Builds 1987 fj60 12h-t h55f conversion (1 Viewer)

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good deal, I've got my 60 road worthy, even though I still have a few projects to do that I've put off. Bascially one of those projects is to re-build the rear brake setup and see what happens with respect to the shoes staying in adjustment. Spent a good bit of $$ of new OEM parts....ones that I could get.

I hope to wrap up my outstanding projects by summer at some point, then I basically want to drive the thing and have "fun"... do some trips / explore ....etc.

Maybe a road trip visiting the parks? Or drive out to Ouray in August for solid axle summit?
 
Looks awesome Roma!! Great shop. Love the new vaping thang!!!
Oh, CD lol I wish it was a shop. It's really just a corner in my one car garage where I store my tools. I can move my wife's car out if need be but she gets to park in there since she has a new car and a car seat while the newest thing I have is my 20 year old 100 series. IF all goes to plan though I may have a real shop in the next year and a half or so and then I'll really be able to do some stuff. :)
 
Now I'm sure I'll get some static for this but I decided to leave the IP alone. I put over 2k miles on the engine it came off of before it locked up on me in Canada but I'm certain the failure wasn't because of the pump. The performance was great. I also didn't want to clean on it too much with it off the engine just to avoid accidently knocking one of the caps or something off and getting it contaminated. As soon as I have this engine sealed up a bit better with the manifolds and such I'll try to give it a bit of a clean up.

I unpacked some of the bellhousing, turbo, engine mount, and IP brackets I powder coated a couple of years ago and went ahead and installed them. I left the block to bellhousing bolts somewhat loose until the bellhousing is on and aligned with the brackets at which point I can properly torque them. I ended up putting some masking tape on all the hardware that's installed but not tightened yet that way I don't forget to torque it down.
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This past Monday was a bit of a debacle. My goal was to install new valve seals in the head and get it installed on the block. I spent the better part of the morning running around to several parts stores trying to find a decent valve spring compressor to remove the valve springs. I finally found one and got back and gave it a go. I messed with it for twenty minutes or so and decided it wasn't going to be a 30 minute job like I had hoped. Then I spent another half hour or so trying to rig up a bolt on valve spring compression device, it could be done but would probably have taken a couple of hours to make and one of my friends had borrowed my welder so I gave up that idea. I decided to see if Wheeler machine down in Cullman (hour south of me) was open and gave them a buzz. I told him what I had and he said to bring it down and he could have it done in a couple of hours tops. So I loaded the head up in my 100 along with valve seals and hit the road. I dropped the head off around lunch time and was told it would be done in 45 min to an hour. I was pretty excited at this point and ran some errands I had to do anyway. I came back after lunch, he loaded the head up and I paid for the seal install which only turned out to be 20 bucks. I thought to myself some jobs are just better left to the professionals and aren't worth my time and effort to try to do. Anyway I got back home and was inspecting the head to see if I could see the new seals, sure enough they were right inside the inner valve springs. As I went over each one inspecting it I noticed that one of the seals was missing the small spring that holds it tight to the valve stem. Damn thing must have popped off when it was installed. I was pretty frustrated to say the least, either they didn't notice it or decided not to tell me. I just don't see how if their only job was to install those seals they could mess something like that up. Anyway, I gave my six dollar spring compressor Id bought that morning another go. I was actually able to get the valve spring compressed quiet easily with my anchor bolt in the right location and replaced the offending valve seal with another spare I luckily had. Now anyone that knows me well knows that I'm really particular about trusting other people's work. I rarely have friends help me with stuff just because I end up going back over everything they've done anyway. This experience just reaffirms my weariness, if there is any possible way I can do it myself I guess I need to do so at least on the real important stuff like engine work.

Also I decided not to strip and paint the head. The factory paint is still on the majority of it and it is probably better than any paint I could have found around here.
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This is how I rigged up my anchor bolt for the spring compressor. I put a long 10mm bolt through a head bolt hole and spun a bit half way onto it. Then a short 10mm bolt onto the other half of the nut. Ideally and of I was to do this again I'd just find a longer 10mm bolt and use a nut on the top side.

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Tuesday night I gave the block and head a final wipe down with some brake cleaner and installed the head gasket.
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I didn't have an extra set of hands to help set the head on so I used these 1/4 drive extensions to help guide it down in place. It's a heavy sucker and it would probably be easier just to use a engine hoist to set it on if you don't have someone to help you.

