Builds 1978 FJ-40 R2.8 Cummins Build - "Mater" (3 Viewers)

[Well Sorted]

Ok, I'm a little stuck on engine placement, and looking for some collective help from those who may have done the swap before. I'm using the high AC mount mega bracket for the Cummins engine, and have the H55F sitting on the stock 1980's transmission crossmember (which somewhat places the transmission in the x, y, and z axis). The main issue I'm running into is the low pressure return line on the power steering pump, which is pretty much bumping straight into the side of the frame:

View attachment 2877199

It looks like others have mounted the engine a little higher, but a little unclear in some of the pics:

Builds - My R2.8 Cummins FJ40 (RJ40) daily driver build

Interior shot. I need to re-wrap the steering wheel with the right colour leather You look to be really close to firing up.

forum.ih8mud.com

@ArthurFJ @amico @Well Sorted as a few folks who threads I've used as reference, it looks like your placement might be a little higher and possibly offset to the driver's side slightly?

Moving the A/C compressor lower doesn't really help.

I don't remember the exact details but I'm fairly certain our mount position is offset to the driver's side (much like a factory Toyota). And I do remember that the PS return line is close to the frame. If you want to get fancy you can pull that fitting out and tap the pump housing for a banjo or similar adapter.

 

[rossl]

Thanks everyone. I think I'm closer now. The PS return line does appear to be able to be rotated, fingers crossed when power steering gets hooked up (thanks @amico).

Right now the transmission is just about set centered in the stock location (note the white mark, which is body centerline, so stock the transmission is offset to the driver's side):

I clear the torque tube:

And there is plenty of room on the passenger's side now with the PS inlet clocked away from the frame instead of toward.

But, it is almost too much to driver at this point. The engine parallel in the frame rails but about 1 3/8" offset to the driver's side (as the fine folks at Toyota intended, I think). This aligns with the crossmember, but does make things really tight on the driver's side, specifically for both the motor mount and the steering.

Right now the heater line is touching the firewall, so either the engine needs to come slightly forward or the line will need to relocate as well.

I'm afraid if I modify the crossmember to move the engine slightly more to center that I might end up with torque tube issues and (less of a big deal) placement within the transmission cover. But I'm also a little concerned about how far to the driver's side everything is currently, which will make the motor mount and steering more difficult to finish.

Thoughts?

 

[Well Sorted]

We almost always pull off that coolant line at the rear, it always causes trouble with firewall clearance. You can just connect a hose down on the pump and route it where you want.

You seem a little farther to the driver's side than normal, definitely check clearance of everything over there including steering, brake booster, etc. I think our builds often end up about 3/4" offset.

 

[rossl]

We almost always pull off that coolant line at the rear, it always causes trouble with firewall clearance. You can just connect a hose down on the pump and route it where you want.

You seem a little farther to the driver's side than normal, definitely check clearance of everything over there including steering, brake booster, etc. I think our builds often end up about 3/4" offset.

Thanks. That's kind of what I expected - that I needed to move the engine slightly more to center. Looks like in your thread you mention 1 1/8" offset, but maybe even a little more centered than that. Looks like I might have to fab some brackets to hold the crossmember center section.

It also looks like you have a lot more height on the engine as well, I've been trying to keep it as low as possible.

 

[1MAC]

And parking brake installed to the back of the split case with the right output shaft:

View attachment 2174379

It's a tiny detail, but I appreciate the fact that Georg @orangefj45 puts these together with Allen-head screws instead of the normal 12mm head cap screws. Small change that makes it easier to assemble/disassemble. I would have never thought of that.

 

[ArthurFJ]

Ok, I'm a little stuck on engine placement, and looking for some collective help from those who may have done the swap before. I'm using the high AC mount mega bracket for the Cummins engine, and have the H55F sitting on the stock 1980's transmission crossmember (which somewhat places the transmission in the x, y, and z axis). The main issue I'm running into is the low pressure return line on the power steering pump, which is pretty much bumping straight into the side of the frame:

View attachment 2877199

It looks like others have mounted the engine a little higher, but a little unclear in some of the pics:

Builds - My R2.8 Cummins FJ40 (RJ40) daily driver build

Interior shot. I need to re-wrap the steering wheel with the right colour leather You look to be really close to firing up.

forum.ih8mud.com

@ArthurFJ @amico @Well Sorted as a few folks who threads I've used as reference, it looks like your placement might be a little higher and possibly offset to the driver's side slightly?

