Supra time?
 

Allright. I was looking for a project car for the hole summer. I was quite fixed on a 240sx but I had 4 leave from right under my nose. Today I found that another one that I was going to pay for in a few hours was sold. I have a sour taste in my mounth and I dont want to do the winter with my current "temporary" car(just last week I had to duct tape the rar stabilizer bar to the axle because it was dragging on the ground).

So with that said I stumbled today over a 87 non-turbo supra and started to look into these cars. I Was quite impressed with the I6 and double wishbone suspension among other things. I dont want to miss another car so please even if it has been posted before answear the questions I have. Usually I spend weeks researching a car I want to buy but this time there is no time.

First the head gasket problem on 7M. If it is non-turbo could I still be to late to retourque the head? Is head gasket failure imminent? I dont fear a rebuild but I can't do that in the garage I work in. Neighbours will go nuts.

I am looking for something above mid 200hp but not over 300 from the project car I chose. I dont supose there are any internals issues with a 7M-GE if it is turboed, or the head gaket issue come and hunt me again?

Second how are these cars when working on them. I know strange question... What I mean is the engine well designed to be worked on or will you always have some stupid hose over the bolt(like the GMs).

Thanks and sorry for the probablly repeated questions but again I want to get this car quick.

If you found one and have driven it and it doesnt overheat then there is probably not a head geasket problem but it is good to do a pressure leakdown and see whats up. Other than that working on them isnt hard just some tight places to get to. Not like GM's at all really they are more reliable. But as for if you are gonna turbo to n/a then I would say do the head gasket and have the head machined and block to then put a metal head gasket and ARP studs on it then you are pretty much set.

Well aparently the engine was swaped with one that had the head gasket done. The guy says the engine runs rough and needs some tuning, but it might be just a bad engine considering it has over 200 000 km on it. Dunno I will see it tomorrow, but at 200 000km I doubt I will put a turbo on. Also a power steering hose leaks but that is not a problem for me.

I found something very encouraging on the other hand. A JDM importer in Toronto is selling 7M-GE engines for $500 with around 30k miles. I could get one of those, have it on a stand and propery prep it for a turbo and drop it in when the current one goes(screw the neighbours).

I am in love... The engine is in GREAT condition. Hell I loved that thing from the first rev. It seems to have a small delay but I am sure it is nothing major. The car is in decent condition. No rust on body except under those plastic trims at the half of the car. The interior is quite bad and it is mostly in the trunk but again I dont mind such stuff. As for the power steering leak it is comming from between the power steering hose and the steering box. I might be just a loose bolt from the swap.

What is in the rubber boot on the tie rod arm? Just found it wierd that a tie rod has a something in a boot...

I am quite positive I will buy this car. Tonight I will give my final answer to the guy.

One question. Is there any way to drive the car home if the power steering is leaking? I dont want to destroy the pump so I am thinking to clamp the hose tight to prevent fluid from leaking. Would that work?

How long of drive do you have? You can always just take the belt off but that is up to you it will suck to steer when you are sitting still but when you ae moving you will be fine. There is three belts on the motor one for the alternator, one for the a/c and one for the power steering. How much of a delay is there when you rev it if there is too much then your ignition timeing may be off a bit shouldnt be any at all really. Ask the guy when was the last time he changed the distributor cap, rotor, and plug wires, and plugs it may be due but wires arent cheap.

Which boot are you talking about the one where the tie rod connects to the steering or the cover where it connects to the rack? The one on the steering is a ball joint like the upper and lower so it is grease filled with a ball. The other is a dust cover to keep crap out of the rack.

Thanks. The separate P/S belt is great news. Hell P/S os overrated any ways.
Yes I guess that is the "inner tie rod". Seems to be the only shot(well it clunks and I am paranoid) thing on the steering system other than the P/S.

Allright I fixed the P/S on the guy's driveway. That means Igot to take it for a spin. The roads were terrible in the area so I was unable to get it really going. At what rpm do these cars really start to pull anyways?

Inline 6 = low end torque. The horsepower really starts to pull pretty quick like around 2500 unless its a turbo then you will no where your power band is. The 1jz in mine usually starts to really pull hard at 3000 and peaks out at about 6000 to 6500 kind of depends on what I am doing.