1973 FJ40 "Herman"

[sarca]

Personally...I like the lack of conversation in my 40...gives me 'quiet' driving time hee hee

Phares - Ive finally got a day off tomorrow, Ill have an answer for you...if its in my small parts n pieces, Ill throw it in the mail - and you can owe me a beer!

 

[Phares]

Thanks for the input. I will request the quiet one on Monday. Because truly, you can, always poke holes in it...The quiet time might actually be a good thing. For some reason my princess likes talking to me when I am trying to enjoy the drive...Thanks Charity!

 

[miker]

Thanks for the input. I will request the quiet one on Monday. Because truly, you can, always poke holes in it...The quiet time might actually be a good thing. For some reason my princess likes talking to me when I am trying to enjoy the drive...Thanks Charity!

Speaking of poking holes in mufflers, I like to drill a small hole, maybe 1/8", in the bottom side (low end) of any muffler if its in a vehicle that gets frequent starts without being allowed to fully warm up. Especially true of colder, humid climates. The hole will allow water to escape and not sit in the muffler and cause even more rust than whats already going on in there.

Again, no need to do this if your driving habits allow the engine and exhaust to fully warm up each time you start it up.

 

[Phares]

Drove it into work this morning. Could barely see. Currently searching for how to make the heater work and the defroster. The 40s controls are almost as confusing as the 911s heater/fan control systems...
I could get the fans to start but it never blew hot air...*searching*

 

[snaggletto]

My 76 has a "y" shaped valve attached to the firewall. There should be a link wire that is actuated from the "warm pull" lever. This is the diverter valve that gives you heat. These get clogged/frozen
up, I need to dig into mine. Good luck, nice truck.

 

[Phares]

Is it the pull "lever" with the "wavy" fan lines on it? That controls a Y gate on the fire wall. It was very difficult to pull and I didn't want to break it so I didn't yank on it. I thought this might be the problem. I would post a picture but I'm at work right now. I will see if I can actuate it more tonight from inside the engine bay and get it to free up.
The diverter valve itself gets clogged up? It seems like that would be a removable and cleanable part. That is coolant (anti-freeze) inside the rubber lines right?
I wasn't really able to find anything in my search earlier. So thanks for all the info.

And not to hijack the current train of thought on this thread but it seems like the engine is taking a long time to heat up. Thermostat stuck open??? Discuss. Thanks.

 

[sarca]

And not to hijack the current train of thought on this thread but it seems like the engine is taking a long time to heat up. Thermostat stuck open??? Discuss. Thanks.

We've had the same discussion, as my first assumption would be that in the summer - I wouldve thought this old girl wouldve showed signs of overheating - but no!

That's when the huz mentioned the thermostat possibly being stuck open, and that she'd be a bi-otch to really warm up when the temps drop..havent tested this theory for 2 reasons..
1. she's had the battery cut off while working on the wiring-so I havent started her since early October
2. Im unwilling to mess with the thermostat as its not causing an actual 'problem'. . . yet.

 

[Phares]

A good Week

Well, it has been a super busy week! On Monday I got the new exhaust system installed into the 40. The old one was super busted! Crimped tubing, rusted can, etc. Definitely a much needed repair. The owner of the small shop thanked me for bringing it in. His Son had never seen one in person. They gave me a discount and did great work so if anyone is looking for a muffler shop in the Charlotte area of NC look up Majestic Muffler in Mooresville.
Then another Mud member JohnVee came by the house and kept me company while I changed out the trans and rear diff fluid. According to much advice I verified I could get the fill plug out before I drained it. All of that went off without any trouble except for getting some gear fluid in my hair...Hmm. If you knew my hair you would know how much of a travesty this is. My hair is AWESOME!
That night I replaced the wiper blades that I had ordered at the dealership. Easy as pie. I aslo got the heater working. It was just a stuck diverter valve. Another 5 minute job.
So all in all it was a super productive week. Tomorrow I get the jack parts back from the powder coater and then that gets reassembled. More to follow on that. I intend to drop off the air filter assembly, valve cover, and oil pan off at the powder coater for work. It will take Herman down for a bit but I am trying to track down a high pitch "whistling" noise.
Everything considered the 40 adventure has been amazing. I drove it to work today and everyone thinks its "cool". The guy with the FJC thinks it is really awesome. I called it my Zombie Assault Vehicle.
Here are some pictures John Vee took. Oh yeah I dropped the skid plate and removed about 10 pounds of Gunk...

 

[apeterson]

cool truck.. I like it!!

