For the love of a tractor engine: The life and times of the 18R-G

[Nevakikamukau]

yes, Yellorolla.... (aka JMR Engines)... who rebuilt my engine did the same.

He does really great work and builds a strong engine and, if you got the coin, can really build you something special.

I had troubles with idle so we put in idle control also, and as I hate changing engines (nearly as much as having them self destruct) I also have engine cut-off on low oil pressure.

I miss my angryish 18R-G, but Trini should be back soonish and I can enjoy it once again.

Very interesting. Do you have contact details for JMR Engines? I have an 18RGU that needs reconditioning.

[The Witzl]

Just a fair warning - rebuilding 18RG's is potentially NOT CHEAP..... especially if you have shagged pistons, or chain guides that need replacing. These items are pretty much no longer available from normal sources, and as such if you need to replace them it can be pretty costly, having to get custom made items instead.

It depends how shagged your engine is.
I was looking at a slap up refresh of a spare 18RG, and if it needs pistons that alone is a $1000 exercise - however it does allow you to get nice custom made forged pistons.

If you are understanding of the potential costs, i'll put you in touch with JMR.

[Nevakikamukau]

Thanks Witzl,
Potential costs understood. I will be going for 92mm 10:1 forged pistons and know the costs. Unsure of the condition of my chain guides, however, I do have a spare lower guide in reasonable condition. Cams will be 88210 which I currently have in storage. Head will be 88253, which I intend to get ported. I have 1 spare motor beside the one which I want to recondition, so some hard to get spares can be scavanged from that. I also have a spare bare 88253 head in very good condition. I have 2 sets of twin solex carbies, but will be using Dellorto 45s on the rebuild which I already have. Distributor will be a Scorcher electronic dizzy which I already have.

You can see that I am fairly well placed for the restoration components, so I am looking for a gun rebuilder. Beside JMR, I believe that there is SW Motorsport and Peak Rebores that are familiar with the 18RG. I would appreciate any feedback you may have on these 3 reconditioners. My aim is to get a reliable, tractable 2.2 litre motor with around about 170 hp.

[73GTV]

How do you guys feel about sleeving a block or using and older 8R Block and bore up, Fresh metal, new potential.

[JadeEstevez]

Whats the difference with an 8R block? I thought they were the same.

[Nevakikamukau]

Just a fair warning - rebuilding 18RG's is potentially NOT CHEAP..... especially if you have shagged pistons, or chain guides that need replacing. These items are pretty much no longer available from normal sources, and as such if you need to replace them it can be pretty costly, having to get custom made items instead.

It depends how shagged your engine is.
I was looking at a slap up refresh of a spare 18RG, and if it needs pistons that alone is a $1000 exercise - however it does allow you to get nice custom made forged pistons.

If you are understanding of the potential costs, i'll put you in touch with JMR.

A search of the ASIC Website shows that JMR Engineering have been deregistered. I guess they are no longer candidates to recondition my 18RGU.

[stidnam]

yellowrolla = JMR Engineering. Jase does good work but can get busy.

[73GTV]

Whats the difference with an 8R block? I thought they were the same.

From Wikipedia:
Toyota 8R

The 1.9 L (1,858 cc) 8R The engine was produced from 1968 through 1973.
Cylinder bore was 85.9 mm (3.38 in) and stroke was 80 mm (3.15 in) with a five bearing crank.
It was also available as the 8R-D, dual SU 8R-B, EFI 8R-E, Californian-spec 8R-C and DOHC 8R-G.

It was a major departure for the R family. With a 2-valve SOHC head, it impressed contemporary reviewers - Road & Track praised its quietness and free-revving nature.

The Toyota upped the ante again with the DOHC (but still 2-valve) 8R-G, produced from 1969 through 1972. From 1969 to Feb 1971 it was known as the 10R, but along with a removal of the tensioner gear in the interest of quieter operation, it was renamed the 8R-G to reflect the decision that twin-cam engines were henceforth to be identified by a "-G" suffix.[6] 4,931 twin cam engines were built, all installed in the Toyota Corona Mark II (RT72) 1900 GSS. The 10R/8R-G weighed in at 170 kg and as such was both lighter and more compact than its less powerful predecessor the 9R[7]
Code Power kW (hp) Torque N·m (lb·ft) Compression Years Comments
8R 81 (108) at 5,500 rpm 153 (113) at 3,800 rpm 9.0 1968–1972
8R-B 82 (110) at 6,000 rpm 152 (112) at 4,000 rpm 10.0 1969–1971 Dual SU carburettors
8R-D
8R-E EFI
8R-C 81 (108) at 5,500 rpm 174 (128) at 3,600 rpm 9.0 Californian emissions controls
8R-G 104 (140) at 6,400 rpm 166 (123) at 5,200 rpm 1969–1972 DOHC, dual side-draft carburettors

