1987 FJ60 build

[JohninFla]

Got more done today. Another good day to be me!!

I got out there early and yanked the shifter off, coated it with flat black krylon, where it's underneath, to keep the rust off. Also got a boot from O Reilly's for it. There is a pic of it here, so someone else can see how simple it is. I just transferred the holes from the Advance Adapters shifter to the metal, then marked about where I thought it should be with it bolted in. Trial and error, 38 times, to get the proper bend to center the shifter in the opening I cut in the floor. I figured the drivetrain will move around some, I didn't want the shifter banging into the floor when it did.

While the paint dried, I replaced my rear hatch pistons. They were tired, and the blue thread locker on the ball threads makes me think they were original 1987 vintage. No problems there. I bought from the "Lift Support Depot" on EBAY - $32 for the pair, shipped to my door. Can't knock that.

When the paint was dry, I put the shifter back on. I used the existing two bolts that hold the transmission cover to mount the top of the boot, and drilled two new holes for the lower screws. I am sooooo glad they didn't take the time to deburr the stamped steel part of the boot, I LOVE getting small cuts on my fingers just touching stuff. :-(

I like how it ended up looking in there. I will put the carpet back when it dries....it's been on my back porch, out of the weather since about June, and the jute backing is still wet. I laid it out in the sun this afternoon, that should help.

I took a ride, and the best part of this whole thing was my discovery that I had the Ranger bolted in "Low" so I was getting worse gas mileage than I needed to. At 65mph, I am turning about 2,500 rpm on my tach that thinks it's still a 6 cylinder. I did buy the trimmer rheostat to do that mod, just didn't get there yet.

Moved a bunch of junk around in the garage. I have stuff I need to get sold on the calssifieds - distributor, AC compressor, center console, misc brackets, etc that I will not longer need. Give me some cash to get my AC hooked up before I need it!!

Cruisermatt = I put two photos up, one forward, one back, so you can see it doesn't hit the blower ducting.

 

[cruisermatt]

That looks awesome with the boot

 

[JohninFla]

V8 tach adapter

Well, I woke up today and decided I was tired of my tach reading wrong, and I had bought a resistor to do the fix, so I dove in. I bought a 0-250 ohm resistor, as I could not find the 200 ohm others have used. More on this later.

I pulled the dash pod out, and took the tach out of it on my kitchen table, (benefit of living alone).

Once I had the tach out, I carefully took off the faceplate, to avoid breaking the little tabs.

The tach is held in the housing by three electrical connecting screws and two mounting screws, all Phillips head. It would be nice if these were the connection for the resistor, but that would be too easy!

Once the tach was out of the housing, I soldered a lead to each side of the tach final connection. I then drilled two small holes in the housing, to allow these leads to pass through. Others have left the variable resistor in the housing, I wanted it outside so I could adjust it with the dash installed in the truck.

I assembled the tach back into the housing. I set the resistor to 100 ohms, and then soldered my variable resistor to the leads, and wrapped the cable clip around it. I left the screw facing upward, so I could get to it when it was installed and fine tune it. I figured 100 ohms was halfway for a 200 ohm resistor, so I could go either way, depending on where it turned out I was.

I put the tach back into the dash, and partially installed the dash. I found that by connecting everything BUT the speedo cable, I could access the screw to fine tune it.

I connected a tach I had in the garage, so I had a baseline. the tach I used is no more accurate or readable than the factory tach, so I knew I would not get more than close, but that's ok for me. If I want to know what my engine is turning down to +/- 1 rpm, I won't be looking at the dash.

I managed to get the two tachs tracking closely, although I found the dash tach would only stay synch in one place. For example, if I had them synched at idle, they would deviate at 3,000 rpm. If they were synched at 3,000, the idle would be different on both. I settled on having them synched at about 1750 rpm. The idle speed shown on the dash is showing what I would call 600, and the other tach shows 650-700. My recollection from timing the engine with another accurate tach, (I don't have it), was idle rpm was 650. I don't rev past 3,000 too often, and that is where they deviated by ~300 rpm.