Moving the A/C compressor lower doesn't really help.

Hey! Sorry for the late response. I haven't been on here in ages..

I had a few issues with mine even as high and to the drivers side as I put it. Mainly, you're probably going to have issues with your front drive shaft coming close to your oil pan. I have a bunch of stuff on my build page on what I had to do with the aluminum pan. Not sure if anyone's found an easy way around that. From what I remember, you're best bet is to mount as high and to the drivers side as possible, while considering how the angle of the engine will affect the angle of your front tcase output flange.

Sorry that might not have been all that much help...

 

[rossl]

Over the last couple of week's I've built a couple of crossmember mounts to offset the crossmember more to the passenger side to get the engine closer to center. Target is about 3/4" offset to driver, which meant a longer mount on the driver side.

Much happier with the final result now - I'm pretty much exactly 3/4" offset to driver, and have good clearances. It feels like I'm further away from the firewall, but looking at other installs this seems like a nice spot to mount the ECU. I've started to move forward to mock up the intercooler/condenser/radiator, which I think is going to require a custom radiator bracket.

I know power steering is in the plan, so that's next. Column parts should show up this week. In combination, thinking of pulling the stock shock towers and updating to the F-250 Dorman mounts (to make more room for the FJ60/80 steering box). I think these will end up a little more outboard than the stock shock towers, which also has the happy result of leaving more room for intercooler plumbing.

Also trying to mock up locating major pieces in the engine bay - fuel filter, oil filter, power steering reservoir, coolant deaeration and overflow tanks, etc.

 

[rossl]

Hey! Sorry for the late response. I haven't been on here in ages..

I had a few issues with mine even as high and to the drivers side as I put it. Mainly, you're probably going to have issues with your front drive shaft coming close to your oil pan. I have a bunch of stuff on my build page on what I had to do with the aluminum pan. Not sure if anyone's found an easy way around that. From what I remember, you're best bet is to mount as high and to the drivers side as possible, while considering how the angle of the engine will affect the angle of your front tcase output flange.

Sorry that might not have been all that much help...

Thanks! I saw the sectioning you did with your oil pan. I haven't gotten as far as the driveshaft yet, it looks ok but I haven't dropped the frame onto the suspension yet (soon).

With the sectioning of the oil pan, where did you route the exhaust?

 

[rossl]

And one more update on the brake system - I think I now have enough to connect all the dots. If you have installed a backing plate eliminator kit (as I did when I rebuilt the knuckles) then you are going to need a fix for the soft brake line to hard line on the calipers. Stock they have a soft line from the axle to a bracket on the backing plate, then a short hard line to the caliper.

So somewhere here I found someone saying Cruiser Brothers (@orangefj45) has the right cable to 90 from the caliper directly to the axle hard line. Ordered a set and they arrived - I still have the hard lines to install but these are exactly right (thanks Georg!).

Pic to prove it:

 

[orangefj45]

And one more update on the brake system - I think I now have enough to connect all the dots. If you have installed a backing plate eliminator kit (as I did when I rebuilt the knuckles) then you are going to need a fix for the soft brake line to hard line on the calipers. Stock they have a soft line from the axle to a bracket on the backing plate, then a short hard line to the caliper.

So somewhere here I found someone saying Cruiser Brothers (@orangefj45) has the right cable to 90 from the caliper directly to the axle hard line. Ordered a set and they arrived - I still have the hard lines to install but these are exactly right (thanks Georg!).

Pic to prove it:

View attachment 2904218

Happy to hear the parts we provided worked out for you. Thanks for mentioning it on here!

Happy to help if you need anything else.

