Build 1988 BJ74 “Number 1”

[CruiserTrash]

Still not sure what’s actually leaking. There is coolant, but I’m not sure if it’s actually from the water pump or something else. It’s hard to imagine it’s blowing down without making a mess anywhere else.

View attachment 4020566

All the bolts were pretty tight, only one was a little looser than the others, but barely. Water pump feels/turns fine. Still at a loss. Radiator is fine, no spills, same with shroud.

Also the alternator bracket is done. I should be able to find a fab shop to recreate that as I doubt it’s still available.
View attachment 4020567


Brainstorm time…
Do those radiator pressure testers work decent?

Replace waterpump? (Aisin with 70k kms)
Replace both radiator hoses

Draw that up in CAD and have one of the quick fab shops make it - SendCutSend or otherwise. That's an easy one right there. 2D, flat, plenty of meat all the way around the holes.

For the leak, can you have somebody (you have kids right?) get on the throttle while it's in neutral and you're head is in the engine bay? Do it after a half hour lap at high speed on those dirt roads where you're at. Get the system pressurized then when you get home your kid or whoever can get the WP spinning fast. If there's a pinhole that should show it.

 

[FJBen]

Draw that up in CAD and have one of the quick fab shops make it - SendCutSend or otherwise. That's an easy one right there. 2D, flat, plenty of meat all the way around the holes.

For the leak, can you have somebody (you have kids right?) get on the throttle while it's in neutral and you're head is in the engine bay? Do it after a half hour lap at high speed on those dirt roads where you're at. Get the system pressurized then when you get home your kid or whoever can get the WP spinning fast. If there's a pinhole that should show it.

Yeah I’ll try and get that drawn up on sketch works or something. Someone should be able to make that fairly easy.

I did try that a few times. Got her nice and hot, pulled over, looked, revved it up. Nothing. On the 13bt, you really can’t see any of that once the fan/pulleys are on, especially when the shroud is on.

 

[FJBen]

Well being in the country I was able to find a welding/repair shop about 5 mins away.

For $30 it’s worth a try. Worst case it breaks and I get one made up.


Now I just need to decide what to do. I’ve ordered the radiator hoses, so I need to decide if I want to replace those only and test again, or go full on and do the water pump.

It’s a lot more work to do the water pump on the 13bt. I’d be shocked if it was the pump that leaking.

Thoughts on what mud would do?

 

[jblueridge]

On my MG and mini truck, both times I was sure it was not the pump, it actually was the pump.
Maybe you can ship yours away to be rebuilt.

Also, trace or measure the alt bracket now while its in one piece.

 

[FJBen]

On my MG and mini truck, both times I was sure it was not the pump, it actually was the pump.
Maybe you can ship yours away to be rebuilt.

Also, trace or measure the alt bracket now while its in one piece.

Yeah, that’s the way I’m leaning. It sucks. I just have a hard time believing an Aisin is leaking/failed that quickly, It’s got 50,000 miles on it.

 

[bj70bc]

perhaps just the gasket took a dump

 

[gilmorneau]

I just have a hard time believing an Aisin is leaking/failed that quickly

I haven't had a 13B-T for a while, but does the belt that drives the alternator also drive the water pump? Maybe that broken bracket was putting some stress on the pump?

 

[FJBen]

perhaps just the gasket took a dump

It’s possible, but doesn’t look wet where the gasket would sit. If I’m pulling it, I’m replacing a pump.

I haven't had a 13B-T for a while, but does the belt that drives the alternator also drive the water pump? Maybe that broken bracket was putting some stress on the pump?

This was my initial thought when I saw it the broken bracket. Yes alt and water pump on same belt.

 

[FJBen]

My son made this for my birthday in woods class for his cutting board project. Quite a bit better than the crappy lopsided heart one I made

Super cool!

 

[FJBen]

Finally some small tech.

These upper thermostat hosings kinda suck on the 13bt. The provisions for the turbo cooling just degrade.

I wasn’t using the water cooling as my holset doesn’t have that feature so I decided to quit using the ghetto method of a hose and plug them.


Off to the machine shop at 8:00am, 2 hours later he called and had it done. 1/8” npt so I could put a sensor in there easily now.

He also surfaced the bottom.

$30 cash and I’m happy. I’m going to cleanup the output as well.


Now you can get the 3B version without the ports. I believe it’s shorter but doesn’t have a water cap, which would be a problem on a 13bt and a radiator without one.

 

[Felde]

Now you can get the 3B version without the ports. I believe it’s shorter but doesn’t have a water cap, which would be a problem on a 13bt and a radiator without one.

The version for 3B BJ7 have a water cap.
16331-58010 Outlet water.
Wasn't available for a long time, but is now back in stock with amayama.com.
I just ordered one. Similar problem with corrosion on mine: The bayonet for the cap is badly corroded and the cap barely seals. Had to put an extra thick gasket made from a bicycle tube. But I didn't dare opening it for 4 years. Need to change the coolant, so good to get a replacement.
Cheers Ralf

 

[FJBen]

So I decided to fix that timing cover…

Pro-tip: I used the heatgun to heat the timing cover while removing it. That allowed me to take the cover out did while leaving automatic timer on the injection pump. That means I don’t have to pull it all apart and retime it.


