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

[Ren_RG28]

Hey has anyone had any experience with a Redline manifold for the 18RG? I might need a new manifold for my rebuild and at $270 it looks like a pretty good alternative. Check it out here:

http://www.tweakit.net/shop/product_...roducts_id=237

Thanks,
Ren.

[sillycar chick]

Ren with the Redline manifold just make sure you check the length of it against your original one, especially if you want to use ram tubes. Rad has a redline one on his 18RG and its longer than the toyota one, meaning he cant fit in the 52mm ram tubes we bought for it because of the brake master cylinder. Aparantly its not all that easy to get the shorter ram tubes for a 45mm weber either, or at least in that brand from that supplier. He is looking at options for a shorter manifold as he has a damaged one here but it doesnt seem to be very easily repaired. Other than that we havent come across any issues with it

[Ren_RG28]

Thanks Dana. I've currently got the short 18RG manifold (not sure of exact length), but are you saying it's longer than that? It looks about the same size in it's website pic, but I will get an exact measurement and double check before I make any decisions.

Thanks!
Ren.

[sillycar chick]

Yeah i looked at that pic and thought it looked like the shorter toyota one, but the one on Rad's is longer and has redline stamped on it we have a toyota one which is much shorter but its buggered... post up the length if you can get them to advise you what it is, so we can compare

[airfireman1]

I have noticed that ther are 2 type of upper chain tensioners that were fitted to 18rg engines. The first type has a cast steel with no spring just a lock nut set up and the second type has the spring and a larger lock nut to set up the tension. The first type was fitted to an 18rgu head I have and the latter on an 18rgeu head. Does anone know the reason for the two types and are they intechangeable? I have noticed that there may be 2 types of slippers that the tensioners use.
Can some one enlighten me to the difference please. It seems that the tensioner on my 18rgeu head has no adjustment left as the spring is completely compressed.
I just want to clear this up now as I will be removing the head on the 18rgeu due to a BHG.
Cheers

[tricky]

I have the redline manifold on my RG, and it's heaps shorter than any stock RG manifold. I guess they make more than one

[airfireman1]

Ok I think I have figured out the top chain tensioner, it may have been adjusted a little tight and that springy bit is just a cover that has gone very hard.
Next question: I am about to take the head off and have set the engine to TDC by the harmonic balancer and It seems that the notches on the cams are not verticle at TDC by the balacer marks,to get the notches verticle I have to go about 12mm past the TDC marks on the balancer. I will check TDC by inserting a screwdriver down the number 1 plug hole and rotate the crank to check that the piston is at TDC befor I remove the chain and gears. Is it also a huge problem to secure the top chain to stop it falling and loosing the timing completely.
I do have the 18r engine book but it is not very explanetory when it comes to removing the cyl head. Do you have to remove the large curved guide befor removing the head or is there enough room to lift off the head without removing this? It seems like you need one person to lift the head and one to make sure the timing chain is secured.
Lots of questions but I I just want to be sure befor I remove all this stuff so I dont have any major problems
Cheers

[tricky]

I am about to take the head off and have set the engine to TDC by the harmonic balancer and It seems that the notches on the cams are not verticle at TDC by the balacer marks,to get the notches verticle I have to go about 12mm past the TDC marks on the balancer. I will check TDC by inserting a screwdriver down the number 1 plug hole and rotate the crank to check that the piston is at TDC befor I remove the chain and gears. Is it also a huge problem to secure the top chain to stop it falling and loosing the timing completely.
I do have the 18r engine book but it is not very explanetory when it comes to removing the cyl head. Do you have to remove the large curved guide befor removing the head or is there enough room to lift off the head without removing this? It seems like you need one person to lift the head and one to make sure the timing chain is secured.
Lots of questions but I I just want to be sure befor I remove all this stuff so I dont have any major problems
Cheers

They probably won't be set straight up (the book says they should be, but they are always out by a bit due to chain stretch etc), but yes, double check that the TDC mark on the pulley corresponds TDC in the bore. While you're at it, if the original notch is out, make a new mark!