I wonder if my resistor of 0-250 instead of 0-200 had something to do with this? Any ideas? I will keep my eyes open for a 200 ohm, and poke it in if that is it.

The whole job took 1 1/2 - 2 hours, and that included a couple of cups of coffee, and some time to tear the garage apart searching for the tach to calibrate it with, and make up a wiring harness to connect it. Pretty straightforward job.

 

[norsk]

neat project.

I won't be keeping the stock tach, but install one that is described in a thread at https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/292794-new-tach-v8.html#post4585224

Another topic question: Your adapter for the OEM oil sending unit into the SBC, do you have a link for it, or the specs on it to make it easier to find?

thanks

dougbert

 

[JohninFla]

I used the stock toyota sender and a piece of brass piping from Ace Hardware. No magic or anything else, oil is oil. Just threaded the stock senser into the pipe, and the pipe into the chevy block, near the distributor.

 

[JohninFla]

I like the tach in the link, but does it allow the AC to get the signal to come on?

 

[norsk]

I like the tach in the link, but does it allow the AC to get the signal to come on?

I don't understand. What does the AC have to do with it? I might need some education on this.

dougbert

 

[JohninFla]

Doug

I thought the AC amp needed a signal from the tach to engage the compressor clutch - it will only turn on the compressor above a certain engine rpm.

I could be wrong tho - wouldn't be the first time.

John

 

[norsk]

Doug

I thought the AC amp needed a signal from the tach to engage the compressor clutch - it will only turn on the compressor above a certain engine rpm.

I could be wrong tho - wouldn't be the first time.

John

ah,

I forget some rigs have computers in them. lol

makes sense to save the starter from turning the AC - ugh


dougbert

 

[JohninFla]

Doug

I am sure there is a way to trick the AC amp into thinking the engine is turning fast enough and come on and cycle off properly, the diesel conversion guys have to do it.

I will grab those photos from the top down into my engine bay to show you the fan position tomorrow, no sweat.

Here is a photo of another FJ45 in Brazil I saw this morning, just for entertainment, and a cow that has the right of way here, no matter that there isn't a speed limit.

John

 

[norsk]

John, I am investigating throttle hookup on this q-jet now

I have installed an OEM bracket on the rear of the carb for grins, with a 19" long cable I took out of a Chevy PU at the junk yard. I know it is too short, so I wondering about your cable.

Looking at a prior pic you took of that area, I can't tell how long the cable is, and where/how you went through the firewall.
What did you do with the OEM hole where the old linkage went?
Did you use the LC's old pedel?
Or did you use a new hole and new pedel?

Got any info on the cable or did it come with the engine?

thanks and more pics on that would help

dougbert

 

[JohninFla]

Hey Doug!!

Here is what I did:

If you look back in my thread, I bought a throttle cable for a GM car I found in the Autozone parts racks. It worked ok, not great. I ended up buying a Spectre throttle cable, that is cut to fit. It is about 25 inches from the firewall to the carb.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...-cable-kit/_/N-25y4?itemIdentifier=536804_0_0_

I drilled a hole on the firewall for the cable, (either one), after I checked it on the inside. I used the original gas pedal assembly, and found there is a boss on the side that will accept the end of the GM type cable, (Lokar too). So I marked and drilled a hole that lined up with that. I had to bend the heat shield near the master cylinder to clear the cable path, but that only slowed me down for a second. In hindsight, I would look closer at the stock pedal and arm, and see where on the arm above the pivot on the floor it travels about the same amount as the cable needs to pull to go from idle to WOT on the carb throttle assembly, then weld a small tab on the stock pedal arm in that spot, and drill my hole there.

I attached a couple of photos for you. Holler if you need more, I am glad to help.

John

 

[norsk]

that is what I am looking for, thanks. I was looking at the Lokar or Spectre parts. thanks

dougbert

 

[JohninFla]

Old guys doing' stuff......

I had my windshield and seal replaced correctly this past week. Technician was about my age or a little older. I asked if he knew what he was up against - "yup". Had he done this type before -"yup". And he got to work. After 2 minutes, i could tell, Obviously, he knew what he was doing. He told me he had been doing this for 30 years.

