- Thread starter
- #161
Some progress on the painting parts.
Builds 1992 LJ78 build/refresh (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Nas90tdi
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #162
Head came back yesterday.
I used Automotive Machine Specialist in Everett Washington at the suggestion of @torfab. He does their head work.
I am really pleased with the work he did. Under 2 days turnaround and extremely reasonable on the price.
I should have the injectors back from rebuild today.
I am switching to Evans Waterless coolant while I have everything drained.
I had the Tridon tstat malfunction previously, so I have a new one, replacing coolant cap with a new OEM.
I decided to reuse my timing belt as it only had about 5000 miles on it.
I used Automotive Machine Specialist in Everett Washington at the suggestion of @torfab. He does their head work.
I am really pleased with the work he did. Under 2 days turnaround and extremely reasonable on the price.
I should have the injectors back from rebuild today.
I am switching to Evans Waterless coolant while I have everything drained.
I had the Tridon tstat malfunction previously, so I have a new one, replacing coolant cap with a new OEM.
I decided to reuse my timing belt as it only had about 5000 miles on it.
- Thread starter
- #163
Couple of more
GTSSportCoupe
2LTE abuser
Nice work!! That is a super clean block deck! I did a double take there thinking you had it machined or something!
- Thread starter
- #165
I was the machine on that. I cleaned it once and wasn't happy, so revisited it a couple of times.
My injectors got hung up with the holiday load on delivery drivers, so fingers crossed they show up today.
I have everything ready to go back together the minute those injectors show. I closed the front up and put the valve cover on last night.
All the rest is easy, just time consuming to get it all together. So, I might put the intake together and fire it off for a second before I put everything in the way. Once my intercooler and everything is in the bay it gets really tight around the IP and around the manifold.
My injectors got hung up with the holiday load on delivery drivers, so fingers crossed they show up today.
I have everything ready to go back together the minute those injectors show. I closed the front up and put the valve cover on last night.
All the rest is easy, just time consuming to get it all together. So, I might put the intake together and fire it off for a second before I put everything in the way. Once my intercooler and everything is in the bay it gets really tight around the IP and around the manifold.
- Thread starter
- #166
All back together and running good so far.
Had a moment of stress, but @GTSSportCoupe talked me off the ledge.
Head cracked back in early summer, so I didn't have time to work on it. It sat all that time and I would crank it periodically.
It seems not getting the exhaust good and hot had caused it to condensate repeatedly, so my initial crank was followed by huge billowing clouds of white smoke. It kept that up for quite a while. The only thing keeping me from going off the deep end was it didn't smell like anything. It was a tad stressful however as it was pretty significant. All cleared up now after a hard test drive. Still getting a little clear water in my catch can.
Installed freshly rebuilt injectors with new nozzles. Swapped to Evan Waterless coolant.
Sadly it all just looks the same as before. No corrosion on the heater pipes is about the only visible upgrade. But, hopefully I won't see the inside of the engine for a good long time again.
Had a moment of stress, but @GTSSportCoupe talked me off the ledge.
Head cracked back in early summer, so I didn't have time to work on it. It sat all that time and I would crank it periodically.
It seems not getting the exhaust good and hot had caused it to condensate repeatedly, so my initial crank was followed by huge billowing clouds of white smoke. It kept that up for quite a while. The only thing keeping me from going off the deep end was it didn't smell like anything. It was a tad stressful however as it was pretty significant. All cleared up now after a hard test drive. Still getting a little clear water in my catch can.
Installed freshly rebuilt injectors with new nozzles. Swapped to Evan Waterless coolant.
Sadly it all just looks the same as before. No corrosion on the heater pipes is about the only visible upgrade. But, hopefully I won't see the inside of the engine for a good long time again.
Nicely done, No left-over parts? LOL Who did your injectors?
- Thread starter
- #168
These guys. Turned them around really fast and weren't overly expensive.
www.dfispdx.com
Diesel Engine Repair | Diesel Fuel Injection | Portland, Oregon
Diesel Fuel Injection Service has over 40 years of experience repairing fuel injectors and turbochargers. Call us today for service.
- Thread starter
- #169
And, if I am honest Jimmy. I had 4 left over bolts for the longest time. Drove me nuts until the end.
