3FE FJ40 RTCustoms build.

[mmw68]

Randy over at RTCustoms has been helping get my 3FE 40 running. So has Pappy with his long distance support. This week the truck is going up to Dallas for a little body work, and for Randy to do his magic on the Engine. He just completed my wife FJ62 swap, and I loved what he did in tweeking that 3FE, Build link I want him to do the same with the FJ40.


Here is a little history on the truck. I bought from a guy in AZ, and thought I was getting a running truck, with a little rust. The 3FE had already been dropped in, and the truck had a new lift. When it arrived, a lot of rust, and did not run. We almost had to have it towed from the drop off point to my home.





Once I got it home and popped the hood I saw the nest of wires, and a lot of other problems. The first two weeks I spent tearing into the 3FE wiring and the 2F wiring and redoing a lot of it. I found the O2 Sensors not hooked up, and some wires just twisted together. The ECU was hanging by one screw under the dash...that tells you the level of care the PO owner took with this engine install. One of the first things I had done was to add a VSS to the speedo cable, and move the ECU to the glove box. I've also added a engine light on the Dash, and a Tach. Speed Sensor Link






Next was to redo the electric fuel pump and install a MSD2225,it came with some generic brand, and I went ahead and replaced the fuel tank with a new OEM one. I also had to adjust the TB and fix the crappy install of the Gas pedal and throttle cable. It needed a few other things as well just to get the truck running.

Here is a short list of what I've been working on:
New tank and all fuel lines
new 3/8 larger dia fuel supply lines to engine
full tune up and timing was set correctly
new TPS, TB cleaned and set dead on while on the workbench
new o2 sensors - (they look very new)
All the little sensors in the t-stat housing are new
new hoses and t-state
all oils and fluids have been changed
I have run sea foam thru the injectors

Gas Pedal Link



Before:


After:


As of today, the truck is running great, passed inspection, and I've been driving it almost every day. I'll try and keep this tread updated - I know a lot of guys are doing the 3FE engines into Fj40, so I hope I can provide some insight.

-Mark

[mmw68]

More progress that i've made over the last few weeks. I decided to add LED lights and a FZJ80 dome light with one of george's LED inside. On the dash - I removed the green lens on the dash pad and heater control light, and cut out the bulb shields on the instrument console.

[pappy]

Mark,

As my project sits in the garage with no $$ or time to work on it I just wanted you to know you suck. At least my engine is purdy'r.

[tlc4x]

One of the first things I had done was to add a VSS to the speedo cable, and move the ECU to the glove box. I've also added a engine light on the Dash, and a Tach. Speed Sensor Link

Just as a note (yes I know you posted on my thread), you do not need a special aftermarket VSS... It is more elegant to use the stock FJ40 VSS.

http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series...-3fe-swap.html

Thank goodness I can desmog mine. That is a lot of crap under the hood!

[mmw68]

Chris - yes...I do plan to desmog. I was just waiting until I had to pull the upper manifold off for the new ejectors. I had this made just for that purpose, it's going to be the nicest part of the truck!

[Trollhole]

What kind of clearance do you have between the 3fe and the brake master?

[Cruiserdrew]

Originally Posted by Trollhole

What kind of clearance do you have between the 3fe and the brake master?

x2

I have a 3FE just sitting in my garage waiting for install into my FJ40. I've hesitated because of the brake booster and the wiring. Mostly the wiring.

Why 2 fuel pumps, or is one a filter-I can't really tell from the pics.

Also considering a 2FE build.

Do you have a scematic of how the wiring grafted in?

[pappy]

Originally Posted by Trollhole

What kind of clearance do you have between the 3fe and the brake master?

My 1969 did not come with a booster and had the firewall rib. I needed to move the firewall/pedal assy over three inches to bolt in a FJ62 booster. The booster is also spaced out from the firewall to clear the clutch master with one of Mark's Off-Road spacers. I'm curious if later model trucks that came with a booster clear OK. Mark?

Originally Posted by Cruiserdrew

I have a 3FE just sitting in my garage waiting for install into my FJ40. I've hesitated because of the brake booster and the wiring. Mostly the wiring. Do you have a scematic of how the wiring grafted in?

Andrew, I did THIS while back. I've discussed where the wires need to go, but not how I did it.

[mmw68]

Maybe this will help - It's tight, but it fit. I bought the truck with the engine in it, so Iam have no clue if they had to shift the engine over a bit.

[mmw68]

Originally Posted by Cruiserdrew

x2

I have a 3FE just sitting in my garage waiting for install into my FJ40. I've hesitated because of the brake booster and the wiring. Mostly the wiring.

Why 2 fuel pumps, or is one a filter-I can't really tell from the pics.

Also considering a 2FE build.

