Builds 1988 BJ74 “Number 1” (7 Viewers)

[FJBen]

So it’s part order time. Started with one of my first shops cruiser outfitters. I was told they didn’t have the headgasket, or the intake or thermostat housing to block. That’s weird, I’ve never fully struck out with them…

Googled online and found a US online dealer and placed an order for the headgasket and I take gasket. 10 mins later I get a call…

Um, there are none of those in the US and backlog so none available. Now 2 thoughts enter my mind, f@ck…I could be waiting a while, and then 2, the ghost of @OGBeno yelling “parts monkeys don’t know jack…”

So partsouq for the win on the headgasket, will be here in a week.

Strangely I was able to order the intake gasket and thermostat/block gasket on cruiser outfitters online and it shipped…not sure what got crossed but I believe all parts on the way



So here I am 5 years later in the same spot(ish) as I was in 2019…a cruiser without a head

The day I got her

 

[Eurasiaoverland]

There is a replacement for the lower thermostat housing (at least for the later B engines, but I think it will fit the older architecture), but the original is NLA. Upper thermostat housing, long gone with no left-pointing housings at all still in production.

https://partsouq.com/en/search/all?q=1633358080

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

There is always a gremlin that eludes chase...





Juan

 

[FJBen]

There is a replacement for the lower thermostat housing (at least for the later B engines, but I think it will fit the older architecture), but the original is NLA. Upper thermostat housing, long gone with no left-pointing housings at all still in production.

https://partsouq.com/en/search/all?q=1633358080

Oh I’m just looking for the gaskets, maybe that’s where things got messed up but apparently I’ve been shipped the parts

 

[FJBen]

Hit the machine shop this morning. Got my daily dose of grumpy old man politics and world problems

Looking at it we couldn’t find any failure or issues. MLS headgaskets generally won’t blow out.

We looked at the records and saw that he just fixed some freeze plugs in the head and fixed a valve depth and new seals. It was resurfaced by the old shop, but it’s possible they didn’t do it straight…maybe…

Scraping off the old junk.

His preferred method, nothing abrasive. Good gasket scraper and some penetrating oil. A razor blade works good as well.

No sanding with power tools or rolocs. You can mess things up.

Use a soft scotch brite pad with you hand and some lacquer thinner or brake cleaner to clean it off.

Looking for imperfections.

We did find some corrosion pitting from coolant so decided best to resurface it.

 

[Eurasiaoverland]

Interesting, thanks for the nice pictures One of my favourite home-made tools is a piece of copper (household) radiator pipe hammered flat, with an edge put on it from an oil stone. It works wonders removing old gasket from steel, cast iron and aluminium, though it might leave some copper particles on the head deck. No way I would ever put anything on a power tool near that surface.

Has the head been checked with a straight edge?

 

[FJBen]

Checking level

Using thin pieces of brass and copper to level it to thousandths

Run it over it to take 2thousanths off.

According to him, it’s really hard to check all straightness with a straight edge. There can be little spots you can’t see or measure with the straight edge.

Resurface is the best way to get it level.


After this it was over to get cleaned off and ready to put back in.

 

[Eurasiaoverland]

Ah, you are way ahead of me. Looks great now - did you see any high spots as he was making passes with the cutter?

 

[FJBen]

Interesting, thanks for the nice pictures One of my favourite home-made tools is a piece of copper (household) radiator pipe hammered flat, with an edge put on it from an oil stone. It works wonders removing old gasket from steel, cast iron and aluminium, though it might leave some copper particles on the head deck. No way I would ever put anything on a power tool near that surface.

Has the head been checked with a straight edge?

I think im just going to use a razor and penetrating oil. We know for sure the block was right, it’s just a question if there is any corrosion…I really hope not.

 

[FJBen]

Ah, you are way ahead of me. Looks great now - did you see any high spots as he was making passes with the cutter?

No high spots, just some pitting around where it was leaking so we took it down to get rid of that but enough to not have to mess with valve depths.

 

[CruiserTrash]

@FJBen What shop is that?

 

[bj70bc]

I think im just going to use a razor and penetrating oil. We know for sure the block was right, it’s just a question if there is any corrosion…I really hope not.

after the scraper treatment a
VERY light EVEN touch with some scotchbrite and 2000 grit paper on a small brass sanding block, just to expose the surface a slight bit, helps imho
just cant be a neanderthal about it, if youre a tradesman you get it.....
this is how i got my mls gasket to seal up without machining the block deck at all, (knocks on wood)

 

[FJBen]

@FJBen What shop is that?

It’s the shop I used in ogallala Nebraska. Just 1 crotchety old guy whose main business is machine work on diesel tractors/combines/pivots you name it.

Xtreme machine, I can PM the phone number if you want.

 

[FJBen]

after the scraper treatment a
VERY light EVEN touch with some scotchbrite and 2000 grit paper on a small brass sanding block, just to expose the surface a slight bit, helps imho
just cant be a neanderthal about it, if youre a tradesman you get it.....
this is how i got my mls gasket to seal up without machining the block deck at all, (knocks on wood)

Yep, nothing power or get too crazy about it. I need to check the block today for pitting, that would be the only issue I could have…

 

[FJBen]

Oh, yeah as I came out of the machine shop…dead battery. It had been getting weak bit of course…

Add $180 to the bill on this trip.


thermostat/block gasket came in along with intake gasket. Thanks @cruiseroutfit

Procrastinating on pulling the crank pulley and fixing the timing cover along with the oil cooler….

 

[cruiserdan]

While it's apart...

 

[OGBeno]

While it's apart...

Agreed.

If it’s any consolation I wasted a day fixing my 294k mile hybrid toaster….

I fǔcking hate toasters.

Yesterday, I was hanging out with the crotchety old humans who fix metal as well…. Solace in the current darkness.

It turned fall today. Overnight.

 

[FJBen]

Agreed.

If it’s any consolation I wasted a day fixing my 294k mile hybrid toaster….

I fǔcking hate toasters.

View attachment 3761576

View attachment 3761577

Yesterday, I was hanging out with the crotchety old humans who fix metal as well…. Solace in the current darkness.

View attachment 3761578

It turned fall today. Overnight.

View attachment 3761579

Toaster up! What are we looking at? LS swap?


And fall is here for sure…

 

[OGBeno]

Toaster up! What are we looking at? LS swap?


And fall is here for sure…

Nah. Just a low mileage JDM 2ZR-FXE.

 

[FJBen]

More parts in.

And bought a tool to get the crank bolt off. Why I never bought one before for taking wheels and stubborn bolts off…