Finally figured out what they were and that I had used 4 identical bolts too early in the rebuild process. I had them all sorted with the parts the were with until I started blasting and painting. Made me get them out of the order I had them in and then the truck sat for 2 weeks waiting on the head to show. It was just a matter of them being really clean and shiny, so I knew they must have came out from under the timing cover, but I already had it together. Made me think really hard on what I had done.
Finally figured out what they were and that I had used 4 identical bolts too early in the rebuild process. I had them all sorted with the parts the were with until I started blasting and painting. Made me get them out of the order I had them in and then the truck sat for 2 weeks waiting on the head to show. It was just a matter of them being really clean and shiny, so I knew they must have came out from under the timing cover, but I already had it together. Made me think really hard on what I had done.
My biggest fear with wrenching!! 
Nice Work! I think in the long run you will be happy that you stuck with the stock engine, as you know I ventured down the path of swapping.
It does seem like a easy thing at first but in the end you are having to heavily modify your truck.
My 90 LJ78 never saw completion (family and work took over) but with our fuel prices in BC fluctuation the way they do I'm really happy to stick with my little 2lte in my 92 LJ78.
It does seem like a easy thing at first but in the end you are having to heavily modify your truck.
My 90 LJ78 never saw completion (family and work took over) but with our fuel prices in BC fluctuation the way they do I'm really happy to stick with my little 2lte in my 92 LJ78.
GTSSportCoupe
2LTE abuser
Nice to see your truck functional again @Nas90tdi; nice work cleaning everything up and painting it etc. I like how you painted the valve cover black. Looks so much better than the OEM 2LTE color. I don't know why, but changes the whole feeling of the motor for me at least. Maybe because similar year 3L motors I've seen came with the black valve covers. I painted mine a gloss black enamel also.
- Thread starter
- #173
That was one of the first things I did when I got the truck. The valve cover was leaking,so I replaced the gasket and got rid of that weird grey color it had.
John in Utah
SILVER Star
Reading through this thread for the first time and had to go back and double check it’s wasn’t a 3L with a turbo kit. 
how are your temps with the Evans coolant? Mine ran hot no matter what I tried - new radiator, high flow tstat, fan clutch mod, etc. No issues, just higher temps. I ended up replacing wIth Toyota red coolant just because I couldn’t get used to my temp gauge being in the red.
how are your temps with the Evans coolant? Mine ran hot no matter what I tried - new radiator, high flow tstat, fan clutch mod, etc. No issues, just higher temps. I ended up replacing wIth Toyota red coolant just because I couldn’t get used to my temp gauge being in the red.
GTSSportCoupe
2LTE abuser
Reading through this thread for the first time and had to go back and double check it’s wasn’t a 3L with a turbo kit.
how are your temps with the Evans coolant? Mine ran hot no matter what I tried - new radiator, high flow tstat, fan clutch mod, etc. No issues, just higher temps. I ended up replacing wIth Toyota red coolant just because I couldn’t get used to my temp gauge being in the red.
That's weird your engine ran so hot with Evans. Mine definitely runs hotter; but not that hot. Usually can't tell unless I'm towing in summer up big long hills. I'm still a 'believer' though, haha. Anything that keeps the temps more even around the pre-cups is a win IMHO.
- Thread starter
- #176
I haven't seen a appreciable increase in temps with the Evans. That's certainly not empirical data however. I have not actually driven the truck much last week since I reassembled it. But, what I have it does not seem to be running any warmer in just regular driving.
John in Utah
SILVER Star
I agree - on principal I want to use Evans, and the hottest I saw was 115 C or so, and that’s going up a big hill with the AC blasting on a hot Utah day in August. I just couldn’t stand to watch my temp gauge move like that.
Stupid I know. I figure with the advantage of the 3L head, no turbo, light duty use,etc etc... it was worth my sanity to switch back to conventional.
GTSSportCoupe
2LTE abuser
I agree - on principal I want to use Evans, and the hottest I saw was 115 C or so, and that’s going up a big hill with the AC blasting on a hot Utah day in August. I just couldn’t stand to watch my temp gauge move like that.
I figure with the advantage of the 3L head, no turbo, light duty use,etc etc... it was worth my sanity to switch back to conventional.
Thats pretty darn hot! And it's normally aspirated... Crazy.
- Thread starter
- #179
No lie. That's super hot for a NA diesel. Something else must be going on.
Restricted flow somewhere in the system?
