Mid ’76 FJ40 Federal Resmog
I was recently presented with the opportunity to get a rebuilt ’76 FJ40 from a friend for a sweet deal. The only problem was that I’m in California, and it was from out of state, where it didn’t have to get smogged. As a result, it had headers, and was missing the air pump system, EGR system, and most of the emission computer functions.
From taking off the first air filter cover nut, to getting a passing smog test, it took me about 2 weeks of pretty solid weekends and weeknights. I had gotten a bunch of used parts before I started disassembly, so that I wouldn't be sitting around with it taken apart.
I was lucky enough to find some fellow form members who had used parts for sale cheap. That, plus a stupid amount of money at SOR for nuts and bolts and such, and a whole bunch of work, and I’m smogged. Having SOR 30 miles from my house is dangerous! I took a bunch of pics of the process and have added some notes for anyone going through the same process.
Note that I did deviate from a few original components for practicality, not all the steps necessarily apply to your resmog, and sorry for some of the pics being blurry. Also, I realize that my entire engine compartment needs to be restored. At this point I just needed to get it smogged before my temp registration ran out.
I split this post into two, since the form won't allow me to make a post with more than 20 pics at a time. Also, the pics are linked from my photobucket account, so if they disappear and you want to see them, send me a PM.
My FJ is an 8/76, which was a transition month. I went with the earlier components, since they were what came to me. Later 8/76 models had the 3-piece exhaust manifold and flange mounted EGR pipe, but many of the other components were similar. More on that below. I set mine to match Federal specs.
The year-specific emissions manuals from Toyota are important for piecing these systems back together, especially if you want to troubleshoot them. Unfortunately, you're forced to buy the information for the 20R, 4M, and 2T-C engines in the same manual. There is also an additional California addendum, for non Federal models.
Ready for disassembly.
Air cleaner housing removed.
Carb fan thermo sensor mounting.
Throttle linkage bracket.
Note the yellow cap is where the EGR hose goes. The vac actuator with the blue hose is the TP (throttle positioner).
Carb and manifolds removed.
New manifold set disassembled.
Headers on build fixture.
I didn't want to have to come up with an entirely new exhaust system, so I made a quick fixture off the headers picking up the engine mounting studs and the exit flange.
New downpipe on fixture.
Using a stock exhaust stub, I had a local exhaust shop bend up a section of tube and put the flanges on the end. Those bends done without an inside mandrel are kind of rough, but they'll do for now.
Downpipe O2 sensor bung.
Flash forward into the future, I wanted to put an O2 sensor bung on the pipe so I could use my wideband to tune the carb. Note that you need to disconnect the smog pump to get accurate readings. All that extra air pumped in bumps the AFR up a few points.
Early '76 EGR cooler.
Recognizable by its boxy shape. Later ones had a cutout on the forward end, still with an aluminum outer plate. Latest ones were that same shape, but all cast iron. All the aluminum plate ones all suffered erosion from exhaust gasses. The one I got looked OK on the outside, but it had eaten through the bolt bosses, and the inside was shot. The one that I passed on with my second batch of parts had visible holes through it. When I went to SOR to look at what they had, the best boxy style one they had also had visible holes.
EGR cooler gnarled up innards.
Another major difference between earlier and later EGR systems was the tube fitting type. On the earlier ones, there was a 1" compression fitting on the exhaust manifold. (Don't bother trying to loosen this one in the vehicle, I had to use a 24" crescent wrench). The EGR cooler end had a 1" flare fitting, and a smaller flare fitting, maybe 3/4" for the flex pipe to the valve.
Later systems had a 2-bolt flange on the exhaust manifold, and compression fittings at both ends of the EGR cooler.
I needed to adapt to the newer style cooler, so I cut off the flare and added some extra length to my egr pipe. It needed about 0.70" extra.
Newer style fully cast iron EGR cooler with modified pipe.
EGR valve line differences.
The EGR valves also have different fittings pre and post 8/76. Earlier ones have a flare fitting, and later ones have a compression fitting. The matching cooler has the appropriate fitting
SOR heat riser insulator plate.
The manifold set that I got was missing the heat riser insulator plate, and only had 1 gasket. This caused the sandwich to be the wrong height, and the shared bolt holes were excessively offset. The original insulator plate has a bump in it to accommodate the swing of the butterfly, and the SOR plate is flat, so the butterfly needs about 0.3" trimmed off of it.
Manifold set with heat shields.
The manifold has a couple of heat shields, and the front one has the hookup for the heated air cleaner. The front one can go on after the manifold is installed. I had to install the rear one before the manifold went in, and then take the bolts out and shift it over to get to the exhaust manifold studs.This may be different on the 3-piece manifolds.
Smog pump
The smog pumps are another gross part of this process. If you're planning on getting a used one, get more than one, and you might have enough parts to make one good one. It has fiberglass blades on an eccentric cam that ride inside of carbon guides. One carbon guides per pair has a spring plate behind it. These break, and get spit out of the pump. They're also nasty with old grease inside. The rotor has a shim or shims on the shaft that are critical. I ended up needing to use the shims from both pumps in the one I rebuilt. Also note that if you have the style with a single nut on the pulley, THE NUT IS A LEFTHAND THREAD!! Now I have a tapped shaft and a custom washer.
Smog pump guts.
