New to the FJ60 world, come share my pain

Spike Strip · 03-13-09, 10:47 AM

I say we just use lots of duct-tape and some JB-weld on your manifold and call it a day...

My dog is gonna piss on your tires ...

NLXTACY · 03-13-09, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spike Strip

I say we just use lots of duct-tape and some JB-weld on your manifold and call it a day...

My dog is gonna piss on your tires ...

I figured he would. I can still smell it on your tires

GLTHFJ60 · 03-15-09, 07:25 PM

Have any pics of the new lift?

NLXTACY · 03-15-09, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GLTHFJ60

Have any pics of the new lift?

I have them in my camera. Its not 100% finished but will be tomorrow. More details in an hour or so.

NLXTACY · 03-17-09, 12:07 AM

As promised I got some pics.

Sunday was spent at SPIKE's place with Mark A and Randy88FJ62 helping out. SPIKE and Randy attacked the springs after SPIKE and I spent the first hour or so getting everything ready and the truck level and off the ground.

Lucky for all of us that when the truck was over at Georg's last year he replaced all of the spring bushings. What does this mean for us? Imagine taking the spring bolts off, taking the spring pin ONCE and having it hit the floor....EACH TIME!! What could have easily taken all day with a torch and the Fire Department turned into just a few quick hours.

All the springs were off and the new set were getting prepped. I forgot to spray paint the U-bolts

so I did that and painted the leaf springs because there was a little bit of surface rust on them. SPIKE and Randy would have finished it expect for two things:

1. I forgot the driver's side spring in my garage.

2. LCWIZARD sent me two passenger side spring saddles.

I took the opportunity to replace so far 2 of the 4 rubber brake lines. I still need to replace the other 2 and then bleed the brakes. Some notes about the brake hoses:

•*The female couple of the braided hose isn't long enough to reach the hard line. This means manipulating the hard line to get it to fit in. This was lame.
• The kit comes with a large washer but on the PS you need to curl the ends to get it to fit right in the braket or else the Jesus clip isn't going in without getting bent.

NLXTACY · 03-17-09, 12:08 AM

Some more lift pics mid way through

NLXTACY · 03-17-09, 12:09 AM

few more

NLXTACY · 03-17-09, 12:21 AM

So at this point we moved to the exhaust.

It took the rest of Sunday to get the manifold out. In doing so I found that the brake booster hose had a large crack in it although I never had an issue with braking. While take out the air rail, the #6 tube twisted

, the smog pump to air cleaner hose split

and after taking off the manifold we found the take tell sign of a junk intake manifold; the hairline crack down the center of the throat. Its oh so small but large enough to wreak havoc.

Luckily Mark didn't leave for Katemcy yet so I got an intake/exhaust manifold set up, new air rail, another brake hose (I was short one), the hoses and another Jesus clip

.

So this morning SPIKE and I wrestled that F'ING manifold back on. It was a good three hours to get it where it was supposed to be. Part of our problem was:

• we were using the REMFLEX gasket. This was the problem perse but meant we had to be extra delicate.
• we replaced the exhaust bolts with all new exhaust studs and nuts. This made maneuvering the manifold around the exhaust flange AND the J tube next to impossible because the #1 ram horn was banging into the P/S bracket. It took some "persuading" with a BFH (deadblow) but it went together.

WE set the torque to 14# because REMFLES recommends 14-17 MAX and we used anti-seize so we went to the bottom of the scale.

I also clipped on the carb spacer heat shield. This will make future torqueing MUCH MUCH easier.

So tomorrow will just be putting everything back together. I will of course still need to wait for LCWIZARD to send me the other bottom plate to finish the lift. SPIKE put the onld set on that side backon just so it can be driven in the mean time. I just wont be off-roading with that set up.

NLXTACY · 03-17-09, 12:22 AM

last set of pics for now

NLXTACY · 03-17-09, 12:23 AM

BTW if anyone has some 33's 16inch I am interested!!!!

275 or 285/75/16 would be nice as well!!!!!

Anyone? Anyone?

NLXTACY · 03-17-09, 04:15 PM

Well the lift is in except for the driver's side lower flip kit bracket. Just re-used the old one until LCWIZARD can send me the replacement. The truck sits at a BEAUTIFUL height. I mean it looks like it should have come this way stock. It just sits so nice. Even with the stock wheels and tires it looks good. I will have pics later. New wheels are a must though. It would just sit up that much higher and would help its current CoG.

