FJ62 Engine rebuild (1 Viewer)

[60Works]

Hey buddy check out http://cruisersolutions.com they are a few hours north of you and will meet or exceed all your Cruiser needs!

I can't recommend Cruiser Solutions. The technicians are experienced and do good work and many the Cuisers they've delivered are show car quality. However; they are INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE. Not just pricey, but insanely, unapologetically expensive even for routine mechanical work.

I can recommend a shop called Mom's Garage in Manchester, NH. They aren't a Cruiser specialist shop but they've been learning on my 62's and I'm pleased with the mechanical work they've done.

I encourage you to consider doing some of the restoration work yourself. You don't have to have a fancy shop to the interior and much of it can be done piece by piece. If you have the time it is very rewarding.

What's your 3FE doing that makes you think its dying?

 

[Slow Left]

Here's a link to mighty fine work being done by @NCFJ :

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/88-fj62-vortec-5-3l-re-power.809698/page-6#post-9338807

Appears he's down in South Carolina...closer than CA or WA...

 

[Crusher95]

How much does the vortec swap usually cost?

 

[Creeker]

Try asking in the Yankee Toys club forum if you're looking for local, capable mechanics. https://forum.ih8mud.com/forums/ma-nh-yankee-toys.112/ If you want an engine swap, Cruiser Solutions is certainly capable, if expensive. Otherwise, your next closest looks like HFS. Torfab looks like they'd be great to work with, but they're on the other side of the country from you.

 

[Spike Strip]

Jeez, I can't believe no one has mentioned Jim C.

www.TLCperformance.com

If you're willing to ship to TLC4x4 (don't), Lancaster, OH is like a bicycle trip, and you can't find a better Cruiser Guru.

 

[Slow Left]

Try asking in the Yankee Toys club forum if you're looking for local, capable mechanics. https://forum.ih8mud.com/forums/ma-nh-yankee-toys.112/

Yes! If you do this, then repost any good recommendations here and in the "Recommended Mechanics in Your Area" sticky...

 

[Slow Left]

Jeez, I can't believe no one has mentioned Jim C.

www.TLCperformance.com

If you're willing to ship to TLC4x4 (don't), Lancaster, OH is like a bicycle trip, and you can't find a better Cruiser Guru.

Your right Spike! Should have been a no-brainer. I wasn't sure to what extent he did resto/mod work, but I was well aware that he overhauls F engines...

 

[Slow Left]

How much does the vortec swap usually cost?

Better off directing those questions directly to those shops linked here that do that kind of work. They can give you a ball-park range.

On a philosophical note, however (yes, here we go again...) if you want to get an appreciation for both the skill (craftsmanship) and judgment that goes into bidding on (pricing) and completing these types of swaps/mods on early model vehicles, then be sure to read "Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work" by Matthew B. Crawford. He does a good job (yet somewhat scattered) attempting to articulate the dilemma faced with providing a service that requires both judgment and the skills required to act on that judgment...in contrast the other 'jobs' in the Information Economy that barter in content...copy and paste...

The crux of the dilemma is that the exemplary mechanic takes on the responsibility to fix the problem on the customer's vehicle. He sets his price based on his diagnosis of the problem (symptoms) and his estimate on how much it will cost to fix it...all based on his judgement (combination of implicit and explicit knowledge). If, in accepting that responsibility, he runs into an unforseen problem (the head of a bolt breaks off and he can't get to this or that, etc...) then he runs into the dilemma of not only how to fix that problem (because his reputation in his understanding of the social contract is based on correctly fixing that problem ) but also who will incur that cost...if he doesn't pass it onto the customer, then he eats it from his own profit margin...even though that new problem was not of his making, rather can be attributed to the uncertainty of repairing older vehicles.

In contrast, many 'mechanics' might not even fix problems. They might just replace parts and then charge the customer, whether it solves the original problem or not...not unlike the 'cutting and pasting' that goes on in the Information Economy... And any additional problems generated along the way will most definitely be passed on to the customer. As a result, you could say that they do not take responsibility, rather they use their position as one of authority.
It is my assessment that the reason that these types of mechanics are not held to account is because the majority of American consumers don't have enough knowledge about their own vehicles to keep the inflation of value of their work in check...

The reason why most folks on MUD have a healthy amount of respect for those folks mentioned in the past thread who do this type of work on Land Cruisers is because they are not only exemplary problem solvers (true mechanics) but also fair minded, straight talking business men and artists when comes to these resto/mod projects...

 

[cruisermatt]

x2 for Jim C

 

[SoCalJB]

Sadly might need a new engine for my FJ62 live near Cape Cod MA any idea where I can get one fitted?FJ

Can't help with a more local response. But I have a 145k 3FE with H55 that is in the process of being swapped for an LY6/4L85. Its gonna be just sittin' on a pallet here in Atlanta. I am looking to sell it.
PM me if interested.

 

[norsk]

How much does the vortec swap usually cost?

Ball park can be $10k, but it all depends, etc.

5.3L, new firmware and new harness can run $1500 to $2000 by themselves.

Just what I heard from uglyoinker quote to my son-in-law on his truck

dougbert

 

[STEVE02535]

So finally decided to go with http://cruisersolutions.com they got the FJ62 yesterday, so I'm waiting to find out what's wrong with the engine.
While it's there I intend to have them install old man emu shocks.
Anythink else you think I should consider having them do while its in the shop?

 

[drillduty]

Glad you chose cruiser solutions in from Southie originally and they would be my mechanic if I was still up north! I'm currently down south and have my FJ 62 with HFS having a Vortec Repower install! Post pics of your progress! Congrats!

 

[Slow Left]

So finally decided to go with http://cruisersolutions.com they got the FJ62 yesterday, so I'm waiting to find out what's wrong with the engine.
While it's there I intend to have them install old man emu shocks.
Anythink else you think I should consider having them do while its in the shop?

If you stay with the F engine, be sure to do the Galley plug fix on the head...

Have you considered swapping out the automatic transmission for a manual? If so, you can buy a new (from Toyota) H55f 5 speed manual transmission for ~$2,500 ( see @beno for details...you will also need a clutch pedal and possibly additional parts since you are going from automatic to manual). But even if you stay with the automatic, you might consider having them rebuild the transfercase if it has been a while...

 

[STEVE02535]

Engine rebuild underway will post some pictures once http://cruisersolutions.com
Followed by old emu lift and shorkel
Thoughts on having her plati dipped?