Continued in the next post…
I was recently presented with the opportunity to get a rebuilt ’76 FJ40 from a friend for a sweet deal. The only problem was that I’m in California, and it was from out of state, where it didn’t have to get smogged. As a result, it had headers, and was missing the air pump system, EGR system, and most of the emission computer functions.
From taking off the first air filter cover nut, to getting a passing smog test, it took me about 2 weeks of pretty solid weekends and weeknights. I had gotten a bunch of used parts before I started disassembly, so that I wouldn't be sitting around with it taken apart.
I was lucky enough to find some fellow form members who had used parts for sale cheap. That, plus a stupid amount of money at SOR for nuts and bolts and such, and a whole bunch of work, and I’m smogged. Having SOR 30 miles from my house is dangerous! I took a bunch of pics of the process and have added some notes for anyone going through the same process.
Note that I did deviate from a few original components for practicality, not all the steps necessarily apply to your resmog, and sorry for some of the pics being blurry. Also, I realize that my entire engine compartment needs to be restored. At this point I just needed to get it smogged before my temp registration ran out.
I split this post into two, since the form won't allow me to make a post with more than 20 pics at a time. Also, the pics are linked from my photobucket account, so if they disappear and you want to see them, send me a PM.
My FJ is an 8/76, which was a transition month. I went with the earlier components, since they were what came to me. Later 8/76 models had the 3-piece exhaust manifold and flange mounted EGR pipe, but many of the other components were similar. More on that below. I set mine to match Federal specs.
The year-specific emissions manuals from Toyota are important for piecing these systems back together, especially if you want to troubleshoot them. Unfortunately, you're forced to buy the information for the 20R, 4M, and 2T-C engines in the same manual. There is also an additional California addendum, for non Federal models.
Ready for disassembly.
Air cleaner housing removed.
Carb fan thermo sensor mounting.
Throttle linkage bracket.
Note the yellow cap is where the EGR hose goes. The vac actuator with the blue hose is the TP (throttle positioner).
Carb and manifolds removed.
New manifold set disassembled.
Headers on build fixture.
I didn't want to have to come up with an entirely new exhaust system, so I made a quick fixture off the headers picking up the engine mounting studs and the exit flange.
New downpipe on fixture.
Using a stock exhaust stub, I had a local exhaust shop bend up a section of tube and put the flanges on the end. Those bends done without an inside mandrel are kind of rough, but they'll do for now.
Downpipe O2 sensor bung.
Flash forward into the future, I wanted to put an O2 sensor bung on the pipe so I could use my wideband to tune the carb. Note that you need to disconnect the smog pump to get accurate readings. All that extra air pumped in bumps the AFR up a few points.
Early '76 EGR cooler.
Recognizable by its boxy shape. Later ones had a cutout on the forward end, still with an aluminum outer plate. Latest ones were that same shape, but all cast iron. All the aluminum plate ones all suffered erosion from exhaust gasses. The one I got looked OK on the outside, but it had eaten through the bolt bosses, and the inside was shot. The one that I passed on with my second batch of parts had visible holes through it. When I went to SOR to look at what they had, the best boxy style one they had also had visible holes.
EGR cooler gnarled up innards.
Another major difference between earlier and later EGR systems was the tube fitting type. On the earlier ones, there was a 1" compression fitting on the exhaust manifold. (Don't bother trying to loosen this one in the vehicle, I had to use a 24" crescent wrench). The EGR cooler end had a 1" flare fitting, and a smaller flare fitting, maybe 3/4" for the flex pipe to the valve.
Later systems had a 2-bolt flange on the exhaust manifold, and compression fittings at both ends of the EGR cooler.
I needed to adapt to the newer style cooler, so I cut off the flare and added some extra length to my egr pipe. It needed about 0.70" extra.
Newer style fully cast iron EGR cooler with modified pipe.
EGR valve line differences.
The EGR valves also have different fittings pre and post 8/76. Earlier ones have a flare fitting, and later ones have a compression fitting. The matching cooler has the appropriate fitting
SOR heat riser insulator plate.
The manifold set that I got was missing the heat riser insulator plate, and only had 1 gasket. This caused the sandwich to be the wrong height, and the shared bolt holes were excessively offset. The original insulator plate has a bump in it to accommodate the swing of the butterfly, and the SOR plate is flat, so the butterfly needs about 0.3" trimmed off of it.
Manifold set with heat shields.
The manifold has a couple of heat shields, and the front one has the hookup for the heated air cleaner. The front one can go on after the manifold is installed. I had to install the rear one before the manifold went in, and then take the bolts out and shift it over to get to the exhaust manifold studs.This may be different on the 3-piece manifolds.
Smog pump
The smog pumps are another gross part of this process. If you're planning on getting a used one, get more than one, and you might have enough parts to make one good one. It has fiberglass blades on an eccentric cam that ride inside of carbon guides. One carbon guides per pair has a spring plate behind it. These break, and get spit out of the pump. They're also nasty with old grease inside. The rotor has a shim or shims on the shaft that are critical. I ended up needing to use the shims from both pumps in the one I rebuilt. Also note that if you have the style with a single nut on the pulley, THE NUT IS A LEFTHAND THREAD!! Now I have a tapped shaft and a custom washer.
Smog pump guts.
Continued in the next post…
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