1984 FJ-60 FIX IT or SELL IT??? (1 Viewer)

[Djackub]

So I got a sweet 84 Fj-60 last Summer. Instantly fell in love and she drove great for a year with very minor problems. When I got her she was leaking a decent bit a oil though and she's only got worse. On a really hot day this summer started smoking and died on my way home. Started up fine once the engine cooled off but would die again when it got too hot. Took her to 2 mechanics cause it was outta my paygrade, and they said the oil leaks were just getting to be too much. Muckin everything up and was a big fire risk.

So I sat on it all Summer after getting a $3,000 bill too fix the leaks.. Mechanic said he could do it but wouldn't feel right because he thinks its just gonna be a money pit after this fix.
Before this damn near everything was running smooth, engine sounds really healthy. So I cant imagine a serious issue happening too soon... But im no mechanic.

She's around 340,000 miles. Little rust underneath decent sludge built up in the wheel wells but nothing too serious. One little thing is sometimes when shifting 2>3 or 3>4 if im not really easy with the clutch she'll kinda loose "miss" power for a split second then it will catch and kinda jerk the car forward a bit. Could just be a clutch 'pad' or something like that or maybe i just gotta be softer on the clutch. Again don't think its anything too serious.

Know im putting a lot down here but just trying to give y'all the whole picture.

How I see it, my options are.

-- Fix the Oil leaks

-- Sell it as is (thumbs down)

-- Get a rebuilt engine in her (curious on price points for this)

I mean putting that 3 grand into her. I figure is an investment.. I mean a running Land cruiser is prolly worth 3,000 or so more dollars than one with a fire risk yea??

Also I live in Spokane, Wa if y'all know any good land cruiser mechanics in the area.

Hey, thanks everyone for taking the time to help me out with this. Eager to hear everyones opinions on this.

Thanks again,
Jack

 

[CenTXFJ60]

@NookShneer semi- local guidance needed

 

[SteveH]

A truck such as yours could absorb limitless money to rehab it. That's why so many us have to become our own mechanics, lest we go broke paying others.

I would fully evaluate the health of that engine before spending $xxxx to fix oil leaks. At that point, you should pull the engine (ideally by yourself) and massively clean and reseal it. You'll spend 300 or less in gaskets and seals and learn a ton.....and probably one oil leak will return

 

[HemiAlex]

I could see a bunch of oil leaks costing that much to fix.

Fix them one by one on your own, if you don’t feel comfortable fixing it on your own than it’s not the truck for you.

Several people I have met couldn’t change their oil when they bought a 60. Now they can fix it all on their own. You can too.

 

[FJ60FOOL]

Negitive-340,000 is a lot of miles that you know nothing about. Positive- a good running, little rust FJ60, is worth over $10,000 in todays market. What to do??? Get a compression tester and see if the engine is sound. Take a look at the brakes, tires, and suspension to see how long before you would need upgrades. Overall, I agree with the above. You need to learn how to work on this truck to own it. If it has good compression it is worth keeping.

 

[OSS]

The engine could have been smoking just because it is covered in grime and got hot, but no amount of oil leaks would cause the engine to die while driving it - unless it completely ran out of oil.
If it did run out of oil - the engine has been damaged especially with that many miles on it. If it didn't run out of oil, a rebuild is the top ticket item on the to do list.
There's no cheap band aid to get you what you want. It doesn't seem worthwhile replacing all the seals in an engine with that many miles only to have to rebuild it or replace it in another 1-2 years.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Pictures help a lot. Share.

 

[SQRRRL]

Land Cruiser Shop in Coeur d’Alene.

 

[bcolvin]

I am pretty new to owning a Land Cruiser and just as new to learning auto mechanics. My goal is to learn how to fix a car and also own a cool car that I could not own if I was unable to do the work myself. To me these vehicles are adult Legos. There is so much tinkering and solving. In a world of instant fixes and easy answers these rigs provide something different.... that is my guess why there is such a following. Unfortunately, to have someone else do the work is just not cost effective on my budget. I think when I get to a point where I am too busy to wrench on this or when I no longer enjoy that aspect of owning a Land Cruiser I will be ready to move on.

I think that Steve Rinella (Meat Eater) said that the best kind of fun is the kind that you don't even know your having at the time. Only a week or two later you realize that what you did was awesome. At least that is what I was thinking today during my staff meeting.

