. Still be a gutless wonder,but I can handle that for awhile. Then,when I can save up enough $$ I'll rebuild it. All I'd need is a head gasket,oil pan gasket and timing cover set.
     NOTE-I found the best price in 20W-50 oil is store brand at Wal-mart-$2.74/qt. or a 5 qt jug for $12.72. Seems to be pretty good oil.
   Bash On Regardless
    Speed

[H8PVMNT]

I have a buddy with  toyota bone yard that has quite a few stock carbs. I don't know what he gets for them but he's usually decent. I'm PMing you his contact info in case you need anything you can't find reasonable.