First Post: 91 FJ80 - NO 4wheel HI (1 Viewer)

["that guy"]

Hello everybody, I am a newbie and this is my first post! I've been researching through this forum for a while now as I am in the market for a Cruiser to load with friends to take on trips to Yosemite and down Baja. I have a fast GTI for a daily driver and do not care about the speed, I want to haul people and gear for thousands of miles so reliability is my goal.

My question is this:
I am looking at a 1991 FJ80 with 214k miles. The truck does not run in 4wheel HIGH. The original owner drives it to work (3 miles away) in 4wheel LOW. The transmission shifts fine through the gears in 4wheel LOW (it could use a filter/fluid change though). When I shift into 4wheel HIGH, a higher pitched whinning sound occurs and the truck does not move.
Could this be a stripped gear or busted bearing in the transfer case or something with the transmission output shaft?

Other info on the FJ80: original owner, brand new 33" BFG All-Terrains, stock gearing, and approx 2" suspension lift (from Downey Off-Road I believe), aluminum front bumper. Owner is "selling to pay taxes, cannot aford to repair it himself."

Like I said reliability is my goal, I am willing to fix the problem and completely baseline the truck with new fluids, seals, filters, etc if I purchase it. It has been discounted by the owner to compensate for the repair cost.

Is it worth it, what do you guys think? Thanks ahead for the input! I'm located in San Diego

 

[tech_dog]

I wonder how many miles he's done in low range. I'd be a bit worried about buying a truck from someone who didn't bother to repair such a significant problem.

If he ignored this, it's unlikely he was good with regular scheduled maintenance.

 

[KliersLC]

Sounds like a stripped drive flange. If you pull the grease caps off the front axle you will probably see the axle turning inside the flange.

Also, Is the CDL light on when you are in Low?

 

["that guy"]

Tech-Dog - The owner said the HIGH range went out 6 months ago and he stopped driving it on a daily basis. He recently began driving it again in order to promote the sale of it (for sale sign in the window). Owner "got laid off and put behind on taxes so he could not repair it." Regular oil changes by a place in Encinitas and radiator was replaced with Toyota parts from Toyota of Carlsbad not too long ago. The owner is an engineer (if that means anything?) and seems to really like the truck, claims to want to keep it but beforementiond taxes force sale.

KillerLC - Good input, YES the CDL light goes on in LOW

 

[IdahoDoug]

Agree its a stripped drive flange - 30 minute $100 fix, but am shaking my head about an owner who would drive the thing around like that rather than fix it. What other stupid things has he done to/with it in a quarter million miles? You have no way of driving it at highway speeds to see if there are a half dozen neglected bearings howling their lives out, to find out it pulls horribly to the right because he hit a stump and bent the axle, etc, etc. I'd pass unless he'll sell it to you for $1500. That thing's just not going to be marketable like that and he knows it. Sucker punch him right back with a lowball offer and have the cash IN YOUR HANDS when you say it.

DougM

 

[mot]

Good luck fixing the problem!

 

[Beowulf]

Is it worth it, what do you guys think? Thanks ahead for the input! I'm located in San Diego

How would we know? You don't give us the asking price and the so-called discounted amount to cover the repair.

-B-

 

[CJF]

There's no such thing as "4wheel HIGH" on an 80.

On a stock 91, you've got:

1) All wheel drive, open center diff., normal gear range.

2) All wheel drive, locked center diff. (switch on the dash), normal gear range.

3) All wheel drive, locked center diff., low gear range. (Putting the TC in low automatically locks the diff.)

You need to see if the vehicle will operate as in scenario #2: This will confirm a drive flange/front end issue.

If possible, do this without him seeing. (I usually wouldn't advocate sneakiness, but man, this guy deserves it) If it drives, you're golden; hit him with a low-ball offer.

Curtis

 

["that guy"]

Beowulf - Price he is asking is $3300. (ps I read and own Beowulf, good book)

You guys have more experience in market value than I do. I can only compare to other vehicles being sold currently on Craigslist and the local papers etc. He originally wanted 3900 and it did not sell. There are more FJZ80s for sale in SoCal, many which are stock and have lower miles but obviously a higher cost, roughly $6000 area.

 

["that guy"]

Thanks for all the replies everybody! I very much appreciate it

CJF - There definitely is a button for locking the center differential. When I went into 4wheel Low I remember the light was on for the center diff button but I cannot tell you if it was previously engaged or not. I will check on that. For Scenario 3 is the button present at all? PS. I know where he works so I can try to be sneaky.

If there is a drive flange/front end issue, would the rear driveshaft be spinning when in Drive?

And yes, I intend to lowball as much as possible and I have cash in hand

 

[semlin]

CJF is correct but to make what he said clearer. put it in 4 hi then press the cdl switch on the dash. if the truck moves then the problem is very likely stripped drive flanges. to be sure, pop the front centre caps, pry the little cap of the end of the hub which exposed the end of rht axle. have someone put it in 4 low and in gear and try to pull away. watch to see if the axle spins.

 

[Atticus]

No way would I spend $3300 on that rig, after it's been driven on the road in 4L for that much time and distance. I'll second the $1500 amount.

 

[CJF]

For Scenario 3 is the button present at all?
.
.
.

If there is a drive flange/front end issue, would the rear driveshaft be spinning when in Drive?

You need to read the FAQ and learn how the drivetrains work on these AWD rigs.

What we're trying to say is that if something's stripped and hence free-wheeling in the front end, then with the center diff. open, all power will go to the front driveshaft and you won't move. With the center diff. locked, both shafts rotate at the same rate, so the power to the rear's going to move the vehicle. (The front's still free-wheeling.)

Also:

1) The center diff. dash switch is irrelevant in Low. Putting the TC in Low overrides it and automatically locks the diff.

2) Please, stopping saying "4wheel High/Low". (You too Semlin ) The transfer case is simply High or Low (or neutral). The rig is always four/all wheel drive; the question is whether or not the center diff. is locked.

Curtis