Applications:

1970–1971 Toyota Hilux, 97 HP (72 kW)
1971–1973 Toyota Corona 1900 hardtop
Toyota Corona Mark II RT72 Corona Mark II 1900 hardtop
Toyota Corona Mark II RT72 Corona Mark II 1900 hardtop GSS (8R-G)

I'll let you think about this for a few seconds.

Those old blocks can be bored up to the stock bore size of the 18RG from 85.9mm - 88.5mm, aka my statement about fresh metal, that all of your older stock parts and std pistons can find new life or sleeve the block to go back to the standard bore was where I was going with that statement.

They are possibly as rare as hens teeth but a option that seems to have been overlooked. I recently build this block just to use my old standard piston with new rings, rod and main bearings and everything fits just fine...

[JadeEstevez]

Oh right so the smaller bore means you have new meat to work with to use standard 18RG pistons... Well in the same case couldn't you just use a good 18RC block? Plenty around, Just find one that just needs a hone and use that?

Edit: I know the dipsticks on the other side but thats easy fix.

[Omegaman]

ok, now im ready for the final stages of haltech E6k install.
I now have 2 spare dizzies to use as my Home signal & I'm going hall effect as I've purchased the haltech sensor & the magnets.
the magnets you can see on the end of the sensor. 2 of these magnets will be drilled into the harmonic balancer and serve as the trigger.
this is on top of my twin coils with EMS 2 coil ignitor

At this stage I've wired up the car. All sensors are registering, bar the TPS which I think I wired wrong...Oops
I am using the Vl/Nissan type.
Unfortunately, I have to grind the better of the two dizzies, as the older one without the advance adjuster has a bent shaft..

On the idle air controller. we said to use the PWM outputs. But does it mean just use the +13 V & either of the other 2 wires as an out?
At this stage I wired 1 wire to out 3 & the other to out 4. But the program only allows one PWM to adjust it. So im thinking one wire opens fully and the other closes fully.
whats the deal with this??????
As far as cold start injector, this now is useless... or can I still use it using Aux out wire on start up or even as extra fuel at full throttle...
not that I drive that fast.

[73GTV]

Oh right so the smaller bore means you have new meat to work with to use standard 18RG pistons... Well in the same case couldn't you just use a good 18RC block? Plenty around, Just find one that just needs a hone and use that?

Edit: I know the dipsticks on the other side but that's easy fix.

Sorry to destroy the dream of large stores of parts available!
No, not many available at all, no.

I moved from the east coast to the west coast just to find parts for the older cars which due to rust in more than 65% of the rust belt states (Snow and rain lot of older cars are rusted out and were scrapped) older stock of items have long since have met their demise.

I only mentioned this for those who had a lot of stock in older used parts, rather than clutter the garage shelves. They can still serve a purpose.

[JadeEstevez]

Oh right I just realised you're in the states. We have plenty of 18RC's here.

[73GTV]

Mine was to the test fit of the AC compressor and mount on this 18R-GR, have to change crank pulleys since the one that will work with this compressor is currently on another engine. Oh well parts are finally coming back together. I will have to drill the motor mount to connect the bottom inside bracket, unless it mounts to the alternator bolt, I'll have to check my books to verify once again, wild guess #1, memory zero. :shades:

[JadeEstevez]

Gimme you're AC bracket!

[73GTV]

Gimme you're AC bracket!

Are you crazy!!!

I just spent three months haunting Yahoo Japan, checking at least seventeen times a day, seven days a week, waking up at all odd hours of the night, searching, all the new post, old post and had my bid connection do the "Buy it Now" price, just got it last week and the compressor arrived today.

If another one ever comes up again, I'll post it here. Just remember that if you have the wrong water pump attachment and the incorrect crank pulley, it will be miss aligned by half a groove!