2000 Toyota Avalon

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Originally Posted by Trav
It seems to be coming along great. Would you know if that place sells original Denso brushes, its almost impossible to find any OE brushes and regulators other than Bosch.
Any idea when you will have it in the car? New CV boots and a regrease?


They said they used Denso brushes.....But you saying they are almost impossible to find makes me pause & wonder.....But I will ask.

I rebooted the axles @50,000 miles ago for the original owner using OE boots & grease.

Got it installed today, Hopefully I'll have it finished up tomorrow.

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Thanks for asking them. Some are available with brush holder online but I was looking for ones for an older Mitsubishi unit and came up blank, it would be great if they had them.
 
Originally Posted by clinebarger
Originally Posted by Trav
It seems to be coming along great. Would you know if that place sells original Denso brushes, its almost impossible to find any OE brushes and regulators other than Bosch.
Any idea when you will have it in the car? New CV boots and a regrease?


They said they used Denso brushes.....But you saying they are almost impossible to find makes me pause & wonder.....But I will ask.

I rebooted the axles @50,000 miles ago for the original owner using OE boots & grease.

Got it installed today, Hopefully I'll have it finished up tomorrow.

[Linked Image]



I'd flush out that old brake fluid while you're at it.
 
Originally Posted by 02SE

I'd flush out that old brake fluid while you're at it.


One thing at a time brother!
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I have 4 new Brembo rotors & the Wagner Thermoquiet's that I installed @6 years ago will be warrantied. The brake fluid looks worse in the picture than it really is!
 
Got it running around 4:00 this afternoon, No drama to report. I need a vacuum diagram for the "Active" front engine mount.....Google & Alldata are no help. If any of you guys has a vacuum diagram I'd really appreciate it!!! The original harness it completely obliterated & I don't even want to know what Toyota wants for the vacuum harness......So I would rather build my own out of bulk hose.

*Dexcool for the coolant, I'm sure someones head will explode over this.......But I don't want to run 3 different coolants in my fleet! My 2010 Corolla has had Dex for a couple years now!
*Mobil Delvac 1 ATF (TES-295) in the trans & P/S, Again....That's what everything else has.
*Mobil 1 5w30.

I'm tired & my feet hurt
cry.gif


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Originally Posted by clinebarger
Got it running around 4:00 this afternoon, No drama to report. I need a vacuum diagram for the "Active" front engine mount.....Google & Alldata are no help. If any of you guys has a vacuum diagram I'd really appreciate it!!! The original harness it completely obliterated & I don't even want to know what Toyota wants for the vacuum harness......So I would rather build my own out of bulk hose.

*Dexcool for the coolant, I'm sure someones head will explode over this.......But I don't want to run 3 different coolants in my fleet! My 2010 Corolla has had Dex for a couple years now!
*Mobil Delvac 1 ATF (TES-295) in the trans & P/S, Again....That's what everything else has.
*Mobil 1 5w30.

I'm tired & my feet hurt
cry.gif


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Great pics and great job on the Toyota. Thank You for the post and pics and top notch work sir
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Originally Posted by 53' Stude

Great pics and great job on the Toyota. Thank You for the post and pics and top notch work sir
smile.gif



Thanks, And your welcome.

Took it for a test drive today, ALL readiness monitors cleared within 10 miles which I find odd for a Toyota. The Catalyst test completing so fast is what really surprised me......As it had Oil & Antifreeze dumped into them when the girl that was driving it kept going 'til it quit.
Passed state safety & emissions.

Was able to figure out the Active Mount Vacuum routing, The hose from the VSV to the Mount is @ 3/16"-1/4" in size. Couldn't get any of the bulk Vacuum (Kinked easily) or Fuel/Emissions (To stiff) to work in the 2" space allotted. Found that a reinforced silicone turbo wastegate hose off a ISB Cummins works perfect!

The variable intake runner actuator was bad (ruptured diaphragm), Makes a difference in upper RPM pulling power! MZ owners may want to check theirs.
 
That's great! I couldn't find a vacuum diagram anywhere for that just the emission vacuum hoses. I am surprised the evap ran so fast not so much the cat.
 
Originally Posted by clinebarger
The variable intake runner actuator was bad (ruptured diaphragm), Makes a difference in upper RPM pulling power! MZ owners may want to check theirs.

Was the actuator bad on both engines?
 
Originally Posted by Trav
That's great! I couldn't find a vacuum diagram anywhere for that just the emission vacuum hoses. I am surprised the evap ran so fast not so much the cat.


