Builds 1988 FJ62 5.3 4l60 Turbo Build (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Apr 12, 2021
Threads
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Messages
127
Location
Corvallis, Oregon
Putting a time out of my fj40 build to start my 1988 fj62 build.

I graduate college in roughly 6 months and will likely be moving out of state. Picked up this 62 and she is a little rough around the edges but I think it has good bones and is my ideal spec for a 62 as I can't justify cutting up a minty cruiser. Rig came out of Spokane Washington and I think the rust is mostly from an undercoating being put on improperly. My goal is to get it running and driving before I graduate so I can send it off to paint when I graduate and have less time to work on things. Studying Mech. Engineering so I have access to anything you can imagine in a machine shop and rapid prototyping. That being said the goal for this is to be a bare-bones, simple, no bells or whistles weapon in the city. No off-road bumpers, probably 2-inch lift on 33's so I can run over all the bicyclists kinda thing (likely moving to Seattle or similar for work).

picked up an 02 Yukon XL 2 weeks ago and pulled its 5.3 with 2wd 4l60e. Will run that with 90% chance of the stock split case. Have an 80 series full-time transfer case I can get for $350 and it would be cool as hell to make it AWD but no real point. BUTTTTTT I could use the split case in my fj40 build down the road... I keep going back and fourth from wanting to be smart and just do it plain versus making my own unique rig that is my mecha of daily driver weapon...

Will attach pictures of the other day going through and baselining it and when we first picked it up. Pulling the engine later next week and selling that to fully commit me to what adapter and such to order. Someone give me the green light on running the 80 series transfer case because it would be cool.

Also potentially if I have time this summer between elk season and summer classes I want to draw up all the plastic components of the grille and such in Solidworks and then cut them out on the CNC machine at school.... I absolutely hate plastic and think it would be a really cool project. Potentially other components depending on what stock I have available in a timely fashion.

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You should stick with the split case. It will make the swap a lot more straight forwards with your timeline since everything will stay effectively the same in that area.
 
Wanting to document this all for myself and for anyone else curious on everything. Also for in the future my buddy who will be building one once this is finished. I'm slowly converting him to a cruiser guy from those god awful civics!!!
Spoke w/ CruiserMatt and had already planned on running his engine mounts but that is set in stone now.

Today I ordered the oil pan 19212593 and then these Exhaust Manifolds These should be perfect of keeping that OE look but without a bunch of rust and such from an LS1 pull-off. Also ordered some gaskets and filters for the 4l60.
Need to order this because who needs emissions? want to simplify it while I'm here.
last week ordered Spark plugs (41-962) and exhaust manifold gaskets (12617944). Trying to keep as much on the maintenance side OEM as possible.
Will separate the engine and trans this coming week and get the entire drive train prepped then pull my 3fe and trans which is for sale if anyone is interested message me. Sometime next week will get on the phone w/ CruiserMatt and order his engine mounts, and the AA adapter. Currently leaning toward the BP Automotive Harness I want to go through and have this be a straightforward learning process versus a slit my wrists trying to find this and that problem in my limited time.
The project is at my dad's house with the shop and tools and with school, I only have 1 day a week to work on the build if that.
 
Pulled the full drivetrain today.

straightforward enough just go around and disconnected everything. The amount of emissions garbage that is on these things is insane. Need to still pull off the transfer case and I believe I have a buyer for the long block. Could do it again in about 4 hours. We do it kind of the redneck way but it works and luckily my dad has a big overhead gantry. Basically, pull the engine out with a jack on the back of the transfer case up until basically the transfer case is hitting the front axle. Then I attached a come along winch around the back of the transfer case and to the top of the gantry and lift the back of the drivetrain to basically level and pulled it out. We have done this to pull a few engines out of donor rigs and it works decent.

All of the stuff to prep the 5.3 is in so will work on cleaning the engine and trans up then rebuilding the transfer case and putting the adaptor on.

few questions that idk if anyone knows the answer to but with the fj62 3fe do I need the ECU or can I just sell it. My understanding is I will just need to plug in my oil pressure sensor with an adaptor and that will go to just my cluster and basically the same for my water temp sensor. Is my understanding wrong?

