NeverGiveUpYota
Dare me.
When you replaced the valve did you stick your pinky down into that J port on the side cover? Mine had a nasty thick layer of goop nearly blocking the lower turn. Reminded me of resin from a hash pipe.
Old Bessie's Build Thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter UGA2018
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- #222
Yes. It wasn't that dirty. Some oily substance but not thick.When you replaced the valve did you stick your pinky down into that J port on the side cover? Mine had a nasty thick layer of goop nearly blocking the lower turn. Reminded me of resin from a hash pipe.
g-man
SILVER Star
When you replaced the valve did you stick your pinky down into that J port on the side cover? Mine had a nasty thick layer of goop nearly blocking the lower turn. Reminded me of resin from a hash pipe.
And you saw the hash pipe in a nursing class about substance abuse???haha
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- #224
OK... here are my compression test results. It looks like #4 is low but I believe that is still within range of normal. The #4 plug looks pretty bunked up. I have some other close up pics of the plugs that I am going to post separately.
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- #225
BTW.... I would guess that these plugs have about 1000ish miles on them. I looked back at the compression test that I did in June and the compression was similar to this one except for #4. #4 back in June was more consistent with the other cylinders.
NeverGiveUpYota
Dare me.
Not so much...
NeverGiveUpYota
Dare me.
All look pretty clumpy. Know anyone who can do an actual leakdown test?
Add all new and check in a few weeks?
What about the air cleaner? Any oil residue in it?
Maybe add a pan under the Oil plug so you can see the condition of the oil to get a better idea that there isn’t coolant in it? Or better yet send off a sample to blackcreek or whatever that testing place is called.
Add all new and check in a few weeks?
What about the air cleaner? Any oil residue in it?
Maybe add a pan under the Oil plug so you can see the condition of the oil to get a better idea that there isn’t coolant in it? Or better yet send off a sample to blackcreek or whatever that testing place is called.
NeverGiveUpYota
Dare me.
My readings were high like those other than 2 & 5 being around 140. Could def be valve seals. They CAN be done on the truck. Tricky but they’re is a shade tree method to doing them....
- Thread starter
- #231
Alright folks... I’ve been quiet on MUD with my build thread for several months but I have been busy with work on the cruiser. I’ll bring you up to speed over the next few threads because my next chapter with her will likely soon be my biggest.
Old Bessie was drinking oil like a drunken sailor. I couldn’t keep enough in her. I would sit at stop lights and and could barely see the car next to me as the smoke billowed around me. I was burning a lot of oil!
So.... I decided it was time to rebuild my head. And while I was in there decided to send my carb to Jim C for a rebuild and my dizzy for a recurve. Oh and replace all of the hoses and thermostat. You know... while your in there!
This was the first head rebuild I had attempted. I was confident that I was getting in over my head but with the help of the FSM, MUD and some good friends I made it through.
Old Bessie was drinking oil like a drunken sailor. I couldn’t keep enough in her. I would sit at stop lights and and could barely see the car next to me as the smoke billowed around me. I was burning a lot of oil!
So.... I decided it was time to rebuild my head. And while I was in there decided to send my carb to Jim C for a rebuild and my dizzy for a recurve. Oh and replace all of the hoses and thermostat. You know... while your in there!
This was the first head rebuild I had attempted. I was confident that I was getting in over my head but with the help of the FSM, MUD and some good friends I made it through.
- Thread starter
- #232
Somehow I forgot to snap a picture of my newly rebuilt head before I put it back on but she went back on perfectly without a hitch.
I read a lot about people throwing their backs out trying to pick it up by themselves. So I rigged a long pole with ratch straps that went over the pole to both ends of the head. My 14 year old daughter grabbed one end and I grabbed the other. We slowly pulled it up and were able to get it out of the truck without a problem.
The only challenge with that method is balancing the head on the pole. If I did it again I would have one more person in the middle that just kept the head from leaning one way or the other.
I read a lot about people throwing their backs out trying to pick it up by themselves. So I rigged a long pole with ratch straps that went over the pole to both ends of the head. My 14 year old daughter grabbed one end and I grabbed the other. We slowly pulled it up and were able to get it out of the truck without a problem.
The only challenge with that method is balancing the head on the pole. If I did it again I would have one more person in the middle that just kept the head from leaning one way or the other.
- Thread starter
- #233
Before I pulled the dizzy out I set the truck at TDC. This way I could drop it right back in per the FSM.
This turned out to be the hardest part of this entire job! I could not get the dizzy set in there for the life of me! I thought I must have done something terribly wrong with the head because the truck just wouldn’t start.
However, after reading MUD for hours and trying a lot of different things I noticed that when my dizzy was placed in the truck and fully advanced I could get the truck to start. It didn’t run well but it would start and that was a sign.
I decided that I must be off by one tooth like I read so many times on MUD. But looking at the FSM I had it right. You can see the markup I put on the picture of the FSM. If Toyota asked me... and they are not.... I would draw the line a little to the right like I did in this picture.
I finally adjusted the dizzy advanced one tooth and she cranked.