Georg @ Valley Hybrids @ Cruiser Brothers
Shop 209-475-8808
Sales@valleyhybrids.com

 

[ArthurFJ]

Thanks! I saw the sectioning you did with your oil pan. I haven't gotten as far as the driveshaft yet, it looks ok but I haven't dropped the frame onto the suspension yet (soon).

With the sectioning of the oil pan, where did you route the exhaust?

Thanks! I saw the sectioning you did with your oil pan. I haven't gotten as far as the driveshaft yet, it looks ok but I haven't dropped the frame onto the suspension yet (soon).

With the sectioning of the oil pan, where did you route the exhaust?

Exhaust was pretty easy to route. I deleted the catalytic convertor pre maturely and I think it was unnecessary, so you may have to do things a little different, but I routed the exhaust straight back from the flange and under my cross member. After the cross member straight to the muffler and out. Hopefully this pic helps a little. Couldn't find one facing forward

 

[rossl]

Pulled the fender off and took advantage of the space to wrap up the oil pressure sensor to the Dakota Digital receiver. The sensor is 1/8 npt, the Cummins is M10. No problem, an adapter will work, right? Wrong. Cummins wisely put the port too closely to the oil cooler housing making contact and the adapter pushes the sensor out toward the steering and other components.

I didn't want to spend a bunch of time so I just bought the Axis kit to relocate the sensor up against the engine: R2.8 Oil Pressure Sensor Kit - https://www.axisindustriesusa.com/r2-8-oil-pressure-sensor-kit/

Nothing complicated about the install, nor do you actually need the kit since you could accomplish the same thing with an M10 to -4 connector, a short -4 90 degree cable, and a bulkhead mount. It does add one more extra cable to the mix, but tucks the sensor away from the edge of the engine. Alternative was to try a 90 adapter, but I think that would have gotten in the way of the oil filter hose.

One more thing checked off the list.

 

[rossl]

Next, power steering. It's been part of the plan, especially since the Cummins already has the pump. I was originally thinking doing a Saginaw setup, but I think the clearances I have won't be super trivial to sneak the column by the engine. That leaves the FJ60/80 power steering setup, which seems like a good way to go if I can protect the gear properly in the wheel well.

I don't know why, but knocking off the stock shock towers is one the more painful not-stock modifications I've made, but given the gear location a necessary change.

At least on the plus side my powder coating skills are getting better, I was very happy with the blasted and coated steering column difference:

And moving to mock up the steering gear. It is at the moment further back than some have installed it, but possibly with a more level pitman arm. This was mostly due to bib clearance to the old style marker lights (still trying to figure out how much mix and match I'm considering). Clearance to the engine coolant inlet is tight and intercooler inlet, but I think it will work. Next I need to cycle the suspension to determine final box placement and figure out where to snake the oil filter lines.

Respect is increasing on a daily basis for modern car designers who optimize every inch of available space.

 

[sogncab]

Respect is increasing on a daily basis for modern car designers who optimize every inch of available space.

I consider myself to be an above average problem solver. But I'm hiring out my transplant because I don't need to reinvent the wheel and I'm better off doing my job.

With that said, with more space, time, and equipment, that's a problem I wish I could sink my teeth into.

 

[rossl]

I think I have the steering arm problem solved, waiting on SUA arm replacements.

Meanwhile starting up fuel and brake line plumbing. Slow going, but the more lines I make (and mess up) the faster I get at making new lines.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Glad to you your progress coming along. The FROR flanges showed up to the house today for the full floater conversion. May be late in the Spring before I can start to work on stripping and then building the axle.

 

[thebovees]

What radiator did you use?

 

[rossl]

What radiator did you use?

Griffin Thermal Products CU-56182-XS.

 

[rossl]

Managed to get the cooling stack mostly put together and sitting in the engine bay to continue putting the puzzle together. I'm pretty happy with how things went together. Running the FB602 intercooler, the Vintage Air condenser, and Griffin CU-56182-XS radiator with electric fan.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Have you designed the intake plumbing yet?
I found the inline air cleaner that Proffitt is using to connect to a snorkel, but now sure where they put the MAP sensor yet. I don't want the filter exposed.