 

[t140frank]

If you like the truck fix it, simple as that. I bought mine with 350,000 on the clock. Oil leaks are probably from the side cover gasket, valve cover gasket, and oil pan gasket. Grab you a free copy of the factory service manual from this forum and get a idea of what it would take to fix.
I would had been lost without it or the info on this forum. My truck is now about to roll over 400,000 and yes I've spent a lot of time/money fixing it, but way less then a new car payment. Plus you learn how to maintain your own vehicle and that's priceless IMO.

 

[zipper]

Sounds like a candidate for a v8 drivetrain.

 

[NookShneer]

Start with a compression check. Should be able to youtube and then rent a tool from Orileys or advanced auto. Compression numbers will help you understand nex moves.

Leaks can be done one by one. I'd find a heated power wash and try to get the motor as clean as possible to help find where your leaks are coming from. Side cover gasket and oil pan are not difficult to do just tedious.

Start with the compression check. If the motor needs to go don't bother cleaning it/replacing seals. A used 60 2F would be what I would try for prior to paying someone o rebuild it.

@Spook50 is local and may be able to get eyes on it or provide more local resources.

 

[onemanarmy]

Fresh oil, compression check, new plugs, fresh coolant, make sure the fan is spinning,.

If that all checks out, new side panel, oil pan, and valve cover gasket....and adjust valves. After that, pull the transmission and change the clutch and rear main seal.

After that, rebuild the knuckles. Is your power steering box leaking?

after that, change the front crank seal.

Then you'll be leak free and smiling.

Or sell it. These trucks take work.

 

[Cruzerman]

If rust isn't an issue, totally worth fixing. However, these things are not cheap to work on. Either start doing your own work or prepare to spend considerable money. If neither of these work for you, perhaps it is time to pass this rig onto someone else.

By the way, these are one of the easiest rigs to work on ever built. And this community is the best support one could ever ask for. If inexperience is what is preventing you from working on it, just go for it. JMHO.

 

[dbleon]

It’s farm equipment. Should be able to fix everything fairly easily. There is great knowledge and good aftermarket support for a vehicle this age.
It’s just a matter of time and money

 

[HemiAlex]

I’ve got 335,000 miles on my 60. Original bottom end 2F, rebuilt head and a desmog. It runs great. I recently drove from Durango to Ouray Colorado and my buddy with a rebuilt 2F drove the same road at the same speed, with the same weight in both of them. Both have a five speed and 3.70 differentials. Mine burns 2 quarts of oil in 6000 miles of oil changes. My truck had a broken exhaust valve on one cylinder and it uses oil on that one cylinder. Otherwise the motor runs great and doesn’t make any weird noises. It gets 12-16 mpg highway depending on how flat it is and which way the wind is blowing.

Both trucks used the exact same amount of fuel. That was mind boggling.

We used the exact same amount of fuel. Nobody pulled away from anyone.

My engine is leak free. If it doesn’t hit the ground, it isn’t a leak to me. It weeps from the front main seal and I’ll never fix that unless I have a new balancer on hand. I did rear main, oil pan gasket, distributor o ring and side cover myself.

There’s plenty of life left in these trucks. Fix the leaks yourself and move on.

 

[burymeinmy60]

Wont cost you much to clean the engine and do compression test, pull the plugs to check their condition, check condition of hoses and belts and coolant. The 2f is a very uncomplicated engine sure the carb and smog system can be a headache at times and some minor oil leaks are very common. If compression is good, start wrenching. All you need is a decent set of common hand tools. Invest in good where it counts 3/8 ratchet and 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17 and 19 mm deep and shallow sockets and a set of good screwdrivers wrenches and pliers. Consider it an investment in satisfaction. This site is the premiere source for help and resources. Do all you can to save it and keep it. In my opinion (biased of course) the Land Cruiser is the supreme off road vehicle. I have owned my 87 for 20 years and with time and yes money ( not as much as you would think ) it has remained a reliable vehicle. It has been lusted over, I have been followed, received more offers and compliments than I could count, have a collection of business cards left on my windshield with offers to buy etc etc.

 

[Djackub]

Hey thanks everyone.
Yea I’m gonna tackle it. Already learned a decent bit since buying her and excited to learn some more. No doubt a fair bit of work but I’m sure it’ll all be worth it.

Thanks again for the words n wisdom n I look forward to gettin y’all’s direction when I run into some more problems.

 

[Cruzerman]

Mud and the search tool will be your friend. And no matter what you run into, someone on this forum will know the answer. I think the knowledge of some folks on this forum is amazing. Take your time and have fun.