From memory, you don't have to remove the large curved guide, and it helps in holding the chain up. What I do is mark links on the chain, and respective teeth on the cam gear, then put a cable tie or a bit of wire through a couple of links in the chain. You can get a bit of tension on the chain, and carefully fold it so it sits wedged between the block and the curved chain damper.



The above is a photo I took just before putting my head on. You get what I mean? I've never had a problem with the chain falling off the lower cog, and I *think* there is even a dowel down there which helps hold it up. It will fall off the aux. drive though, so make sure you reset timing after the job is done!

Hope that helps!

[timbosaurus]

Are you definately looking at the TDC mark? There are a few marks on the pulley (not really a harmonic balancer), one mark for TDC, and a couple of marks for BTDC marks (5 and 7 deg BTDC IIRC). As a side note, there are actually many different crank pulleys of different sizes and belt numbers depending on what engine from what car it came off.

The only ways to really tell is to:
A) put a screwdriver down the hole, or
B) take off the crank pulley and look at the keyway. It doesnt move unless the crank is twisted
C) take off the sump and look.

Two ppl make the head removal process easier, yes. But it isn't necessary.

I take off the tappet cover, carbies, extractors and crap. Take off the cam sprockets and tie the chain up with a bit off wire (oxy wire works well), use the bonnet, or something above the engine to tie it to. You should take out the tensioner, but don't worry about the guide.

Take out the headstuds and give it a good whack with a rubber mallet to loosen it, then the part that requires co-ordination is lifting the head off around the wire holding the chain. certainly possible though.

[tricky]

...5 and 7 deg BTDC IIRC...

Depends on the generation... Different pulleys have different timing marks!

[Ren_RG28]

Dana & Tricky: The 18RG Redline manifold I'm looking at on the website is model 12-20. It has this stamped on the top of the manifold. I called them up and apparently it's 65mm long at it's longest point.

Dana, can you get the part no. of the longer Redline manifold?

Thanks,
Ren.

[airfireman1]

Thanks for all the info, I have checked TDC with the screwdriver and it is correct with the timing marks so the discrepancy must be a bit of chain stretch and also the dizzy must be out 1 tooth as I had noticed this befor when I was doing static timing. I will remove the tensioner then and I take it the guide can stay bolted to the head for removal. I will have to get some help to guide the chain thru the head when I get to that stage and I cant hook the chain on the bonnet as it was removed for the engine transplant.Is it preferential to remove the camshafts prior to lifting the head off as not to accidentaly bend a valve if the head is placed face down. To my way of thinking, if I loose tension on the top chain, and it jumps a tooth whilst removing the head it should not matter too much as long as the engine is at tdc and the camshafts are replaced with the notches in their original position.I will mark the chains to the sprockets and also to the pins and everything should be sweet.
Thanks again

[tricky]

Yep, you're on the right track re skipping a tooth- you can just reset everything. It's just nice if your marks all line up, so it's all really easy. Just pull the cams out straight up. They are really easy to pull out when the chains are off, and it'll save a lot of headaches.

[o_man_ra23]

18RGs are a non interference motor, so it doesnt matter if your cams are out of whack when you put the head back on. Just dont rotate them oddly such that valves catch on each other.

[RAd28]

Dana & Tricky: The 18RG Redline manifold I'm looking at on the website is model 12-20. It has this stamped on the top of the manifold. I called them up and apparently it's 65mm long at it's longest point.

Dana, can you get the part no. of the longer Redline manifold?

Thanks,
Ren.

Just thought i'd throw my 2.2c (inc GST) into the mix... both manifolds i have (short and long) are OEM toyota ones... the short one i have beside me has part No 17111-88231. the long one is on the car now so i don't have it. but i'm 99% certain it's toyota too...
~65mm is the short one i have too, and i'd reccommend it if you wanna run ram tubes, or virtually any air filter for that matter... infact, i'm looking for a short manifold (mine is fooked) my self, but definatly not paying $250+ for a manifold like that...