The LC gods smiled on me last week... (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Mar 27, 2016
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596
Location
Austin, TX
Last week, I sold my built 97 LX450 to a gentleman out of Alamosa, CO. It is a great truck but I hated driving it on my commute everyday and I wanted an earlier 80 with cloth. Anyhow, I decided to buy an 06 Jetta TDI as a commuter and maybe find another 80 as project. Well, the buyer of my LX offered to give me his 91 if I were to swap over all his kit to my 97.... I said sure!

We spend most of last Thursday moving over his 4x4labs dual swingout, internal baskets, misc do-dads, Baja rack and RTT. It was about 6 hours total labor with some welding and cutting finished up with a couple beers.

In my drive way is this gorgeous piece of outdoor machinery!

91 FJ80
2" OME lift
ARB front winch bumper
newish 33" tires (I don't recall the brand)
blue/grey cloth interior
blue/grey exterior.

There are numerous gremlins but I'm driving it today after finding that the primary issue to be the EGR valve and EGR vsv. Next it needs cats and a muffler. ...He was running catless and the OEM muffler is leaking badly.

The current plan is to build new system myself. HOWEVER, if I can find a shop that will charge a reasonable fee to weld in a collector, single high flow cat and a new muffler I would go that route. I have yet to find one in South Austin.

Any suggestions?


JB

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Fantastic how things come together like that.

For the muffler have you tried Muffin Mufflers? No muff to tough! ; )
 
Fantastic how things come together like that.

For the muffler have you tried Muffin Mufflers? No muff to tough! ; )
I had forgotten about them. They did some slip on glass packs for me more than 10yrs ago. ...in my hoodlum bike builder days. I'll giv'em a call.
 
Congrats however I still remember your 97 tackling obstacles that my 94 non locked couldn't do due to lockers. I know from what i read you didnt like the leather seats, what other advantages did the 91 have over your 97? Does the pre 93 have front + rear lockers too? I know the engine is different.
I'm pretty sure change and new builds is part of it but just curious because your 97 was a bad mamajamma. Haha
 
No OE lockers on 91-92 in the states. Afaik you can't even add a locker to the rear due to the c-clip semi-float axles.

But.. to end up with a bit less capable rig plus a super efficient/safe commuter? Yes.
 
Not even ARB air lockers?
 
That 3FE is begging for an H55. The auto tranny really sucks power from an already anemic engine.
 
@davegonz I'm thinking OM617 and a 5 speed, if possible... when the time comes. I'll keep the H55 in mind. It's 249k 3fe is pretty gutless but it's running pretty good even with it's egr science project spaghetti mess in triage.

@aznxfactor There's no advantage, I just have more of a thing for the older ones with the cloth interior. It feels more classic and cruiser like. I didn't use the lockers enough to care. If I want one, I'll upgrade. ...Besides, it was virtually free.
 
Not even ARB air lockers?

Unless things have changed recently, no. The axles are kept from sliding out the end of the housing with a c-clip on the axle end inside the diff carrier.. this is why the rear cover is removable as well as the diff chunk itself.
 
Unless things have changed recently, no. The axles are kept from sliding out the end of the housing with a c-clip on the axle end inside the diff carrier.. this is why the rear cover is removable as well as the diff chunk itself.
@bloc Is the front capable of taking a locker?

...did you find a buyer or did you come to terms with the 4bt?
 
4bt? L92! 6.2L gas v8! No buyer yet, haven't finished it so I can post it for sale anyway.

Your 91-92 front is the same as any 80-series front diff, reverse rotation 8" toyota. So yeah it should.. you'd want to consider upgrading the birfs and drive flanges to the thicker late-model units if you add the traction that a locker can. The thinner flanges are known to wear out the splines and birf start spinning in them.

If you wheel it consider sticking a 93 rear axle under it with the disks and full-float. I actually have one in good shape sitting in Houston.. or should. I haven't checked on it in a couple years.
 
4bt? L92! 6.2L gas v8! No buyer yet, haven't finished it so I can post it for sale anyway.