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The head went on and I torqued it down in multiple steps. Not sure if its visible in the pictures but I like to number the 26 head bolts with a sharpie just so it is easier to torque them in the proper order. The torque spec calls for 83lbs. for the head bolts but I ended up snugging these down to 90lbs just to be on the safe side. I used two of my torque wrenches but on the last step from 75lbs to 90lbs I had to switch to my larger 1/2 drive torque wrench and because the 3/8 only goes to 75lbs. Anyway on that last go the bolts didn't seem to tighten any more so I began to question my torque wrenches so, yesterday I borrowed this new fancy torque wrench from Tucker and double checked my work with it last night. None of the head bolts budged with it set on 90lbs. so I guess mine were good after all.

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@Cowboy45 is at the same stage you are. 2HT though. Alfin pistons.

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Maybe a road trip visiting the parks? Or drive out to Ouray in August for solid axle summit?

Yeah....I want to start doing things rather that having a list of never ending projects. Doing things..translates into enjoying the truck and related activities, rather than fix this or that. Guess I need to get off my #$%@ and move through my list of "projects". I've collected a few things/parts over time that never got started so guess its time to actually get completed in at least some fashion.
 
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Snuck back down into the garage last night before and after dinner to get a little more done. Alternator bracket and hardware. I went ahead and installed the hj61 engine mount brackets since I'm unsure of what vehicle this engine will actually end up in. If I end up putting it in my 40 I'll swap these out for the hj47 mounts I have stashed away. I actually haven't installed the right side mount just yet because I forgot to get the main oil galley plug replated with my last bit of parts I had done and don't want to install it as is. I also actually forgot to get intake manifold hardware replated as well so I'm kind of stuck at this point until I get the next batch of hardware done.

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I gave the lifter bores a final wipe down with brake clean and then some oil and the lifters and push rods went in.

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Rocker assembly

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Rocker assembly is installed and valves adjusted. Its such a pleasure doing all of this with it on an engine stand as opposed to hanging over a big ass bull bar or standing on a front bumper.
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Side covers that I powder coated a while back. I did put hondabond between the cover and the gasket. I know it's not necessary but I'm a huge fan of the stuff and since those two surfaces aren't perfectly flat I like to do it as a preventative measure. No sealant between block and gasket though.
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That side cover hardware and actually all of the original longblock hardware hasn't been refinished. It still looks brand new after 30+years.

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Valve cover gasket going on and the top end will be closed up.

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Here's how it sits as of last night. I still need to purchase some new thermostat housings and thermostat but I do have a water pump for it already. I put some tape over the intake and exhaust ports just because it may be a while before I get those two installed. I need to have the hardware replated for intake and need to clean up and find some sort of paint for the exhaust manifold that will last better than the stuff I used on the last one. Anybody have any leads on a good manifold paint? Right now I'm looking at the por15 exhaust manifold paint and a por20 manifold paint. They both are advertised to 1200 degrees but I think this being a turbo engine it might see hotter temps.

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Looking A class man. If you decide to part with the hj47 mounts pls let me know.
 
Well, I’ve been following along for a while. Thanks for the abundance of pictures in all
phases. I’ve always believed it helps people to see the details. Should I ever need to
tear my old 12HT apart, this thread will be printed and added to my FSM as an addendum!
Thanks for such a thorough explanation so far.
 
Very cool! I wish I had those opportunities at his age.

Feeling is mutual with him Roma! He is glad to have met you and experience what you do at his age.
 
Sand blasted a few parts last weekend for Galen's 12ht and went ahead and blasted my exhaust manifold for my engine while I was at Michael's using his blaster. I really wanted to do some sort of indestructible coating on it but nothing I found really guaranteed that. In the end I decided I didn't want to send it off anywhere so I bought this product from KBS which had really good reviews.

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At some point I'll either have the factory turbo rebuilt or buy a Gturbo but until then this ole chunk-o wood will take its place.

I did round up some nice new locking exhaust nuts from my dealership days. I'm not sure what they're coated in but they don't seem to rust like regular ones. I put the same ones on the 12ht in my 60 three years ago and they still look new.
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