Thanks for trying, The vacuum diagram that suppose to be under the hood is MIA. Thought for sure it would set a P0420 after the oil/coolant bath they took! You know how low efficiency can stall the test from completing for awhile.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by wag123
Originally Posted by clinebarger
The variable intake runner actuator was bad (ruptured diaphragm), Makes a difference in upper RPM pulling power! MZ owners may want to check theirs.

Was the actuator bad on both engines?


The one off the JDM engine was good....So I swapped them out.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by clinebarger
Originally Posted by FlyNavyP3
Looking forward to having this in the car and running. It's looking good. Did you elect to replace the brushes in the alternator as a preventative measure? When I did the timing on Laurens 3MZ for the second time at 180,000 miles I installed new brushes, the original brushes were about 2/3 or maybe a little more worn. I figured that replacing the brushes was cheap insurance against getting stranded with a dead alternator. Ended up selling the car a few months later at 190,000 miles. I always loved how smooth the 3MZ was.


You seem to know me at little too well!!
The alternator was sent to a local shop (Fort Worth Starter & Generator) & had new Denso brushes installed, I'm using the alternator off the JDM engine & could have been put directly into service.
Had the same outfit install new Denso contacts & plunger in the starter.


I didn't have any luck finding OE brushes anywhere in the US, all dealerships had them on backorder with no anticipated date. I ended up purchasing the brushes on eBay from a seller in the Middle East. Lauren's Lexus had a different style of starter that didn't take the normal Toyota or Denso plunger and contact starter so I left it alone.

Does your Avalon fall into the years of transmission that had issues with the planetary pinion gear pins that came loose and destroyed the gear train? Or is it new enough that it has the welded in updated planetary axle pins? I hope that it provides many years of faithful service to you and your family!
 
Very cool thread!!! Nice to see a project like this for sure! I prefer to see stuff people work on, putting in some sweat as opposed to buying some new, overpriced car like the rest of the masses. My father and one of my older brothers taught me how to turn wrenches on vehicles, machinery etc. and how to trouble shoot and actually fix things. It is one of the greatest things I could have been given. I also never really liked my vehicles until I actually had to research them in order to diagnose and repair them. After that one feels a bit connected to them.
 
Originally Posted by FlyNavyP3
Does your Avalon fall into the years of transmission that had issues with the planetary pinion gear pins that came loose and destroyed the gear train? Or is it new enough that it has the welded in updated planetary axle pins? I hope that it provides many years of faithful service to you and your family!


I believe your thinking of the U140E which was used behind a lot of MZ engines in the "late" Camrry, Highlander, "late" ES300, & RX300, Where the MZ powered Sienna, Avalon, & Solara got the A541E exclusively.
The early ES300 was the only Lexus to ever use the A541E as it does shift harder than a U140E......No electronic pressure control on the A541E.
 
Originally Posted by Trav
Thanks for asking them. Some are available with brush holder online but I was looking for ones for an older Mitsubishi unit and came up blank, it would be great if they had them.



I talked to my rebuild guy, He basically has a huge inventory of NOS Denso & Delco-Remy parts he uses upon request during a rebuild but doesn't sell small parts individually. He said J&N Electric has some hard to find stuff. https://jnelectric.com/startpage.asp
 
1500 mile update....

The only PS return hose I didn't replace was sweating fluid so I replaced with some Gates Trans Cooler hose, Toyota doesn't sell it separately.....Which seems to be a theme I'm quite irritated with!! It did allow me to drain & fill the PS system again that I was planning anyway. The arrow points out the hose.

Drain & fill the trans, Even tough I pulled the pan & drained the converter while I had it out....The fluid was still a little dark & had that Dexron II stink to it.

The good....
I couldn't find any other issues, The 115V Inverter even works. Going to have it aligned Monday along with 4 new Michelin Premier A/S tires mounted & balanced, The Chinese tires that are on it are not that old but absolute JUNK!

The front seats are in decent shape visually, But are broken down from the fat cow that was driving it, Got a pair from the wreaking yard that are near perfect for $75. Wanted a few more things, But the counter sales guy started getting greedy & I told him he can crush all that crap & get nothing for it!

New Continental battery, The Econo Interstate battery is my "work" battery for bench testing components & injector cleaning.

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Glad to hear all is well with the exception of a few items to address which is to be expected with the extent of the work performed. I miss Laurens ES330 but the 11 years of Upper Peninsula of Michigan winters it had endured under my mother's ownership was beginning to make it unpleasant to work on. I've always loved the 1MZ and 3MZ engines. I hope that it provides you years and years of faithful service.
 
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