The truck now sounds wonderful. Now more exhaust or intake leaks. I now have to redo adjusting the carb all over again now that there are no leaks. Maybe tomorrow. We'll see.

The truck runs VERY noticeably quieter and definitely feels more peppy.

Only negative I noticed out of the whole thing is that the tires now vibrate like mad as soon as I hit 35mph. Now my thinking is that this issue was most likely always there but I never noticed it because the stock springs were 25 years old and just soft enough to absorb all the vibrations. As soon as I can track down some tires I will do the tires, balance and alignment. Should be good to go then.

Randy88FJ62 · 03-17-09, 04:21 PM

Spike Strip · 03-17-09, 04:21 PM

Toe in needs to be set.

NLXTACY · 03-17-09, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spike Strip

Toe in needs to be set.

Yup and found a good thread for it:
http://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wa...alignment.html

NLXTACY · 03-17-09, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLXTACY

Only negative I noticed out of the whole thing is that the tires now vibrate like mad as soon as I hit 35mph. Now my thinking is that this issue was most likely always there but I never noticed it because the stock springs were 25 years old and just soft enough to absorb all the vibrations. As soon as I can track down some tires I will do the tires, balance and alignment. Should be good to go then.

OOOOOOOORRRRRRR............

The vibration was the gentle warning that my lugnuts have now worked their way off and the wheel is now readying itself to launch off the axle.

Seems we forgot to tighten the lugnuts on the driver's side rear

So got to a side street and tightened the three remaining and pulled one lugnut off each wheel. Then shuffled on over to Pep Boys and picked up a set.

So lesson boys...check YO NUTS!

GLTHFJ60 · 03-18-09, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLXTACY

So lesson boys...check YO NUTS!

Haha, will do.

As for the manifold bolts, 14#?? That seems really low to me. The 2F engine manual says 50# California spec, so that's what I tightened mine to with the headers. No problems so far!

Randy88FJ62 · 03-18-09, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLXTACY

OOOOOOOORRRRRRR............

The vibration was the gentle warning that my lugnuts have now worked their way off and the wheel is now readying itself to launch off the axle.

Seems we forgot to tighten the lugnuts on the driver's side rear

So got to a side street and tightened the three remaining and pulled one lugnut off each wheel. Then shuffled on over to Pep Boys and picked up a set.

So lesson boys...check YO NUTS!

What if I were to say after bleeding my brakes at home last week I had a similar vibration... I will not divulge any further information as it may put me up on the chopping block for another rubber ducky nomination.

NLXTACY · 03-18-09, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GLTHFJ60

Haha, will do.

As for the manifold bolts, 14#?? That seems really low to me. The 2F engine manual says 50# California spec, so that's what I tightened mine to with the headers. No problems so far!

I followed Remflex's specific instructions. In fact in big red letters it says to NOT tighten above 18ft.lb.

So far it seems fine. No exhaust leak.

NLXTACY · 03-18-09, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy88FJ62

What if I were to say after bleeding my brakes at home last week I had a similar vibration... I will not divulge any further information as it may put me up on the chopping block for another rubber ducky nomination.

hahahaha, the whole time I wasn't so much worried about the new drum and wheel studs I may have to buy but more thinking how much it would suck to get the duck

NLXTACY · 03-26-09, 05:15 PM

Just an update. It was time to re-adjust the carb to get to the smog shop again and Mark offered to adjust it so I stopped on over and first thing he found was a nasty vacuum leak. To me it just sounded like a huge suction of air and chalked it up to being my new gaskets working

Turns out the hose from the PCV to the Intake tube had a long straight split in it and all of the vacuum was getting dumped out of it which never let me truck get anything above 10" of vacuum. So we replaced that hose, he adjusted the carb and now I am about 18-19" of vacuum and the truck drives, runs, idles and SMELLS wonderful now. Damn this is rad. Now I can get it smogged without worry.

vipergrhd · 03-29-09, 04:45 PM

I do envy all that work you have done to your 60,maybe this year i could start upgrade and mild resto to other stuff.

JOHN

NLXTACY · 03-29-09, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vipergrhd

I do envy all that work you have done to your 60,maybe this year i could start upgrade and mild resto to other stuff.