The gasket was soaked, you can see now that gasket wasn’t sealed on the bottom.

Went back to FIPG.

And I apparently lost one of the little rubber spacers that go on the bottom of the timing cover. I don’t really know what they do and if you actually need them. I’m going to search again tomorrow in the daylight.


They don’t seal anything

1134856010​

 

[Broski]

On the southern side is Boyson reservoir. Pretty good sized for fishing, boating. 76 miles of shoreline.

View attachment 4013357

Also hells half acre is on the way.

Hell’s Half Acre is located in Natrona County, Wyoming, and is a 320-acre park characterized by its jagged formations and caves. Native peoples of the past used the region for the herding and slaughtering of buffalo by utilizing its many narrow canyons. At the time of its visitation by the U.S in 1833, the ground could be seen giving off sulfur fumes due to underground fires. After appearing on postcards labeled as Hell’s Half Acre, the site gained its current name.

Shocker I took a photo without the cruiser.
View attachment 4013358

View attachment 4013360


It might look familiar to some of you…

View attachment 4013383


The alien planet scenes on Starship Troopers were filmed here.

I spent 8 months of my life building, doing stand by on set then taking it down for Starship Troopers at hell’s half acre.

Definitely looks familiar and brings back memories!

 

[Eurasiaoverland]

The version for 3B BJ7 have a water cap.
16331-58010 Outlet water.
Wasn't available for a long time, but is now back in stock with amayama.com.
I just ordered one. Similar problem with corrosion on mine: The bayonet for the cap is badly corroded and the cap barely seals. Had to put an extra thick gasket made from a bicycle tube. But I didn't dare opening it for 4 years. Need to change the coolant, so good to get a replacement.
Cheers Ralf

View attachment 4030520

I would advise you to never order from Amayama in the UAE. Their stock numbers are totally bogus. You will wait two to four weeks and get a refund. No way that part is in stock.

 

[Felde]

I would advise you to never order from Amayama in the UAE. Their stock numbers are totally bogus. You will wait two to four weeks and get a refund. No way that part is in stock.

Ja, maybe. Had that experience before, too. Thanks for advice. Order is placed, also for some other stuff. Let's see what happens.
Good Luck to me Ralf

 

[FJBen]

Got it back together.

Back in winter mode as well, even though it’s been over 70 the past few days.

Project:
Replace water pump
Plug thermostat coolant outlets
Replace radiator hoses
Replace hoses off water pump

There was only 1 hose that I think might have been leaking. That was one of the heater hoses off the water pump. It looked like it had a split on it when I moved it, but I don’t know if I did that when I started moving it or if was a problem.


Either way, more testing to come.

 

[Eurasiaoverland]

What do you reckon is the cause of the persistent leaking from the front timing cover? Could it have been deformed from over-zealous scraping of the old gasket, or maybe warped somehow?

When the B engines were updated in 1988 (with the sole exception of the 13B), one of the updates was to put a couple more bolts in the front timing cover. I wonder if this was done to reduce the tendency to leak. Probably good for sealing, but a nightmare for trying to find a late-type Land Cruiser AC compressor bracket...

 

[FJBen]

What do you reckon is the cause of the persistent leaking from the front timing cover? Could it have been deformed from over-zealous scraping of the old gasket, or maybe warped somehow?

When the B engines were updated in 1988 (with the sole exception of the 13B), one of the updates was to put a couple more bolts in the front timing cover. I wonder if this was done to reduce the tendency to leak. Probably good for sealing, but a nightmare for trying to find a late-type Land Cruiser AC compressor bracket...

I think not having an OEM gasket is Probabaly a big part of it. On my engine every single non-oem gasket has leaked.

That said it’s possible that it’s not even. I’ve only tried FIPG the first time, i was using the water bath method and dont think I got in evenly on there. It lasted a few years before leaking.

The gasket is aftermarket I used and I probably should have used FIPG with it. I went full FIPG and used the heat gun so hopefully it all stayed even and will seal good.

 

[FJBen]

Winterized the wannabe troopy and did some cleanup on the cruiser. A few test drives and it’s looking ok on the cruiser.

The dogs love the room in the Eurovan, and easy for them to get in and out of.

These are setup so nice, it’s a shame it’s not a Toyota product

I’m contemplating a coolant level sensor, I don’t know if that’s overkill or dumb. They seem to make them in a float style that you can put in your overflow tank, or just a standard one that goes off when no water is touching it.

Anyone running a combo of a real temp gauge and a level sensor?

 

[AirheadNut]

I've been considering keeping the VW coolant level sensor when I swap to the new engine. Seems like it would be handy to at least have a dummy light just in case.