Builds 1986- FJ60 Overland build. The Epic Saga of the "Dazzle Cruiser" (1 Viewer)

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Not sure how to gauge if I need to have standard or oversized pistons but will be looking into that and the measurements associated to making that determination. From my limited experience the sleeves don't appear to damaged from the ring issues.

The following cylinders are the three worst looking.
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Here is a pic if the head fresh off the 12HT. I will go through this with the service manual and check everything is up to snuff. Polish it up and re assemble.
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Once you tear an engine down, bag and lable parts and put the bags and parts in different tote, a freaking engine takes up some space!!

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So I have finally got my 12HT rebuild kit in from Oz and dropped it off at the machine shop to begin the rebuild. I ordered the .5 over kit and all the goodies. I cant believe it took almost 3 months to get it. Now I am at work ad it will be Oct. before I can start on hanging all the goodies on the long block.

I do apologies for this rebuild taking so long. Life, Parts and the job slow things down to aganizing speed. :(
 
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Still got a couple weeks left out in the big blue, and this is killing me. That 12HT is about to be completed... So I shop for intercooler and accessories while I am waiting.

I also have a line on HJ61 Cable locking axles from the same place I got my 12HT from. If any of yall are interested let me knoe. I will be having a complete set sent to me in next couple months. There will be two more available and we will all save on shipping if we work together to get more sets here at the same time. I believe it will be $2800USD for a complete set with inside controls, cables and axels. They should only need a wee bit of once over before road ready. But for $2800 + Ride, if they need a full rebuild to be 100% again, I am fine with it. Im in and wont wait long after they are available.

PM if your interested.
 
Wow, time flies and you forget stuff. The 12 HT is built, waiting on Injection Pump rebuild. Having a job that takes you away from home for a while really slows things down .
 
Made some progress during Quarantine...
So I have a friend that is allowing me to do the swap at his house in an extra garage. It's hopefully going to get done in the next week so I can move on to body work.
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Pulled the 2F, 4spd and tcase out. Started removing all non-essential petrol parts.
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Currently have the tcase about done.
I ended up converting my 4spd tcase to adapt to the H55F . The drive train I got together had the vacuum 4 wheel engage and I decided I'd rather trust a lever in the middle of nowhere.


Hoping to get all the petrol parts out to storage and out of my friends garage.
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Tcase mod to plug bolt hole not needed on the 5spd.

Hope to make a push to get the drive train assembled this weekend and one piece place it to move motor mounts and get the drive shafts lines up and make sure it's all going to go together correctly.
 
I didn't get the drive train completely assembled yet. I ordered a new clutch kit and forgot the bolts for the pressure plate:bang:. They should be here next day or so.
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I also had to make lifting points, guess the factory ones were taken by a previous owner of this engine.
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Welded some 1/4" steel flat bar pieces together to fit on the front left and rear right lift points of the 12HT. Drilled two holes for the mount and on for a shackle at the point for lifting.
When I get the drive train assembled, I plan to one piece lift and place to ensure motor mounts go where they need to be, while allowing room for the rad,fan, and line up the x-member for the tranny.

Moving on to the fuel system, in the mean time. Need to drain, flush and run new lines for the 12HT.
Going with Gates C5D, high temp multi fluid hose.
It's tough to get to the shop and get stuff done while.working at home, teaching kids and all.that other dad/husband stuff.
Really hoping to get it done(drive train and running) in the next two weeks, then hit the body up.
 
Well, not moving as quickly as I like, but progress is happening.
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12HT motor mounts installed.
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Frame got acid washed with metal ready then POR-15. Top coats are John Deere blitz black implement and frame paint.

Had some set backs last couple weeks. I found out my engine was not a 86' it is an 87 or newer. When I ordered a new clutch kit from @cruiseroutfit and it came with the wrong throw out bearing, do to my misinformation from faster of manufactur. Had to wait in that, so I worked on other odds and ends.
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Cleaned up clutch Master and rebuilt it.
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Keeping my eyes on big things, little things have bit me right in the ass to. No oil filter or coolant hoses. Got filters coming still trying to figure out the coolant hose/ heater situation.