 

[Phares]

Shop Rag Woes

Another super busy day yesterday. I pulled the air filter assembly, valve cover, and the oil pan. The oil pan needed some massaging but everything else came off easy. I need to order one more sticker from Aatlas before reinstallation. Everything went off to the powder coater and I picked up the jack so reassembly of that should occur today. By far the strangest thing though was when I dropped the oil pan and a shop rag fell out of the engine!!! I am not sure how this thing didn't explode or cause oil failure but hopefully it isn't like magic chicken bones...Pic for proof!

 

[sarca]

JohnVee was telling me about that...so does that mean Herman was "on the rag"??

That rag is proof positive that these 40s INSIST on running; with a lotta love and little attention, theyll outlast us all! Guess its a good thing you didnt get your wish, to drive it cross country after purchase!

And BTW - is that YOU Phares with the blonde hippie hair?? You look so young, and non exNavy-ish..guess Im just used to living next to the base!

 

[JohnVee]

...so does that mean Herman was "on the rag"??

HA!!!! How did I miss that one???? ;p;p

--john

 

[Phares]

Yes that is me with the amazing golden locks. I just turned 32 but mentally I'm still 12 which is totally mature in the sub service. Most guys are 5! And yea, I guess Herman was on the rag. just another reason why changing fluid should be the first thing on the new owners list!

 

[sarca]

Yes that is me with the amazing golden locks. I just turned 32 but mentally I'm still 12 which is totally mature in the sub service. Most guys are 5! And yea, I guess Herman was on the rag. just another reason why changing fluid should be the first thing on the new owners list!

SO TRUE x 3

My corpsman is 47 going on 16..and although I roll my eyes at his sense of humor, I secretly love it.

So is Herman going to meetup with the trails, or what are your longterm plans ?

 

[howyadoin]

That thing is sexy! The cable doesn't fully engage or disengage the heater btw....oh, I guess you figured that out...just needs a little additional help at the firewall! Can't wait to see where you go with it, my wife is still pissed at me btw.

 

[Phares]

Charity, my plans are to drive it as much as I can for the next year or so. Then I hope to do a full frame of restoration. After that I will probably buy a second 40 for trail use with a SBC in it. In the mean time yes, I would like to get Herman out on the easier trails. I don't need to do anything that might destroy it but kicking it into 4 wheel drive for a reason is always fun! Right now I am just really enjoying taking a part off at a time, fixing it to perfect, and putting it back. I'm pretty much done for the year but the goals for 2013 are a rebuilt carb by Mark or Jim C, full brake restoration, knuckle rebuild, and finding out where this "whistle" is coming from. Hopefully I don't have to tear too far into the engine to find it.
Oh yeah, and deciding what color I want to paint it when I do the restoration. I might paint each panel a different 40 color just so I never have to make up my mind...

Mike, yeah I figured out the heater thing. I just have it "on" right now and when it gets warms again I will turn it "off" until I get a new cable. Not a big deal. The tape deck works by the way. Pretty quiet but I have been jamming out to some Bad Company and ZZ Top this week. Sorry about the Wife. If she really misses it send her out here on a plane for a week. I'll take her for a ride in it. Bazinga! Just kidding...I'm shopping for the Hysteria Cassette if anyone has a copy...

 

[subzali]

nice find with the rag. dmaddox here on the board left a rag in his intake manifold once that got chewed up and spit out over time - he's already taken the coveted name of "ragman"

 

[Phares]

I got the jack back together and greased up. It works like a champ now. They did powder coat some stuff they shouldn't have and I had to use the dremel to sand it off. It added just enough of a layer to interfere with the fit. I have worked on getting the old gasket off the engine block from the oil pan and have been researching the best methods for reinstallation. It looks to be more difficult then replacing the oil pan gasket should be. The powder coat shop promised me the last batch of stuff back by the new year. Then I can get Herman back together and running again...These two weeks without the 40 have been terrible!

 

[apeterson]

It looks to be more difficult then replacing the oil pan gasket should be. !

https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/78749-oil-pan-side-cover-gasket-stuff-faq.html

follow this....

 

[Phares]

I just got back into town from the holidays and worked for a couple of hours on the heater divert valve and the cable pull. I got an original cable and installed that. But it was short so I had to swap out some heater hose and move the location of the divert valve. Now the cable is extremely difficult to pull but it is all in there. IN the end I spent two hours and didn't really accomplish anything but breaking the wiring for the engine temperature sensor... Agh! Oh well, it was still time well spent.