Do you have a schematic of how the wiring grafted in?

Yes one of those is s fuel filter - I need to add a skid plate, and maybe neaten it up a little.

Randy has been flooded with calls about the 3FE/FJ40 conversions and I he mentioned to me about having custom plug in wiring harness made up. It was not that hard to marry the two harnesses. I just had a 3FE FSM and a 2F FSM side buy side and just went one wire at a time.

If I had to do it over again - I would just pull everything and start from scratch. The 3FE harness is not that big of a deal, it has it's own EFI, and Open circuit Realy, and a mess of wires going to the ECU, and down to the VSS and O2 censors. I think it's only a few ignition wires from the 2F harness you need to tap off of, and your good to go.


My trouble is that the PO did not shorten any of the wires, and just slapped it together, so I've had to cut and shorten a lot of wires and reroute a few. Again a custom harness would of been great. If Randy produces these - I plan to change it out.

[iaintscared1969]

That EGR block off is nice it should stand out really good against my new intake setup I did for yours. I am reworking the TB as we speak(In between getting a 2F in a 40) Great thread and the harness may be in works here fairly quickly. But really the wiring isn't that hard as long as the donor engine and harness are from the same year. Mark's harness is a nightmare since it really needed go solid connections and shorten it up a bit. But it is a screamer of a truck. I drove it last time and the 3FE fits it for performance and fit. I am going to pick it up this weekend for some more work and I will be taking notes on the install. If I find anything that I feel may be of help I will post it here.

[Cruiserdrew]

Well--Headed firmly off topic here-----I have a complete wiring harness from an FJ62. Complete, as in everything from fuse panel to sensor wires, plus the engine specific harness. I was thinking of rewiring the 40 using the FJ62 harness. Any thoughts on that? The existing FJ40 harness is, ah, well used, so a complete rewire would suit it well.

Thanks for any insights.

[tlc4x]

Originally Posted by Cruiserdrew

Well--Headed firmly off topic here-----I have a complete wiring harness from an FJ62. Complete, as in everything from fuse panel to sensor wires, plus the engine specific harness. I was thinking of rewiring the 40 using the FJ62 harness. Any thoughts on that? The existing FJ40 harness is, ah, well used, so a complete rewire would suit it well.

Thanks for any insights.

I am almost doing this. I have the whole front half of the FJ80 harness. I thought about getting the back half, but it has a lot of extras I don't need.

I will be test fitting my 3FE into my '73 this week end. I'll post the pics to show mow it goes.

[pappy]

Originally Posted by Cruiserdrew

I was thinking of rewiring the 40 using the FJ62 harness. Any thoughts on that?

I wish I had.

[iaintscared1969]

It would work since you really only need to wire into the 62 box with your 40 series wiring which isn't a lot. It might take a little longer but then again if you rewire a 40 with a kit it would probably take the same amount of time.

[pappy]

Originally Posted by iaintscared1969

It would work since you really only need to wire into the 62 box with your 40 series wiring which isn't a lot. It might take a little longer but then again if you rewire a 40 with a kit it would probably take the same amount of time.

Wiring into my aftermarket circuits with the FJ62 bits was not a problem. As I recall you only really need a constant hot and a switched hot for the ECU. If I didn't already have the aftermarket kit I would have tried using the FJ62 harness.

[mmw68]

I was just out side looking at my wiring, and I think there are only 3 to 4 splices into the FJ40 harness. I don't think it's worth the effort. Unless you are building a truck from the ground up.

[mmw68]

Tonight I decided to install the classic Cruisers Seat bracket, 8" tuffy console, wrap the steering wheel in leather, and install a pair of seat covers. I wanted Randy's drive to Dallas to be comfortable. Maybe if he is lucky I'll slap that old CD player in also.


Complete link on the seat bracket/tuffy install: LINK

[mmw68]

Randy came in today from Dallas and picked up the 3FE40. We packed the truck up with a load of new parts, a pair of fender, front bib, and a rear door. The manifold parts also came back from the soda blaster.

[bandy rooster]

what type of Radiator did you use?

is it a stocker? 4-core? or what.. just asking cause my buddy is in the process of what your doing

[mmw68]

yes it's stock. I have not had any cooling issues with it. But Iam installing a after market temp gauge so I can be extra sure. To be honest Randy drove the first long trip today in the truck. From Austin to Dallas. Maybe he will chime in on how things went?

[67azcruizr]

Originally Posted by mmw68

Maybe this will help - It's tight, but it fit. I bought the truck with the engine in it, so Iam have no clue if they had to shift the engine over a bit.

Why the early style booster?

Wouldn't a later style or a FJ60/mini truck booster make the "tight fit" a little easier to deal with?

[Fuzzy Logic]

Whats the fuel mileage on that rig Mark??