All that being said.....
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12HT is in!!
Everything lined up and she's home.
Hoping to keep making solid progress this week and maybe fire it up this weekend!!!!
 
Got a few more things done last couple days.
Installed new sending unit, pick up tubes, mounted fuel tank, ran new lines and primed up to the fuel filter.
Cleaned up and repainted 12HT radiator, mounts and battery tray. Ordered PS hoses should be done tomorrow.
Still have to get my accelerator pedal done, put the drive shafts back on, get new exhaust flange on and start exhaust system( going 3")and wire up basic functions for now while I figure out what exactly I need but shooting to fire it up in next two days.🤞🏻
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So I still got a bit to go to get the drive train done, but today was a huge step forward in both progress and in my own personal milestones.
First fire up to idle to hwb light rev and shut her down.:bounce::bounce2::bounce::bounce2::bounce:
In this process I also found a not fully secured banjo feeding the vacuum pump on the alternator spraying oil like a stuck pig.
Scared the crap out of me
Live and learn.

Next up is installing Starter relay, getting vacuum lines all correct, customize a accelerator pedal, get the drive shafts on and some other little odds and ends.
Getting her driving again send like it's not too far off!!
 
I'm a slacker on updates.
Missed a bunch and will be getting this updated tonight.
Lots of good, some not so good but she's road worthy.
 
Well, I am going to do my best to catch this up. I found that the juggle of three kids, a job offshore and a hobby of rebuilding a vehicle for your own purpose is a delicate balance. Unfortunately, I found this post as a procrastinating thing I want to do, but always seem to run out of time.
Since my last post in December of 20' I have completed the 12HT swap and jumped in the crazy seat and drove it across my state for a test drive where it failed and after repair upped the ante and drove it 1500miles across the nation, where it made it but still had some issues.

so here we go.

Got the 12HT installed. ( Pic of 2F coming out)
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I had to dig around to find the correct 12HT vacuum line diagram that I needed but I found it. Routing the correct vacuum lines allows little things like the engine to shut down when you turn off the key. :confused: I got the vacuum lines needed to install but then hit another wall. I found that the VSV that controls the flow of the vacuum to shut in the butterfly valve that snuffs the engine is actually 24vdc. I thought since I bought a 12vrunning engine, it was also 12v. NOPE!!

I installed the 12-24v converter just for this circuit to run the VSV. I tied it to the ignition off where 12v was available for the distributor. This setup worked great, and am now able to crank up and kill the engine from the key, which is always preferred. LOL

Continued installing the engine and parts to get it closer to drivable.
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By all means I am an entry level fabricator and mechanic. If have a manual and some tools I will figure it out.
After getting it up and running, it was time for a test drive.
 
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She has a lot of work to go at this point.
1. Road test- Long road test over 400 miles to make sure shes road worthy.
2. Recheck everything- Go through the systems and make sure it all is as its supposed to be after the road test.
3. Gut interior- remove everything from the interior prior to doing body work.
4. Body work- I have got the rear panels to replace rusted out spots, need to repair door lowers.
5. Paint- paint the vehicle.
6. Interior- install sound dampening in the floors, ceiling, firewall and doors to add temperature stability and quiet the ride a bit on the highway.
7. Overland mods- Long range tank, roof rack, cargo area build for recovery gear, fridge, solar station.
8. Marvel at the accomplishments of a dude with a budget build ready to take his kids into the wild.
 
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So first Item, ROAD TEST. Seems pretty simple and straight forward, get in the truck and drive somewhere.
I chose to take my daughter on a daddy/daughter road trip. Got a hotel room near the BMW dealer, rented a U-Haul and loaded up the 2016 GS 1200ADV, and headed south west to Sturgis to go get the bike upgrades done at the dealer and take the kiddo to a nice hotel with a water park.

Got driving across the wonderful state of South Dakota, and was absolutely impressed with the diesel, the 5 speed and having the Wink Turbo. Ample power, first time I could accelerate up a large hill, while pulling a trailer no less. :steer:

We got half way to the hotel when I noticed the oil pressure seemed to be getting lower, so we pulled into a gas station, filled her up with diesel and checked the oil. Indeed the oil was low, like 2 quarts low. I looked at the front of the U-haul trailer and there is the oil, all over my bike and the trailer. I went and dug around and found the oil was coming off the block near the turbo. Did a little further investigation and found a loose connection on the turbo return and tightened it.