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no need for the ECU.
 
Well, scope creep is massive right now. Ordered a bunch of stuff from cruisermatt. Waiting for that to come in to finish up my drivetrain. Cut out the motor mounts and had the time so I popped the frame off the body. Have spent the last few days cleaning it up, going to por-15 it. Picked up a rotisserie locally today for $200

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Well, scope creep is massive right now. Ordered a bunch of stuff from cruisermatt. Waiting for that to come in to finish up my drivetrain. Cut out the motor mounts and had the time so I popped the frame off the body. Have spent the last few days cleaning it up, going to por-15 it. Stole a rotisserie locally today for $200

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you spelled 'picked up' wrong. i fixered it for you. damn good score on that mister :grinpimp:
 
Put some orders in the last few days. Partsouq was the cheapest I found over megazip. Found some parts that partsouq did not have on eBay.
Partsouq got new rubber for body mounts, oil pressure sensor, water temp front and rear bumper with bolts. as many lights as they still had (still need front blinders and side marker lights as well as rear tails. Ordered new OE side mirrors for 265 on ebay for the set. Also license plate assembly on ebay.
If you need OE part numbers for body mounts and spacers they are all here. only thing is for #19 on this order you need 6 total, ordered the other 3 on toyota parts deal.
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Will be pulling transfercase off OE trans this weekend and finish cleaning it up. Have pretty much everything now on hand to keep moving forward with the swap. Need to build some of the rear channel and bumper bar before I put the body back on. likely will sandblast the underside of the body where the garbage body coating is. Plan on doing the motor placement and as much of the routing as possible with the body off with basing the placement off the stock driveshafts and transmission cross member. Most of the stuff I have ordered will be just finishing touches after paint but wanted to put it on the shelf before it is gone forever.
 
Rear of the frame has been fixed up not the most pretty but will do its job. The rusted C channel has been pulled out and ordered a replacement from trail tailor. Sandblasted frame and por-15 it, then top-coated it with semi-gloss black Rustoleum. Picked up a 96 lx450 to pull the suspension off either going to use the trail tailor or the torfab adapter kit or scab the mounts from the lx450 frame to put everything under this 62 frame. Planning on motor mounts tomorrow and they start pulling the lx450 apart to get what I need. Think I have a shop in Portland to weld on the new mounts depending what route I go it will be easier without the body. Message me for any LX parts I also have a post with it being parted out

Pictures for documentation!

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I would go with the @TRAIL TAILOR or @torfab kit over using the lx mounts I've done this but with new oem factory brackets I'm sure the fitment is better with one of there kits and all the thought process is done with there r and d work just my thoughts.
Tommy
 
I would go with the @TRAIL TAILOR or @torfab kit over using the lx mounts I've done this but with new oem factory brackets I'm sure the fitment is better with one of there kits and all the thought process is done with there r and d work just my thoughts.
Tommy
That's what I want to do but budget. My guy is going to reach out to me tomorrow to see what would work best for him It comes down to budget for me really. the kit being around 4k is a big entry price if having to pay labor on top.
 
Understandable... it looks like your inclined enough to do it yourself but if you don't own a welder and don't know how to weld I would pay someone to do that part if you could maybe mobile welding company do everything yourself with the kit have them weld it up. Like I said the oem brackets on an 80 will be different than on a 62 you can make it work just more work kit will get you further faster. When I say I've done it was only the front rear is little more work than the front.
Tommy
 
Understandable... it looks like your inclined enough to do it yourself but if you don't own a welder and don't know how to weld I would pay someone to do that part if you could maybe mobile welding company do everything yourself with the kit have them weld it up. Like I said the oem brackets on an 80 will be different than on a 62 you can make it work just more work kit will get you further faster. When I say I've done it was only the front rear is little more work than the front.
Tommy
Gotcha Im going to do some reading about it tonight trying to post up the LX im parting out everywhere and then try and plan my next steps I appreciate it
 
Gotcha Im going to do some reading about it tonight trying to post up the LX im parting out everywhere and then try and plan my next steps I appreciate it
What color is your lx my buddy has a white one he just messed up his hood and passenger side fender if I remember correctly
 

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