I turned the key and she cranked right up! I about jumped through the roof of the truck with excited once again!
View attachment 1724262
This turned out to be the hardest part of this entire job! I could not get the dizzy set in there for the life of me! I thought I must have done something terribly wrong with the head because the truck just wouldn’t start.
However, after reading MUD for hours and trying a lot of different things I noticed that when my dizzy was placed in the truck and fully advanced I could get the truck to start. It didn’t run well but it would start and that was a sign.
I decided that I must be off by one tooth like I read so many times on MUD. But looking at the FSM I had it right. You can see the markup I put on the picture of the FSM. If Toyota asked me... and they are not.... I would draw the line a little to the right like I did in this picture.
I finally adjusted the dizzy advanced one tooth and she cranked.
I turned the key and she cranked right up! I about jumped through the roof of the truck with excited once again!
View attachment 1724262
- Thread starter
- #234
So I was happy and driving the cruiser full time for several weeks. She was doing great and the smoking stopped!
Until.... one day I was driving home from work. I was about 2 blocks from my house and came to a stop sign. I turned the wheel to the left and had this very strange sensation that I was not getting any resistance from the steering wheel and the truck was continueing to go straight. Trust me.... that’s a weird feeling!
Fortunately, no one else was around and the truck rolled through the stop sign towards the side of the road ahead of me. I was able to stop on the side and just then a neighbor pulled up. He ran me home to change and grab my tools.
I came back and looked at the steering linkage under the truck and noticed that one of the arms had totally popped off the dampener. Crazy! I’m grateful this was on the neighborhood street and I was at a light.
I popped it back on and screwed it tight enough to get home.
I decided that I didn’t want to mess this one up (although it was probably the easiest project I could have done) so I took it to ACC Garage in Atlanta to fix. After $100 I was out of there and it was all good.
I learned that the PO did not put cotter pins in the big nuts that go into the ends of the steering linkage. NOT GOOD! So over time those nuts came loose and finally one of them came so loose that it popped off. AGAIN... NOT GOOD!
I had a lot of slop in my steering ever since I had the cruiser. I figured it was a job that I would get to one day and I wasn’t too worried about it.
Once this was fixed and the cotter pin placed in all of the slop was gone! I couldn’t believe it.
That was the best $100 I spent on the cruiser. All set for another 500 miles.
Until.... one day I was driving home from work. I was about 2 blocks from my house and came to a stop sign. I turned the wheel to the left and had this very strange sensation that I was not getting any resistance from the steering wheel and the truck was continueing to go straight. Trust me.... that’s a weird feeling!
Fortunately, no one else was around and the truck rolled through the stop sign towards the side of the road ahead of me. I was able to stop on the side and just then a neighbor pulled up. He ran me home to change and grab my tools.
I came back and looked at the steering linkage under the truck and noticed that one of the arms had totally popped off the dampener. Crazy! I’m grateful this was on the neighborhood street and I was at a light.
I popped it back on and screwed it tight enough to get home.
I decided that I didn’t want to mess this one up (although it was probably the easiest project I could have done) so I took it to ACC Garage in Atlanta to fix. After $100 I was out of there and it was all good.
I learned that the PO did not put cotter pins in the big nuts that go into the ends of the steering linkage. NOT GOOD! So over time those nuts came loose and finally one of them came so loose that it popped off. AGAIN... NOT GOOD!
I had a lot of slop in my steering ever since I had the cruiser. I figured it was a job that I would get to one day and I wasn’t too worried about it.
Once this was fixed and the cotter pin placed in all of the slop was gone! I couldn’t believe it.
That was the best $100 I spent on the cruiser. All set for another 500 miles.
- Thread starter
- #235
It was time for the annual father - son trip that I take my boy on with many of our other good friends. We typically head to somewhere in North Georgia to get away for some hiking and camping.
This year we decided to mix it up and head up for a canoe - camp trip. We were fired up!
Here’s the truck loaded up and ready to go!
This year we decided to mix it up and head up for a canoe - camp trip. We were fired up!
Here’s the truck loaded up and ready to go!
- Thread starter
- #236
Man... what a trip this was! We had perfect water on the Toccoa River. We found a great camp site and set up for a few days.
On Friday night it must have rained 4 inches! We stayed perfectly dry in the tents and slept like babies. The next morning the river was way up but fortunately we had 2 more days before we had to get back on it.
Here’s some pics from the trip.
On Friday night it must have rained 4 inches! We stayed perfectly dry in the tents and slept like babies. The next morning the river was way up but fortunately we had 2 more days before we had to get back on it.
Here’s some pics from the trip.
- Thread starter
- #237
So the trip was incredible! And this is where things start to change... again!
We get back to the truck and I put the key in and she won’t turnover at all. Remembering that it was raining when I parked her I thought I left the lights on. I did! She was dead as a door nail!
Fortunately one of the guys is a prepper and has everything for every occasion ready to go. So he pulls out his jump start charger and Old Bessie cranks right up!
We are on the road and headed home for the 2 hour drive.