We proceeded on our trip.

Arrived in Sturgis and dropped of the BMW and the dealership was so awesome, they let me store the U-haul trailer on their overflow lot.
Had a great time with the Kiddo at the water park. The next morning, more waterpark fun then we had to go get the bike. Picked up the trailer, loaded the bike and headed out.

We had to stop at a nice hill and sled a bit before lunch. Then we continued on our way home.

First rest stop for the kiddo, I checked the oil and to my dismay it was low again. I also found the return was still leaking, or so I thought. After digging around again and really getting my face and camera off my phone behind the turbo, I found it was the turbo oil feed line banjo that was loose. I had to remove the oil dipstick to get access to this and in the process I dropped a washer. I could not find the washer, on the ground, in the engine hung up on something... no where. I proceeded with out it. Reassembled everything and got ready to roll. I finally located all the leaks and tightened them down. There was a serious momentum shift in my mind. I remember thinking things are really coming together.


Three miles later tragedy strikes.

Out of nowhere the most horrible clank and grinding sound started. It sounded like a metal bearing was bouncing round in the oil sump off the crank. I immediately thought , that farking washer fell in the hole after removing the dipstick and is now in the oil pan bouncing around. FML.

Pulled into the next gas station and its below freezing, the rig sounds like crap and I start to check it out and calm the kiddo down from freaking out.

The noise sounds like its coming from the sump or the transmission but its so horrible I shut it down and evaluate my ability to fix it on the side of the road with a trailer on the truck, my daughter in the truck and night rapidly approaching.

I have little choice, call the insurance company and set up a tow. Its nice having full coverage on a older truck sometimes. lol

We have to wait for the tow truck to come from where we left from, 90 miles away. Two and half very cold hours later, the truck arrives and tows my truck and trailer to a hotel all the way back in Sturgis.
This picture is the next morning before our walk to get breakfast and work out just how we are going to get all this home.......
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If you look at the picture of my kiddo and myself in front of the 60 and the trailer you will see the trailer is dark as hell, that is the lost oil all over the trailer and my bike. :oops:

So here is my I don't like U-Haul rant.

The daughter and I are stuck in Sturgis and it sucked. I took her to breakfast and while we walked there and ate, I found the closest U-Haul to try to work a reasonable deal to get home.

I asked them to let me change my original ticket of a intown rental to a one way, Ill pay the extra fees and turn the trailer in there, rent a truck and a car hauler and put the bike in the truck and the 60 on the full length car hauler.

U-haul said no. I would have to pay over $400 on top if the new rental agreement since I am breaking my contract. They had zero compassion to help our a person who currently was using their products, wanted to use more of them and essentially penalizing me for an accident. Needless to say I lost my MF mind on these cork soakers.

I called the same amazing towing company, Plains Towing and Recovery of Sturgis SD, and they totally hooked me up.

I said 🖕 U-Haul, rented a truck big enough to stuff the bike trailer in the back and pull a car hauler, dropped the car hauler next to the 60 and picked up my bike in the bike trailer and went to the recovery center and asked them to stuff the trailer in into the U-haul truck. Which they obliged me. Then I went back to the hotel with the Recovery Guy and installed the car hauler and he put the 60 on the trailer for me.




We got all setup in the Plain Jane s*** box of the U-haul and headed home...




This is clearly not the desired results of the Road Test. All in all, it could have been worse. Time to get it home to sort it out.
 
very resourceful option when facing the ”exemplary” Uhaul customer service efforts
 
very resourceful option when facing the ”exemplary” Uhaul customer service efforts
Thanks, I don't take no for much of an answer often, especially when I am offering you a reasonable and financially viable option for us to both win. They are run by greedy assholes and I honestly hope they financially fail and go bankrupt. If you are so callus to the needs of people, your customers and reason to exist, you shouldn't exist.
 

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