He said the aftermarket windshield was looser than the Toyota windshield but wasn't sure if it was the glass or aftermarket seal causing that. After he put in the factory glass and seal, WITH the chrome! It was tight. He assured me it wouldn't leak and I believe him. The seal, chrome and everything seemed to look "right" when he was done. I can't say that about Safelight's work.

I am happy with it.

 

[cruisermatt]

Can you give us the company name that did the work? I have two cracks.

 

[JohninFla]

AAAAuto glass
1550 S US Hwy 17-92
Longwood, Fl 32750
407 571 9832

I think his name was Tom, but not 100% sure. Make sure you ask for all Toyota parts, or they sub aftermarket on the glass and gasket.

 

[cruisermatt]

Thanks John.

 

[JohninFla]

FedEx showed up with a compressor dryer hose and o rings for my a/c today. I just need to leave work earlier to have some daylight left to go out and play with it!

 

[JohninFla]

Hey!! It's been a while since I posted. lots of trips south this year, and not much time for the cruiser.

I finally did something yesterday. Got up early, and decided it might get hot in Fla this summer, so I should install my a/c.

I used the HT-6 compressor from a 199 Tahoe, (new), a replacement Toyota dryer and the stock condenser and evaporator. I have the tach hooked up, so I will used the stock a/c amp to trigger the a/c clutch on the compressor.

I bought the new hose for the 1999 Tahoe compressor and had a local hydraulic hose shop chop it up and put different ends on it. They did one better than I asked, and put a swivel in where the manifold met each hose. If you have to do this, ask for the swivel. It totally helps get the hose end lined up with the condenser and evaporator. I added 10 inches to the stock hose on the evaporator connection, and that let the hose go straight back to the firewall from the compressor, then follow it along to the evaporator connection at the firewall. I had then terminate it with a 90 degree fitting. The condenser hose stock length was fine, I had them put a 90 on that end also, and I didn't have any trouble there. I fed the hose through the stock hole in the core support, too far, connected it, then fed it back through, aligned it so it was tight to the core support and I could get the grill back on, and tightened the hose connection.

For the clutch electric, I installed a relay that is triggered by the stock signal, and runs battery power to the clutch through a 10a fuse. I mounted the relay on the passenger side fender, near my distributor power relay, and then ran the clutch wire along the engine past the alternator, to the clutch.

With that all done, I wanted to pull the air out and try to charge it, but, for some reason, my a/c gauge hoses are all brittle and porous. I mean, hey, I used them last I remember to make a living in 1990, and they have been in my hot garage in a bin container, all rolled up, under some other junk, how could they go bad? And my vacuum pump connection doesn't mate up to my gauges? I am sure I had some Rube Goldeberg connection for it back in the day.........

I also discovered my stock Chevy air cleaner from a 1980 El Camino won't fit with the a/c manifold.

I am now 90% done, gauges, snappy air cleaner, a/c fitting adapter and electrical plug for compressor on order from amazon.

Good Saturday for me, I am 90% happy! Pics to follow when the battery in my camera charges up.

 

[JohninFla]

This A/C has been a little adventure!

I connected everything and hooked up the vacuum pump. Pulled good vacuum and held for 1 1/2 hour while I mowed the lawn. I charged in some Freon, without it running, then started it, and charged it to almost the correct inlet pressure for 85 degrees ambient.

The casting on the compressor where the manifold connects failed catastrophically. Freon and PAG oil all over the place. I am VERY glad I am nuts about my safety glasses. They had oil spots all over them.

I swapped the compressor out tonight, pulled a vacuum and all is well. I charged to the very low end of the inlet pressure, and it's blowing nice cold air. I attached pics so folks could see the hose routing and also the fancy new little air cleaner. I would prefer to have something sucking cold air from outside of the car, but this will do for now.

I will drive it in to work in the morning, and see how it does in the heat of the Florida afternoon. I think some window tint will probably come next.

Once again, a good day to be me!!!