JOHN

Thanks John, its getting there slowly.

NLXTACY · 03-29-09, 11:19 PM

So latest update, I went to get my smog check and PASSED INSPECTION! WOOHOO!!!!!

But failed SMOG

THIS time around I failed CO but passed HC. Truck is just running too rich. Well something else is definitely wrong. I have to go through and check each individual emissions part to see what is failing. I have been told by several folks to just have Mark drop in a leaned out jet. That isn't a solution in my book. All it does is mask the problem. I want to solve it.

NocalFJ60 · 03-29-09, 11:40 PM

I know your pain. I failed 5 times before passing. It was a long process and the engine was rebuilt during it.

I had to drop in a smaller jet Mark sent me. He rebuilt my carb and after rebuilding the engine this was the only way I could pass and believe me I tried everything. My CO was way high and that is what I had to do to bring it down. Your HC is high so a smaller jet is not what you need.

Did it fail HC at both speeds? What are your HC numbers?

Here is what I would check if you haven't done it:

Check your vacuum advanced (the big diaphragm on the inside) Pull the cap and use a hand pump and watch it move and make sure it hold a vacuum. Follow the procedure in the smog manual.

Double check the vacuum lines of the side of the carb by the valve cover.

Double check your timing. If you have a digital timing gun, you don't set it to 7 degrees or whatever it is, you leave it on 0 and use the ball. I set mine wrong the first time this way.

Check ABV and make sure the CAT is getting air from the smog pump down to the CAT. I assume your CAT is good.

Your plugs gapped correctly and are they OEM?

Your oil could be saturated with unburned fuel after running rich for awhile. Have you changed it in awhile?

Good luck. Don't let the smog nazis win.

NLXTACY · 03-29-09, 11:55 PM

Well like I said, I know I have the smaller jet option I just don't want to do it until I am absolutely desperate. It may be annoying and cost me more $ but I'm not desperate yet.

HC passed at both speeds but barely:

Second test:
HC
99
95

CO
1.57
2.12

NO
143
121

Yeah vacuum advance is going to be my first check. I am also going to replace ALL of the vacuum lines in the truck tomorrow as well. Never know. The CAT externally looks good. No dimples at all. I have not taken it off and inspected it though. BUT when it was at Georg's he put in all new exhaust CAT back. Pretty sure he ould have mentioned something if there was an issue.

I used OEM plugs from CDan and I set the gap to IIRC .032 or maybe it was .034, don't remember exactly right now. Someone mentioned gapping them to .060 but again, to me thats a band aid fix.

All fresh oil, did oil change hours before getting it tested.

And screw those smog nazis!!!

NocalFJ60 · 03-30-09, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLXTACY

THIS time around I failed HC but passed CO. .

Your CO failed and not your HC? If that is the case, then you can ignore my advise. If your CO failed, then get a smaller jet from Mark and change it out if you run out of time and just pass and get them off your back and then you can't figure it out more. I changed out my jet in 15-20 minutes with the carb still installed. Changing the jet to a smaller one is for high CO not HC.

NLXTACY · 03-30-09, 08:56 AM

Whhoops sorry I recorded it the wrong way, I PASSED HC but failed CO. It was the other way around the on the first test.

ToyotaDon · 03-31-09, 11:19 PM

High CO means it's running rich. The carburetor controls the mixture, so putting a leaner jet in is not a band-aid fix. You'd have to ask Mark, but he probably sets those carbs up to run a little richer for more...uh, power.

NLXTACY · 04-07-09, 01:18 AM

Ok so I haven't bothered with the emissions issue lately. Instead I've been collecting parts. I scored a used set of (5) 285/75/16s for $100 bones and I picked up (4) FJ80 wheels for $200. I found out that I needed spacers. As I found out from here:
http://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wa...5-spacers.html

Marlin was out of the 1.25" spacers so I went with the 1.5" from Mark's Off Road (he got them from Marlin). Well spacers came in today and damn these things are freaking cool!!!!

So I've been busy flat blacking the 80 wheels and the front grill. Gonna work on the headlight doors and other stuff throughout the day tomorrow.

This thing is gonna look pretty freaking snazzy come day light

orangefj45 · 04-07-09, 07:40 AM

hey joey.
lemme know if you need any 60 series smog equipment, i have lots.
georg