Your 91-92 front is the same as any 80-series front diff, reverse rotation 8" toyota. So yeah it should.. you'd want to consider upgrading the birfs and drive flanges to the thicker late-model units if you add the traction that a locker can. The thinner flanges are known to wear out the splines and birf start spinning in them.

If you wheel it consider sticking a 93 rear axle under it with the disks and full-float. I actually have one in good shape sitting in Houston.. or should. I haven't checked on it in a couple years.
sincerest apologies. ;) I remembered you doing a diesel swap. What's the issue with the 6.2 gas v8? super bad mpg?
 
The engine/transmission is amazing! Mpg is better than stock actually. The issue isn't with the engine at all.. it's more with the lift/tires/noise and the fact that my big trips end up being 7k miles with about 100 of that off pavement. I needed something better on the road. Plus, I won't want to use it to the extent 315s/lift/lockers are needed when 1500 miles from home.

Oh and the engine does mean I can't just go back to stock height/tires. Gearing would be all wrong.



I did do a diesel swap in a 4Runner a number of years ago.. might be what you were thinking of.
 
The engine/transmission is amazing! Mpg is better than stock actually. The issue isn't with the engine at all.. it's more with the lift/tires/noise and the fact that my big trips end up being 7k miles with about 100 of that off pavement. I needed something better on the road. Plus, I won't want to use it to the extent 315s/lift/lockers are needed when 1500 miles from home.

Oh and the engine does mean I can't just go back to stock height/tires. Gearing would be all wrong.



I did do a diesel swap in a 4Runner a number of years ago.. might be what you were thinking of.
Maybe so. If you were to do a swap on a 91 and had a 4k budget, what would you do?
 
Maybe so. If you were to do a swap on a 91 and had a 4k budget, what would you do?

I'd sell the 91 and buy a 93 or 94 with cloth seats.

LS swaps are easily the cheapest but I don't think you can get one done for that money unless the engine/transmission is free. The little details (radiator hoses, fuel system, etc) would kill you. And swapping in a 1FZ basically requires a complete fzj80 body/dash/clip harness.
 
I'd sell the 91 and buy a 93 or 94 with cloth seats.

LS swaps are easily the cheapest but I don't think you can get one done for that money unless the engine/transmission is free. The little details (radiator hoses, fuel system, etc) would kill you. And swapping in a 1FZ basically requires a complete fzj80 body/dash/clip harness.

meh... DIY turbo kit it is then!

...kidding, kind of.
 
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Sounds like you need a 100. Best road trip cruiser I've ever owned. Still capable off road with a mild lift and factory rear locker.

The engine/transmission is amazing! Mpg is better than stock actually. The issue isn't with the engine at all.. it's more with the lift/tires/noise and the fact that my big trips end up being 7k miles with about 100 of that off pavement. I needed something better on the road. Plus, I won't want to use it to the extent 315s/lift/lockers are needed when 1500 miles from home.

Oh and the engine does mean I can't just go back to stock height/tires. Gearing would be all wrong.



I did do a diesel swap in a 4Runner a number of years ago.. might be what you were thinking of.
 
meh... DIY turbo kit it is then!

...kidding, kind of.

Might be a lot of fun. I know the 1FZ guys doing that love the setup

Sounds like you need a 100. Best road trip cruiser I've ever owned. Still capable off road with a mild lift and factory rear locker.

I considered it, but the mileage is still terrible and I know myself well: I'd definitely be tempted to build it, which would defeat the purpose of selling the 80.

I already bought a touareg TDI.. possible I grab a 200 in a few years if it doesn't work out.
 
Might be a lot of fun. I know the 1FZ guys doing that love the setup



I considered it, but the mileage is still terrible and I know myself well: I'd definitely be tempted to build it, which would defeat the purpose of selling the 80.

I already bought a touareg TDI.. possible I grab a 200 in a few years if it doesn't work out.

My Jetta TDI is a blast to drive and get's 41mpg in 70% city driving. Best commuter I've had. !@$#ing MOPAC rush hour
 
Congrats. Jerrels Muffler 512-282-0495. Jerrel is a cool old dude. His shop has multiple antique dragsters he races.
 

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