About 15 minutes from home I hear this knocking noise that I have never heard before. Strange I thought but maybe I had a valve get loose. Then I noticed the temperature begin to rise on the truck which has never happened before. Once again... strange!
I decided to pull off on the side of the interstate. I cut the truck off and let her cool down. I have an oil leak in a few different spots so I thought maybe it was getting dry in the head and making some knocking. I had to put about 3 quarts oil in her to top her off and waited to let her cool off.
She cooled off and I thought I would just crank her up and see if I hear the knocking. Of course, she wouldn’t crank again which I thought strange. The battery is pretty new so it should be charged by now (I haven’t gotten to the bottom of that one yet!).
My wife drove the 15 minutes to meet us and jumped me. She cranked right up. And no knocking. I gave it some gas at the carb and still no knocking. I waiting a few minutes and all seemed to be good. Maybe she was slightly dry and the 3 quarts did the trick!
I got back on the road and after about 5 minutes the knocking came back. I immediately decided to pull over and put her in neutral and she died. I coasted to a stop on the side of the road and said some words that shocked my son!
Full of frustration and the memory of the $100 easy fix at ACC Garage I decided to tow her there instead of home. I thought... for another $100 I get another quick fix and be on my way.
That’s where the story continues....
We get back to the truck and I put the key in and she won’t turnover at all. Remembering that it was raining when I parked her I thought I left the lights on. I did! She was dead as a door nail!
Fortunately one of the guys is a prepper and has everything for every occasion ready to go. So he pulls out his jump start charger and Old Bessie cranks right up!
We are on the road and headed home for the 2 hour drive.
About 15 minutes from home I hear this knocking noise that I have never heard before. Strange I thought but maybe I had a valve get loose. Then I noticed the temperature begin to rise on the truck which has never happened before. Once again... strange!
I decided to pull off on the side of the interstate. I cut the truck off and let her cool down. I have an oil leak in a few different spots so I thought maybe it was getting dry in the head and making some knocking. I had to put about 3 quarts oil in her to top her off and waited to let her cool off.
She cooled off and I thought I would just crank her up and see if I hear the knocking. Of course, she wouldn’t crank again which I thought strange. The battery is pretty new so it should be charged by now (I haven’t gotten to the bottom of that one yet!).
My wife drove the 15 minutes to meet us and jumped me. She cranked right up. And no knocking. I gave it some gas at the carb and still no knocking. I waiting a few minutes and all seemed to be good. Maybe she was slightly dry and the 3 quarts did the trick!
I got back on the road and after about 5 minutes the knocking came back. I immediately decided to pull over and put her in neutral and she died. I coasted to a stop on the side of the road and said some words that shocked my son!
Full of frustration and the memory of the $100 easy fix at ACC Garage I decided to tow her there instead of home. I thought... for another $100 I get another quick fix and be on my way.
That’s where the story continues....
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- #238
After a few days they had a chance to look at the truck. Here’s the email that I got:
“We pulled your oil filter and cut it open (pics attached), the news is not good. You have lost one or more bearings and the engine is seized, if the engine seized after you shut it off then there is a good chance it is rebuildable without replacing the rods and crank. If it was running at a medium to high RPM when it seized you will need rods and a crank along with all of the normal rebuild parts.
Ball park, around 8K parts and labor.”
Say what! What happened to the $100 fix?!
Oh man... this is not good! I know ACC does great work but I don’t have $8K just sitting around. There’s no way!
So.... I brought the truck back home and that brings me to today. It’s time to do a little diagnosis of my own and see what I can find out. I’m going to pull the oil pan and see if I find metal shavings. If so I’ll pull the rod bearing caps and see what I can find.
I’ll keep you posted and need your help throughout the journey! Thanks MUD!
“We pulled your oil filter and cut it open (pics attached), the news is not good. You have lost one or more bearings and the engine is seized, if the engine seized after you shut it off then there is a good chance it is rebuildable without replacing the rods and crank. If it was running at a medium to high RPM when it seized you will need rods and a crank along with all of the normal rebuild parts.
Ball park, around 8K parts and labor.”
Say what! What happened to the $100 fix?!
Oh man... this is not good! I know ACC does great work but I don’t have $8K just sitting around. There’s no way!
So.... I brought the truck back home and that brings me to today. It’s time to do a little diagnosis of my own and see what I can find out. I’m going to pull the oil pan and see if I find metal shavings. If so I’ll pull the rod bearing caps and see what I can find.
I’ll keep you posted and need your help throughout the journey! Thanks MUD!
- Thread starter
- #239
Ok here’s the update from today...
I wanted to confirm that I did spin a bearing as I was told so first I drained the oil. I used a burlap cloth as a screen to pick up any metal pieces.
I didn’t see anything that stood out to me. But then I looked closer and saw two very small flakes of shiny metal. Not good!
I wanted to confirm that I did spin a bearing as I was told so first I drained the oil. I used a burlap cloth as a screen to pick up any metal pieces.
I didn’t see anything that stood out to me. But then I looked closer and saw two very small flakes of shiny metal. Not good!
